Attaching bare metal hosts to a location

You can attach bare metal hosts to your Satellite location. After your hosts are attached, you can set up Red Hat OpenShift virtualization in your Satellite location. By using virtualization, you can provision Windows or other virtual machines on your Bare Metal Servers in a managed Red Hat OpenShift space.

Supported host operating systems: Red Hat CoreOS (RHCOS)

The following steps use IBM Cloud® Bare Metal Servers for Classic. However, you can adapt these steps for your own bare metal servers.

Prerequisites

Create a RHCOS-enabled location. To check whether your location is RHCOS-enabled, see Is my location enabled for Red Hat CoreOS? If your location is not enabled, create a new one with RHCOS.
Attach hosts to your location and set up your location control plane.
Find and record your bare metal host name. For this Bare Metal Server, this information is found in the Name field on the Overview page for your specific Bare Metal Servers.
Find your bare metal server network information. For this Bare Metal Server, this information is found in the Network details section on the Overview page. Record the CIDR and gateway information for the public and private interfaces for your system.
Create or identify an IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket to store your ignition file.
Create or identify a cluster within the Satellite location that runs a supported operating system; for example, this tutorial uses a Red Hat OpenShift cluster that is running 4.11.

In addition, the Bare Metal Servers used in this example required the following prerequisites.

If you plan to have multiple VLANs for your cluster, multiple subnets on the same VLAN, or are planning for a multizone classic cluster, enable VRF in your account.
Create two VLAN pairs (public and private) in the same IBM Cloud data center pod for each zone for your bare metal host.
Later in this tutorial, you deploy OpenShift Data Foundation for local disks. This solution requires additional storage devices on the worker nodes.

Bare Metal Server requirements

To attach a bare metal host, your Bare Metal Server must meet the following requirements.

Must support virtualization technology.
- For Intel CPUs, support for virtualization is referred to as Intel VT or VT-x.
- For AMD CPUs, support for virtualization is referred to as AMD Virtualization or AMD-V.
Must have a minimum of 8 cores and 32 GB RAM, plus any additional cores that you need for your vCPU overhead. For more information, see CPU overhead in the Red Hat OpenShift docs.
Must include enough memory for your workload needs. For example: 360 MiB + (1.002 * requested memory) + 146 MiB + 8 MiB * (number of vCPUs) + 16 MiB * (number of graphics devices). For more information, see Memory overhead in the Red Hat OpenShift docs.
No operating system installed. The Red Hat CoreOS operating system is installed later in this process.
If you want to use OpenShift Data Foundation as your storage solution, add 2 storage disks to each of your Bare Metal Servers when you provision them.

If your servers do not meet these requirements, you can create a Bare Metal Server. For a list of bare metal options, see Available options for a bare metal server.

Booting up your Bare Metal Server

For this specific Bare Metal Server, you must use a browser that supports Java for classic. You can use the Safari browser on your local system or download a Java version that supports the javaws command.

Download a Red Hat CoreOS ISO. Find the corresponding ISO version that matches the Red Hat OpenShift version that you want to use. You can download any image that matches your minor version. For example, if you want to use version 4.11, download a version of RHCOS for 4.11 like rhcos-4.11.9-x86_64-live.x86_64.iso.
Log in to your VPN to access to your host network. For more information, see VPN access on IBM Cloud.
From the Device list in the console, select your bare metal server.
From the Overview page, note the networking values for your server. Find and verify the CIDR and gateway information.
Click Remote management and make note of the User and Password in the Management details section. You use this username and password in later steps.
Click the Actions icon > KVM Console to open your Bare Metal Server console. Your browser might display a warning of an insecure self-signed certificate. Add the certificate to your browser truststore as a trusted CA certificate to continue.
Log in to your server with the User and Password that you retrieved earlier.
On the System tab, in the Remote console preview, click Settings.
Select Java to change the interface to use Java instead of HTML5.
Click the console preview to download a launch.jnlp file.
Open a terminal window and run the .jnlp file that you downloaded earlier with the javaws <path_to_.jnlp> command. Note that you might be prompted to update Java. If so, follow the prompts to update Java, and then retry the command. If you are prompted to allow input monitoring for the Terminal app or if the Java console window crashes, you must update your system preference setting for Input monitoring. You can update this setting by going to System preferences > Security & Privacy > Privacy > Input monitoring. Then, relaunch the Java console with the javaws <path_to_.jnlp> command.
After the console loads, select Virtual Media > Virtual Storage.
In the Logical Drive Type section, select ISO File.
Click Open Image and select the RHCOS ISO file that you downloaded.
Click Plug in.
Enter exit to access the BIOS login prompt.
Enter your Softlayer password at the BIOS prompt.
On the Advanced tab, look for virtualization settings and enable them.
1. Select CPU Configuration.
2. Look for VTD or Intel Virtualization Technology and make sure to enable it. For Intel CPUs, support is referred to as Intel VT or VT-x. For AMD CPUs, supported is referred to as AMD Virtualization or AMD-V. For more information, consult your hardware manufacturer documentation.
3. Enable VTD if not enabled. For more information, consult your hardware provider documentation.
Configure the boot order. For example, to install this Bare Metal Server, you can use a virtual ISO file. Your specific case might use a different external boot device.
1. Select Boot.
2. Select the option to Boot from Virtual ISO.
3. Ensure that Hard Drive is also an option in boot order.
Save your choices and exit. For example, for this Bare Metal Server, click Save and Exit.
Save your changes and start the installation process. For example, for this Bare Metal Server, click Save Changes and Reset.

When you save and exit, RHCOS begins installing. The next time that your system reboots, it boots RHCOS into memory.

Proceed with the following sections immediately to prevent memory overwriting and corruption.

Setting up public networking

You must set up a public network connection for your bare metal machine to download your host attach script (RHCOS ignition file). Identify your private and public interfaces. RHCOS translates network interface names to eno or ens. For this Bare Metal Server, the public interface is eth1 and the private interface is eth0.

After RHCOS is booted into memory, the core@localhost prompt is available. Follow these steps to set up your network connectivity for your bare metal server.

At the core@localhost prompt, run ifconfig to determine which interface is your public interface. Depending on the flavor of the bare-metal, the setup of the wired connections might be different. In this set up, the public interfaces were wired connections 3 and 5 and the private interfaces were wired connections 2 and 4. You can find this information in the output of the ifconfig command.
At the core@localhost prompt, enter sudo nmtui.
Click Edit a Connection.
For each wired connection that you want to activate, click IPv4 Configuration > Manual.
Select Show.
Enter your CIDR for Addresses. The CIDR is the IP address and the subnet mask for that subnet.
Enter your gateway for Gateway.
Add DNS server information. For example, for this Bare Metal Server, these values are 8.8.8.8 and 4.4.4.4 for public interfaces; and 10.0.80.11 and 10.0.80.12 for private interfaces.
Repeat these steps for each of the wired connections that you want to activate.
When you are finished, select OK, Quit.
Test that you have connectivity by pinging your server network. For example, to test the public network for this specific Bare Metal Server, ping 8.8.8.8.

Configuring your ignition file

Complete the following steps to configure your ignition file. The ignition file is used to attach your bare metal server as a host in your Satellite location.

You must configure a separate ignition file for each bare metal host that you are attaching to the location.

Download the host attach script for your location. Make sure to specify RHCOS for the host operating system.
Get the host name for your bare metal system; for example, mybaremetalserver.
Convert your host name to base64 by running the following command, substituting <hostname> with your bare metal server host name:
```
echo <hostname> | base64
```

Open your ignition file and add the host name information to the "storage":{"files":[ section. Replace <hostname> with the base64 encoded output from the previous step.

  {"overwrite": true,"path": "/etc/hostname","mode": 600,"contents": {"source": "data:text/plain;base64,<hostname>"},},],}

The first block of the ignition file with the host name mybaremetalserver is shown in the following example:

{"ignition":{"version":"3.1.0"},"passwd":{"users":[{"name":"core","sshAuthorizedKeys":[""]}]},"storage":{"files":[{"overwrite": true,"path": "/etc/hostname","mode": 600,"contents": {"source": "data:text/plain;base64,bXliYXJlbWV0YWxzZXJ2ZXIK"}},{"overwrite":true,"path":"/usr/local/bin/ibm-host-attach.sh","contents":{"source":"data:text/plain;base64,
...

Convert your private networking information to base64 by running the following command. Replace <private_interface> with the name of your private interface name, for example, en01. Replace <privateIPCIDR> and <gateway> with your private IP CIDR and gateway. These values are what you used to set up your connection in the previous section.

echo '[connection]
id=<private-interface-name>
type=ethernet
interface-name=<private-interface-name>
[ipv4]
never-default=true
address1=<private-ip-cidr>,<gateway> 
dns=10.0.80.11;10.0.80.12;
route1=10.0.0.0/8,<gateway>
route2=161.26.0.0/16,<gateway>
route3=166.8.0.0/14,<gateway>
dns-search=
may-fail=false
method=manual' | base64

For example:

echo '[connection]
id=eno1
type=ethernet
interface-name=eno1
[ipv4]
never-default=true
address1=10.190.196.9/26,10.190.196.129
dns=10.0.80.11;10.0.80.12;
route1=10.0.0.0/8,10.190.96.129
route2=161.26.0.0/16,10.190.96.129
route3=166.8.0.0/14,10.190.96.129
dns-search=
may-fail=false
method=manual' | base64

Add these connection details to your ignition file. Replace <private_interface> with your private interface name, for example eno1. Replace <private_connection_details> with the base64 encoded output from the previous step.

  {"overwrite": true,"path": "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/<private_interface>.nmconnection","mode": 256,"contents": {"source": "data:text/plain;base64,<private_connection_details>"}}

For example, to add the networking information from the previous step, enter the following code sample.

{ "overwrite": true,"path": "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/en01.nmconnection","mode": 256,"contents": {     "source": "data:text/plain;base64,W2Nvbm5lY3Rpb25dCiAgICAgIGlkPWVubzEKICAgICAgdHlwZT1ldGhlcm5ldAogICAgICBpbnRlcmZhY2UtbmFtZT1lbm8xCiAgICAgIFtpcHY0XQogICAgICBuZXZlci1kZWZhdWx0PXRydWUKICAgICAgYWRkcmVzczE9MTAuMTkwLjE5Ni45LzI2LDEwLjE5MC4xOTYuMTI5CiAgICAgIGRucz0xMC4wLjgwLjExOzEwLjAuODAuMTI7CiAgICAgIHJvdXRlMT0xMC4wLjAuMC84LDEwLjE5MC45Ni4xMjkKICAgICAgcm91dGUyPTE2MS4yNi4wLjAvMTYsMTAuMTkwLjk2LjEyOQogICAgICByb3V0ZTM9MTY2LjguMC4wLzE0LDEwLjE5MC45Ni4xMjkKICAgICAgZG5zLXNlYXJjaD0KICAgICAgbWF5LWZhaWw9ZmFsc2UKICAgICAgbWV0aG9kPW1hbnVhbAo="}},

Convert your public networking information to base64 by running the following command. Replace <public_interface> with the name of your public interface name, for example, eno2. Replace <publicIPCIDR> and <gateway> with your public IP CIDR and public IP gateway. These values are what you used to set up your connection in the previous section.
```
echo '[connection]
id=<public_interface>
type=ethernet
interface-name=<public_interface>
[ipv4]
address1=<publicIPCIDR>,<gateway>
dns=8.8.8.8;4.4.4.4;
dns-search=
may-fail=false
method=manual' |base64
```
Example command to base64 encode your public interface details.
```
echo '[connection]
id=eno2
type=ethernet
interface-name=eno2
[ipv4]
address1=52.117.108.24/28,52.117.108.17
dns=8.8.8.8;4.4.4.4;
dns-search=
may-fail=false
method=manual' |base64
```

Add these connection details to your ignition file. Replace <public_interface> with your public interface name, for example eno2. Replace <public_connection_details> with the base64 encoded output from the previous step.

  {"path": "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/<public_interface>.nmconnection","mode": 256,"contents": {"source": "data:text/plain;base64,<public_connection_details>"}}

For example, to add the networking information from the previous step, enter the following code sample, immediately following the private interface code sample.

{"path": "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/en02.nmconnection","mode": 256,"contents": {"source": "data:text/plain;base64,W2Nvbm5lY3Rpb25dCiAgICBpZD1lbm8yCiAgICB0eXBlPWV0aGVybmV0CiAgICBpbnRlcmZhY2UtbmFtZT1lbm8yCiAgICBbaXB2NF0KICAgIGFkZHJlc3MxPTUyLjExNy4xMDguMjQvMjgsNTIuMTE3LjEwOC4xNwogICAgZG5zPTguOC44Ljg7NC40LjQuNDsKICAgIGRucy1zZWFyY2g9CiAgICBtYXktZmFpbD1mYWxzZQogICAgbWV0aG9kPW1hbnVhbAo="}},

Save your ignition file. Your file must be flat and not contain any returns. The following example ignition file shows the additions that are made with the previous steps for mybasemetalserver.

{
  "ignition": {
    "version": "3.1.0"
  },
  "storage": {
    "files": [
      {
        "overwrite": true,
        "path": "/etc/hostname",
        "mode": 600,
        "contents": {
          "source": "data:text/plain;base64,ay1jY3BtYmhldzA0ZGp2ZXNvYmw4Zy1ibS0xCg=="
        }
      },
      {
        "overwrite": true,
        "path": "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/en01.nmconnection",
        "mode": 256,
        "contents": {
          "source": "data:text/plain;base64,W2Nvbm5lY3Rpb25dCmlkPWVubzEKdHlwZT1ldGhlcm5ldAppbnRlcmZhY2UtbmFtZT1lbm8xCltpcHY0XQpuZXZlci1kZWZhdWx0PXRydWUKYWRkcmVzczE9IDEwLjE3MC4xNS42NS8yNiwxMC4xNzAuMTUuNjUKZG5zPTEwLjAuODAuMTE7MTAuMC44MC4xMjsKcm91dGUxPTEwLjAuMC4wLzgsMTAuMTcwLjE1LjY1CnJvdXRlMj0xNjEuMjYuMC4wLzE2LDEwLjE3MC4xNS42NQpyb3V0ZTM9MTY2LjguMC4wLzE0LDEwLjE3MC4xNS42NQpkbnMtc2VhcmNoPQptYXktZmFpbD1mYWxzZQptZXRob2Q9bWFudWFsCg=="
        }
      },
      {
        "path": "/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/en02.nmconnection",
        "mode": 256,
        "contents": {
          "source": "data:text/plain;base64,W2Nvbm5lY3Rpb25dICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgICAgIAppZD1lbm8yCnR5cGU9ZXRoZXJuZXQKaW50ZXJmYWNlLW5hbWU9ZW5vMgpbaXB2NF0KYWRkcmVzczE9MTY5LjQ1LjIzNS4yMTQvMjgsMTY5LjQ1LjIzNS4yMDkKZG5zPTguOC44Ljg7NC40LjQuNDsKZG5zLXNlYXJjaD0KbWF5LWZhaWw9ZmFsc2UKbWV0aG9kPW1hbnVhbAo="
        }
      },
      {
        "overwrite": true,
        "path": "/usr/local/bin/ibm-host-attach.sh",
        "contents": {
          "source": "data:text/plain;base64,<omitted>"
        },
        "mode": 493
      }
    ]
  },
  "systemd": {
    "units": [
      {
        "contents": "[Unit]\nDescription=IBM Host Attach Service\nWants=network-online.target\nAfter=network-online.target\n[Service]\nEnvironment=\"PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin\"\nExecStart=/usr/local/bin/ibm-host-attach.sh\nRestart=on-failure\nRestartSec=5\n[Install]\nWantedBy=multi-user.target",
        "enabled": true,
        "name": "ibm-host-attach.service"
      }
    ]
  }
}
    ...
    "},"mode":493}]},"systemd":{"units":[{"contents":"[Unit]\nDescription=IBM Host Attach Service\nWants=network-online.target\nAfter=network-online.target\n[Service]\nEnvironment=\"PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin\"\nExecStart=/usr/local/bin/ibm-host-attach.sh\nRestart=on-failure\nRestartSec=5\n[Install]\nWantedBy=multi-user.target","enabled":true,"name":"ibm-host-attach.service"}]}}

Upload your ignition file to the IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket that you identified earlier. From your Bucket page in the console, click Add object. Drag your ignition file in the bucket.

Attaching your bare metal host to the location

Download the ignition file to your bare metal host, then run it to attach the bare metal host to your Satellite location.

Run the following command to download the file from your bucket to your host machine. Replace <bucketname> with the name of your IBM Cloud Object Storage bucket, <cos_region> with the region of your bucket (for example, us.east), and <filename> with the name of your ignition file that is in the bucket.

You can run the curl command without creating a local file on the bare metal server to ensure your bare metal server can reach the bucket by removing > ignition.ign from the following example.
```
curl https://<bucketName>.s3.<cos_region>.cloud-object-storage.appdomain.cloud/<filename> > ignition.ign
```
For example:
```
curl https://mybucket.s3.us-east.cloud-object-storage.appdomain.cloud/attachHostmysatloc.ign > ignition.ign
```

Identify the disk that you want to install the CoreOS operating system to. To identify disks, run lsblk

lsblk

The following example is possible output.

NAME  MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE  MOUNTPOINT
loop0   7:0    0  15.5G  0 loop  /run/ephemeral
loop1   7:1    0 979.1M  1 loop  /sysroot
sda     8:0    0   1.8T  0 disk  
sr0    11:0    1   1.1G  0 rom.  /run/media/iso

From this output, choose to install on the sda disk.

Run the following install command to start the ignition file. Replace <diskName> with the full path of the disk that you retrieved from lsblk and replace <filename> with the name of the file you downloaded from IBM Cloud Object Storage.
```
sudo coreos-installer install <diskName> --ignition-file <filename>
```
The following example shows the command to install on /dev/sda disk with an ignition file called ./ignition.ign.
```
sudo coreos-installer install /dev/sda --ignition-file ./ignition.ign
```
The installation process can take an hour or two to complete.
After the installation completes, unplug your RHCOS ISO file and reboot from your hard disk.
1. Enter exit to access BIOS log in.
2. Enter your Softlayer password at BIOS prompt.
3. Select Boot.
4. Select to boot from hard disk drive.
5. Click Save and Exit.
6. Click Save Changes and Reset.
Check your Satellite location to confirm that your bare metal server is attached.

Congratulations! Your Bare Metal Server is now attached to your location.

Assigning a Bare Metal Server host to your Red Hat OpenShift cluster

After your Bare Metal Server is attached to your location, you can assign it to a Red Hat OpenShift cluster worker pool.

Find the hosts to add to your Red Hat OpenShift cluster worker pool.
```
ibmcloud sat hosts --location <locationID>
```

Assign the Bare Metal Server to the Red Hat OpenShift cluster worker pool

ibmcloud sat host assign --location <locationID> --cluster <clusterID> --host <hostID> --worker-pool default --zone <zone>

Repeat this tutorial to attach more Bare Metal Servers to your location and cluster.

Now that your Bare Metal Server is assigned to a worker pool, you can set up Red Hat OpenShift virtualization.