Getting Started with SUSE Manager for Retail › Installation

Getting Started with SUSE Manager for Retail

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3 Installation

3.1 Requirements
3.2 Installation

3.1 Requirements #

Before you install SUSE Manager for Retail, ensure your environment meets the minimum requirements. This section lists the requirements for your SUSE Manager for Retail installation. These requirements are in addition to the SUSE Manager requirements listed at https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-getting-started/html/book.suma.getting-started/quickstart.chapt.overview.requirements.html#quickstart.sect.prereq

Important

SUSE Manager for Retail is only supported on x86_64 architecture.

Table 3.1: Hardware Requirements for SUSE Manager server #

Hardware	Recommended
CPU	Multi-core 64-bit CPU
RAM:	Test Server Minimum 8 GB
	Base Installation Minimum 16 GB
	Production Server Minimum 32 GB
Disk Space:	`/` (root) 100 GB
	`/var/lib/pgsql` Minimum 50 GB
	`/srv/` 50 GB (Minimum 2 GB per OS image)
	`/var/spacewalk` Minimum 50 GB per SUSE product and 250 GB per Red Hat product

Table 3.2: Hardware requirements for build host #

Hardware	Recommended
CPU	Multi-core 64-bit CPU
RAM:	4 GB
Disk Space:	`/` (root) 50 GB

Table 3.3: Hardware requirements for branch server #

Hardware	Recommended
CPU	Multi-core 64-bit CPU
RAM:	8 GB
Disk Space:	`/` (root) 100 GB (Minimum 50 GB per SUSE product and 2 GB per OS image)

Network Requirements #

The SUSE Manager server requires a reliable and fast WAN connection
The branch server requires a reliable WAN connection, to reach the SUSE Manager server
If you are using a shared network, ensure that DHCP requests are filtered before reaching the rest of your shared network
If you are using a dedicated network, the branch server requires at least two network interfaces: one connected to the WAN with reachable SUSE Manager server, and one connected to the internal branch LAN.
Terminals require a LAN connection to the branch server network.

3.2 Installation #

SUSE Manager for Retail can be installed in various ways depending on individual needs. We recommend these steps:

Install the SUSE Manager server
Configure the SUSE Manager server
Install the SUSE Manager for Retail pattern on the SUSE Manager server
Install the build host and register it to SUSE Manager
Configure the build host
Create required system group

Branch server installation steps:

Install the branch server and register it to SUSE Manager
Assign and configure branch server formulas
Synchronize images to the servers

Each procedure is detailed in this section.

3.2.1 Install the SUSE Manager server #

For instructions to install SUSE Manager, see the https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-getting-started/html/book.suma.getting-started/quickstart.chapt.overview.requirements.html#quickstart.sect.introduction

Warning: Do Not Enable PXE Boot

Do not enable PXE boot functionality on the SUSE Manager Proxy during initial setup. This functionality will be installed later, after the initial setup.

3.2.2 Configure the SUSE Manager server #

It is important that all required SUSE channels are available on your system and synchronized in order for SUSE Manager for Retail to operate correctly. For more information on channel management, see https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-advanced-topics/html/book.suma.advanced.topics/suse.mgr.command.line.tools.html#syncing.suse.mgr.repositories.scc

Channels required for SUSE Manager for Retail functionality:

- SLES 12 SP3 (SP4 in the future) as a base
  - SLES Pool
    - SLES Update
- SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools
  - SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools Pool
    - SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools Update
- SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy
  - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy Pool
    - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy Update
- SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy for Retail
  - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy for Retail Pool
    - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy for Retail Update

After you have synchronized the required SUSE channels, create channels for any custom software. Channels are used to provide custom software for OS image building. For more information on software channels, see https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-reference/html/book.suma.reference.manual/ref.webui.channels.html

3.2.3 Install the SUSE Manager for Retail pattern on the SUSE Manager server #

Procedure: Installing the SUSE Manager for Retail pattern on the SUSE Manager server #

Install the SUSE Manager for Retail pattern on the SUSE Manager server:
```
zypper in -t pattern suma_retail
```
Check that you have these packages installed and available, after installing SUSE Manager and SUSE Manager for Retail pattern:
- bind-formula
- branch-network-formula
- dhcpd-formula
- image-sync-formula
- pxe-formula
- saltboot-formula
- susemanager-retail-tools
- tftpd-formula
- vsftpd-formula
  Install any missing packages with zypper:
```
zypper install package_name
```

Synchronize the salt filesystem and salt modules:

salt-run fileserver.update
salt '*' saltutil.sync_all

Restart the salt master service to pick up the changes:

Restart salt master service now.

systemctl restart salt-master

For more information about formulas, see Formulas.

3.2.4 Install the build host and register it to SUSE Manager #

Your build host should be a Salt minion, running SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3. For instructions to install Salt minion see https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-getting-started/html/book.suma.getting-started/preparing.and.registering.clients.html

Warning

The build host must be a Salt minion. Do not install the build host as a traditionally managed client.

3.2.5 Configure the build host #

The build host must be set as an OS Image build host in the SUSE Manager Web UI, and highstate applied.

Procedure: Configuring the build host #

In the SUSE Manager Web UI, navigate to Systems → Overview. Locate the system to be made a build host, and click on its name.
In the System Properties window, click Edit These Properties.
In the Edit System Details window, ensure the OS Image Build Host option is checked, and click Update Properties to save your changes.
Select the States tab, and navigate to the Highstate window.
In the States tab, click Apply Highstate.

Important

Check that the build host has these packages installed after you have run Highstate:

kiwi
kiwi-desc-saltboot

If any package is missing, make sure the SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools repository is available on the build host and install any missing packages manually using zypper install.

3.2.6 Create required system groups #

SUSE Manager for Retail requires system groups for terminals and servers. Manually create these system groups during installation:

TERMINALS
SERVERS

Additionally, you will need to create a system group for each branch server, and each terminal hardware type in your environment.

You can create system groups using the SUSE Manager Web UI. Navigate to Systems → System Groups and click on Create System Group.

For more information about system groups, see https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-reference/html/book.suma.reference.manual/ref.webui.systems.systems.html#ref.webui.systems.systemgroups

3.2.7 Install the branch server and register it to SUSE Manager #

Your branch server should be installed as a default Salt-based client ("minion"), running SUSE Manager Proxy 3.2.

Warning

Do not install the branch server as a traditionally managed client.

For instructions to install Salt-based proxy minions and register them to SUSE Manager, see https://www.suse.com/documentation/suse-manager-3/3.2/susemanager-advanced-topics/html/book.suma.advanced.topics/advanced.topics.proxy.quickstart.html

The activation key should have the following channels:

- SLES 12 SP3 (SP4 in the future) as a base
  - SLES Pool
    - SLES Update
- SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools
  - SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools Pool
    - SUSE Manager 3.2 Tools Update
- SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy
  - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy Pool
    - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy Update
- SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy for Retail
  - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy for Retail Pool
    - SUSE Manager 3.2 Proxy for Retail Update

For mass deployments, see Branch Server Mass Configuration.

When you are installing the branch server with a dedicated internal network, check that you are using the same fully qualified domain name (FQDN) on both the external and internal branch networks. If the FQDN does not match on both networks, the branch server will not be recognized as a proxy server.

3.2.8 Assign and configure branch server formulas #

Before you configure the branch server, ensure you have decided on networking topology, and know the Salt ID of the branch server.

The branch server can be configured automatically using the retail_branch_init command, as shown in this section. If you prefer to manually configure the branch server, you can do so using formulas. For more information about formulas, see Formulas.

Procedure: Configuring branch server formulas using helper script #

Branch server configuration is performed using the retail_branch_init command:
```
retail_branch_init <branch_server_salt_id>
```
This command will configure branch server formulas with recommended values. You can use the retail_branch_init --help command for additional options.
Verify that your changes have been configured correctly by checking the SUSE Manager Web UI branch server system formulas.
Apply highstate on the branch server. You can do this through the Web UI, or by running this command:
```
salt <branch_server_salt_id> state.apply
```

3.2.9 Synchronize images to the servers #

The OS image you use on the SUSE Manager server must be synchronized for use on the branch server. You can do this with the Salt image-sync tool.

Procedure: Synchronize images with branch server #

On the branch server, run this command:

salt <branch_server_salt_id> state.apply image-sync

The image details will be transferred to /srv/saltboot on the branch server.

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