Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 - Installation instructions¶

Before you start¶

Check that your machine is properly registered (in case it is on the CERN network)
Check that CERN Domain Name Service is updated for your machine (in case it is in the CERN network):

host yourmachine command should return an answer.

Check that your machine meets minimum system requirements
Memory: Minimum 2 GB (system will run with 1 GB but performance will be affected)
Disk space: 10 GB (including 1 GB user data) for default setup ( 1 GB for minimal setup)
Please see Network/PXE installation procedure, IF YOU USE it you may skip following points up to the system installation.
Prepare boot media (you will need a single recordable CD or USB memory key). (Check the boot media preparation page for instructions how to prepare (and check) your boot media.)
Available boot media - boot CD/USB image http://linuxsoft.cern.ch/enterprise/rhel/server/9/boot.iso (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9)
Installation method - http: http://linuxsoft.cern.ch/cern/rhel/9/baseos/x86_64/os (Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9)
Note: use CD/USB image installation method ONLY if Network/PXE installation is not possible.

System installation¶

Installation language and keyboard selection:

Language and keyboard selection

You will need to provide input for the items marked in red, 'Keyboard', 'Time & Date', 'Software Selection', 'Installation Destination'. It's best to start with 'Installation Destination'

main screen

Select the device to be used for the installation:

Select Device

If selected device has been already used for previous version of operating system use 'Reclaim space':

Reclaim space

Set the 'root' (administrative account) password.

Set root password and create user

Select the software to install. Choose 'Software Development Workstation (CERN Recommended Setup)' Select software

If you do NOT see 'Software Development Workstation (CERN Recommended Setup), you may need to add the CERN repository to the installation. You can do by clicking 'Installation Source' and referring to the following screen shot

Add CERN Repository

Your screen should now have no more items in 'red', and should look similar to this: Select 'Begin installation':

Begin Installation

Automatic CERN site specific configuration¶

After the successful installation, if you have selected 'Software Development Workstation (CERN Recommended Setup)' the initial configuration screen will be displayed

Initial setup

Upon clicking on 'CERN CUSTOMIZATIONS', you will be presented with the following options.

Initial setup options

Depending on your choice, the locmap tool will be installed and invoked to create user accounts, provide root access, add printers, ... using information based on the ownership of device (network.cern.ch)

Manual post-install configuration adjustment¶

If you have selected not to run X graphical environment on your machine, or you have not installed your system with the 'Software Development Workstation (CERN Recommended Setup)' but wish to profit from the locmap tool to perform site specific configurations, here are some small recipes:

First become root by either logging in as root, or using sudo
Run sudo su -
To configure automatic system updates
Run dnf install dnf-autoupdate
Install Locmap (the tool used to define CERN specific configuration)
Run dnf install locmap-release
Run dnf install locmap
Apply CERN site configuration defaults (full configuration)
Run locmap --enable all
Run locmap --configure all
Install AFS client (only):
Run locmap --enable afs
Run locmap --enable kerberos
Run locmap --configure all
Configure CVMFS (only)
Run locmap --enable cvmfs
Run locmap --configure all
Configure Postfix (To align with e-mail best practices)
Run locmap --enable postfix
Run locmap --configure all

You can also use /usr/bin/locmap --list to check all the available puppet modules with their current state.

Applying software updates¶

You should update your system immediately after its installation: Eventual security errata and bug fixes will be applied this way before you start using it.

As root run:

/usr/bin/dnf -y update

to apply all available updates.

Remove the 'System Not Registered' notification from dnf, GNOME and Subscription-Manager Cockpit¶

To get rid of the System Not Registered notification, please run the following commands as root:

sed -i 's/enabled=1/enabled=0/' /etc/yum/pluginconf.d/subscription-manager.conf
yum remove -y subscription-manager-cockpit insights-client rhc
if [ -f /etc/xdg/autostart/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Subscription.desktop ]; then
  sed -i 's|^Exec=/usr/libexec/gsd-subman|#Exec=/usr/libexec/gsd-subman|' /etc/xdg/autostart/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Subscription.desktop
fi
if [ -f /lib/systemd/user/org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Subscription.service ]; then
  systemctl --global mask org.gnome.SettingsDaemon.Subscription.service
fi