Tuesday, July 27, 2010 | Posted by Jamie Duncan at 5:38 PM

The Players in the Game

You would imagine there would be a clear-cut industry leader in how to keep POSIX-based servers and other system's configurations sane and centrally managed over medium and large networks. After all,  that issue alone is the source of half, if not more, of the told by sysadmins on Friday nights in darkened pubs while sipping obscure Scottish ales.  It's awful.  Hours of down-time for a business that were ultimately attributed to missing a sinlgle missing symlinks.  Database configuration that were not identical that ended up causing datacenter (and customer) chaos during a simple failover.  Any admin with scars have these stories.  So you would assume that they would also have their go-to application.  An "Apache" for configs, or "squid" for centralized package management... of course it has to be.
But amazingly there is no clear consensus within the community.  With the lack of a recognized industry standard to lean on, that means the first step in the saga is research.  Exhaustive, over-the-top research.  The first step is to figure out who the players in the game really are.
  • BCFG2 - an open source application from Argonne National Laboratories, it purports itself to be the closest thing to a true "diff & patch" solution for systems-management as there can be out there.
  • Puppet - While there's not a standard, Puppet is the closest thing Linux has to one.  With the biggest part of the market-share, it's open-source, but you can buy support (a la the Redhat business model).
  • CFEngine - the "granddaddy" of the group, Puppet was created off of the basis of CFEngine.  This product has both community and paid versions (a la MySQL)
  • Chef - Definitely the newest member of the club, Chef describes itself as "running programs instead of issuing commands".
  • Homebrew - The good old, tried and untested, rsync and scp and pyfab and Lord-knows-what-else conglomeration that we all have tried, but none of of admit to in public.
  • RH Satellite / Fedora Spacewalk - the Redhat/Fedora Project System Administration Apparatus
This was the list we started with in order to pick our product to begin testing.  One other entrant, AutomateIT , was eliminated early on due to its extremely Ruby-centric attitude (we tend to be a more pythonic shop).
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Converting a Redhat 5.x server into a CentOS 5.x system


The example below is with a freshly patched (as of the publish date) Redhat 5.5 system. This can be quite useful for a number of reasons. I borrowed heavily from http://www.unixmen.com/linux-tutorials/documentations-a-howto/213-how-to-jul-convert-rhel-5-to-centos-5, with some changes and tweaks to hopefully make it a little simpler (and even scriptable) process.
We start with a simple Redhat system:
[root@convert-test ~]# uname -a
Linux convert-test.5amsolutions.com 2.6.18-128.el5 #1 SMP Wed Dec 17 11:41:38 EST 2008 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
[root@convert-test ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.5 (Tikanga)[root@convert-test ~]#
We then install the CentOS repository GPG Key:
[root@convert-test ~]# rpm --import http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.4/os/i386/RPM-GPG-KEY-CentOS-5
[root@convert-test ~]#
Next we grab the CentOS repo RPMs
[root@convert-test ~]# wget http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-5-5.el5.centos.x86_64.rpm
--2010-07-27 12:25:09--  http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-5-5.el5.centos.x86_64.rpm
Resolving mirror.centos.org... 64.131.83.114
Connecting to mirror.centos.org|64.131.83.114|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 19678 (19K) [application/x-rpm]
Saving to: `centos-release-5-5.el5.centos.x86_64.rpm'

100%[====================================================================================================================================================================================================================================>] 19,678      --.-K/s   in 0.02s  

2010-07-27 12:25:10 (818 KB/s) - `centos-release-5-5.el5.centos.x86_64.rpm' saved [19678/19678]

[root@convert-test ~]# http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm
-bash: http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm: No such file or directory
[root@convert-test ~]# wget http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm
--2010-07-27 12:25:23--  http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm
Resolving mirror.centos.org... 64.131.83.114
Connecting to mirror.centos.org|64.131.83.114|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 40425 (39K) [application/x-rpm]
Saving to: `centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm'

100%[====================================================================================================================================================================================================================================>] 40,425      --.-K/s   in 0.05s  
2010-07-27 12:25:24 (827 KB/s) - `centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm' saved [40425/40425]
After that we pull in the CentOS version of YUM:
[root@convert-test ~]# wget http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/yum-3.2.22-26.el5.centos.noarch.rpm
--2010-07-27 12:25:59--  http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/yum-3.2.22-26.el5.centos.noarch.rpm
Resolving mirror.centos.org... 64.131.83.114
Connecting to mirror.centos.org|64.131.83.114|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 1026405 (1002K) [application/x-rpm]
Saving to: `yum-3.2.22-26.el5.centos.noarch.rpm'

100%[====================================================================================================================================================================================================================================>] 1,026,405    383K/s   in 2.6s

2010-07-27 12:26:02 (383 KB/s) - `yum-3.2.22-26.el5.centos.noarch.rpm' saved [1026405/1026405]

[root@convert-test ~]# wget http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/yum-updatesd-0.9-2.el5.noarch.rpm
--2010-07-27 12:26:29--  http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/yum-updatesd-0.9-2.el5.noarch.rpm
Resolving mirror.centos.org... 74.53.10.146
Connecting to mirror.centos.org|74.53.10.146|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 22666 (22K) [application/x-rpm]
Saving to: `yum-updatesd-0.9-2.el5.noarch.rpm'

100%[====================================================================================================================================================================================================================================>] 22,666      --.-K/s   in 0.03s  
2010-07-27 12:26:29 (862 KB/s) - `yum-updatesd-0.9-2.el5.noarch.rpm' saved [22666/22666]

[root@convert-test ~]# wget http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/yum-fastestmirror-1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1.noarch.rpm
--2010-07-27 12:33:19--  http://mirror.centos.org/centos/5.5/os/x86_64/CentOS/yum-fastestmirror-1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1.noarch.rpm
Resolving mirror.centos.org... 67.212.81.83
Connecting to mirror.centos.org|67.212.81.83|:80... connected.
HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK
Length: 19145 (19K) [application/x-rpm]
Saving to: `yum-fastestmirror-1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1.noarch.rpm'

100%[====================================================================================================================================================================================================================================>] 19,145      92.1K/s   in 0.2s  

2010-07-27 12:33:20 (92.1 KB/s) - `yum-fastestmirror-1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1.noarch.rpm' saved [19145/19145]
The next step is to remove a few key RPMs from the redhat install:
[root@convert-test ~]# rpm -e --nodeps redhat-release
[root@convert-test ~]# rpm -e yum-rhn-plugin rhn-client-tools rhn-check rhn-setup rhnsd
warning: /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date saved as /etc/sysconfig/rhn/up2date.rpmsave
[root@convert-test ~]#
After that we shoe-horn in our CentOS version of YUM:
[root@convert-test ~]# ll
total 1172
-rw------- 1 root root    1032 Jul 27 11:31 anaconda-ks.cfg
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   19678 Apr 26 19:40 centos-release-5-5.el5.centos.x86_64.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   40425 Apr 26 19:40 centos-release-notes-5.5-0.x86_64.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   19327 Jul 27 11:31 install.log
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root    2937 Jul 27 11:31 install.log.syslog
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 1026405 Apr 26 19:42 yum-3.2.22-26.el5.centos.noarch.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   19145 Jan 18  2010 yum-fastestmirror-1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1.noarch.rpm
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   22666 Jun 14  2008 yum-updatesd-0.9-2.el5.noarch.rpm
[root@convert-test ~]# rpm -Uvh --force *.rpm
Preparing...                ########################################### [100%]
1:centos-release-notes   ########################################### [ 20%]
2:centos-release         ########################################### [ 40%]
3:yum                    ########################################### [ 60%]
4:yum-fastestmirror      ########################################### [ 80%]
5:yum-updatesd           ########################################### [100%]
Then we patch our system with our new YUM (and without the RHN):
[root@convert-test ~]# yum update
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, security
Determining fastest mirrors
* addons: mirror.rackspace.com
* base: mirror.ash.fastserv.com
* extras: mirror.team-cymru.org
* updates: mirror.team-cymru.org
addons                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |  951 B     00:00  
addons/primary                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |  204 B     00:00  
base                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 2.1 kB     00:00  
base/primary_db                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        | 2.1 MB     00:02  
extras                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 2.1 kB     00:00  
extras/primary_db                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 226 kB     00:00  
updates                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                | 1.9 kB     00:00  
updates/primary_db                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | 443 kB     00:00  
Skipping security plugin, no data
Setting up Update Process
Resolving Dependencies
Skipping security plugin, no data
--->; Running transaction check
---> Package Deployment_Guide-en-US.noarch 0:5.2-11.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package anacron.x86_64 0:2.3-45.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package basesystem.noarch 0:8.0-5.1.1.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package bluez-utils.x86_64 0:3.7-2.2.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package firstboot-tui.x86_64 0:1.4.27.8-1.el5.centos set to be update
---> Package initscripts.x86_64 0:8.45.30-2.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package kudzu.x86_64 0:1.2.57.1.24-1.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package man-pages.noarch 0:2.39-15.el5_4 set to be updated
---> Package pango.i386 0:1.14.9-8.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package pango.x86_64 0:1.14.9-8.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package pax.x86_64 0:3.4-2.el5_4 set to be updated
---> Package pciutils.x86_64 0:2.2.3-8.el5_4 set to be updated
---> Package pm-utils.x86_64 0:0.99.3-10.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package procmail.x86_64 0:3.22-17.1.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package redhat-logos.noarch 0:4.9.99-11.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package redhat-lsb.i386 0:3.1-12.3.EL.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package redhat-lsb.x86_64 0:3.1-12.3.EL.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package setuptool.x86_64 0:1.19.2-1.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package specspo.noarch 0:13-1.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package yum-metadata-parser.x86_64 0:1.1.2-3.el5.centos set to be updated
---> Package yum-security.noarch 0:1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1 set to be updated
addons/filelists                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |  197 B     00:00  
base/filelists_db                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | 4.0 MB     00:05  
extras/filelists_db                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | 220 kB     00:00  updates/filelists_db                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 1.4 MB     00:02  > Finished Dependency Resolution

Dependencies Resolved

==============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Package                                                                  Arch                                                     Version                                                                    Repository                                                 Size
==============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Updating:
Deployment_Guide-en-US                                                   noarch                                                   5.2-11.el5.centos                                                          base                                                      3.5 M
anacron                                                                  x86_64                                                   2.3-45.el5.centos                                                          base                                                       36 k
basesystem                                                               noarch                                                   8.0-5.1.1.el5.centos                                                       base                                                      2.8 k
bluez-utils                                                              x86_64                                                   3.7-2.2.el5.centos                                                         base                                                      358 k
firstboot-tui                                                            x86_64                                                   1.4.27.8-1.el5.centos                                                      base                                                      189 k
initscripts                                                              x86_64                                                   8.45.30-2.el5.centos                                                       base                                                      1.6 M
kudzu                                                                    x86_64                                                   1.2.57.1.24-1.el5.centos                                                   base                                                      220 k
man-pages                                                                noarch                                                   2.39-15.el5_4                                                              base                                                      4.2 M
pango                                                                    i386                                                     1.14.9-8.el5.centos                                                        updates                                                   335 k
pango                                                                    x86_64                                                   1.14.9-8.el5.centos                                                        updates                                                   339 k
pax                                                                      x86_64                                                   3.4-2.el5_4                                                                base                                                       63 k
pciutils                                                                 x86_64                                                   2.2.3-8.el5_4                                                              base                                                       83 k
pm-utils                                                                 x86_64                                                   0.99.3-10.el5.centos                                                       base                                                      134 k
procmail                                                                 x86_64                                                   3.22-17.1.el5.centos                                                       base                                                      172 k
redhat-logos                                                             noarch                                                   4.9.99-11.el5.centos                                                       base                                                       26 M
redhat-lsb                                                               i386                                                     3.1-12.3.EL.el5.centos                                                     base                                                       21 k
redhat-lsb                                                               x86_64                                                   3.1-12.3.EL.el5.centos                                                     base                                                       21 k
setuptool                                                                x86_64                                                   1.19.2-1.el5.centos                                                        base                                                       51 k
specspo                                                                  noarch                                                   13-1.el5.centos                                                            base                                                      6.0 M
yum-metadata-parser                                                      x86_64                                                   1.1.2-3.el5.centos                                                         base                                                       25 k
yum-security                                                             noarch                                                   1.1.16-14.el5.centos.1                                                     base                                                       25 k
Transaction Summary
==============================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================================
Install       0 Package(s)
Upgrade      21 Package(s)

Total download size: 44 M
Is this ok [y/N]:
After we do that we reboot the VM to make sure all is well:
[root@convert-test ~]# shutdown -r now

Broadcast message from root (pts/0) (Tue Jul 27 12:40:51 2010):

The system is going down for reboot NOW!
[root@convert-test ~]# Connection to 192.168.75.131 closed by remote host.

And after the reboot...  we have a CentOS server!
[root@convert-test ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS release 5.5 (Final)
[root@convert-test ~]# yum check-update
Loaded plugins: fastestmirror, security
Loading mirror speeds from cached hostfile
* addons: mirror.rackspace.com
* base: mirror.ash.fastserv.com
* extras: mirror.team-cymru.org
* updates: mirror.team-cymru.org
Skipping security plugin, no data
[root@convert-test ~]# uname -a
Linux convert-test.5amsolutions.com 2.6.18-194.8.1.el5 #1 SMP Wed Jun 23 10:52:51 EDT 2010 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
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