by: Babin LonstonPosted on:

Upgrade RHEL 7 to RHEL 8 from RedHat Satellite Server | LEAPP Upgrade

Introduction

The guide focus on how to do a upgrade RHEL 7 to RHEL 8. we are using Red Hat satellite server to walk through a smooth and easier way with a few clicks.

One time steps to do in Red Hat Satellite server.

Enabling Repositories

Enable the required repositories

content --> Red Hat Repositories search and enable
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Server - Extras RPMs x86_64
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Server RPMs x86_64 7Server
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 for x86_64 - AppStream RPMs 8.4
    Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 for x86_64 - BaseOS RPMs 8.4

Syncing Repo’s

Then Sync the enabled repositories.

Content --> Sync Status

Select the enabled repos and click “Synchronize Now“

Creating New Content View

Create a new Content view for Leapp Upgrade.

Content --> Content Views --> Create New View

Give a name and description, from the Sub tabs click

Yum Content --> Repositories --> Add

select all above repositories and click “Add Repositories“

Publishing New Content Version

Publish a new version for the LEAPP upgrade

Click the content view created, then click “Publish New Version“

Give a name, description and Promote to each Environments you wish to publish.

The above steps are one time setup.

Content Host Configurations

Note:> /var partition need more space, example actual size of your /var file-system could be 6 GB extend the size by adding additional +4 to +6 GB.

  • Change the root password on the content host
  • Enable the root login and extend the client interval timeout.
  • Copy the foreman key from the satellite server to the content host.
$ ssh-copy-id -i /usr/share/foreman-proxy/.ssh/id_rsa.pub root@content_host

Install the leapp package on the content host.

# yum install leapp-upgrade

Download Leap data from official Red Hat KB, these files are required if the satellite server in disconnected mode.

https://access.redhat.com/articles/3664871

Extract the downloaded Leap data on the remote content host.

# tar -xzf leapp-data15.tar.gz -C /etc/leapp/files && rm leapp-data15.tar.gz

The last minor release version of RHEL 7 is 7.9. Before proceeding, complete with list the of prerequisites to avoid any upgrade failure.

  • Upgrade to the latest current minor release version RHEL 7.9
  • Remove noexec from the /var/tmp and /tmp on the content host.
  • Check for any yum version lock and clear them.
  • Remove and clean the subscription status from the current content view and re-register content host to the Content view have both “RHEL 7 Server” and “RHEL 8.4 Repos”.

Set the version to RHEL 7 server or unset the current version.

# subscription-manager release --unset

We are done with the content host configurations.

Final Satellite server configurations

Back to Satellite server, Start a pre-upgrade checks

Hosts --> All Hosts --> content host --> Select Action --> "Preupgrade check with Leapp".

If pre-upgrade check was success, proceed with the upgrade

Hosts --> All Hosts --> content host --> Select Action --> "Upgrade with Leapp".

It will take some time to complete the whole upgrade process, a reboot will be done automatically to start the upgrade.

Again a auto reboot will be done once the upgrade completed.

Login and check by running few commands, our existing file-system’s will remain as it is.

# uptime
# cat /etc/redhat-release
# uname -r

Once all good, change the content view for the content host, Now make sure to use the RHEL 8 based content view only with the RHEL 8 repositories.

Now perform a upgrade by running

# yum upgrade -y
# dnf upgrade -y

That’s it, we are completed with upgrading from RHEL 7.9 to RHEL 8.6