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Chapter 2. Installing Satellite Server

When the intended host for Satellite Server is in a disconnected environment, you can install Satellite Server by using an external computer to download an ISO image of the packages, and copying the packages to the system you want to install Satellite Server on. This method is not recommended for any other situation as ISO images might not contain the latest updates, bug fixes, and functionality.

Use the following procedures to install Satellite Server, perform the initial configuration, and import subscription manifests.

Before you continue, consider which manifests are relevant for your environment. For more information on manifests, see Managing Red Hat Subscriptions in Managing content.

Note

You cannot register Satellite Server to itself.

2.1. Downloading the binary DVD images
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Use this procedure to download the ISO images for Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Satellite.

Procedure

  1. Go to Red Hat Customer Portal and log in.
  2. Click DOWNLOADS.
  3. Select Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
  4. Click All Red Hat Enterprise Linux Downloads.

  5. Ensure that you have the correct product and version for your environment.

    • Product Variant is set to Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64.
    • Version is set to the latest minor version of the product you plan to use as the base operating system.
    • Architecture is set to the 64 bit version.
  6. On the Product Software tab, download the Binary DVD image for the latest Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 version.
  7. Click DOWNLOADS and select Red Hat Satellite.

  8. Ensure that you have the correct product and version for your environment.

    • Product Variant is set to Red Hat Satellite.
    • Version is set to the latest minor version of the product you plan to use.
  9. On the Product Software tab, download the Binary DVD image for the latest Red Hat Satellite version.

  10. Copy the ISO files to /var/tmp on the Satellite base operating system or other accessible storage device. 

    # scp localfile username@hostname:remotefile
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Use this procedure to configure offline repositories for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 and Red Hat Satellite ISO images.

Procedure

  1. Create a directory to serve as the mount point for the ISO file corresponding to the version of the base operating system. 

    # mkdir /media/rhel
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  2. Mount the ISO image for Red Hat Enterprise Linux to the mount point. 

    # mount -o loop rhel-DVD.iso /media/rhel
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  3. To copy the ISO file’s repository data file and change permissions, enter: 

    # cp /media/rhel/media.repo /etc/yum.repos.d/rhel.repo
# chmod u+w /etc/yum.repos.d/rhel.repo
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  4. Edit the repository data file and add the baseurl directive. 

    [RHEL-BaseOS]
name=Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS
mediaid=None
metadata_expire=-1
gpgcheck=0
cost=500
baseurl=file:///media/rhel/BaseOS/

[RHEL-AppStream]
name=Red Hat Enterprise Linux AppStream
mediaid=None
metadata_expire=-1
gpgcheck=0
cost=500
baseurl=file:///media/rhel/AppStream/
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  5. Verify that the repository has been configured. 

    # yum repolist
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  6. Create a directory to serve as the mount point for the ISO file of Satellite Server. 

    # mkdir /media/sat6
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  7. Mount the ISO image for Satellite Server to the mount point. 

    # mount -o loop sat6-DVD.iso /media/sat6
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By enabling fapolicyd on your Satellite Server, you can provide an additional layer of security by monitoring and controlling access to files and directories. The fapolicyd daemon uses the RPM database as a repository of trusted binaries and scripts.

You can turn on or off the fapolicyd on your Satellite Server or Capsule Server at any point.

2.3.1. Installing fapolicyd on Satellite Server
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You can install fapolicyd along with Satellite Server or can be installed on an existing Satellite Server. If you are installing fapolicyd along with the new Satellite Server, the installation process will detect the fapolicyd in your Red Hat Enterprise Linux host and deploy the Satellite Server rules automatically.

Prerequisites

  • Ensure your host has access to the BaseOS repositories of Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

Procedure

  1. For a new installation, install fapolicyd: 

    # dnf install fapolicyd
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  2. For an existing installation, install fapolicyd using satellite-maintain packages install: 

    # satellite-maintain packages install fapolicyd
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  3. Start the fapolicyd service: 

    # systemctl enable --now fapolicyd
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Verification

  • Verify that the fapolicyd service is running correctly: 

    # systemctl status fapolicyd
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New Satellite Server or Capsule Server installations

In case of new Satellite Server or Capsule Server installation, follow the standard installation procedures after installing and enabling fapolicyd on your Red Hat Enterprise Linux host.

Additional resources

For more information on fapolicyd, see Blocking and allowing applications using fapolicyd in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Security hardening.

Use this procedure to install the Satellite packages from the offline repositories.

Procedure

  1. Ensure the ISO images for Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server and Red Hat Satellite are mounted: 

    # findmnt -t iso9660
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  2. Import the Red Hat GPG keys: 

    # rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release
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  3. Ensure the base operating system is up to date with the Binary DVD image: 

    # dnf upgrade
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  4. Change to the directory where the Satellite ISO is mounted: 

    # cd /media/sat6/
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  5. Run the installation script in the mounted directory: 

    # ./install_packages
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    If you have successfully installed the Satellite packages, the following message is displayed: Install is complete. Please run satellite-installer --scenario satellite.

2.5. Resolving package dependency errors
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If there are package dependency errors during installation of Satellite Server packages, you can resolve the errors by downloading and installing packages from Red Hat Customer Portal. For more information about resolving dependency errors, see the KCS solution How can I use the yum output to solve yum dependency errors?.

If you have successfully installed the Satellite packages, skip this procedure.

Procedure

  1. Go to the Red Hat Customer Portal and log in.
  2. Click DOWNLOADS.
  3. Click the product that contains the package that you want to download.
  4. Ensure that you have the correct Product Variant, Version, and Architecture for your environment.
  5. Click the Packages tab.
  6. In the Search field, enter the name of the package.
  7. Click the package.
  8. From the Version list, select the version of the package.
  9. At the bottom of the page, click Download Now.
  10. Copy the package to the Satellite base operating system.

  11. On Satellite Server, change to the directory where the package is located: 

    # cd /path-to-package/
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  12. Install the package locally: 

    # dnf install package_name
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  13. Change to the directory where the Satellite ISO is mounted: 

    # cd /media/sat6/
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  14. Verify that you have resolved the package dependency errors by installing Satellite Server packages. If there are further package dependency errors, repeat this procedure. 

    # ./install_packages
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    If you have successfully installed the Satellite packages, the following message is displayed: Install is complete. Please run satellite-installer --scenario satellite.

2.6. Configuring Satellite Server
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Install Satellite Server using the satellite-installer installation script. Choose from one of the following methods:

  • Section 2.6.1, “Configuring Satellite installation”. This method is performed by running the installation script with one or more command options. The command options override the corresponding default initial configuration options and are recorded in the Satellite answer file. You can run the script as often as needed to configure any necessary options.

2.6.1. Configuring Satellite installation
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This initial configuration procedure creates an organization, location, user name, and password. After the initial configuration, you can create additional organizations and locations if required. The initial configuration also installs PostgreSQL databases on the same server.

The installation process can take tens of minutes to complete. If you are connecting remotely to the system, use a utility such as tmux that allows suspending and reattaching a communication session so that you can check the installation progress in case you become disconnected from the remote system. If you lose connection to the shell where the installation command is running, see the log at /var/log/foreman-installer/satellite.log to determine if the process completed successfully.

Considerations

  • Use the satellite-installer --scenario satellite --help command to display the most commonly used options and any default values.
  • Use the satellite-installer --scenario satellite --full-help command to display advanced options.
  • Specify a meaningful value for the option: --foreman-initial-organization. This can be your company name. An internal label that matches the value is also created and cannot be changed afterwards. If you do not specify a value, an organization called Default Organization with the label Default_Organization is created. You can rename the organization name but not the label.
  • By default, all configuration files configured by the installer are managed. When satellite-installer runs, it overwrites any manual changes to the managed files with the intended values. This means that running the installer on a broken system should restore it to working order, regardless of changes made. For more information on how to apply custom configuration on other services, see Applying Custom Configuration to Satellite.

Procedure

  1. Enter the following command with any additional options that you want to use: 

    # satellite-installer --scenario satellite \
--foreman-initial-organization "My_Organization" \
--foreman-initial-location "My_Location" \
--foreman-initial-admin-username admin_user_name \
--foreman-initial-admin-password admin_password
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    The script displays its progress and writes logs to /var/log/foreman-installer/satellite.log.

  2. Unmount the ISO images: 

    # umount /media/sat6
# umount /media/rhel
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2.7. Disabling subscription connection
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Disable subscription connection on disconnected Satellite Server to avoid connecting to the Red Hat Portal. This will also prevent you from refreshing the manifest and updating upstream entitlements.

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Administer > Settings.
  2. Click the Content tab.
  3. Set the Subscription Connection Enabled value to No.

CLI procedure

  • Enter the following command on Satellite Server: 

    $ hammer settings set --name subscription_connection_enabled --value false
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Use the following procedure to import a Red Hat subscription manifest into Satellite Server.

Note

Simple Content Access (SCA) is set on the organization, not the manifest. Importing a manifest does not change your organization’s Simple Content Access status.

Simple Content Access simplifies the subscription experience for administrators. For more information, see the Subscription Management Administration Guide for Red Hat Enterprise Linux on the Red Hat Customer Portal.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, ensure the context is set to the organization you want to use.
  2. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Subscriptions and click Manage Manifest.
  3. In the Manage Manifest window, click Choose File.
  4. Navigate to the location that contains the Red Hat subscription manifest file, then click Open.

CLI procedure

  1. Copy the Red Hat subscription manifest file from your local machine to Satellite Server: 

    $ scp ~/manifest_file.zip root@satellite.example.com:~/.
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  2. Log in to Satellite Server as the root user and import the Red Hat subscription manifest file: 

    $ hammer subscription upload \
--file ~/manifest_file.zip \
--organization "My_Organization"
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You can now enable repositories and import Red Hat content. For more information, see Importing Content in Managing content.

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