Satellite 5.x as Installation Media

Support
1

Is it possible to use an RHN Satellite 5.x server (or Spacewalk I suppose)
as Installation Media for Foreman?

I'm not sure where the $major, $minor or $arch parts of a URL might exist,
or even if it's possible in the first place to go down this route.

Cheers

Duncan

2

> Is it possible to use an RHN Satellite 5.x server (or Spacewalk I suppose)
> as Installation Media for Foreman?
>
> I can't see a reason why it cant be used.

> I'm not sure where the $major, $minor or $arch parts of a URL might exist,
> or even if it's possible in the first place to go down this route.
>
the variables in the install media are just a way to use one url to
represent multiple repos, e.g.

Say you have expansive-os version 1.2 and expansive-os version 2.3
you could have
/repos/expensive-os-$major.$minor and that would be translated to either
one of the os (based on your selection).

You don't need to use this feature if there is no need for variable
substitutions ?

Ohad

··· On Wed, Oct 16, 2013 at 8:58 PM, Duncan Innes wrote:

Cheers

Duncan

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3

Heya,

> Is it possible to use an RHN Satellite 5.x server (or Spacewalk I
> suppose) as Installation Media for Foreman?

I would think so, but i have not used it myself (but i am in the process
of evaluating it).

I think you would have to 'publish' the Basechannel. By 'publish', i
mean to create a kickstartable distribution in Spacewalk/Satellite. For
more info, consult the Spacewalk/Satellite about Provisioning.

Regards,

Mattias

··· On 10/16/2013 07:58 PM, Duncan Innes wrote:

–
Mattias Giese
Linux Consultant & Trainer
Mail: giese@b1-systems.de
B1 Systems GmbH
Osterfeldstraße 7 / 85088 Vohburg / http://www.b1-systems.de
GF: Ralph Dehner / Unternehmenssitz: Vohburg / AG: Ingolstadt,HRB 3537

4

If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the url
parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates.
Mine shows…

url --url http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4

Haven't tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you can
point to during installation.
Please report back if it works or not, I'd be interested…

Cheers
Sandro

··· On Wednesday, October 16, 2013 7:58:40 PM UTC+2, Duncan Innes wrote: > > Is it possible to use an RHN Satellite 5.x server (or Spacewalk I suppose) > as Installation Media for Foreman? > > I'm not sure where the $major, $minor or $arch parts of a URL might exist, > or even if it's possible in the first place to go down this route. > > Cheers > > Duncan >
5

I've got this set up in my environment.

You will need to create a kickstart distribution in Satellite. I'm using
the RHEL 6 channel as my base channel.

Once that is complete, you can add an installation media in foreman, and
use a path similar to the following:

http://satellite/ks/dist/ks-rhel-$arch-server-$major-$version

Additionally, you'll probably want to look at adding spacewalk_type = site
and spacewalk_host to your global parameters. That way, in your ks
template you can use the following:
repo --name=rhel-<%= @arch -%>-server-optional-<%= @osver %>
–baseurl=http://<%= @host.params["spacewalk_host"]
-%>/ks/dist/child/rhel-<%= @arch %>-server-optional-<%= @osver
%>/ks-rhel-<%= @arch %>-server-<%= @osver %>-<%=
@host.operatingsystem.major %>.<%= @host.operatingsystem.minor %>

and later use <%= snippet 'redhat_register' %> to register to Satellite.

Hope that helps.

··· On Wednesday, October 16, 2013 1:58:40 PM UTC-4, Duncan Innes wrote: > > Is it possible to use an RHN Satellite 5.x server (or Spacewalk I suppose) > as Installation Media for Foreman? > > I'm not sure where the $major, $minor or $arch parts of a URL might exist, > or even if it's possible in the first place to go down this route. > > Cheers > > Duncan >
6

That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I tried
pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see some
information somehow.

Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I'm getting there.

D

··· On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote: > > If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the url > parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates. > Mine shows.. > > url --url > http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4 > > Haven't tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you can > point to during installation. > Please report back if it works or not, I'd be interested... > > > Cheers > Sandro > > >
7

Hadn't even crossed my mind to use a kickstart distribution. Thanks - will
check this out as soon as I can.

··· On Tuesday, 22 October 2013 15:29:12 UTC+1, Andy Bohne wrote: > > > You will need to create a kickstart distribution in Satellite. I'm using > the RHEL 6 channel as my base channel. > >
8

Sandro/Duncan

Have either of you had a chance to test this further?

I've setup a local dev env using VBox, with 3 nodes, 1 running
Puppet/Foreman with DNS/DHCP/TFTP, 1 running Satellite and 1 to test
PXEBooting.
I've pulled the url out of a Spacewalk generated KS file, and stuck it into
my Foreman provisioning script, and created a new host in Foreman using the
updated KS script.

Upon starting the PxeBoot node, it appears to run through fine, downloading
the initrd files, and pulling the kickstart script from Foreman.
However it appears to die out when trying to receive the repository
metadata. Error is:

Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository:
> anaconda-OracleLinuxServer-201105261616.x86_64.
> Please verify it's path and try again.
>

So not sure if I've missed a step, or if it just wont work without using
Cobbler to trigger the system build…

Will try and spend a bit more time on it tomorrow to explore further :slight_smile:

Cheers
Gavin

··· On Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:39:01 UTC+1, Duncan Innes wrote: > > That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I tried > pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see some > information somehow. > > Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I'm getting there. > > D > > On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote: >> >> If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the >> url parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates. >> Mine shows.. >> >> url --url >> http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4 >> >> Haven't tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you can >> point to during installation. >> Please report back if it works or not, I'd be interested... >> >> >> Cheers >> Sandro >> >> >>
9

This might be a bit hackish… but in our environment we setup an 'install'
root outside of spacewalk to do the install and used that as the media.
Then in the provisioning script it runs the rhnreg_ks to join to spacewalk,
using an activation key that has the channels it will need.

··· On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:17:33 AM UTC-7, Gavin Williams wrote: > > Sandro/Duncan > > Have either of you had a chance to test this further? > > I've setup a local dev env using VBox, with 3 nodes, 1 running > Puppet/Foreman with DNS/DHCP/TFTP, 1 running Satellite and 1 to test > PXEBooting. > I've pulled the url out of a Spacewalk generated KS file, and stuck it > into my Foreman provisioning script, and created a new host in Foreman > using the updated KS script. > > Upon starting the PxeBoot node, it appears to run through fine, > downloading the initrd files, and pulling the kickstart script from > Foreman. > However it appears to die out when trying to receive the repository > metadata. Error is: > > Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: >> anaconda-OracleLinuxServer-201105261616.x86_64. >> Please verify it's path and try again. >> > > So not sure if I've missed a step, or if it just wont work without using > Cobbler to trigger the system build... > > Will try and spend a bit more time on it tomorrow to explore further :) > > Cheers > Gavin > > On Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:39:01 UTC+1, Duncan Innes wrote: >> >> That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I tried >> pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see some >> information somehow. >> >> Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I'm getting >> there. >> >> D >> >> On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote: >>> >>> If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the >>> url parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates. >>> Mine shows.. >>> >>> url --url >>> http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4 >>> >>> Haven't tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you can >>> point to during installation. >>> Please report back if it works or not, I'd be interested... >>> >>> >>> Cheers >>> Sandro >>> >>> >>>
10

I have not had the time to test this, unfortunately.

But I'll definitely have a look at pulp, seems promising!

Cheers

··· On Monday, October 21, 2013 6:17:33 PM UTC+2, Gavin Williams wrote: > > Sandro/Duncan > > Have either of you had a chance to test this further? > > I've setup a local dev env using VBox, with 3 nodes, 1 running > Puppet/Foreman with DNS/DHCP/TFTP, 1 running Satellite and 1 to test > PXEBooting. > I've pulled the url out of a Spacewalk generated KS file, and stuck it > into my Foreman provisioning script, and created a new host in Foreman > using the updated KS script. > > Upon starting the PxeBoot node, it appears to run through fine, > downloading the initrd files, and pulling the kickstart script from > Foreman. > However it appears to die out when trying to receive the repository > metadata. Error is: > > Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: >> anaconda-OracleLinuxServer-201105261616.x86_64. >> Please verify it's path and try again. >> > > So not sure if I've missed a step, or if it just wont work without using > Cobbler to trigger the system build... > > Will try and spend a bit more time on it tomorrow to explore further :) > > Cheers > Gavin > > On Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:39:01 UTC+1, Duncan Innes wrote: >> >> That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I tried >> pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see some >> information somehow. >> >> Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I'm getting >> there. >> >> D >> >> On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote: >>> >>> If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the >>> url parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates. >>> Mine shows.. >>> >>> url --url >>> http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4 >>> >>> Haven't tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you can >>> point to during installation. >>> Please report back if it works or not, I'd be interested... >>> >>> >>> Cheers >>> Sandro >>> >>> >>>
11

Gavin,

No chance as yet. An unexpected change freeze came along (quite literally
out of nowhere). So whilst the Foreman system that I can play with and my
Satellite are fully available to test, I'm not allowed to create any new
virtual guests or try to provision a physical box for another fortnight.
D

··· On Monday, 21 October 2013 17:17:33 UTC+1, Gavin Williams wrote: > > Sandro/Duncan > > Have either of you had a chance to test this further? > > I've setup a local dev env using VBox, with 3 nodes, 1 running > Puppet/Foreman with DNS/DHCP/TFTP, 1 running Satellite and 1 to test > PXEBooting. > I've pulled the url out of a Spacewalk generated KS file, and stuck it > into my Foreman provisioning script, and created a new host in Foreman > using the updated KS script. > > Upon starting the PxeBoot node, it appears to run through fine, > downloading the initrd files, and pulling the kickstart script from > Foreman. > However it appears to die out when trying to receive the repository > metadata. Error is: > > Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository: >> anaconda-OracleLinuxServer-201105261616.x86_64. >> Please verify it's path and try again. >> > > So not sure if I've missed a step, or if it just wont work without using > Cobbler to trigger the system build... > > Will try and spend a bit more time on it tomorrow to explore further :) > > Cheers > Gavin > > On Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:39:01 UTC+1, Duncan Innes wrote: >> >> That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I tried >> pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see some >> information somehow. >> >> Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I'm getting >> there. >> >> D >> >> On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote: >>> >>> If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the >>> url parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates. >>> Mine shows.. >>> >>> url --url >>> http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4 >>> >>> Haven't tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you can >>> point to during installation. >>> Please report back if it works or not, I'd be interested... >>> >>> >>> Cheers >>> Sandro >>> >>> >>>
12

Kaliel

Yeh, i've currently got a separate yum mirror which has got the install
media available.

However I'd quite like to migrate to Spacewalk, as it seems to cut down on
the space requirements by matching packages across repository's and
channels… Whereas with mrepo I'm mirroring the same data several times…

Cheers
Gav

··· On 21 Oct 2013 19:15, "Kaliel Aeolian" wrote:

This might be a bit hackish… but in our environment we setup an
’install’ root outside of spacewalk to do the install and used that as the
media. Then in the provisioning script it runs the rhnreg_ks to join to
spacewalk, using an activation key that has the channels it will need.

On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:17:33 AM UTC-7, Gavin Williams wrote:

Sandro/Duncan

Have either of you had a chance to test this further?

I’ve setup a local dev env using VBox, with 3 nodes, 1 running
Puppet/Foreman with DNS/DHCP/TFTP, 1 running Satellite and 1 to test
PXEBooting.
I’ve pulled the url out of a Spacewalk generated KS file, and stuck it
into my Foreman provisioning script, and created a new host in Foreman
using the updated KS script.

Upon starting the PxeBoot node, it appears to run through fine,
downloading the initrd files, and pulling the kickstart script from
Foreman.
However it appears to die out when trying to receive the repository
metadata. Error is:

Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository:

anaconda-OracleLinuxServer-**201105261616.x86_64.
Please verify it’s path and try again.

So not sure if I’ve missed a step, or if it just wont work without using
Cobbler to trigger the system build…

Will try and spend a bit more time on it tomorrow to explore further :slight_smile:

Cheers
Gavin

On Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:39:01 UTC+1, Duncan Innes wrote:

That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I tried
pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see some
information somehow.

Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I’m getting
there.

D

On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote:

If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the
url parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates.
Mine shows…

url --url http://satellite.domain.local/**
ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-**6-6.4http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4

Haven’t tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you
can point to during installation.
Please report back if it works or not, I’d be interested…

Cheers
Sandro

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13

> Kaliel
>
> Yeh, i've currently got a separate yum mirror which has got the install
> media available.
>
> However I'd quite like to migrate to Spacewalk, as it seems to cut down on
> the space requirements by matching packages across repository's and
> channels… Whereas with mrepo I'm mirroring the same data several times…
>

if thats your primary motivation, imho you should try pulp [1] instead.

Ohad
[1] http://pulpproject.org

··· On Mon, Oct 21, 2013 at 9:19 PM, fatmcgav wrote:

Cheers
Gav
On 21 Oct 2013 19:15, “Kaliel Aeolian” kalielaeolian@gmail.com wrote:

This might be a bit hackish… but in our environment we setup an
’install’ root outside of spacewalk to do the install and used that as the
media. Then in the provisioning script it runs the rhnreg_ks to join to
spacewalk, using an activation key that has the channels it will need.

On Monday, October 21, 2013 9:17:33 AM UTC-7, Gavin Williams wrote:

Sandro/Duncan

Have either of you had a chance to test this further?

I’ve setup a local dev env using VBox, with 3 nodes, 1 running
Puppet/Foreman with DNS/DHCP/TFTP, 1 running Satellite and 1 to test
PXEBooting.
I’ve pulled the url out of a Spacewalk generated KS file, and stuck it
into my Foreman provisioning script, and created a new host in Foreman
using the updated KS script.

Upon starting the PxeBoot node, it appears to run through fine,
downloading the initrd files, and pulling the kickstart script from
Foreman.
However it appears to die out when trying to receive the repository
metadata. Error is:

Cannot retrieve repository metadata (repomd.xml) for repository:

anaconda-OracleLinuxServer-**201105261616.x86_64.
Please verify it’s path and try again.

So not sure if I’ve missed a step, or if it just wont work without using
Cobbler to trigger the system build…

Will try and spend a bit more time on it tomorrow to explore further :slight_smile:

Cheers
Gavin

On Thursday, 17 October 2013 12:39:01 UTC+1, Duncan Innes wrote:

That was my current thinking Sandro, but I got a blank page when I
tried pointing a browser at my kickstart links. Expected to at least see
some information somehow.

Not quite in a position to test it from foreman yet, but I’m getting
there.

D

On Thursday, 17 October 2013 09:52:41 UTC+1, Sandro Roth wrote:

If you have a kickstart tree and profile in Satellite just look at the
url parameter in the raw kickstart file it generates.
Mine shows…

url --url http://satellite.domain.local/**
ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-**6-6.4http://satellite.domain.local/ks/dist/ks-rhel-x86_64-server-6-6.4

Haven’t tried it yet but this should work as a normal repo which you
can point to during installation.
Please report back if it works or not, I’d be interested…

Cheers
Sandro

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14

Ohad

Cheers for the recommendation. I have read about Pulp before, but must admit I haven't yet tried it.

Will give it a go. Is there a webui for it?

Cheers
Gav

15

Bk

Cheers for confirming. So following the work on plugging katello into Foreman, we should eventually be able to manage yum repos through Foreman?

Cheers
Gav

16

Pulp is is CLI/API only. The katello plugin will be a front end for pulp.

– bk

··· On 10/21/2013 02:49 PM, Gavin Williams wrote: > Ohad > > Cheers for the recommendation. I have read about Pulp before, but must admit I haven't yet tried it. > > Will give it a go. Is there a webui for it? > > Cheers > Gav >
17

Yes, that is the goal :slight_smile:

– bk

··· On 10/21/2013 03:24 PM, Gavin Williams wrote: > Bk > > Cheers for confirming. So following the work on plugging katello into Foreman, we should eventually be able to manage yum repos through Foreman? > > Cheers > Gav >
18

And, to be clear, once pulp gets deb support… ideally we can manage apt
repos as well.

– bk

··· On 10/21/2013 03:24 PM, Gavin Williams wrote: > Bk > > Cheers for confirming. So following the work on plugging katello into Foreman, we should eventually be able to manage yum repos through Foreman? > > Cheers > Gav >
19

Sounds great :smiley:

Happy to help where I can :slight_smile:

Gav

··· On 21 Oct 2013 20:29, "Bryan Kearney" wrote:

On 10/21/2013 03:24 PM, Gavin Williams wrote:

Bk

Cheers for confirming. So following the work on plugging katello into
Foreman, we should eventually be able to manage yum repos through Foreman?

Cheers
Gav

Yes, that is the goal :slight_smile:

– bk

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