--- doc/build/RHEL5_install.frag 2007/05/31 23:48:09 1.1 +++ doc/build/RHEL5_install.frag 2011/11/27 00:47:14 1.7 @@ -1,12 +1,12 @@

Installing LON-CAPA on a minimal Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 System

This document guides you through the process of setting up a new LON-CAPA -server running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 with a minimum of packages installed. -The computer will be configured solely as a LON-CAPA server and will be +server running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 with a minimum of packages installed. +The computer will be configured solely as a LON-CAPA server and will be expected to have no other services running. Your server is expected to have a reasonably fast connection to the internet.

-More information is available at +More information is available at http://install.lon-capa.org/.

@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ More information is available at

Installing Linux is getting easier and easier. You will be required to log in to the machine and execute -some routine Unix commands. Familiarity with the Apache web server, mod_perl, +some routine Unix commands. Familiarity with the Apache web server, mod_perl, perl, and MySQL are not required to install and run LON-CAPA.

@@ -23,28 +23,28 @@ perl, and MySQL are not required to inst The installation process takes the following steps:

    -
  1. Obtain Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 installation CDs
    2. -
  2. Determine Network Settings
    3. -
  3. Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
    4. -
  4. Update your system
    5. -
  5. Install LON-CAPA
    6. -
  6. Create a Domain Coordinator
    7. -
  7. Start/Restart services
    8. -
  8. Log in to LON-CAPA
    9. +
  9. Obtain Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 installation CDs
    10. +
  10. Determine Network Settings
    11. +
  11. Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
    12. +
  12. Update your system
    13. +
  13. Install LON-CAPA
    14. +
  14. Create a Domain Coordinator
    15. +
  15. Start/Restart services
    16. +
  16. Log in to LON-CAPA
- -

Obtain Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 CDs

+
+

1. Obtain Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 CDs

-RHEL5 CDs can be purchased from Red Hat: +RHEL5 CDs can be purchased from Red Hat: http://redhat.com/. For the minimal install on 32-bit architecture you will need only the first CD. -For the minimal install on 64-bit architecture you will need only the first CD. +For the minimal install on 64-bit architecture you will need CDs 1, 2, and 4. -

+

-

Determine Network Settings

+

2. Determine Network Settings

-You will need to know the following network settings for your installation. +You will need to know the following network settings for your installation. Note:You must have a static IP address to use LON-CAPA. DHCP is not supported. @@ -56,17 +56,18 @@ DHCP is not supported.

  • domain name server(s)
    • -

    Minimal Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Install

    +

    3. Minimal Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Install

    Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux is quite easy if you've installed any of the Red Hat products before. Documentation is available from http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/ -Most of the installation screens are self explanatory. +Most of the installation screens are self explanatory. There are a few steps that require comment and are dealt with below.

    - +
    Installation Language
    +
    Use English as your installation language.
    Installation Type
    If this is a fresh install choose "Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server". If updating from a previous LON-CAPA installation on an earlier Redhat or Fedora version you may prefer to choose the upgrade option, although if you established a separate partition for /home it will be faster to perform an install instead of an upgrade, and use "Create Custom Layout" to set up partitions - making sure to select the "unchanged data" option for the /home partition, in order to preserve your existing LON-CAPA data. A full back-up to tape or some external system is also strongly advised when updating the operating system in use on an existing LON-CAPA server.
    @@ -74,15 +75,15 @@ There are a few steps that require comme
    For a fresh install may want to use the automatic partitioning feature of the installer, however you should review the results and be prepared to modify them. If you want to customize partitioning use "Create Custom Layout". LON-CAPA resource files are stored in the /home directory, so the - majority of the disk space should be allocated here. If you have 20 GB - of space for RHEL, /home should receive at least 10 to 12 gigs. + majority of the disk space should be allocated here. If you have 20 GB + of space for RHEL, /home should receive at least 10 to 12 gigs. Since MySQL uses the /var filesystem to store its databases you should - have at least 4 gigs of space available on /var. Be sure to + have at least 4 gigs of space available on /var. Be sure to include adequate swap space. A minimum is 512 Megs, but you should typically have 1 or 2x as much swap space as you do physical RAM.
    Network Configuration
    -
    LON-CAPA will not work with a machine set up to use a dynamic +
    LON-CAPA will not work with a machine set up to use a dynamic IP address. When configuring your network card, be sure to unselect the DHCP option and enter in your network information.
    Software
    @@ -101,15 +102,13 @@ setup
    Select Security Level: Enabled, and Customize, to allow incoming: SSH (remote login), WWW (HTTP) and secure WWW - (HTTPS). (LON-CAPA also will use ports 5663 and 8080, but the - loncontrol startup script should open and close thos ports - itself.) + (HTTPS).
    -
    Set SELinux to Disabled.
    +
    Set SELinux to Disabled.
    Select OK, and then Quit

    -

    Update your system

    +

    4. Update your system

    Update your system to the latest versions of the system software using yum.

    @@ -135,20 +134,20 @@ cp rhel5_loncapa_yum.conf /etc/yum.conf yum update

    -

    Installing LON-CAPA

    +

    5. Installing LON-CAPA

    Install prerequisites

    Execute: 

     yum install LONCAPA-prerequisites

    -This may take a moment due to LON-CAPA's large number of dependencies. +This may take some minutes due to LON-CAPA's large number of dependencies.

    Retrieve and execute LON-CAPA setup program

    Retrieve the LON-CAPA setup with the following command: 

    -wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/redhat/5Server/rhel5_install.tar
+wget http://install.loncapa.org/linux/install.tar

    Extract the archive with the following command: @@ -165,20 +164,26 @@ cd installation ./install.pl

    -This script will prompt you for the MySQL root password and will download the latest LON-CAPA release.
    -You can safely ignore the following warnings from gcc 4 when compiling pwauth:
    - -pwauth.c: In function ‘lastlog’: -

    -pwauth.c: In function ‘main’: +The script is used to prepare a Linux system to run LON-CAPA, and can also be +used to check the configuration of a system on which LON-CAPA has already been installed. Typically, though, you will run this script only once, when you first install LON-CAPA. +

    +

    +The script will analyze your system to determine which actions are recommended. The script will then prompt you to choose the actions you would like taken. +Once a choice has been entered for all nine possible actions, required changes will be made. +

    +

    The possible actions are:

    -     -

    Determine LON-CAPA Settings

    @@ -191,36 +196,36 @@ for it to function at all. Below is a l
    The server must be designated a 'library' or an 'access' server. In general you should have a library server for your instructors to create their course content on and run their courses. Students should connect - to access servers. If you are doing the first install of LON-CAPA at + to access servers. If you are doing the first install of LON-CAPA at your site, or if you are playing with it for your own edification you should make your machine a 'library' server.
    LON-CAPA domain
    Each site or school which installs LON-CAPA needs its own domain. Here at MSU we use 'msu'. You should choose something short but - meaningful. Restriction: One word, no hyphens, underscores, or - special characters.
    Domain names which include a departmental + meaningful. Restriction: One word, no hyphens, underscores, or + special characters.
    Domain names which include a departmental abbreviation are not recommended as although LON-CAPA may start in a single department, other departments frequently join subsequently. For a domain name: 'msu' is a superior choice to 'msuphys' for example.
    LON-CAPA host id
    Each LON-CAPA server requires a unique internal name. We use names - such as "msul1" for the first library server. Restriction: One word, + such as "msul1" for the first library server. Restriction: One word, no hyphens, underscores, or special characters.
    Domain's Primary Library Server ID
    If you are setting up a domain with a single library server, then the domain's primary library server ID will be the LON-CAPA host id of that server (e.g., msul1). Once your domain grows and you need to add more servers, one of the library servers in the domain should be assigned as the domain's primary library server. This will be where domain-wide settings will be stored.
    Host administrator email
    The amount of email sent to this address is relatively minimal. Messages - are sent every time the system starts up, or if the system is in + are sent every time the system starts up, or if the system is in serious trouble. On a laptop, make this root@localhost.
    Support email address
    -
    If you enter an e-mail address here, then users of the system - will be able to click an "Ask Helpdesk" link in the system to +
    If you enter an e-mail address here, then users of the system + will be able to click an "Ask Helpdesk" link in the system to display a web form which they will complete to request support from - your institution's helpdesk. On form submission the contents - will be sent to the e-mail address you specify. + your institution's helpdesk. On form submission the contents + will be sent to the e-mail address you specify.
    @@ -229,31 +234,29 @@ for it to function at all. Below is a l To configure and install LON-CAPA, execute the following commands: 

    -cd /root/loncapa-N.N     (N.N should correspond to a version number like '1.3')
+cd /root/loncapa-X.Y.Z     (X.Y.Z should correspond to a version number like '2.10.0')
 ./UPDATE

    -You will need to enter the LON-CAPA configuration information you determined -in the previous section. +You will need to enter the LON-CAPA configuration information you determined +in the previous section.

    -

    Creating a Domain Coordinator

    +

    6. Creating a Domain Coordinator

    You will need at least one user at your site who has the role of 'domain coordinator'. This user creates accounts for other users and grants them additional privileges. The make_domain_coordinator.pl script -invoked below requires that you enter the users password. The password will -show in plaintext as you type it. Feel free to use the "passwd username" -command to change it later. Replace USERNAME and DOMAIN with an -appropriate user name and your domain. +invoked below requires that you enter the user's password. +Feel free to use the "passwd username" command to change it later. +Replace USERNAME and DOMAIN with an appropriate user name and your domain. 

    -cd /root/loncapa-N.N/loncom/build
+cd /root/loncapa-X.Y.Z/loncom/build
 perl make_domain_coordinator.pl USERNAME DOMAIN
-(WILL PROMPT FOR PASSWORD HERE)
    -

    Start/Restart Services

    +

    7. Start/Restart Services

    The LON-CAPA network services take a moment to start. Most misconfigurations will be apparent at this step. @@ -264,20 +267,21 @@ will be apparent at this step.

    If you receive warnings when starting the httpd about missing perl modules, -please make sure you followed the instructions in +please make sure you followed the instructions in Installing LON-CAPA Dependencies. If you still have errors, please -contact the MSU LON-CAPA support team. +contact the MSU LON-CAPA group.

    -

    Log in to your LON-CAPA Machine

    +

    8. Log in to your LON-CAPA Machine

    Point a web browser at your new machine and log in as the domain coordinator. Congratulations!

    +

    If things aren't working right

    -If you've followed the steps above and the server doesn't start or you think -there's something wrong, please send a help request to the MSU LON-CAPA support team. If there were errors in installation of the dependency RPMs or errors during the +If you've followed the steps above and the server doesn't start or you think +there's something wrong, please send a help request to the MSU LON-CAPA group. If there were errors in installation of the dependency RPMs or errors during the automatic setup, please send us as much information as possible. If some part of this document is unclear please let us know.