Installing Linux is getting easier and easier. However, it is still a non-trivial undertaking and experience with Red Hat Linux will make this process easier. You will be required to log in to the machine and execute some routine Unix commands. Some familiarity with Linux is assumed.
The installation process takes the following steps:
1. Obtain Red Hat 7.3
2. Gather information for installing Red Hat
3. Install Red Hat 7.3
4. Determine your LON-CAPA Settings
5. Install LON-CAPA
6. Configure LON-CAPA
7. Pick a hosts.tab file
8. Create a Domain Coordinator
9. Start/Restart services
10. Log in to LON-CAPA
If you like, you may contact the LON-CAPA development staff and we can mail the CDs to you. Another option is to download the cd images and burn them yourself, or install from a mirror site using ftp or http.
You will need to have the following information for your site. You must have a static IP address (do not use DHCP).
When you install RedHat you will need to ensure the following (the list below is in the order the issues appear in the installation of Red Hat 7.3):
Installation Type
You should definitely do a "Server" install. We do not recommend Trying to install LON-CAPA with a different installation type.
Partitioning your Drive
You may want to use the automatic partitioning feature of Red Hat, however you should review the results and be prepared to modify them. LON-CAPA resource files are stored in the /home directory, so the lion's share of the drive should be allocated here. If you have 8 GB of space for Red Hat, /home should receive 4 to 6 gigs. 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 IP address. When configuring your network card, be sure to unselect the DHCP option and enter in your network information.
Firewall Configuration
The installation script will remove and disable your firewall.
Package Group Selection
At a minimum, install the following packages:
Other packages can be installed as you like.
X Windows Configuration
If you chose to install the X-windows packages you will need to configure them. If you are unsure of the support for your video card you may wish to skip the configuration.
Other notes:
LON-CAPA requires a number of identifying parameters be set in order for it to function at all. Below is a list with descriptions.
Host Type (library or access)
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 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!
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, no hyphens, underscores, or special characters!
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 serious trouble. On a laptop, make this root@localhost.
Root password for SQL database
In order to keep people from corrupting the MYSQL database, a root password is needed. You'll need to remember this.
Log in as root with the password you provided during the Red Hat installation process.
wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/rh73install/loncapa-rh73install.tar tar xf loncapa-rh73install.tar cd install ./install.pl
Execute the following commands
cd /root/loncapa/ ./UPDATE
You will need to enter the LON-CAPA configuration information you requested above. Additionally, you will need to enter the following information (options 5 and 6 in the menu, recommended settings):
Cache Expiration Time
86400
Server Load
2.0
You can deviate from the above settings if you know what you are doing.
The "hosts.tab" file controls which LON-CAPA servers your server attempts to access and which servers it will respond to. If this is your first install of LON-CAPA on your network, we suggest choosing a 'standalone' "hosts.tab". On a laptop, you must choose 'standalone'. Please contact the support staff at www.loncapa.org for information about adding more hosts to your "hosts.tab" file.
Note: for non-standalone configurations, you do need to add yourself to the /home/httpd/lonTabs/hosts.tab to initially test your configuration. Eventually, you will be added to the general cluster tables by LON-CAPA staff, so this is temporary. A hosts.tab entry has the format
lonHostID:domain:hosttype:dns-name:ipaddress
for example
103l5:library:s17.lite.msu.edu:35.8.63.27
Please edit this file with a UNIX editor, not a PC or Mac one, so that the linebreaks are correct.
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.
cd /root/loncapa/loncom/build perl make_domain_coordinator.pl USERNAME DOMAIN (WILL PROMPT FOR PASSWORD HERE) mkdir ~USERNAME/public_html chown USERNAME:www ~USERNAME/public_html chmod 0775 ~USERNAME/public_html
The services take about 10 minutes to start.
/etc/init.d/loncontrol start /etc/init.d/httpd restart
On Redhat 7.3 it is not guaranteed that Apache and MySQL automatically restart on boot, even when installing with "server" configuration. After logging in as root, check under "Programs" - "System" - "Service Configuration" that "Start on Boot" is checked for httpd and mysqld, save and restart..
Point a web browser at your new machine and log in as the domain coordinator. Congratulations!
Installing Linux is getting easier and easier. However, it is still a +non-trivial undertaking and experience with Red Hat Linux will make this +process easier. You will be required to log in to the machine and execute some +routine Unix commands. Some familiarity with Linux is assumed.
+ +The installation process takes the following steps:
+ +1. +Obtain Red Hat 7.3
+ +2. +Gather information for installing Red Hat
+ +3. +Install Red Hat 7.3
+ +4. +Determine your LON-CAPA Settings
+ +5. +Install LON-CAPA
+ +6. +Configure LON-CAPA
+ +7. +Pick a hosts.tab file
+ +8. +Create a Domain Coordinator
+ +9. +Start/Restart services
+ +10. +Log in to LON-CAPA
+ +If you like, you may contact the LON-CAPA development staff and we can mail +the CDs to you. Another option is to download the cd images and burn them +yourself, or install from a mirror site using ftp or http.
+ +You will need to have the following information for your site. You must have +a static IP address (do not use DHCP).
+ +When you install RedHat you will need to ensure the following (the list +below is in the order the issues appear in the installation of Red Hat 7.3):
+ +Installation Type
+ +You should definitely do a +"Server" install. We do not recommend Trying to install LON-CAPA with +a different installation type.
+ +Partitioning your Drive
+ +You may want to use the automatic +partitioning feature of Red Hat, however you should review the results and be +prepared to modify them. LON-CAPA resource files are stored in the /home +directory, so the lion's share of the drive should be allocated here. If you +have 8 GB of space for Red Hat, /home should receive 4 to 6 gigs. 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 IP +address. When configuring your network card, be sure to unselect the DHCP +option and enter in your network information.
+ +Firewall Configuration
+ +The installation script will remove +and disable your firewall.
+ +Package Group Selection
+ +At a minimum, install the following +packages:
+ +Other packages can be installed as +you like.
+ +X Windows Configuration
+ +If you chose to install the +X-windows packages you will need to configure them. If you are unsure of the +support for your video card you may wish to skip the configuration.
+ +Other notes:
+ +LON-CAPA requires a number of identifying parameters be set in order for it +to function at all. Below is a list with descriptions.
+ +Host Type (library or access)
+ +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 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!
+ +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, no hyphens, underscores, or special +characters!
+ +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 serious trouble. On a laptop, make this root@localhost.
+ +Root password for SQL database
+ +In order to keep people from +corrupting the MYSQL database, a root password is needed. You'll need to +remember this.
+ +Log in as root with the password you provided during the Red Hat +installation process.
+ + wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/rh73install/loncapa-rh73install.tar tar xf loncapa-rh73install.tar cd install ./install.pl
+
+Execute the following commands
+ + cd /root/loncapa/ ./UPDATE
+
+You will need to enter the LON-CAPA configuration +information you requested above. Additionally, you will need to enter the +following information (options 5 and 6 in the menu, recommended settings):
+ +Cache Expiration Time
+ +86400
+ +Server Load
+ +2.0
+ +You can deviate from the above settings if you know what you +are doing.
+ +The "hosts.tab" file controls which LON-CAPA servers +your server attempts to access and which servers it will respond to. If this is +your first install of LON-CAPA on your network, we suggest choosing a +'standalone' "hosts.tab". On a laptop, you must choose 'standalone'. +Please contact the support staff at www.loncapa.org for information about +adding more hosts to your "hosts.tab" file.
+ +Note: for non-standalone configurations, you do need to add +yourself to the /home/httpd/lonTabs/hosts.tab +to initially test your configuration. Eventually, you will be added to the +general cluster tables by LON-CAPA staff, so this is temporary. A hosts.tab entry has the format
+ + lonHostID:domain:hosttype:dns-name:ipaddress
+
+for example
+ + 103l5:library:s17.lite.msu.edu:35.8.63.27
+
+Please edit this file with a UNIX editor, not a PC or Mac +one, so that the linebreaks are correct.
+ +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.
+ + cd /root/loncapa/loncom/build perl make_domain_coordinator.pl USERNAME DOMAIN (WILL PROMPT FOR PASSWORD HERE) mkdir ~USERNAME/public_html chown USERNAME:www ~USERNAME/public_html chmod 0775 ~USERNAME/public_html
+
+The services take about 10 minutes to start.
+ + /etc/init.d/loncontrol start /etc/init.d/httpd restart
+
+On Redhat 7.3 it is not guaranteed that Apache and MySQL automatically +restart on boot, even when installing with "server" configuration. +After logging in as root, check under "Programs" - "System" +- "Service Configuration" that "Start on Boot" is checked +for httpd and mysqld, save and restart..
+ +Point a web browser at your new machine and log in as the domain +coordinator. Congratulations!
+ +