Installing rConfig on Fedora Server

rConfig is an open-source network configuration management tool that helps system administrators automate network device configuration tasks. In this tutorial, you will learn how to install rConfig on the latest version of Fedora Server.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, you must have a running instance of Fedora Server and have administrative privileges.

Installation steps

1. Install Apache web server

   rConfig requires an HTTP server to run. In this step, we’ll install Apache.

   Run the following command to install Apache:

   sudo dnf install httpd
   

2. Install PHP

   rConfig is developed in PHP, so PHP version 7.2 or higher must be installed. Use the following command to install PHP:

   sudo dnf install php php-common php-mysqlnd php-xml php-mbstring php-gd php-ldap php-intl php-json php-zip
   

3. Install MariaDB

   rConfig uses MariaDB or MySQL as its database management system. Run the following command to install MariaDB:

   sudo dnf install mariadb mariadb-server
   

4. Start and enable MariaDB and Apache

   Start and enable both services by running the following commands:

   sudo systemctl start mariadb
   sudo systemctl enable mariadb
   sudo systemctl start httpd
   sudo systemctl enable httpd
   

5. Create database

   Next, create a new database that rConfig will use. Log in to the MariaDB server as the root user:

   sudo mysql -u root
   

   Then enter the following commands to create a new database and user for rConfig:

   create database rconfig;
   grant all on rconfig.* to rconfig@localhost identified by 'rconfigpass';
   flush privileges;
   exit;
   

6. Download rConfig

   Download rConfig from the official website using the following command:

   sudo wget https://github.com/rconfig/rconfig/archive/master.zip
   

   Then, extract the files to the Apache document root directory:

   sudo unzip master.zip -d /var/www/html/
   

7. Configure rConfig

   Open the rConfig configuration file and edit the database information:

   sudo nano /var/www/html/rconfig-master/includes/config.php
   

   Set the database details, including the database name, username, and password.

   /**
    * MySQL database config
    */
   
   define('DB_TYPE', 'mysql');
   define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');
   define('DB_USER', 'rconfig');
   define('DB_PASS', 'rconfigpass');
   define('DB_NAME', 'rconfig');
   

8. Set proper permissions

   Set the proper permissions to the rConfig installation directory and its subdirectories using the following commands:

   sudo chown -R apache:apache /var/www/html/rconfig-master/
   sudo chmod -R 775 /var/www/html/rconfig-master/
   

9. Configure firewall

   Open port 80 on the firewall to allow HTTP traffic:

   sudo firewall-cmd --zone=public --add-service=http --permanent
   

10. Access rConfig using a web browser

    Open a web browser and enter the server’s IP address or hostname followed by /rconfig-master/ in the address bar. For example, http://192.168.1.100/rconfig-master/.

    You should now see the rConfig login page. Enter the default username and password:

    Username: admin
    Password: admin
    

    Once logged in, you can configure rConfig to manage network devices using its web interface.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed rConfig on Fedora Server. You can now use rConfig to automate network device configuration tasks on your network.

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