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Chapter 2. Installing Satellite Server

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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 Subscriptions in the Content Management Guide.

Note

You cannot register Satellite Server to itself.

2.1. Downloading the Binary DVD Images

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

    • Product Variant is set to Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server.
    • 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.
  5. On the Product Software tab, download the Binary DVD image for the latest Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server version.
  6. Click DOWNLOADS and select Red Hat Satellite.

  7. 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 as the base operating system.
    • Architecture is set to the 64 bit version.
  8. On the Product Software tab, download the Binary DVD image for the latest Red Hat Satellite version.

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

    # scp localfile username@hostname:remotefile

2.2. Configuring the Base Operating System with Offline Repositories

Use this procedure to configure offline repositories for the Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Red Hat Satellite ISO images.

Procedure

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

    # mkdir /media/rhel7-server

  2. Mount the ISO image for Red Hat Enterprise Linux to the mount point. 

    # mount -o loop rhel7-Server-DVD.iso /media/rhel7-server

  3. Copy the ISO file’s repository data file. 

    # cp /media/rhel7-server/media.repo /etc/yum.repos.d/rhel7-server.repo

  4. Edit the repository data file and add the baseurl directive. 

    baseurl=file:///media/rhel7-server/

  5. Verify that the repository has been configured. 

    # yum repolist

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

    # mkdir /media/sat6

  7. Mount the ISO image for Red Hat Satellite Server to the mount point. 

    # mount -o loop sat6-DVD.iso /media/sat6

2.3. Installing the Satellite Packages from the Offline Repositories

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

  2. Import the Red Hat GPG keys: 

    # rpm --import /etc/pki/rpm-gpg/RPM-GPG-KEY-redhat-release

  3. Ensure the base operating system is up to date with the Binary DVD image: 

    # yum update

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

    # cd /media/sat6/

  5. Run the installation script in the mounted directory: 

    # ./install_packages

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

2.4. Resolving Package Dependency Errors

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/

  12. Install the package locally: 

    # yum localinstall package_name

  13. Change to the directory where the Satellite ISO is mounted: 

    # cd /media/sat6/

  14. Verify that you have resoled the package dependency errors by installing the Satellite Server packages. If there are further package dependency errors, repeat this procedure. 

    # ./install_packages

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

2.5. Synchronizing the System Clock With chronyd

To minimize the effects of time drift, you must synchronize the system clock on the base operating system on which you want to install Satellite Server with Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers. If the base operating system clock is configured incorrectly, certificate verification might fail.

For more information about the chrony suite, see Configuring NTP Using the chrony Suite in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 System Administrator’s Guide.

Procedure

  1. Install the chrony package: 

    # yum install chrony

  2. Start and enable the chronyd service: 

    # systemctl start chronyd
# systemctl enable chronyd

2.6. Installing the SOS Package on the Base Operating System

Install the sos package on the base operating system so that you can collect configuration and diagnostic information from a Red Hat Enterprise Linux system. You can also use it to provide the initial system analysis, which is required when opening a service request with Red Hat Technical Support. For more information on using sos, see the Knowledgebase solution What is a sosreport and how to create one in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.6 and later? on the Red Hat Customer Portal.

Procedure

  1. Install the sos package: 

    # yum install sos

2.7. Configuring Satellite Server

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

  • Section 2.7.1, “Configuring Satellite Manually”. 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.
  • Section 2.7.2, “Configuring Satellite Automatically using an Answer File”. This method is performed by using an answer file to automate the configuration process when running the installation script. The default Satellite answer file is /etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/satellite-answers.yaml. The answer file in use is set by the answer_file directive in the /etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/satellite.yaml configuration file.
Note

Depending on the options that you use when running the Satellite installer, the configuration can take several minutes to complete. An administrator can view the answer file to see previously used options for both methods.

2.7.1. Configuring Satellite Manually

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 MongoDB and 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 screen or 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. The Red Hat Knowledgebase article How to use the screen command describes installing screen; alternately see the screen manual page for more information. 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 for Manual Configuration

  • Use the satellite-installer --scenario satellite --help command to display the available options and any default values. If you do not specify any values, the default values are used.
  • 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 by Puppet. When satellite-installer runs, it overwrites any manual changes to the Puppet managed files with the initial values. By default, Satellite Server is installed with the Puppet agent running as a service. If required, you can disable Puppet agent on Satellite Server using the --puppet-runmode=none option.
  • If you want to manage DNS files and DHCP files manually, use the --foreman-proxy-dns-managed=false and --foreman-proxy-dhcp-managed=false options so that Puppet does not manage the files related to the respective services. For more information on how to apply custom configuration on other services, see Appendix A, Applying Custom Configuration to Red Hat Satellite.

Procedure

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

    # satellite-installer --scenario satellite \
--foreman-initial-organization "initial_organization_name" \
--foreman-initial-location "initial_location_name" \
--foreman-initial-admin-username admin_user_name \
--foreman-initial-admin-password admin_password

    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/rhel7-server

2.7.2. Configuring Satellite Automatically using an Answer File

You can use answer files to automate installations with customized options. The initial answer file is sparsely populated. After you run the satellite-installer script the first time, the answer file is populated with the standard parameter values for installation. You can change the configuration of Satellite Server at any time.

You should use the FQDN instead of the IP address where possible in case of network changes.

Procedure

  1. Copy the default answer file /etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/satellite-answers.yaml to a location on your local file system. 

    # cp /etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/satellite-answers.yaml \
/etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/my-answer-file.yaml
  2. To view all of the configurable options, enter the satellite-installer --scenario satellite --help command.
  3. Open your copy of the answer file, edit the values to suit your environment, and save the file.

  4. Open the /etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/satellite.yaml file and edit the answer file entry to point to your custom answer file. 

    :answer_file: /etc/foreman-installer/scenarios.d/my-answer-file.yaml

  5. Run the satellite-installer script. 

    # satellite-installer --scenario satellite

  6. Unmount the ISO images. 

    # umount /media/sat6
# umount /media/rhel7-server

2.8. Enabling the Disconnected Mode

Enable the disconnected mode on Satellite Server. When the disconnected mode is enabled, Satellite Server does not access the Red Hat Content Delivery Network (CDN).

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Administer > Settings.
  2. Click the Content tab.
  3. Set the Disconnected mode value to Yes.

For CLI Users

  • Enter the following command on Satellite Server: 

    # hammer settings set --name content_disconnected --value true

2.9. Importing a Subscription Manifest into Satellite Server

Use the following procedure to import a Subscription Manifest into Satellite Server.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  1. In the Satellite web UI, ensure the context is set to the organization you want to use.
  2. Navigate to Content > Subscriptions and click Manage Manifest.
  3. In the Manage Manifest window, click Browse.
  4. Navigate to the location that contains the Subscription Manifest file, then click Open. If the Manage Manifest window does not close automatically, click Close to return to the Subscriptions window.

For CLI Users

  1. Copy the Subscription Manifest file from your client to Satellite Server: 

    $ scp ~/manifest_file.zip root@satellite.example.com:~/.

  2. Log in to Satellite Server as the root user and import the Subscription Manifest file: 

    # hammer subscription upload \
--file ~/manifest_file.zip \
--organization "organization_name"
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