CentOS6Install

RT 4.4.2 installation on CentOS 6.9

NOTE: Cloned from original document for CentOS 7 install.

This document provides a quick methodology for installing RT 4.4.2 on CentOS/RHEL 6.9 for an internet-connected server.

1. Assumptions

* Access to the internet and CentOS OS and update repositories is available.
* Installation testing was completed using CentOS 6.9 minimal boot ISO.
* httpd (Apache) 2.2 and mod_fcgid Apache modules were used as the host environment.
* mod_fcgid requires enabling the EPEL repository
* Testing was conducted in both KVM and vSphere environments.

Installation Steps

1. OS Installation and Initial Configuration

* (!) It is possible to automate the majority of this section using kickstart files.

1. 1. Install OS.

* Install the OS from ISO or PXE boot using your normal methodology.

1. 1. Install prerequisites for RT from OS repository.

yum install epel-release
yum install expat gd graphviz openssl expat-devel gd-devel graphviz-devel  openssl-devel perl perl-CPAN wget screen mod_fcgid postgresql-server postgresql-devel
yum groupinstall "Development Tools" "Web Server"

* NOTES:  We use PostgreSQL as the DB which allows us to enable full text search.  We need to enable the EPEL repository to install mod_fcgid.

1. 1. Patch OS

yum update

* Reboot the OS.
* If you are continuing to next step immediately, you do not need to reboot.

1. 1. Disable selinux, by editing /etc/sysconfig/selinux:

SELINUX=disabled

* reboot the OS

1. 1. Initialize the database:

service postgresql initdb

1. 1. Adjust local services:

chkconfig postgresql on
chkconfig httpd on
service postgresql start
service httpd stop

* NOTE:  httpd service needs to be stopped to allow RT web based configuration later.

1. Configure Supporting Software
   1. Configure postgres user password for postgresql:

sudo -u postgres psql
  ALTER USER postgres PASSWORD 'xxx';
  \q

* NOTE:  This step configures the internal DB postgres password for the local instance of postgresql

1. 1. Reconfigure postgres local user access

Configure PostgreSQL to use md5 passwords (needed for RT). Edit /var/lib/pgsql/data/pg_hba.conf and modify the following line from peer to md5: local all all md5

1. 1. Install CPAN minus.

curl -L http://cpanmin.us | perl - --sudo App::cpanminus

1. RT Dependencies and Installation
   1. Get RT and extract to /tmp.

wget https://download.bestpractical.com/pub/rt/release/rt-4.4.2.tar.gz
tar xvzf rt-4.4.2.tar.gz -C /tmp
cd /tmp/rt-4.4.2

1. 1. Configure RT:

./configure --enable-graphviz --enable-gd --with-web-user=apache --with-web-group=apache --with-db-type=Pg

1. 1. Configure RT to use cpanm for fixdeps:

export RT_FIX_DEPS_CMD=/usr/local/bin/cpanm

1. 1. Test the dependencies:

make testdeps

1. 1. Install the dependencies:

make fixdeps

* NOTE:  You may need to run the command more than once.  On RHEL/CentOS 6.9, you may need to manually force the addition of some perl module via cpanm Module::SubModule --force.

1. 1. Confirm dependencies:

make testdeps

1. 1. Install RT (default install is to the /opt/rt4 directory):

 make install

1. RT Configuration using Web Interface

* (!) It is possible to complete this step by editing the RT files directly, and creating the database.  Refer to the RT documentation for manual steps.

1. 1. Start the first run installation instance:

/opt/rt4/sbin/rt-server

1. 1. Configure using the web interface.

* Access the server using a web browser to access the http port.
* Configure the RT instance using the web interface.  Refer to the RT documentation.
* NOTE:  You will likely need to disable your firewall or open port 80.  service iptables stop will disable the firewall temporarily.

1. 1. Shutdown the rt-server instance.

* When completed Ctrl-C the rt-server instance started above.

1. Configure RT:

* Modify RT to allow web access using a trailing /rt
* (!) This is a personal preference.  The web server example in the next section assumes /rt is used.

1. 1. Modify /opt/rt4/etc/RT_SiteConfig.pm. Add the following line:

Set( $WebPath, '/rt' );

1. Configure web server
   1. Modify /etc/httpd/conf.d/fcgid.conf. Add:

FcgidMaxRequestLen 1073741824

1. 1. Create /etc/httpd/conf.d/rt.conf:

# RT4 configuration for Apache
### Optional apache logs for RT
# Ensure that your log rotation scripts know about these files
# ErrorLog /opt/rt4/var/log/apache2.error
# TransferLog /opt/rt4/var/log/apache2.access
# LogLevel debug

AddDefaultCharset UTF-8

Alias /rt/NoAuth/images /opt/rt4/share/html/NoAuth/images/

ScriptAlias /rt /opt/rt4/sbin/rt-server.fcgi/

DocumentRoot "/opt/rt4/share/html"

<Location /rt>
  # For Centos7/Apache 2.4 this line:
  Require all granted
  # For Centos6/Apache 2.2 these two lines:
  # Order allow,deny
  # Allow from all
  Options +ExecCGI
  AddHandler fcgid-script fcgi
</Location>

1. 1. Start apache:

service httpd start

1. 1. Modify iptables

* Complete your iptables configuration to suite your local requirements.
* To open the firewall for port 80, edit the /etc/sysconfig/iptables file and add the following line:

insert sample line here

1. 1. Reboot

* conduct a reboot to confirm the web server restarts and enable provides access to RT.

1. Installation Complete
   1. Access RT

* Connect to RT using your web browser, login using the root user and start your site customization.