[Spacewalk-list] Initial load of Red Hat channel...?

Fri Dec 4 07:34:40 UTC 2009

This will work with an IP address.  I can say this with certainty as I
was configuring my clients (via PXELinux configs) to use that
Satellite server's IP not name.  (The Satellite server had 3 active
interfaces and three different names in DNS, don't ask  :) ).

CC

On Fri, Dec 4, 2009 at 1:44 PM, Robert Kuropkat
<rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>
> P.S.  Does that mean I can't do any of this by IP address?  That would
> require me to add DNS to the mix before I can go further.  I can do
> that, but I wanted to know what the smallest set of requirements I had
> for each level of feature.
>
>
> On Fri, 2009-12-04 at 12:28 +0800, Colin Coe wrote:
>> Ahh, let me guess: In the /etc/hosts file on the Spacewalk server, the
>> name of of the host is at the end of the '127.0.0.1' line?
>>
>> This will cause all kinds of grief.  I've no idea why this is the
>> default behavior but it is, in my overly opinionated opinion, an
>> insane default.
>>
>> If this is indeed the case, I'd suggest fixing it and then follow the
>> instructions at
>> https://fedorahosted.org/spacewalk/wiki/How_to_rename_or_change_a_satellite_hostname
>>
>> HTH
>>
>> CC
>>
>> On 12/4/09, Robert Kuropkat <rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>> >
>> > I don't have PXE, etc. setup yet, but I tried your suggestion of just
>> > booting from a DVD and giving it the ks parameter.  I think it almost
>> > worked.  I got the following error:
>> >
>> > "Unable to read package metadata.  This may be due to a missing repodata
>> > directory.  Please ensure that your install tree has been correctly
>> > generated.  Cannot retrieve reposutory metadata...."
>> >
>> > I believe this was because the kickstart file is littered with URLs with
>> > 'localhost.localdomain' in them.  I was able to get one of the URLs to
>> > change by hard coding the URL in the Kickstart -> Profiles -> System
>> > Details -> Advanced options.  But many other URLs still have the
>> > localhost.localdomain in the URL.
>> >
>> > What is considered the preferred way to fix these?
>> >
>> > Robert Kuropkat
>> >
>> >
>> > On Wed, 2009-11-25 at 08:11 +0800, Colin Coe wrote:
>> > > Don't get too hung up on PXE.
>> > >
>> > > Spacewalk/Satellite can be configured as a DHCP/TFTP server which is
>> > > used by the PXE client (server, Fedora desktop, whatever) to get an IP
>> > > address and grab a kernel + initial ramdisk for booting the installer
>> > > via TFTP.  That's where PXE comes in.  You could just as easily boot
>> > > from a USB key or RHEL/Fedora CD/DVD and type "linux
>> > > ks=http://spacewalk.server.com/ks/cfg/org/1/label/test-ks2 ip=1.2.3.4
>> > > etc"
>> > >
>> > > As for setting up the Kickstart trees, follow
>> > > https://fedorahosted.org/spacewalk/wiki/HowToKickstartCobbler.  I hate
>> > > to admit it, but this process has gotten a lot more involved since
>> > > v0.4 and is not as clear.  Follow the instructions with the knowledge
>> > > that 'this is what you have to do', understanding will come.
>> > >
>> > > The clear advantage of Satellite over Spacewalk is that sync'ing RHEL
>> > > content is easy.  If you have less than 50 physical nodes, my
>> > > understanding is that special pricing is available from RedHat.  One
>> > > of my clients bought Satellite and they only had 20 or so physical
>> > > boxes so they paid about a third of the Satellite retail price.  YMMV.
>> > >
>> > > Spacewalk/Satellite will give you the automated installs you want but
>> > > it will give you much more.  The API set is huge and at a previous
>> > > client site I tied the monitoring system and Satellite together so
>> > > that any new Linux nodes were automatically added to the monitoring
>> > > system.  I choose not to your the inbuilt Satellite monitoring as it
>> > > didn't easily do what I wanted (red light/green light monitoring,
>> > > trending and alerting).  What Satellite/Spacewalk can do is limitted
>> > > by your imagination and coding skills.
>> > >
>> > > You can't make a RHEL ISO from the Satellite server although this is
>> > > functionality I've requested in the past.  I think the request was
>> > > rejected as it also needed work done in Anaconda (the installer).
>> > >
>> > > Hope I've helped and not rambled to much (I have a habit of doing that)
>> > >
>> > > CC
>> > >
>> > > On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 7:34 AM, Robert Kuropkat
>> > > <rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>> > > >
>> > > > That's another thing I am not clear on yet, but I have more reading to
>> > > > do still.  Does Spacewalk serve as a network (PXE) install server?  Or
>> > > > does it just store the kickstart files?  Or does it need the kickstart
>> > > > files to determine what packages to keep up to date on each server.
>> > > >
>> > > > My end goal is an automated install.  Obviously, there are many ways to
>> > > > go about that, but I thought Spacewalk would provide automated installs
>> > > > as well as provide a useful foundation for on going maintenance.
>> > > >
>> > > > I'm not sure yet what my target environment will be, but suspect a
>> > > > combination of being able to install/update over the network from this
>> > > > server, install from a CD (hopefully made from this server) and install
>> > > > from another Spacewalk server (or proxy) based on having to sneaker net
>> > > > files to it (thus my reason for wanting to understand how to setup rpms
>> > > > from CD even though I have a valid RHN account).
>> > > >
>> > > > Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > > > On Wed, 2009-11-25 at 07:19 +0800, Colin Coe wrote:
>> > > >> Just remember that putting RPMs into a channel is step one, you also
>> > > >> need to get the kickstart trees into Spacewalk if you want to do
>> > > >> provisioning (building systems).
>> > > >>
>> > > >> CC
>> > > >>
>> > > >> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 6:46 AM, Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> <rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > hehehe, I am starting to work that out :-)
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > Right now I've hit pause on this for a couple more hours.  I'm tired of
>> > > >> > Windows 7 blue screening on me and corrupting my VMs, so I am trying to
>> > > >> > get my Ubuntu partition functional.
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > I hope to be back on this later tonight or tomorrow.
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > Right now, I think I've been able to load the rpms from the iso using
>> > > >> > rhnpush and I used the web GUI to initiate a load of rpms from the RHN
>> > > >> > Extras site.  This gave me about 6,000 rpms in this channel.
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > Now, whether that did something useful or not, I'm not sure.  I'll try
>> > > >> > to recreate it soon and see if I can subscribe a system to that channel
>> > > >> > and do updates.
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > 'preciate all the help from everyone so far...
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> >
>> > > >> > On Wed, 2009-11-25 at 06:41 +0800, Colin Coe wrote:
>> > > >> >> Robert,
>> > > >> >>
>> > > >> >> RHN Satellite != Spacewalk
>> > > >> >>
>> > > >> >> There are a lot of similarities but they are not the same, esp. when
>> > > >> >> dealing with RHEL products.
>> > > >> >>
>> > > >> >> CC
>> > > >> >>
>> > > >> >> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 12:33 AM, Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> >> <rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>> > > >> >> >
>> > > >> >> > now see, that almost makes sense.  It does not appear to be what the
>> > > >> >> > documentation actually says, though maybe I am misreading it.  it talks
>> > > >> >> > about copying the files from the ISO and then goes right to the
>> > > >> >> > satellite-sync import.  I'm on page 47 of the install guide and rhnpush has
>> > > >> >> > not even been mentioned yet.  Perhaps the Channel Management guide is more
>> > > >> >> > detailed and I should skip to it...
>> > > >> >> >
>> > > >> >> > Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> >> >
>> > > >> >> >
>> > > >> >> > Josh.Mullis at cox.com wrote:
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> The ISO's they are speaking of are the same one you downloaded on your
>> > > >> >> >> first thread.
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> They are saying that to save time, download the iso, mount it, and import
>> > > >> >> >> into spacewalk via the rhnpush utility.
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> This means it will not take as long to sync the channel from RHN via the
>> > > >> >> >> rhnget command, because most of the packages are already there.
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> ----- Original Message -----
>> > > >> >> >> From: spacewalk-list-bounces at redhat.com
>> > > >> >> >> <spacewalk-list-bounces at redhat.com>
>> > > >> >> >> To: spacewalk-list at redhat.com <spacewalk-list at redhat.com>
>> > > >> >> >> Sent: Tue Nov 24 11:07:25 2009
>> > > >> >> >> Subject: Re: [Spacewalk-list] Initial load of Red Hat channel...?
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> I still need to look into these packages.  Last night I accidentally
>> > > >> >> >> imported 3817 packages on accident, not exactly sure what.  I guess part of
>> > > >> >> >> what is irritating me is the following paragraph from the Satellite Server
>> > > >> >> >> Installation guide:
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> The Red Hat Network Channel Content ISOs or RHN Satellite Exporter data
>> > > >> >> >> must be available, or the Satellite must have access to the Internet and the
>> > > >> >> >> RHN website.
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> Although it is possible to conduct the import directly from the RHN
>> > > >> >> >> website, this should be done only if Channel Content ISOs are not available.
>> > > >> >> >> It takes a long time to populate a channel from scratch over the Internet.
>> > > >> >> >> For this reason, Red Hat urges you to use ISOs, if they are available, for
>> > > >> >> >> initial import.
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> So how the hell does one get the "Red hat Network Channel Content ISOs"?
>> > > >> >> >>  I have a valid RHN login but the iso's I download don't seem to have the
>> > > >> >> >> Channel Content info?  Or am I just on crack?  I mean I try not to read
>> > > >> >> >> documentation very often but would appreciate it to be correct when I do
>> > > >> >> >> bother... :-)
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> Robert
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> Josh.Mullis at cox.com wrote:
>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> Look into rhnget and gensystemid from the mrepo package.
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> You can use that to sync the rhel rpms locally, then use rhnpush to
>> > > >> >> >>> import into spacewalk.
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> ----- Original Message -----
>> > > >> >> >>> From: spacewalk-list-bounces at redhat.com
>> > > >> >> >>> <spacewalk-list-bounces at redhat.com>
>> > > >> >> >>> To: spacewalk-list at redhat.com <spacewalk-list at redhat.com>
>> > > >> >> >>> Sent: Mon Nov 23 21:37:40 2009
>> > > >> >> >>> Subject: Re: [Spacewalk-list] Initial load of Red Hat channel...?
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> yea, in the little reading I recall on it, I gave it a confused dog look
>> > > >> >> >>> and just hoped I did not really need that.  So I'll look a little harder at
>> > > >> >> >>> it unless this other thing actually works accidentally.  But it sounds like
>> > > >> >> >>> even though I am getting nearly 4,000 packages it is still only part of what
>> > > >> >> >>> I need.
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> Thanks for the info...
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> Colin Coe wrote:
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>> I didn't like mrepo as:
>> > > >> >> >>>> a) I didn't find it at all intuitive
>> > > >> >> >>>> b) unless you do some fancy scripting you end up all the RHEL (and/or
>> > > >> >> >>>> EPEL) content twice on your filesystem
>> > > >> >> >>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>> CC
>> > > >> >> >>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 10:24 AM, Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> >> >>>> <rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>> > > >> >> >>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> hmmm... Well that makes a little more sense I guess.  I think it did/is
>> > > >> >> >>>>> syncing the epel repo, which is of course not what I wanted but would
>> > > >> >> >>>>> imply
>> > > >> >> >>>>> that process would work if I can dredge up the correct url.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> I did see something about spacewalk-repo-sync but I think that requires
>> > > >> >> >>>>> a
>> > > >> >> >>>>> URL as well, not local media.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> I do seem to have a sync process running, so I am not sure if it is
>> > > >> >> >>>>> because
>> > > >> >> >>>>> I clicked on the sync button multiple times or what.  Nothing is
>> > > >> >> >>>>> showing up
>> > > >> >> >>>>> in the Schedule tab in Space walk under pending, failed, completed or
>> > > >> >> >>>>> archived so I don't really understand what state this process is in.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>  There
>> > > >> >> >>>>> is a /var/log/rhn/rhn_taskomatic_daemon.log file that is showing a lot
>> > > >> >> >>>>> of
>> > > >> >> >>>>> hibernate and java null pointer errors so that does not seem promising.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> Actually, it looks like something might be happening now, I might have
>> > > >> >> >>>>> just
>> > > >> >> >>>>> been impatient.  There is now file in /var/log/rhn/reposync that is
>> > > >> >> >>>>> growing
>> > > >> >> >>>>> and shoes 754/3817.... and my little VM has gotten sluggish as hell.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>  So
>> > > >> >> >>>>> maybe it is downloading everything for a complete RH 5.2?
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> Of course, that kinda sucks because I was about to give up and go home.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>  Now
>> > > >> >> >>>>> I have to stay and wait it out :-/
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> Robert
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> P.S.  What is mrepo and what did you not like about it?  I thought I
>> > > >> >> >>>>> saw
>> > > >> >> >>>>> that mentioned somewhere in my reading but don't recall now...
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> Colin Coe wrote:
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> My understanding is that satellite-sync does not work with Sapcewalk
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> but I'm not 100% on that.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/epel/5/i386/ is the location for
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux), not for RHEL.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> a minute or two after clicking sync repo, do a 'ps -ef | grep sync' to
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> see if you have any spacewalk-repo-sync processes running.  I think
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> the logs are under /var/satellite/sync_repo or something similar.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> I ended up using mrepo to do this but I was less than happy with it.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> CC
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 9:51 AM, Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> >> >>>>>> <rkuropkat at t-sciences.com> wrote:
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> I seem to be missing something obvious.  I've installed Red Hat 5.2
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> (in a
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> VirtualBox VM) and installed Spacewalk.  Now I need to create my
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> first
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> channel.  I downloaded Red Hat 5.2 and copied the ISO to the file
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> system
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> and
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> tried:
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> satellite-sync --list-channels --mount-point /var/rhn-sat-import/rhel
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> It fails saying it is unable to process file
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> /var/rhn-sat-import/rhel/channel_families/channel_families.xml
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> Sure enough, that file is not there.  I read the documentation on how
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> to
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> get
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> the channel iso but it only gives me an iso without the channel
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> information.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>  The documentation does not seem to exactly describe the web ui
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> navigation
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> through the RHN web site so I'm not sure if the documentation is
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> slightly
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> out of date and I am guessing wrong, or if there is some other detail
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> I
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> am
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> missing.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> I do also see the URL for repo sync in Spacewalk, but don't
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> understand
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> what
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> the URL should be for Red hat version 5.2.  I put in this:
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/epel/5/i386/
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> And it said repository sync scheduled, but I see no evidence it
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> actually
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> did
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> anything...  okay wait, before I hit send I went and looked again and
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> it
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> does look like it did something, just not what I wanted it to.  So
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> maybe
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> the
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> URL above is just incorrect?  How do I setup a local Red Hat 5.2
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> repo?
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> Any help appreciated.
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> Robert Kuropkat
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> Spacewalk-list mailing list
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> Spacewalk-list at redhat.com
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>> _______________________________________________
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>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>>
>> > > >> >> >>>
>> > > >> >> >>> _______________________________________________
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>> > > >> >> >>>
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>> > > >> >> >>
>> > > >> >> >> _______________________________________________
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>> > > >> >> >
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>> > > >> >
>> > > >> >
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>> > > >>
>> > > >>
>> > > >
>> > > >
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