Can a katello content view be used as installation media

I’d like to use the foreman/katello system itself for network based installation media. I’ve read in this forum that “Katello overrides IM and provides own URL there” [1], however, I don’t see that behavior in my installation. The default (public) installation media are present, and when I preview a provisioning template, the standard URL appears in the kickstart file.

The documentation for Red Hat Satellite suggests that the content view should be an option that I could select in the installlation media tab for an operating system, but that’s not the case on my installation of Foreman/Katello. I don’t know if it should be.

Can a Katello content view be used as installation media? If not, should I be looking at using Pulp, alone, for that function?

1: Need Use Case for different installation media for single operating system

Yes. It’s possible.

Either select “synced content” in Operating System tab while creating a host or add a installation media which links to a katello content view.

I do see that option, now that you point it out. However, it’s not available (grey). Perhaps I missed a step when I set up the repos. Where would I look for documentation on setting up a “Synced Kickstart Repository”? Or what else might leave that option unavailable?

Make sure, that

  • you have set a Content View on the Create Host site
  • you have set a Content Source on the Create Host site
  • you have choosen the right Architecture and Operating System
  • your selected CV contains the kernel / ramdisk, …
  • the necessary templates exists and are selected.

Regarding the first three items: I’ve verified those. All seem good, but the “synced content” option under “media selection” isn’t available. My mouse cursor changes to a red circle/slash when it’s over the radio button.

Regarding the fourth: Looking at my file system, I see a directory “/var/lib/pulp/published/yum/master/yum_distributor/ffa932c1-122e-460f-b1fa-f4800e6e1e10/1543339362.54” that contains the bits I’d expect for a kickstart tree. It has a .treeinfo file and LiveOS/squashfs.img. The UUID matches the “backend identifier” in the “base” repository that I’ve included in my content view. Offhand, it looks like the CV should have all of the things it needs.

Are there any other restrictions? Can the CV be a composite view, or must it not be? Do I need a CV with just one “kickstart” repo?

Maybe most importantly: I’ve honestly looked for documentation regarding this process, but I’m not seeing it. Am I overlooking something?

Have a look at https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1378558 and make sure, that you are selecting the fields in the right order.

Most of the comments in that bug report detail the wrong order (one that triggers a bug). Comment 11 looks like it should be correct, except that I can’t select an OS until after I select an Arch. And when I follow that order, I still can’t select “Synced Content.”

As another user did, I deleted everything and rebuilt from scratch. I started with a non-composite view this time, and now it works. I’m not entirely sure if the composite view or something else was the root of the problem. It certainly seems like things must be done in a very specific order to make the “synced content” option available.

Thanks for your help.