Plexxi Control Installation Guide Release 2.1.0 702-20002-10 Rev 1.2 February 19, 2015 100 Innovative Way - Suite 3322 Nashua, NH 03062 Tel. +1.888.630.PLEX (7539) www.plexxi.com
Notices The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Plexxi and the Plexxi logo are trademarks of Plexxi, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other product or service names may be trademarks or service marks of others. No part of this documentation may be reproduced in any form or by any means or used to make any derivative work (such as translation, transformation, or adaptation) without written permission from Plexxi, Inc. Plexxi, Inc. provides this documentation AS IS, without warranty, term, or condition of any kind, either implied or expressed, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties, terms, or conditions of merchantability, satisfactory quality, non-infringement and fitness for a particular purpose. Plexxi, Inc. reserves the right to make changes to equipment design or program components described in this documentation, as progress in engineering, manufacturing methods, or other circumstances may warrant. No responsibility is assumed for the use of Plexxi, Inc. software or hardware, all rights, obligations and remedies related to which are as set forth in the applicable sales and license agreements. Plexxi, Inc. 100 Innovative Way Suite 3322 Nashua, NH 03062 Tel: +1.888.630.PLEX (7539) www.plexxi.com Published February 19, 2015 Printed in United States of America. Copyright 2014-2015 Plexxi, Inc. All rights reserved. 2
Table of Contents Welcome!... 4 Installation Components... 4 Process Overview... 4 Requirements... 4 Minimum System Requirements... 4 Supported Hardware... 4 VMware Hypervisor Install... 4 Network Settings... 5 Offline or Online Install... 5 Security Considerations... 5 Quick Start Online Install... 6 Linux for Plexxi Control... 6 Plexxi Control... 7 Install Linux for Plexxi Control... 7 Automatic Install... 7 Avoiding Automatic Reboot... 7 Install Options... 8 Offline Install... 8 Online Install... 9 Choose an Install Option... 10 Recommended Install: Automatic Using DHCP... 10 Automatic Install with Prompt for Static IP... 12 Change the Password... 16 Authentication Configuration... 17 Optional Configurations... 18 Configure Device... 18 Configure DNS... 19 Test Remote Access to the Linux Installation... 19 Install Plexxi Control... 20 Online Help... 20 Install... 20 Troubleshooting... 21 Download Kickstart Error... 21 Contact Plexxi Support... 22 Advanced Installation Options... 22 3
Welcome! Plexxi Control runs as an application in a Linux environment. You install Plexxi Control on a Linux-based computer that can support the Apache Tomcat server and the PostgreSQL database application. Installation Components CentOS 6.5 Linux for Plexxi Control Plexxi Control application. Ensure your version of Plexxi Control is compatible with the version of Plexxi Switch you ll be managing. Process Overview For a bare metal install, contact Plexxi Support with your hardware configuration information for assistance with the installation. 1. Obtain the Linux for Plexxi Control ISO image and the Plexxi Control install file from the Plexxi Support site or from your Plexxi representative. 2. Install Linux for Plexxi Control. (CentOS 6.5). 3. Install Plexxi Control. Requirements Review the following system requirements before you start the installation. Minimum System Requirements The system requirements are for both VM and hardware installs. Processor: Quad core Memory: 8GB RAM minimum Hard drive: 200GB disk space Supported Hardware Dell PowerEdge R420. Contact your Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support if you want to install on other hardware. Some disk/raid controllers could require additional drivers and/or manual install steps. VMware Hypervisor Install Plexxi Control is supported in a virtual environment on VMware ESX 5.x hypervisors. Contact Plexxi Support if you want to install on a different hypervisor. Review the following recommended CPU and memory reservations to ensure Plexxi Control gets the resources it needs. Do not oversubscribe the hypervisor memory and CPU resources to ensure available resources at all times. Memory: Reservation: 8GB; Shares: Normal; Limit: Unlimited CPU: Reservation: 4 CPU Ghz equivalent; Shares: Normal; Limit: Unlimited (for example 8.8 Ghz for 4 core aggregate with 2.2 Ghz cores) 4
To access the reservation settings: vcenter 5.1 - VM->Edit Settings->Resources tab vcenter 5.5 - VM->Manage Resources For other installation on other hypervisors, Plexxi recommends following the same requirements. Network Settings Determine the following network settings: DHCP: The installer supports DHCP configurations out-of-the box with no additional configuration required. However, you might want to add a DHCP reservation and/or DNS hostname entry on your DHCP/DNS server(s). Static IP: Ensure you have your static IP address, netmask, default gateway, and DNS server information. You can enter this information when prompted by the installer or supply it as boot options to the installer. Hostname: You can either pass a specific hostname to the installer as a boot option or ensure that your DNS server has the hostname entry for your DHCP reserved or static IP address. Offline or Online Install Determine if you want to do an online (network-based, Internet access required) or offline (self-contained, no network access required) install. If your installation needs to be completed in an offline environment, you will need to get a copy of the Plexxi Control install that you can put on a USB stick or CD/ISO image. Security Considerations The Plexxi Linux for Plexxi Control install disables SELinux and SSH access to the root account by default and prompts you to enter a new root password on the first boot. You should also take the additional measures required by your system administrator to secure the installation. See the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Security Guide for more information: https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en- US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/6/html/Security_Guide/ 5
Quick Start Online Install In a quick start installation, you perform an online automatic install of the Linux for Plexxi Control operating system and then install Plexxi Control. Linux for Plexxi Control 1. Configure your server to boot from the ISO: VM: Connect the ISO image to a CD device bare metal: Burn the ISO to a CD or make a bootable USB stick (experimental right now) 2. Launch the Linux for Plexxi Control Installer. The initial installer screen appears. 3. Press Enter to launch the install. Progress messages appear intermittently as the install progresses. Then the Accept Oracle End User License window appears. 4. Press Tab to highlight Accept and press Spacebar. The Accept Plexxi End User License window appears. 5. Press Tab to highlight Accept and press Spacebar. Installation progress messages appear. Install takes a few minutes to complete. The Installation completed window appears. You might need to eject the ISO before you click OK to continue to prevent an endless install loop. 6. Press Tab to highlight OK and press Spacebar. The system reboots and the Change password for user root prompt appears. When the Plexxi Control server/vm first boots up after the Linux for Plexxi Control installation, you are prompted to change the root password. Until this step is completed, the Plexxi Control server will not be fully functional. 7. Enter a new password. The Select Action window appears. 8. Press Tab to highlight Save&Quit. The Authentication Configuration window appears. Configure device (optional see Configure Device) Configure DNS (optional see Configure DNS) Save&Quit or Quit both of which lead to the Authentication Configuration window. From here you can edit settings and proceed with reboot to complete the install or you can cancel without edits and proceed with the reboot to complete install. After reboot you will see the prompt to login to the host. 9. Configure the time zone. 10. Cancel without edits and proceed with the reboot to complete install. After reboot you will see the prompt to login to the host. The reboot occurs and you come to the localhost login prompt. 11. Your Linux installation is now complete! You can login to the console using either the root user and the password you specified or you can login as plexxi with the password plexxi. 6
Plexxi Control With Linux in place, you can now install Plexxi Control. 1. Determine the version of Plexxi Control software you need to install. For example 2.1.0. 2. Log in either on the console or remotely via SSH as username plexxi with the default password plexxi. 3. Run the install-plexxi-control <version> script. For example: sudo install-plexxi-control 2.1.0 4. When prompted Enter Y to proceed and press Enter. The installation process starts. Install Linux for Plexxi Control When you install Linux for Plexxi Control, you choose one of the automatic install options. No install process is totally automatic; at the least you must accept two license agreements. Automatic Install The Linux for Plexxi Control installer automates most of the Linux OS install for you by completing the installation screens behind the scene. You are prompted for license term acceptance and possibly static IP address information depending on the install option you chose. Advanced installation methods require the most interaction and require assistance from Plexxi Support. Avoiding Automatic Reboot Automatic boot/reboot kicks off when you: Launch the installer. The Automatic install (recommended) option is highlighted by default and the boot countdown is active when you first launch the installer. Change focus to a different option to stop the boot countdown. Navigate to the Advanced installation menu and choose Return to the main menu. The Automatic install (recommended) option is highlighted by default and the boot countdown is active when you return to the main menu. Change focus to a different option to stop the boot countdown. Did not eject your ISO image from the CD device and/or set your startup device to Hard drive if required by your install environment. Otherwise your VM could boot back into the installer menu again. 7
Install Options You chose from the following options to install Linux for Plexxi Control. The first two automatic options are the same for both the online and offline install. Advanced installation options differ slightly between offline and online. Automatic with DHCP Automatic with static IP address Advanced options that require Plexxi Support assistance. The offline install includes an experimental option to install from a USB stick, which should only be undertaken with the assistance of Plexxi Support. Offline Install You have chosen to do an offline install because you do not have a network connection. You have the correct package from Plexxi, for example pxctl-offline- 20140821.iso. (If you change your mind, there is an option to do an online install.) 1. Configure your server to boot from the ISO: VM: Connect the ISO image to a CD device bare metal: Burn the ISO to a CD or make a bootable USB stick (experimental right now) 2. Launch the Linux for Plexxi Control Installer. The initial installer screen appears. The recommended Install option is highlighted when you launch the installer and the boot countdown has begun. To prevent a boot, move the focus to another install option. The countdown stops. Boot countdown 8
3. Refer to one of the following sections for instructions on how to proceed: Recommended Install: Automatic Using DHCP Automatic Install with Prompt for Static IP Online Install You have chosen to do an online install because you have a network connection. You have the correct package from Plexxi, for example pxctl-online-20140821.iso. 1. Configure your server to boot from the ISO: VM: Connect the ISO image to a CD device bare metal: Burn the ISO to a CD or make a bootable USB stick (experimental right now) 2. Launch the Linux for Plexxi Control Installer. The initial installer screen appears. The recommended Install option is highlighted when you launch the installer and the boot countdown will have begun. To prevent a boot, move the focus to another install option. The countdown stops. Boot countdown 3. Refer to one of the following sections for instructions on how to proceed: Recommended Install: Automatic Using DHCP Automatic Install with Prompt for Static IP 9
Choose an Install Option Both install options work the same for an offline or an online install. Recommended Install: Automatic Using DHCP Plexxi recommends you use the automatic install option. This option is highlighted by default when you first access the installer and an installation countdown of 120 seconds begins immediately. If you do not want to use this option, highlight a different option on the screen before the countdown completes. 1. Press Enter to launch the install (or wait for the countdown to zero out). Progress messages appear intermittently as the install progresses. Then the Accept Oracle End User License window appears. 2. Press Tab to highlight Accept and press Spacebar. The Accept Plexxi End User License window appears. 10
3. Press Tab to highlight Accept and press spacebar. Installation progress messages appear. Install takes a few minutes to complete. The Installation completed window appears. You might need to eject the ISO before you click OK to continue to prevent an endless install loop. 4. Press Tab to highlight OK and press Spacebar. The system reboots and the Change password for user root prompt appears. See Change the Password for more information. 11
Automatic Install with Prompt for Static IP Chose this option if you want to install by specifying the static IP address. 1. Highlight Automatic install, prompt for static IP and press Enter. The Configure TCP/IP window appears. 2. Under Enable IPv4 support, press Tab to select Manual configuration and press Spacebar. 3. Press Tab to highlight OK. 4. Press Spacebar. The Manual TCP/IP Configuration window appears. 12
5. Enter the following information: Static IPv4 address and network mask in dot-decimal format. Gateway IP address Name server address. For example: 6. Press Tab to highlight OK and press the Spacebar. The Waiting for NetworkManager to configure eth0 message appears. 13
Progress messages appear intermittently as the install progresses. The Accept Oracle End User License window appears. 7. Press Tab to highlight Accept and press Spacebar. The Accept Plexxi End User License window appears. 14
5. Press Tab to highlight Accept and press Spacebar. Installation progress messages appear. Messages that appear and number of packages installed varies slightly between an offline and online install. Post install scripts take a few minutes to complete. The Installation completed window appears. You might need to eject the ISO before you click OK to continue to prevent an endless install loop. 6. Press Tab to highlight OK and press Spacebar. The system reboots and the Change password for user root prompt appears. See Change the Password for details. 15
Change the Password When the Plexxi Control server/vm first boots up after the Linux for Plexxi Control installation, you are prompted to change the root password. Until this step is completed, the Plexxi Control server will not be fully functional. 1. Enter a new password. The Select Action window appears. 16
2. Select the action you want to take next: Configure device (optional see Configure Device) Configure DNS (optional see Configure DNS) Save&Quit or Quit both of which lead to the Authentication Configuration window. From here you can edit settings and proceed with reboot to complete the install or you can cancel without edits and proceed with the reboot to complete install. After reboot you will see the prompt to login to the host. Authentication Configuration You can edit the authentication information. 1. In the Select Action window, press Tab to highlight Save&Quit or Quit. 2. Press Spacebar. The Authentication Configuration window appears. 3. Make the changes you want and press Tab to highlight Next. 4. Press Spacebar to continue. The reboot occurs and you come to the localhost login prompt. Your Linux installation is now be complete! You can login to the console using either the root user and the password you specified or you can login as plexxi with the password plexxi. 17
Optional Configurations Configure Device 1. With Device configuration highlighted in the Select action window, press Enter. The Select a Device window appears with the existing device highlighted. 2. Press Enter. The Network Configuration window appears. 3. Make the edits you want to the network configuration. 4. Press Tab to highlight OK and press Spacebar. (Or Cancel if you want to cancel the process.) You are returned to the Select a Device window. 18
5. Press Tab to highlight Save if you want to save your edits or Cancel if you want to cancel and return to the Select Action window. 6. Highlight Quit to exit or Save&Quit to exit. The Authentication Configuration window appears. See Authentication Configuration for details. Configure DNS 1. In the Select Action window, press the Down arrow to highlight DNS configuration and press Enter. The DNS configuration window appears. 2. Make the edits you want and press Tab to highlight OK. (Or Cancel to cancel the operation.) 3. Press Spacebar. You are returned to the Select Action window. 4. Highlight Quit to exit or Save&Quit to exit. The Authentication Configuration window appears. See Authentication Configuration for details. Test Remote Access to the Linux Installation Plexxi recommends that you test remote (SSH) access by doing the following: 1. Run theifconfig command to determine your server's IP address. The device name is hardware-dependent but it is usually either eth0 or em1. See the Plexxi Switch CLI Guide for details. 2. From another system, attempt an SSH connection to your server's IP address. Note: root logins via SSH are disabled by default, you will need to login using the plexxi user account 19
Install Plexxi Control With Linux in place, you can now install Plexxi Control. The Plexxi Control server IP address must be fixed. If your installation needs to be completed in an offline environment, obtain a copy of the Plexxi Control install from your Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support. The Plexxi Control installer uses a number of core Linux utilities, such as sudo and yum. Some of the output and prompts displayed during the installation are generated by these utilities. For example, best practice reminders are generated by sudo the first time you use sudo to execute a command. Online Help You can access online help by entering the following syntax: install-plexxi-control --help Install 1. Determine the version of Plexxi Control software you need to install. For example 2.1.0. 2. Log in either on the console or remotely via SSH as username plexxi with the default password plexxi. 3. Run the install-plexxi-control <version> script. For example: sudo install-plexxi-control 2.1.0 4. When prompted Enter Y to proceed and press Enter. The installation process starts. Output from the sudo utility appears before the password prompt. 5. Enter the plexxi user password when prompted. Then follow the installer prompts. 20
You're done! Allow 1-2 minutes for Tomcat server startup for Plexxi Control, then point your web browser at the URL displayed by the installer to display the Plexxi Control web UI. Troubleshooting Download Kickstart Error Ensure you have full Internet access. Check to see if a firewall is blocking outbound access to Plexxi's servers. Ensure your DNS resolves Internet hostnames. And/or you can configure your static information to use a public DNS server like Google (8.8.8.8) If you still have an issue try the offline install option. Contact Plexxi Support for assistance. 21
Contact Plexxi Support Plexxi Support services are available to answer your questions and to make sure your software and hardware are operating properly at all times. Contact Plexxi Support using one of the following methods: Email: support@plexxi.com Web: www.plexxi.com/support Telephone: (888) 415-9809 or (603) 782-0702 Advanced Installation Options Check with either your Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support before accessing any of the Advanced Installation options: Option Offline/Online Install Note Install from USB device Offline only Currently experimental. Contact Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support before using. Advanced Installation Offline/Online Use these options only when directed by Plexxi Support. Advanced disk configuration options No hardware checks options Rescue previously installed Linux system Offline/Online Offline/Online Offline/Online Contact Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support for assistance. Require a password. Contact Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support for assistance. Contact Plexxi representative or Plexxi Support for assistance. 22