Problem:
I originally installed foreman/katello without remote execution plugin but then found that for CentOS8 clients there was not agent one could install after subscribing. I then installed the remote execution plugin using “foreman-installer --enable-foreman-plugin-remote-execution --enable-foreman-proxy-plugin-remote-execution-ssh” and setting up ~foreman-proxy/.ssh and enabling in Infrastructure -> Smart Proxies so SSH shows
I can run remote jobs on the clients just fine. But the work usually done by katello agent does not appear to be done now by remote execution. If you go to a hosts page its status is “Warning”, configuration is “No reports” and Errata says “Could not calculate errata status, ensure host is registered and the katello-host-tools package is installed”
If I go into Content -> Packages -> Installed for the host, it says:
Katello-agent is deprecated and will be removed in Katello 4.0. Consider migrating to Remote Execution.
If you are not using Remote Execution to manage content on this host, ensure that it has the katello-agent package installed.
The host has not reported any installed packages, registering with subscription-manager should cause these to be reported.
Expected outcome:
Katello should be using Remote Execution to get reports and packages status
Foreman and Proxy versions:
foreman-2.0.0-2.el7.noarch
katello-3.15.0.1-1.el7.noarch
tfm-rubygem-smart_proxy_remote_execution_ssh-0.2.1-4.fm2_0.el7.noarch
tfm-rubygem-smart_proxy_pulp-2.0.0-2.fm2_0.el7.noarch
tfm-rubygem-smart_proxy_dynflow_core-0.2.4-2.fm2_0.el7.noarch
tfm-rubygem-smart_proxy_dynflow-0.2.4-3.fm2_0.el7.noarch
Foreman and Proxy plugin versions:
Distribution and version:
Server on CentOS Linux release 7.8.2003
Yes, both are installed
# rpm -qa | grep katello
katello-ca-consumer-foreman.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu-1.0-1.noarch
katello-host-tools-3.5.3-1.el8.noarch
katello-host-tools-tracer-3.5.3-1.el8.noarch
The tracer seems happy. Registration seems fine or maybe not
# subscription-manager register --force --org=MyOrg --activationkey=centos8_dev
Unregistering from: foreman.my.org:443/rhsm
The system with UUID 3eb7d97f-5b4c-4834-83d7-a33fc860991b has been unregistered
All local data removed
The system has been registered with ID: ad1f864a-c270-42ec-a566-763d95766f40
The registered system name is: c8test.my.org
No products installed.
Why does it say “No products installed”? Running ‘dnf clean all’ and then ‘dnf update’ definite shows it going to the repos on foreman.
Yes, on foreman during the ‘dnf uploadprofile’ I see:
` # hammer task list --search "state = running and result = pending"
-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------------------|----------|---------------|------------
ID | ACTION | STATE | RESULT | STARTED AT | ENDED AT | OWNER | TASK ERRORS
-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------------------|----------|---------------|------------
2a4d34eb-4253-4fdf-a118-b6565e0fb9a1 | Combined Profile Update for c8test.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu | running | pending | 2020/06/02 15:25:17 | | foreman_admin |
-------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------|---------|---------------------|----------|---------------|------------`
I believe on EL8 that subscription-manager provides the necessary pieces to handle the two aspects of errata and package listing that are needed:
package profile upload
enabled repositories upload
The former should be all that is needed to see installed packages. The latter, with attached repositories through subscriptions, allows calculation of applicable errata.
That’s right! I recently talked about these finer details with the most relevant aspect being:
If you’re running the latest subscription-manager on your CentOS 7 (or 8) hosts then katello-host-tools is not required at all unless you are using katello-agent instead of REX. (or Tracer)
I updated to 3.15.1 then ran “foreman-installer” and restarted httpd. On the client I did another 'dnf uploadprofile".
On the main page for the client host the Errata status now says “All errata applied”. Configuration still says “No reports” so the overal status is still “Warning”.
If I go to Content->Packages->Installed it does list the packages installed now but at the top of the page it still gives the warning “Katello-agent is deprecated and will be removed in Katello 4.0. Consider migrating to Remote Execution.”
Now that you’ve got the installed packages showing and errata status shown as ‘All errata applied’ I think you’re in good shape - upgrading fixed that issue.
I’ve read a few posts on this topic and I need some clarity as I’m new to this. I’m performing a fresh install of Foreman.
I do not need the katello-agent on the content hosts. Remote execution can be used for everything that the katello-agent used to provide. Is this correct?
Do I still need the katello-host-tools on the content hosts?
Do I need to install the Katello plugin on the Foreman server itself? Or do I just install the Remote Execution plugin?
Yes. Both are ways to execute scripts or commands on the remote host. katello-agent is deprecated.
katello-host-tools contains the applications and yum plugins to upload the enabled repositories and the currently installed packages to the katello/foreman server. Thus, for central content management from the katello/foreman server you’ll want that.
The katello plugin is the plugin which adds the whole content management to the foreman server. Unless you want to do content management in other ways you’ll need the plugin.
