Setting up a Kubernetes environment on Ubuntu

You can use the readily available scripts to set up a k3s Kubernetes environment along with other configurations to install Rational® Test Automation Server software in the Ubuntu server.

Before you begin

  • You must ensured that you have installed the following software:

    • OpenSSH server

    • Helm

  • You must ensure that your computer has a static IP address or Domain Name Server (DNS) resolvable host name to resolve host name into a machine-readable IP address.

Procedure

  1. Log in to the Ubuntu server as a non-root user.
  2. Run the following command to retrieve the case from IBM Cloud Pack repository: 
    curl -o ibm-rtas-case-3.1012.0.tgz https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IBM/cloud-pak/master/repo/case/ibm-rtas-case-3.1012.0.tgz
  3. Run the following command to extract the case: 
    tar xvf ibm-rtas-case-3.1012.0.tgz
  4. Run any of the following commands to install the Kubernetes environment:
    Note: The second option allows you to override the name of the Kubernetes domain that is created.

    • Run the following commands to install with the default name that is either based on IP address or fully qualified host name:

      #Run the following commands if you are on Ubuntu 18.04
$ cd ibm-rtas-case/inventory/ibmRtasBase/files
$ sudo ./ubuntu-init.sh

#Run the following commands if you are on Ubuntu 20.04
$ cd ibm-rtas-case/inventory/ibmRtasBase/files
$ sudo HOME=$HOME ./ubuntu-init.sh

    • Run the following commands to install by overriding the default name:

      $ cd ibm-rtas-case/inventory/ibmRtasBase/files
$ sudo INGRESS_DOMAIN={rtas.}myorg.com ./ubuntu-init.sh
      where:
      • {rtas.} is a sub-domain name that you specified for the server. For example, testenv.
        Note: The sub-domain must consist of lowercase alphanumeric characters, -(hyphen) or .(period). Also, the value must start and end with an alphanumeric character.

      • myorg.com is a domain name of your organization. For example, ibm.com

    You can access the product through a web browser by using any of the following ways:

    • Fully Qualified Hostname: When the server is configured, you can use hostname -f command to get the fully qualified hostname defined in the DNS to access Rational® Test Automation Server. For example, rtas.myorg.com

    • IP address: You can use the IP address to access Rational® Test Automation Server when you cannot create a specific DNS record for the server. For example, ip-address.nip.io

    On completion of the scripts, the output displays the following information on the command-line interface:

    • The INGRESS_DOMAIN that is in use. This is the URL from where you can access Rational® Test Automation Server. You must use this value for the global.ibmRtasIngressDomain parameter in the step 9 in the server installation topic.

    • The DNS information that the Kubernetes cluster uses to resolve names.

    • Certificate Authority (CA) certificate that you must be import into the browser to prevent certificate errors.

    • Instructions to confirm whether the Kubernetes environment has started.

  5. Perform one of the following to configure a firewall:
    • Run the following script to configure the firewall that allows traffic on cni0 and port 443:
      #Run the following command if you are on Ubuntu 18.04
$ sudo ./ubuntu-firewall.sh

#Run the following command if you are on Ubuntu 20.04
$ sudo HOME=$HOME ./ubuntu-firewall.sh

    • You must update the firewall that allows traffic on cni0 and port 443, if your Ubuntu server is already configured with the firewall.

  6. Optional: Run the following command to enable the Jaeger traces for performance and Web UI tests: 
    $ ./service.sh expose jaeger
    Note: If you do not enable Jaeger, Rational® Test Automation Server produces text output in a microservice log file instead of Jaeger traces when you run performance and Web UI test assets.
    Important: The Jaeger traces are not protected, thus, any information logged into the Jaeger server might be easily accessible by anyone who has or discovers the <server-url>/jaeger URL.
  7. Optional: Run the following command to enable the Prometheus server to monitor your system resources by using metrics data: 
    $ ./service.sh expose prometheus
    Important: The Prometheus metrics are not protected, thus, any information logged into the Prometheus server might be easily accessible by anyone who has or discovers the <server-url>/prometheus URL.

Results

You have set up the Kubernetes environment on Ubuntu.

What to do next

  • You must log in again to the server host system after the installation process completes so that changes to the group membership are applied.

  • You can run the kubectl get pods -A command to verify that the Kubernetes environment is working. After a while, the status of the pods must be Running state.

  • You can install the server software. See Installing the server software on Ubuntu by using k3s.