Annotation of doc/build/centos8_install.frag, revision 1.4
1.1 raeburn 1: <h1>Installing LON-CAPA on a minimal CentOS Linux 8 System</h1>
2: <p>
3: This document guides you through the process of setting up a new LON-CAPA
4: server or virtual machine running CentOS Linux 8 with a minimum of packages installed.
5: The server or virtual machine will be configured solely as a LON-CAPA server and will be
6: expected to have no other services running. Your server or virtual machine is expected to have
7: a fast connection to the internet.
8: </p><p>
9: More information is available at
10: <a href="http://install.lon-capa.org/">http://install.lon-capa.org/</a>.
11: </p>
12:
13: <h2>Before you begin</h2>
14: <p>
15: Installing Linux is straightforward.
16: You will be required to log in to the machine and execute
17: some routine Unix commands. Familiarity with the Apache web server, mod_perl,
18: perl, and MySQL are not required to install and run LON-CAPA.
19: </p>
20:
21: <h2>Installation Overview</h2>
22: <p>
23: The installation process takes the following steps:
24: </p>
25: <ol>
26: <li><a href="#obt">Obtain CentOS Linux 8 installation iso file</a></li>
27: <li><a href="#net">Determine Network Settings</a></li>
28: <li><a href="#lin">Install CentOS Linux 8</a></li>
29: <li><a href="#upd">Update your system</a></li>
30: <li><a href="#ilc">Install LON-CAPA</a></li>
31: <li><a href="#cdc">Create a Domain Coordinator</a></li>
32: <li><a href="#sts">Start/Restart services</a></li>
33: <li><a href="#log">Log in to LON-CAPA</a></li>
34: </ol>
35:
36: <hr />
1.2 raeburn 37: <h2>1. <a id="obt">Obtain CentOS Linux 8</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 38: <p>
39: CentOS 8 isos can be obtained from links included on the
40: <a href="http://mirror.centos.org/centos/8/isos/x86_64">CentOS download page</a>.
41: Either download the Boot ISO or the CentOS 8 DVD1 ISO.
42: </p>
43:
1.2 raeburn 44: <h2>2. <a id="net">Determine Network Settings</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 45: <p>
46: You will need to know the following network settings for your installation.
1.2 raeburn 47: <b>Note: </b>You must have a static IP address to use LON-CAPA.
1.1 raeburn 48: DHCP is <em>not</em> supported.
49:
50: <ul>
51: <li>ip address </li>
52: <li>netmask </li>
53: <li>hostname </li>
54: <li>gateway </li>
55: <li>domain name server(s) </li>
56: </ul>
57:
1.2 raeburn 58: <h2>3. <a id="lin">Minimal CentOS Linux 8 Install</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 59: <p>
60: Documentation is available from
61: <a href="https://docs.centos.org/en-US/8-docs/">
62: https://docs.centos.org/en-US/8-docs/</a>
63: Most of the installation screens are self explanatory.
64: There are a few steps that require comment and are dealt with below.
65: </p>
66: <dl style="list-style:square outside none">
67: <dt>Installation Language</dt>
68: <dd>Use English as your installation language.</dd>
69: <dt>Installation Destination</dt>
70: <dd>For a fresh install may want to use the automatic partitioning feature of the installer.
71: If you want to customize partitioning check the "I will configure partitioning" radio button.
72: LON-CAPA resource files are stored in the /home directory, so the
73: majority of the disk space should be allocated here. If you have 20 GB
74: of space for CentOS, /home should receive at least 10 to 12 GB.
75: Since Mariadb uses the /var filesystem to store its databases you should
76: have at least 4 GB of space available on /var. Be sure to
77: include adequate swap space. A minimum is 512 MB, but you should
78: typically have 1 or 2x as much swap space as you do physical RAM.</dd>
79: <dt>Network and Hostname</dt>
80: <dd>LON-CAPA will <b>not</b> work with a machine set up to use a dynamic
81: IP address. When configuring your network card, be sure to unselect
82: the DHCP option and enter your network information. Enter your hostname</dd>
83: <dt>Software Selection</dt>
84: <dd>Check the "Minimal Install" radio button in the "Base Environment" panel,
85: and check the "Standard" checkbox in the "Add-Ons for Selected Environment" panel.</dd>
86: </dl>
87: <p>
88: Finish installing your server, reboot it, and log in as root.
89: </p>
90: <h3>Firewall Configuration</h3>
91: <p>
92: LON-CAPA can use Firewalld, available by default for CentOS 8. Enable access to standard
93: web server ports (i.e., http and https):
94: </p>
95: <pre>
96: systemctl enable firewalld
97: systemctl start firewalld
1.4 ! raeburn 98: firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=http
! 99: firewall-cmd --zone=public --permanent --add-service=https
! 100: firewall-cmd --reload
1.1 raeburn 101: </pre>
102:
1.2 raeburn 103: <h2>4. <a id="upd">Update your system</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 104: <p>
105: Update your system to the latest versions of the system software using dnf.
106: </p>
107: <pre>
108: dnf update
109: </pre>
110: <p>
111: If the kernel was updated, reboot your system before continuing with the installation.
112: </p>
113:
114: <h3>Set up access to package repositories</h3>
115: <p>
116: Enable access to the EPEL repository
117: </p>
118: <pre>
1.4 ! raeburn 119: dnf install epel-release
1.1 raeburn 120: </pre>
121: <p>
122: Enable the CentOS-PowerTools repository
123: </p>
124: <ol>
125: <li>Retrieve the PowerTools.repo file from the LON-CAPA install site:
126: <pre>
127: wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/8/centos8_PowerTools_yum.conf
128: </pre>
129: </li>
130: <li>
131: Install the PowerTools.repo file
132: <pre>
133: mv centos8_PowerTools_yum.conf /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-PowerTools.repo
134: </pre>
135: </li>
136: </ol>
1.2 raeburn 137: <p>
1.3 raeburn 138: Install the loncapa.repo file from the LON-CAPA install site:
139: </p>
140: <pre>
141: wget -O /etc/yum.repos.d/loncapa.repo http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/8/loncapa.repo
142: </pre>
143: <p>
144: Verify the required repositories are enabled:
1.2 raeburn 145: </p>
146: <pre>
147: dnf repolist enabled
148: </pre>
149: <p>
150: The list of enabled repos should be as follows:
151: </p>
152: <table style="border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">
153: <tr><th>repo id</th><th>repo name</th></tr>
154: <tr><td>AppStream</td><td>CentOS-8 - AppStream</td></tr>
155: <tr><td>BaseOS</td><td>CentOS-8 - Base</td></tr>
156: <tr><td>PowerTools</td><td>CentOS-8 - PowerTools</td></tr>
1.3 raeburn 157: <tr><td>*epel</td><td>Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 8 - x86_64</td></tr>
1.2 raeburn 158: <tr><td>extras</td><td>CentOS-8 - Extras</td></tr>
159: <tr><td>loncapa-updates-basearch</td><td>CentOS 8 LON-CAPA x86_64 Updates</td></tr>
160: <tr><td>loncapa-updates-noarch</td><td>CentOS 8 LON-CAPA noarch Updates</td></tr>
161: </table>
1.1 raeburn 162:
163: <h3>Install and enable a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA), e.g., postfix</h3>
164: <pre>
165: dnf install postfix
166: systemctl enable postfix
167: systemctl start postfix
168: </pre>
169:
170: <h3>Configure SELinux</h3>
171: <p>
172: The default CentOS 8 installation includes SELinux enabled. Until such time as an SELinux security policy has been created for LON-CAPA, SELinux should be disabled.
173: Retrieve the loncapa_selinux_config file from the LON-CAPA install site:
174: </p>
175: <pre>
176: wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/8/loncapa_selinux_config
177: </pre>
178: <p>
179: Install the selinux config file
180: </p>
181: <pre>
182: mv /etc/selinux/config /etc/selinux/config.backup
183: mv loncapa_selinux_config /etc/selinux/config
184: reboot
185: </pre>
186:
1.2 raeburn 187: <h2>5. <a id="ilc">Installing LON-CAPA</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 188: <h3>Install prerequisites</h3>
189: <p> Execute: </p>
190: <pre>
191: dnf install LONCAPA-prerequisites
192: </pre><p>
193: This may take some minutes due to LON-CAPA's large number of dependencies.
194: </p>
195: <h3>Retrieve and execute LON-CAPA setup program</h3>
196: <p>
197: Retrieve the LON-CAPA setup with the following command:
198: </p>
199: <pre>
200: wget http://install.loncapa.org/linux/install.tar
201: </pre>
202: <p>
203: Extract the archive with the following command:
204: </p>
205: <pre>
206: tar xf install.tar
207: </pre>
208: <p>
1.2 raeburn 209: This creates a directory named <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console','Menlo','Monaco','Courier', monospace;">installation</span>.
210: Change to it and execute the setup script with the following commands:
1.1 raeburn 211: </p>
212: <pre>
213: cd installation
214: ./install.pl
215: </pre>
216: <p>
217: The script is used to prepare a Linux system to run LON-CAPA, and can also be
218: 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.
219: </p>
220: <p>
221: 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.
222: Once a choice has been entered for all nine possible actions, required changes will be made.
223: </p>
224: <p>The possible actions are:</p>
225: <ul>
226: <li>Create the www user/group</li>
227: <li>Install the package LON-CAPA uses to authenticate users.</li>
228: <li>Set-up the MySQL (Mariadb) database</li>
229: <li>Set-up MySQL (Mariadb) permissions</li>
230: <li>Configure Apache web server</li>
231: <li>Configure start-up of services</li>
232: <li>Check firewall settings</li>
233: <li>Stop services not used by LON-CAPA, e.g., services for a print server: cups daemon</li>
234: <li>Download LON-CAPA source code in readiness for installation</li>
235: </ul>
236: <h3>Determine LON-CAPA Settings</h3>
237: <p>
238: LON-CAPA requires a number of identifying parameters to be set in order
239: for it to function at all. Below is a list with descriptions.
240: </p>
241: <dl>
242: <dt>Host Type (library or access)</dt>
243: <dd>The server must be designated a 'library' or an 'access' server. In
244: general you should have a library server for your instructors to create
245: their course content on and run their courses. Students should connect
246: to access servers. If you are doing the first install of LON-CAPA at
247: your site, or if you are playing with it for your own edification you
248: should make your machine a 'library' server.</dd>
249: <dt>LON-CAPA domain</dt>
250: <dd>Each site or school which installs LON-CAPA needs its own domain.
251: Here at MSU we use 'msu'. You should choose something short but
1.2 raeburn 252: meaningful. <i>Restriction: One word, no underscores, and no special
253: characters except . or -</i> .<br />Domain names which include a departmental
1.1 raeburn 254: abbreviation are not recommended as although LON-CAPA may start in
255: a single department, other departments frequently join subsequently.
256: For a domain name: 'msu' is a superior choice to 'msuphys' for example.
257: </dd>
258: <dt>LON-CAPA host id</dt>
259: <dd>Each LON-CAPA server requires a unique internal name. We use names
260: such as "msul1" for the first library server. <i>Restriction: One word,
1.2 raeburn 261: no underscores, and no special characters except -</i> .
1.1 raeburn 262: </dd>
263: <dt>Domain's Primary Library Server ID</dt>
264: <dd>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.<dd>
265: <dt>Host administrator email</dt>
266: <dd>The amount of email sent to this address is relatively minimal. Messages
267: are sent every time the system starts up, or if the system is in
1.2 raeburn 268: serious trouble. If you are installing a LON-CAPA instance on a laptop,
269: because you are planning to contribute to LON-CAPA development,
270: make this <span style="font-family: 'Lucida Console','Menlo','Monaco','Courier', monospace;">
271: root@localhost</span>.
1.1 raeburn 272: </dd>
273: <dt>Support email address</dt>
1.2 raeburn 274: <dd>Enter an e-mail address here, so users of the system
1.1 raeburn 275: will be able to click an "Ask Helpdesk" link in the system to
276: display a web form which they will complete to request support from
277: your institution's helpdesk. On form submission the contents
278: will be sent to the e-mail address you specify.
279: </dd>
280: </dl>
281:
282: <h3>Configuring LON-CAPA</h3>
283: <p>
284: To configure and install LON-CAPA, execute the following commands:
285: </p>
286: <pre>
287: cd /root/loncapa-X.Y.Z (X.Y.Z should correspond to a version number like '2.11.3')
288: ./UPDATE
289: </pre>
290: <p>
291: You will need to enter the LON-CAPA configuration information you determined
292: in the previous section.
293: </p>
294:
1.2 raeburn 295: <h2>6. <a id="cdc">Creating a Domain Coordinator</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 296: <p>
297: You will need at least one user at your site who has the role of
298: 'domain coordinator'. This user creates accounts for other users and
299: grants them additional privileges. The make_domain_coordinator.pl script
300: invoked below requires that you enter the user's password.
301: Feel free to use the "passwd username" command to change it later.
302: Replace USERNAME and DOMAIN with an appropriate user name and your domain.
303: If installing a library server and an access server on separate machines or VMs
304: you need only run make_domain_coordinator.pl on the library server.
305: </p>
306: <pre>
307: cd /root/loncapa-X.Y.Z/loncom/build
308: perl make_domain_coordinator.pl USERNAME DOMAIN
309: </pre>
310:
1.2 raeburn 311: <h2>7. <a id="sts">Start/Restart Services</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 312: <p>
313: The LON-CAPA network services take a moment to start. Most misconfigurations
314: will be apparent at this step.
315: </p>
316: <pre>
317: /etc/init.d/loncontrol start
1.2 raeburn 318: systemctl start httpd
1.1 raeburn 319: </pre>
320: <p>
321: If you receive warnings about missing perl modules, when starting the httpd service
322: please make sure that the LONCAPA-prerequisites rpm is installed using this command:
1.2 raeburn 323: </p>
1.1 raeburn 324: <pre>
325: rpm -q LONCAPA-prerequisites rpm
326: </pre>
1.2 raeburn 327: <p>
328: If it is not installed, ensure that the required Linux repositories are enabled (see
329: the "Set up access to package repositories" section above), then install it:
330: </p>
1.1 raeburn 331: <pre>
332: dnf install LONCAPA-prerequisites
333: </pre>
1.2 raeburn 334: <p>
1.1 raeburn 335: If you still have errors, please contact the LON-CAPA Helpdesk: helpdesk at loncapa.org
336: </p>
1.2 raeburn 337: <p>Ensure that LON-CAPA network services and the httpd service are set to start on boot:
338: <pre>
339: systemctl enable loncontrol
340: systemctl enable httpd
341: </pre>
1.1 raeburn 342:
1.2 raeburn 343: <h2>8. <a id="log">Log in to your LON-CAPA Machine</a></h2>
1.1 raeburn 344: <p>
345: Point a web browser at your new machine and log in as the domain
346: coordinator. Congratulations!
347: </p>
348:
349: <hr>
350: <h2>If things aren't working right</h2>
351: <p>
352: If you've followed the steps above and the server doesn't start or you think
353: there's something wrong, please contact the LON-CAPA helpdesk.
354: Installation/update support is available from: helpdesk at loncapa.org
355: (replace " at " with @).
356: If there were errors in installation of the dependency RPMs or errors during the
357: automatic setup, please send us as much information as possible.
358: If some part of this document is unclear please let us know.
359: </p>
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