RHEL Build

RHEL Build installation provides a robust and enterprise-ready approach to deploying ServiceOps on Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems, offering IT administrators and implementation consultants a reliable method for setting up production-ready ServiceOps environments in enterprise environments.

This guide walks you through the complete process of installing ServiceOps on RHEL systems using the build installer method. This approach is ideal for organizations using Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4, 9.2, or 9.4 as their preferred enterprise Linux distribution.

The RHEL Build installation method offers several advantages for enterprise environments:

• Enterprise Grade: Optimized for Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments
• Security Focused: Leverages RHEL's security features and compliance standards
• Production Ready: Includes all necessary components for enterprise deployment
• Flexible Deployment: Supports both bare metal and virtual machine installations
• Enterprise Support: Compatible with Red Hat support and subscription models

Prerequisites

Before beginning the installation, ensure your system meets the System Requirements and Pre-Installation Checklist.

Installation Process

Step 1: Download and Prepare Installer

1. Download Product Installer: Download the appropriate ServiceOps installer for your RHEL version from the Latest Download Links.

2. Prepare Installation:

   • Copy the installer to your target RHEL machine.

   • Set execute permissions:

     Syntax: sudo chmod 777 service_desk_master_rhelx_vxxx_CI

     Example: sudo chmod 777 service_desk_master_rhel9_v834_CI

     

Step 2: Run the Installer

Execute the installer with sudo privileges:

Syntax: sudo ./service_desk_master_rhelx_vxxx_CI

Example: sudo ./service_desk_master_rhel9_v834_CI

The installation process will begin automatically.

Step 3: Verify Installation and Login

1. Verify Services: After installation completes, verify the services are running.

   # Check Main Server service
   systemctl status ft-main-server

   

```bash
# Check Analytics Server service
systemctl status ft-analytics-server
```

Both services should show as active (running).

2. Initial Setup:

• After installation, wait for five minutes. Navigate tohttp://{server_IP}/register, it will open the Registration form as below :

  

• The registration form is for the first user, who is by default the Super Admin who has all the rights. Register the user, and use the credentials to login to the ServiceOps Portal.

• Click on ‘Register’ once the form is filled. It will redirect you to the Login Page.

3. First Login:

   • After registration, access the portal at http://{server_IP}/login.

   • Use the tabs to switch between the Support and Technician portals.

     

Operations and Maintenance

This section covers post-installation configuration and maintenance tasks for your ServiceOps environment on RHEL.

Port Configuration

Ensure the following ports are open for proper ServiceOps functionality:

Service	Port	Description
HTTP/HTTPS	80/443	Web interface access
Main Server	8080-8082	Core application services
Analytics Server	8080-8082	Reporting and analytics
Plugin Server	5050	Plugin functionality
Mesh RDP Server	8443	Remote desktop access
Internal Mesh RDP	4430	Internal RDP communication
SSH	22	Secure shell access
SMTP	25/465/587	Email communication
LDAP/LDAPS	389/636	Directory services

Advanced Configuration

API Rate Limiting

Configure API rate limits by editing /opt/flotomate/main-server/config/flotomate_rate_limit.yaml.

note

API rate limits can only be configured from the backend and are not adjustable through the user interface.

Service Management Manage ServiceOps services using systemctl:

# Start, stop, restart, or enable services
sudo systemctl restart ft-main-server
sudo systemctl restart ft-analytics-server

Security Considerations

SELinux Configuration

Configure SELinux for ServiceOps:

# Check SELinux status
sestatus
# Set SELinux context for ServiceOps directories
sudo semanage fcontext -a -t httpd_exec_t "/opt/flotomate(/.*)?"
sudo restorecon -Rv /opt/flotomate/
# Allow necessary ports through SELinux
sudo semanage port -a -t http_port_t -p tcp 8080-8082

Firewall Configuration

Configure RHEL firewall (firewalld) to allow necessary ports:

# Enable firewall and add services
sudo systemctl enable --now firewalld
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=ssh
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=http
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-service=https
# Add custom ports
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=8080-8082/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload

SSL/TLS Configuration

For production deployments, configure SSL certificates:

sudo dnf install certbot python3-certbot-nginx
sudo certbot --nginx -d your-domain.com

Performance Optimization

System Tuning

Optimize RHEL system for ServiceOps by tuning kernel parameters in /etc/sysctl.conf.

Backup and Recovery

Backup Strategy

Implement regular backups by creating a script that uses pg_dump for the database and tar for configuration files. Schedule this script as a cron job.

Recovery Procedures

Document and test your recovery steps, which should include restoring the database from a dump and extracting configuration files from your backup.

Monitoring and Maintenance

Health Checks

Implement regular health checks using a script to monitor service status, disk space, memory usage, and log file sizes.

Scheduled Maintenance

Set up automated maintenance tasks (health checks, backups, log rotation) using crontab.

Enterprise Features and Version Notes

Red Hat Subscription Management

Manage RHEL subscriptions for ServiceOps:

sudo subscription-manager status
sudo subscription-manager repos --enable rhel-9-for-x86_64-appstream-rpms

Compliance and Security

Leverage RHEL security features like OpenSCAP for security scans.

System Updates

Manage system updates for production stability, installing security updates as a priority.

Version-Specific Notes

• RHEL 9.x: Offers enhanced security, better performance, and native container support.
• RHEL 8.x: Maintains compatibility with older applications and has a longer support lifecycle.

Troubleshooting

Installation Fails

Problem: Installer fails to execute.

Solution: Ensure the installer script has execute permissions (chmod 777) and that all software prerequisites were installed successfully.

Services Not Starting

Problem: Main Server or Analytics Server services fail to start.

Solution: Check the service logs for errors using journalctl -u <service-name> -f and verify all dependencies are met.

Registration Page Not Accessible

Problem: Cannot access the registration page after installation.

Solution: Verify that both ft-main-server and ft-analytics-server are active (running) and wait at least 5 minutes for them to initialize fully before trying to access the page.

Log Files

Key log files for troubleshooting:

  - /opt/flotomate/main-server/logs/main-server.log
  - /opt/flotomate/analytics-server/logs/analytics-server.log
  - /var/log/serviceops-installation.log

Use tail -f <log-file-path> to monitor logs in real-time.

Related Topics

• Ubuntu Build
• ISO Installation
• Download Links

Next Steps

After the initial setup, you can further configure and secure your ServiceOps installation. Below are some recommended next steps:

• SSL Certificate Configuration: Secure your installation with SSL/TLS certificates.
• Change Ports: Modify the default ports for the main and Nginx servers.
• Configure API Rate Limit: Set limits on API usage to prevent abuse.
• Configure Memory and Connection Pool: Optimize performance by adjusting memory and database connection settings.
• Enable HTTPS: Enforce secure connections by enabling HTTPS.
• Increase Connection Limit: Adjust the maximum number of concurrent connections.