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Chapter 15. Managing Custom File Type Content

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In Satellite, you might require methods of managing and distributing SSH keys and source code files or larger files such as virtual machine images and ISO files. To achieve this, (customproduct)s in Red Hat Satellite include repositories for custom file types. This provides a generic method to incorporate arbitrary files in a product.

You can upload files to the repository and synchronize files from an upstream Satellite Server. When you add files to a custom file type repository, you can use the normal Satellite management functions such as adding a specific version to a Content View to provide version control and making the repository of files available on various Capsule Servers. Clients must download the files over HTTP or HTTPS using curl -O.

You can create a file type repository in Satellite Server only in a (customproduct), but there is flexibility in how you create the file type repository. You can create an independent file type repository in a directory on the system where Satellite is installed, or on a remote HTTP server, and then synchronize the contents of that directory into Satellite. This method is useful when you have multiple files to add to a Satellite repository.

15.1. Creating a Custom File Type Repository in Red Hat Satellite

The procedure for creating a custom file type repository is the same as the procedure for creating any custom content, except that when you create the repository, you select the file type. You must create a product and then add a custom repository.

Procedure

To create a (customproduct), complete the following procedure:

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Products, click Create Product and enter the following details:
  2. In the Name field, enter a name for the product. Satellite automatically completes the Label field based on what you have entered for Name.
  3. Optional: From the GPG Key list, select the GPG key for the product.
  4. Optional: From the Sync Plan list, select a synchronization plan for the product.
  5. In the Description field, enter a description of the product, and then click Save.

To create a repository for your (customproduct), complete the following procedure:

  1. In the Products window, select the name of a product that you want to create a repository for.
  2. Click the Repositories tab, and then click New Repository.
  3. In the Name field, enter a name for the repository. Satellite automatically completes the Label field based on the name.
  4. From the Type list, select file.
  5. In the Upstream URL field, enter the URL of the upstream repository to use as a source.
  6. Select the Verify SSL check box if you want to verify that the upstream repository’s SSL certificates are signed by a trusted CA.
  7. In the Upstream Username field, enter the user name for the upstream repository if required for authentication. Clear this field if the repository does not require authentication.
  8. In the Upstream Password field, enter the corresponding password for the upstream repository. Clear this field if the repository does not require authentication.
  9. Click Save.

For CLI Users

  1. Create a custom product 

    # hammer product create \
--name "My File Product" \
--sync-plan "Example Plan" \
--description "My files" \
--organization "My_Organization"
    Table 15.1. Optional Parameters for the hammer product create Command
    OptionDescription

    --gpg-key gpg_key_name

    Key name to search by

    --gpg-key-id gpg_key_id

    GPG key numeric identifier

    --sync-plan sync_plan_name

    Sync plan name to search by

    --sync-plan-id sync_plan_id

    Sync plan numeric identifier

  2. Create a File Type Repository 

    # hammer repository create \
--name "My Files" \
--content-type "file" \
--product "My File Product" \
--organization "My_Organization"
    Table 15.2. Optional Parameters for the hammer repository create Command
    OptionDescription

    --checksum-type sha_version

    Repository checksum, currently 'sha1' & 'sha256' are supported

    --download-policy policy_name

    Download policy for yum repos (either 'immediate', 'on_demand', or 'background').

    --gpg-key gpg_key_name

    Key name to search by

    --gpg-key-id gpg_key_id

    GPG key numeric identifier

    --mirror-on-sync boolean

    Must this repo be mirrored from the source, and stale RPMs removed, when synced? Set to true or false, yes or no, 1 or 0.

    --publish-via-http boolean

    Must this also be published using HTTP? Set to true or false, yes or no, 1 or 0.

    --upstream-username repository_username

    Upstream repository user, if required for authentication

    --upstream-password repository_password

    Password for the upstream repository user

    --url source_repo_url

    URL of the Source repository

    --verify-ssl-on-sync boolean

    Must Katello verify that the upstream URL’s SSL certificates are signed by a trusted CA? Set to true or false, yes or no, 1 or 0.

15.2. Creating a Custom File Type Repository in a Local Directory

You can create a custom file type repository, from a directory of files, on the base system where Satellite is installed using the pulp-manifest command. You can then synchronize the files into Satellite Server. When you add files to a file type repository, you can work with the files as with any other repository.

Use this procedure to configure a repository in a directory on the base system where Satellite is installed. To create a file type repository in a directory on a remote server, see Section 15.3, “Creating a Remote File Type Repository”.

Procedure

To create a file type repository in a local directory, complete the following procedure:

  1. Ensure the Server and Satellite Tools 6.7 repositories are enabled.

  2. Install the Pulp Manifest package: 

    # satellite-maintain packages install python-pulp-manifest

  3. Create a directory that you want to use as the file type repository in the HTTP server’s public folder: 

    # mkdir my_file_repo

  4. Add files to the directory or create a test file: 

    # touch my_file_repo/test.txt

  5. Enter the Pulp Manifest command to create the manifest: 

    # pulp-manifest my_file_repo

  6. Verify the manifest was created: 

    # ls my_file_repo
PULP_MANIFEST test.txt

Importing Files from a File Type Repository

To import files from a file type repository in a local directory, complete the following procedure:

  1. Ensure a custom product exists in Satellite Server.
  2. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Products.
  3. Select the name of a product.
  4. Click the Repositories tab and select New Repository.
  5. In the Name field, enter a name for the repository. Satellite automatically completes this field based on what you enter for Name.
  6. From the Type list, select the content type of the repository.
  7. In the Upstream URL field, enter the local directory with the repository to use as the source, in the form file:///my_file_repo.
  8. Select the Verify SSL check box to check the SSL certificate for the repository or clear the Verify SSL check box.
  9. Optional: In the Upstream Username field, enter the upstream user name that you require.
  10. Optional: In the Upstream Password field, enter the corresponding password for your upstream user name.
  11. Select Save to save this repository entry.

Updating a File Type Repository

To update the file type repository, complete the following steps:

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Products.
  2. Select the name of a product.
  3. Select the name of the repository you want to update.
  4. From the Select Action menu, select Sync Now.
  5. Visit the URL where the repository is published to see the files.

15.3. Creating a Remote File Type Repository

You can create a custom file type repository from a directory of files that is external to Satellite Server using the pulp-manifest command. You can then synchronize the files into Satellite Server over HTTP or HTTPS. When you add files to a file type repository, you can work with the files as with any other repository.

Use this procedure to configure a repository in a directory on a remote server. To create a file type repository in a directory on the base system where Satellite Server is installed, see Section 15.2, “Creating a Custom File Type Repository in a Local Directory”.

Prerequisites

Before you create a remote file type repository, ensure the following conditions exist:

  • You have a Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 server registered to your Satellite or the Red Hat CDN.
  • Your server has an entitlement to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server and Satellite Tools 6.7 repositories.
  • You have installed an HTTP server. For more information about configuring a web server, see The Apache HTTP Server in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 System Administrator’s Guide.

Procedure

To create a file type repository in a remote directory, complete the following procedure:

  1. On your remote server, ensure that the Server and Satellite Tools 6.7 repositories are enabled.

  2. Install the Pulp Manifest package: 

    # yum install python-pulp-manifest

  3. Create a directory that you want to use as the file type repository in the HTTP server’s public folder: 

    # mkdir /var/www/html/pub/my_file_repo

  4. Add files to the directory or create a test file: 

    # touch /var/www/html/pub/my_file_repo/test.txt

  5. Enter the Pulp Manifest command to create the manifest: 

    # pulp-manifest /var/www/html/pub/my_file_repo

  6. Verify the manifest was created: 

    # ls /var/www/html/pub/my_file_repo
PULP_MANIFEST test.txt

Importing Files from a Remote a File Type Repository

To import files from a remote file type repository, complete the following procedure:

  1. Ensure a custom product exists in Satellite Server, or create a custom product. For more information see Section 15.1, “Creating a Custom File Type Repository in Red Hat Satellite”
  2. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Products.
  3. Select the name of a product.
  4. Click the Repositories tab and select New Repository.
  5. In the Name field, enter a name for the repository. Red Hat Satellite 6 automatically completes this field based on what you enter for Name.
  6. From the Type list, select file.
  7. In the Upstream URL field, enter the URL of the upstream repository to use as a source.
  8. Select the Verify SSL check box if you want to verify that the upstream repository’s SSL certificates are signed by a trusted CA.
  9. In the Upstream Username field, enter the user name for the upstream repository if required for authentication. Clear this field if the repository does not require authentication.
  10. In the Upstream Password field, enter the corresponding password for the upstream repository. Clear this field if the repository does not require authentication.
  11. Click Save.
  12. To update the file type repository, navigate to Content > Products. Select the name of a product that contains the repository that you want to update.
  13. In the product’s window, select the name of the repository you want to update.
  14. From the Select Action menu, select Sync Now.

Visit the URL where the repository is published to view the files.

15.4. Uploading Files To a Custom File Type Repository in Red Hat Satellite

Procedure

To upload files to a custom file type repository, complete the following steps:

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Products.
  2. Select a custom product by name.
  3. Select a file type repository by name.
  4. Click Browse to search and select the file you want to upload.
  5. Click Upload to upload the selected file to Satellite Server.
  6. Visit the URL where the repository is published to see the file.

For CLI Users

# hammer repository upload-content \
--id repo_ID \
--organization "My_Organization" \
--path example_file

The --path option can indicate a file, a directory of files, or a glob expression of files. Globs must be escaped by single or double quotes.

15.5. Downloading Files to a Host From a Custom File Type Repository in Red Hat Satellite

You can download files to a client over HTTPS using curl -O, and optionally over HTTP if the Publish via HTTP repository option is selected.

Prerequisites

Procedure

To download files to a host from a custom file type repository, complete the following procedure:

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Content > Products.
  2. Select a custom product by name.
  3. Select a file type repository by name.
  4. Check to see if Publish via HTTP is enabled. If it is not, you require the certificates to use HTTPS.
  5. Copy the URL where the repository is published.

For CLI Users

  1. List the file type repositories. 

    # hammer repository list --content-type file
---|----------|-----------------|--------------|----
ID | NAME     | PRODUCT         | CONTENT TYPE | URL
---|----------|-----------------|--------------|----
7  | My Files | My File Product | file         |
---|----------|-----------------|--------------|----

  2. Display the repository information. 

    # hammer repository info --name "My Files" --product "My File Product" --organization-id 1

    If HTTP is enabled, the output is similar to this: 

    Publish Via HTTP:   yes
Published At:       http://satellite.example.com/pulp/isos/uuid/

    If HTTP is not enabled, the output is similar to this: 

    Publish Via HTTP:   no
Published At:       https://satellite.example.com/pulp/isos/uuid/

  3. On the client, enter a command in the appropriate format for HTTP or HTTPS:

    For HTTP: 

    # curl -O satellite.example.com/pulp/isos/uuid/my_file

    For HTTPS: 

    # curl -O --cert ./Default\ Organization-key-cert.pem --cacert katello-server-ca.crt satellite.example.com/pulp/isos/uuid/my_file
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