Install the Multi-Cluster Manager server

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Install the IBM Storage Ceph Multi-Cluster Manager server on a dedicated system to prepare your environment for onboarding and managing multiple Ceph clusters.

Before you begin

Before you begin, make sure that you have the following prerequisites in place:
  • Hardware requirements:
    • 4 vCPUs
    • 4 GB RAM
    • 200 GB storage
    • Minimum 1 NIC
  • Firmware and boot requirements:
    • The system must be configured to use UEFI boot mode.
  • Deployment image requirements:
    • Obtain the IBM Storage Ceph Multi-Cluster Manager deployment images. For more information, seeObtain the Multi-Cluster Manager deployment images .
    • If you are deploying from an ISO image, ensure that you can attach the ISO by using one of the following methods:
      • iDRAC
      • iLO
      • VMware vCenter
      • KVM/Libvirt
      • Other hypervisors

About this task

Deploy the server on a bare-metal system or virtual machine outside any Ceph cluster by using a deployment image obtained from IBM Cloud Container Registry. Depending on your environment, you can deploy the server by using an ISO, QCOW2, or VMDK image.

Procedure

  1. Install the Multi-Cluster Manager server on bare-metal.
    1. Mount the ISO using your hardware management console (iDRAC, iLO, and so on).
    2. Set One-Time Boot to virtual media or CD/DVD.
    3. Boot the server.
    4. Allow the Kickstart-based automated installation to complete.
    After installation, the system reboots, and the Multi-Cluster Manager server becomes operational.
  2. Install the Multi-Cluster Manager server on VMware vCenter.
    1. Create a new VM with appropriate CPU, RAM, disk, and NIC settings.
    2. Set the VM firmware to UEFI.
    3. Attach the Multi-Cluster Manager ISO as a virtual CD/DVD.
    4. Power on the VM to start the automated installation.
  3. Install the Multi-Cluster Manager server on KVM or Libvirt.
    1. Create a new VM using either the virt-manager or virsh command.
    2. Attach the ISO to the VM's virtual CD-ROM.
    3. Select the UEFI firmware.
      For example, OVMF_CODE.fd.
    4. Boot the VM and allow the automatic installation to complete.
  4. Deploy the Multi-Cluster Manager server from a QCOW2 image.
    Use this method to deploy on KVM or Libvirt hypervisors without booting from an ISO. Use the downloaded Multi-Cluster Manager QCOW2 image.
    1. Copy the QCOW2 image to the target host. 
      cp MCM_IMAGE_NAME.qcow2 /var/lib/libvirt/images/
    2. Create a new VM using the QCOW2 image as the disk source. 
      virt-install \
  --name MCM_VM_NAME \
  --memory 4096 \
  --vcpus 4 \
  --disk path=/var/lib/libvirt/images/MCM_IMAGE_NAME.qcow2,format=qcow2 \
  --import \
  --os-variant GUEST_OS_VARIANT \
  --network bridge=BRIDGE_NAME \
  --boot uefi
    3. Start the VM and allow the first-boot configuration to complete.
    The Multi-Cluster Manager server is running and reachable on the configured network interface.
  5. Deploy the Multi-Cluster Manager server from a VMDK image.
    Use this method to deploy on VMware ESXi or vCenter without booting from an ISO. Use the downloaded Multi-Cluster Manager VMDK image.
    1. Import the VMDK into VMware vCenter or ESXi by creating a new VM and attaching the VMDK as an existing virtual disk.
    2. Set the VM firmware to UEFI.
    3. Configure the VM with the required CPU, RAM, and NIC settings.
    4. Power on the VM and allow the first-boot configuration to complete.
    The Multi-Cluster Manager server is running and reachable on the configured network interface.

What to do next

After installation:
  1. Verify that the Multi-Cluster Manager server is reachable from your environment.

    Log into the Multi-Cluster Manager Dashboard from your browser. Use the IP or hostname of the node or VM on which the Multi-Cluster Manager server is installed.

  2. Log in to the Multi-Cluster Manager. For full instructions, proceed to Initial login and password management.