Chapter 2. Register and connect RHEL systems using the rhc client
The rhc client performs critical system tasks, such as registering your system to the Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console, retrieving the current configuration of various services that the remote host configuration manager supports, and updating the current configuration of services. It also maintains a history of configuration changes, and ensures that newly connected systems are kept up to date with the latest configuration.
The rhc client updates a system through a change in the remote host configuration manager, and through a new remote host configuration connection event from Red Hat Insights for Red Hat Enterprise Linux inventory.
Currently, settings apply to all systems connected with the rhc client. You cannot configure a system or group of systems independently.
Before configuring your system to connect using the rhc client, review the configuration in Red Hat Hybrid Cloud Console > Red Hat Insights > Inventory > System Configuration > Remote Host Configuration (RHC). The remote host configuration manager settings determine your system’s configuration.
RHEL version considerations
Setup procedures for the rhc client differ depending on the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) version on the system.
- RHEL 8.6 and later, and RHEL 9.0 and later support simplified registration to Red Hat Subscription Management (RHSM) and Insights for Red Hat Enterprise Linux .
- RHEL 8.5 supports the other features of remote host configuration, but configuration and setup involve a few more steps.
Timing of registration
To register the system to Red Hat Subscription Management (RHSM) and Insights for Red Hat Enterprise Linux with a single command, it might make sense to run the rhc connect command during the RHEL installation workflow, following network configuration. For RHEL 8.6 and later, this step will take care of the registration to Red Hat Subscription Management (RHSM), but you may still use RHSM for advance configurations.
If you have already installed and registered the RHEL installation with RHSM, or registered with Insights for Red Hat Enterprise Linux, you can still use rhc connect to enable the rhc client at any time to get the benefits of the remote host configuration manager and direct remediations.
Additional resources
- Client Configuration Guide for Red Hat Insights
- Creating Red Hat Customer Portal Activation Keys
- Getting Started with RHEL System Registration
- Performing an advanced RHEL installation
- Performing a standard RHEL installation
- Registration Assistant - a registration method that uses a guided lab in Red Hat Customer Portal Labs.
2.1. Setting up remote host configuration
The remote host configuration tool is evolving rapidly for multiple major and minor versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. For the latest installation instructions, see the knowledge article, Registering your host using RHC. The article will be updated as changes are made for various RHEL versions.
2.2. Disconnecting a system using remote host configuration
Prerequisites
-
You are logged in to the system as
rootor have sudo permissions.
Procedure
Run the following command on each Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) system that you want to remove from the remote host configuration manager.
ImportantDisconnecting through the rhc client unregisters your system from both the Red Hat Customer Portal and Red Hat Insights for Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
# rhc disconnect Disconnecting <$HOSTNAME> from console.redhat.com. This might take a few seconds. ● Deactivated the Red Hat connector daemon Manage your Red Hat connector systems: https://red.ht/connector
2.3. Using additional CLI options
View additional options for the rhc command.
Prerequisites
-
You are logged in to the system as
rootor have sudo permissions.
Procedure
Run
psand pipe throughgrepto display the connectorrhcdprocess.PID TTY TIME COMMAND 14992 ? 0:00 /usr/sbin/rhcd
Run
systemctl status rhcdto view the on/off status of therhcd daemon.# systemctl status rhcd
Enter
rhc --helpwith no other options.GLOBAL OPTIONS: --version, -v print the version (default: false)
