Annotation of doc/build/centos7_install.frag, revision 1.4

1.1       raeburn     1: <h1>Installing LON-CAPA on a minimal CentOS Linux 7 System</h1>
                      2: <p>
                      3: This document guides you through the process of setting up a new LON-CAPA 
                      4: server running CentOS Linux 7 with a minimum of packages installed.
                      5: The computer will be configured solely as a LON-CAPA server and will be
                      6: expected to have no other services running.  Your server is expected to have
                      7: a reasonably 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 getting easier and easier.
                     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 7 installation iso file</a></li>
                     27:   <li><a href="#net">Determine Network Settings</a></li>
                     28:   <li><a href="#lin">Install CentOS Linux 7</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 />
                     37: <h2>1. <a name="obt">Obtain CentOS Linux 7</a></h2>
                     38: <p>
                     39: CentOS 7 isos can be obtained from links included on the 
                     40: <a href="http://mirror.centos.org/centos/7/isos/">CentOS download page</a>.
                     41: Either download the Boot ISO or the CentOS 7 binary
                     42: </p>
                     43: 
                     44: <h2>2. <a name="net">Determine Network Settings</a></h2>
                     45: <p>
                     46: You will need to know the following network settings for your installation.
                     47: <b>Note:</b>You must have a static IP address to use LON-CAPA.
                     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: 
                     58: <h2>3. <a name="lin">Minimal CentOS Linux 7 Install</a></h2>
                     59: <p>
                     60: Installing CentOS Linux is straightforward. 
                     61: Documentation is available from
                     62: <a href="http://wiki.centos.org/">
                     63: http://wiki.centos.org/</a>
                     64: Most of the installation screens are self explanatory.
                     65: There are a few steps that require comment and are dealt with below.
                     66: </p>
                     67: <dl style="list-style:square outside none">
                     68:    <dt>Installation Language</dt>
                     69:    <dd>Use English as your installation language.</dd>
                     70:    <dt>Installation Destination</dt>
                     71:    <dd>For a fresh install may want to use the automatic partitioning feature of the installer.
                     72:        If you want to customize partitioning check the "I will configure partitioning" radio button.
                     73:        LON-CAPA resource files are stored in the /home directory, so the
                     74:        majority of the disk space should be allocated here.  If you have 20 GB
                     75:        of space for CentOS, /home should receive at least 10 to 12 GB.
                     76:        Since Mariadb uses the /var filesystem to store its databases you should
                     77:        have at least 4 GB of space available on /var.  Be sure to
                     78:        include adequate swap space.  A minimum is 512 MB, but you should
                     79:        typically have 1 or 2x as much swap space as you do physical RAM.</dd>
                     80:    <dt>Network and Hostname</dt>
                     81:    <dd>LON-CAPA will <b>not</b> work with a machine set up to use a dynamic
                     82:        IP address.  When configuring your network card, be sure to unselect
                     83:        the DHCP option and enter your network information. Enter your hostname</dd>
                     84:    <dt>Software Selection</dt>
                     85:    <dd>Select the "Minimal Install" radio button.</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 uses the traditional iptables package instead of the recent Firewalld, included for the
                     93: first time with CentOS 7.  Accordingly, you should install iptables-services, disable firewalld,
                     94: and enable iptables.
1.2       raeburn    95: </p>
1.1       raeburn    96: <pre>
                     97: yum install iptables-services
                     98: systemctl mask firewalld
                     99: systemctl enable iptables
                    100: systemctl enable ip6tables
                    101: systemctl stop firewalld
                    102: systemctl start iptables
                    103: systemctl start ip6tables
                    104: yum install wget
                    105: rpm --import http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/RPM-GPG-KEY-loncapa
                    106: wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/7/system-config-firewall-tui-1.2.29-10.el7.noarch.rpm
                    107: yum localinstall system-config-firewall-tui-1.2.29-10.el7.noarch.rpm
                    108: </pre>
                    109: <p>
                    110: The system-config-firewall-tui tool should be used to configure the Firewall.
                    111: </p>
                    112: <pre>
                    113: system-config-firewall-tui
                    114: </pre>
                    115: <ol>
                    116:   <li>Select Security Level: Enabled, and Customize, to allow
                    117:       incoming: SSH (remote login), WWW (HTTP) and secure WWW
                    118:       (HTTPS).
                    119:   </li>
                    120:   <li>Select OK, and then Quit</li>
                    121: </ol>
                    122: 
                    123: <h2>4. <a name="upd">Update your system</a></h2>
                    124: <p>
1.4     ! raeburn   125: If you are using 64-bit architecture enable access to the EPEL repository.  Execute:
1.2       raeburn   126: </p>
                    127: <pre>
                    128: yum install epel-release
                    129: </pre>
                    130: <p>
1.1       raeburn   131: Update your system to the latest versions of the system software using yum.
                    132: </p>
                    133: <pre>
                    134: yum update
                    135: </pre>
                    136: <p>
                    137: Reboot your system before continuing with the installation.
                    138: </p>
                    139: <p>
                    140: Retrieve the centos7_loncapa_yum file from the LON-CAPA install site:
                    141: </p>
                    142: <pre>
                    143: wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/7/centos7_loncapa_yum.conf
                    144: </pre>
                    145: <p>
                    146: Install the centos7_loncapa_yum.conf
                    147: </p>
                    148: <pre>
                    149: mv /etc/yum.conf /etc/yum.conf.backup
                    150: cp centos7_loncapa_yum.conf /etc/yum.conf
                    151: yum update
                    152: </pre>
1.2       raeburn   153: <p>
                    154: Verify the required repositories are enabled:
                    155: </p>
                    156: <pre>
                    157: yum repolist enabled
                    158: </pre>
                    159: <p>
1.3       raeburn   160: The list of enabled repos should be as follows (where $basearch = x86_64 or i386). The epel repo will be absent if you are using 32-bit architecture.
1.2       raeburn   161: </p>
                    162: <table style="border: 0px; border-collapse: collapse;">
                    163: <tr><th>repo id</th><th>repo name</th></tr>
                    164: <tr><td>base/7/$basearch</td><td>CentOS-7 - Base<td></tr>
1.3       raeburn   165: <tr><td>epel/x86_64</td><td>Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux 7 - x86_64</td></tr>
1.2       raeburn   166: <tr><td>extras/7/$basearch</td><td>CentOS-7 - Extras</td></tr>
                    167: <tr><td>loncapa-updates-basearch/7/$basearch</td><td>CentOS 7 LON-CAPA $basearch Updates</td></tr>
                    168: <tr><td>loncapa-updates-noarch/7</td><td>CentOS 7 LON-CAPA noarch Updates</td></tr>
                    169: <tr><td>updates/7/$basearch</td><td>CentOS-7 - Updates<td></tr>
                    170: </table>
1.1       raeburn   171: 
                    172: <h3>Configure SELinux</h3>
                    173: <p>
                    174: The default CentOS 7 installation includes SELinux enabled. Until such time as an SELinux security policy has been created for LON-CAPA, SELinux should be disabled.
                    175: Retrieve the loncapa_selinux_config file from the LON-CAPA install site:
                    176: </p>
                    177: <pre>
                    178: wget http://install.loncapa.org/versions/centos/7/loncapa_selinux_config
                    179: </pre>
                    180: <p>
                    181: Install the selinux config file
                    182: </p>
                    183: <pre>
                    184: mv /etc/selinux/config /etc/selinux/config.backup
                    185: mv loncapa_selinux_config /etc/selinux/config
                    186: reboot
                    187: </pre>
                    188: 
                    189: <h2>5. <a name="ilc">Installing LON-CAPA</a></h2>
                    190: <h3>Install prerequisites</h3>
                    191: <p> Execute: </p>
                    192: <pre>
                    193: yum install LONCAPA-prerequisites
                    194: </pre><p>
                    195: This may take some minutes due to LON-CAPA's large number of dependencies.
                    196: </p>
                    197: <h3>Retrieve and execute LON-CAPA setup program</h3>
                    198: <p>
                    199: Retrieve the LON-CAPA setup with the following command:
                    200: </p>
                    201: <pre>
                    202: wget http://install.loncapa.org/linux/install.tar
                    203: </pre>
                    204: <p>
                    205: Extract the archive with the following command:
                    206: </p>
                    207: <pre>
                    208: tar xf install.tar
                    209: </pre>
                    210: <p>
                    211: This creates a directory named <tt>installation</tt>.  Change to it and
                    212: execute the setup script with the following commands:
                    213: </p>
                    214: <pre>
                    215: cd installation
                    216: ./install.pl
                    217: </pre>
                    218: <p>
                    219: The script is used to prepare a Linux system to run LON-CAPA, and can also be
                    220: 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.
                    221: </p>
                    222: <p>
                    223: 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.
                    224: Once a choice has been entered for all nine possible actions, required changes will be made.
                    225: </p>
                    226: <p>The possible actions are:</p>
                    227: <ul>
                    228: <li>Create the www user/group</li>
                    229: <li>Install the package LON-CAPA uses to authenticate users.</li>
                    230: <li>Set-up the MySQL (Mariadb) database</li>
                    231: <li>Set-up MySQL (Mariadb) permissions</li>
                    232: <li>Configure Apache web server</li>
                    233: <li>Configure start-up of services</li>
                    234: <li>Check firewall settings</li>
                    235: <li>Stop services not used by LON-CAPA,  e.g., services for a print server: cups daemon</li> 
                    236: <li>Download LON-CAPA source code in readiness for installation</li>
                    237: </ul>
                    238: <h3>Determine LON-CAPA Settings</h3>
                    239: <p>
                    240: LON-CAPA requires a number of identifying parameters to be set in order
                    241: for it to function at all.  Below is a list with descriptions.
                    242: </p>
                    243: <dl>
                    244:   <dt>Host Type (library or access)</dt>
                    245:   <dd>The server must be designated a 'library' or an 'access' server.  In
                    246:       general you should have a library server for your instructors to create
                    247:       their course content on and run their courses.  Students should connect
                    248:       to access servers.  If you are doing the first install of LON-CAPA at
                    249:       your site, or if you are playing with it for your own edification you
                    250:       should make your machine a 'library' server.</dd>
                    251:   <dt>LON-CAPA domain</dt>
                    252:   <dd>Each site or school which installs LON-CAPA needs its own domain.
                    253:       Here at MSU we use 'msu'.  You should choose something short but
                    254:       meaningful.  <i>Restriction: One word, no hyphens, underscores, or
                    255:       special characters.</i><br>Domain names which include a departmental
                    256:       abbreviation are not recommended as although LON-CAPA may start in
                    257:       a single department, other departments frequently join subsequently.
                    258:       For a domain name: 'msu' is a superior choice to 'msuphys' for example.
                    259:   </dd>
                    260:   <dt>LON-CAPA host id</dt>
                    261:   <dd>Each LON-CAPA server requires a unique internal name.  We use names
                    262:       such as "msul1" for the first library server. <i>Restriction: One word,
                    263:       no hyphens, underscores, or special characters.</i>
                    264:   </dd>
                    265:   <dt>Domain's Primary Library Server ID</dt>
                    266:    <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>
                    267:   <dt>Host administrator email</dt>
                    268:   <dd>The amount of email sent to this address is relatively minimal.  Messages
                    269:       are sent every time the system starts up, or if the system is in
                    270:       serious trouble. On a laptop, make this <tt>root@localhost</tt>.
                    271:   </dd>
                    272:   <dt>Support email address</dt>
                    273:   <dd>If you enter an e-mail address here, then users of the system
                    274:       will be able to click an "Ask Helpdesk" link in the system to
                    275:       display a web form which they will complete to request support from
                    276:       your institution's helpdesk. On form submission the contents
                    277:       will be sent to the e-mail address you specify.
                    278:   </dd>
                    279: </dl>
                    280: 
                    281: <h3>Configuring LON-CAPA</h3>
                    282: <p>
                    283: To configure and install LON-CAPA, execute the following commands:
                    284: </p>
                    285: <pre>
                    286: cd /root/loncapa-X.Y.Z     (X.Y.Z should correspond to a version number like '2.11.0')
                    287: ./UPDATE
                    288: </pre>
                    289: <p>
                    290: You will need to enter the LON-CAPA configuration information you determined
                    291: in the previous section.
                    292: </p>
                    293: 
                    294: <h2>6. <a name="cdc">Creating a Domain Coordinator</a></h2>
                    295: <p>
                    296: You will need at least one user at your site who has the role of
                    297: 'domain coordinator'.  This user creates accounts for other users and
                    298: grants them additional privileges.  The make_domain_coordinator.pl script
                    299: invoked below requires that you enter the user's password. 
                    300: Feel free to use the "passwd username" command to change it later. 
                    301: Replace USERNAME and DOMAIN with an appropriate user name and your domain.
                    302: If installing a library server and an access server on separate machines or VMs
                    303: you need only run make_domain_coordinator.pl on the library server. 
                    304: </p>
                    305: <pre>
                    306: cd /root/loncapa-X.Y.Z/loncom/build
                    307: perl make_domain_coordinator.pl USERNAME DOMAIN
                    308: </pre>
                    309: 
                    310: <h2>7. <a name="sts">Start/Restart Services</a></h2>
                    311: <p>
                    312: The LON-CAPA network services take a moment to start.  Most misconfigurations
                    313: will be apparent at this step.
                    314: </p>
                    315: <pre>
                    316: /etc/init.d/loncontrol start
                    317: service httpd start
                    318: </pre>
                    319: <p>
                    320: If you receive warnings about missing perl modules, when starting the httpd service
                    321: please make sure you followed the instructions in
                    322: <b>Installing LON-CAPA Dependencies</b>.  If you still have errors, please
                    323: contact the LON-CAPA Helpdesk -- helpdesk at loncapa.org
                    324: </p>
                    325: 
                    326: <h2>8. <a name="log">Log in to your LON-CAPA Machine</a></h2>
                    327: <p>
                    328: Point a web browser at your new machine and log in as the domain
                    329: coordinator.  Congratulations!
                    330: </p>
                    331: 
                    332: <hr>
                    333: <h2>If things aren't working right</h2>
                    334: <p>
                    335: If you've followed the steps above and the server doesn't start or you think
                    336: there's something wrong, please contact the LON-CAPA helpdesk. 
                    337: Installation/update support is available from:  helpdesk at loncapa.org  
                    338: (replace " at " with @).
                    339: If there were errors in installation of the dependency RPMs or errors during the
                    340: automatic setup, please send us as much information as possible.
                    341: If some part of this document is unclear please let us know.
                    342: </p>

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