Installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

This chapter covers the installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), a widely used operating system in enterprise environments. The RHEL installer, known as Anaconda, features a graphical interface that allows you to configure your system from a central hub screen.

Installation requirements

Before you begin, ensure you have the following:

  • RHEL Installation ISO: You need a RHEL ISO image. You can download one from the Red Hat Customer Portal if you have an active subscription.

  • Red Hat Subscription: RHEL requires a subscription for access to packages, updates, and support. Make sure you have your account credentials ready for post-installation registration.

  • Virtual Media Mounted: The RHEL ISO file must be mounted using the BMC's Virtual media feature, as covered in Chapter 2.

Step-by-step installation guide

From the KVM console, you will see the server boot from the mounted RHEL ISO.

  1. From the boot menu, select Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux and press Enter.

    [Image, EXISTING: The RHEL boot menu with "Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3" selected.]

  2. After the installer loads, select your preferred language and click Continue.

    [Image, EXISTING: The RHEL installer's initial screen for language selection.]

Configure settings from the Installation Summary hub

The Installation Summary screen is the main hub for configuring your system. You must resolve any items marked with a warning icon before you can proceed.

[Image, EXISTING: The RHEL Installation Summary screen showing various configuration options like Localization, Software, and System.]

1

Set the Date & Time

  • Click Date & Time

  • Select your region and city

  • Click Done to confirm

2

Configure the Keyboard Layout

  • Click Keyboard

  • Add or remove keyboard layouts as needed

  • Click Done

📷 [Image: The Keyboard Layout configuration screen]

3

Select the Installation Destination

  • Click Installation Destination

  • Under Local Standard Disks, select the disk for installation

    • A checkmark will appear once selected

  • Ensure Automatically configure partitioning is selected

  • Click Done

📷 [Image: The Installation Destination screen where you select the target disk]

4

Configure Network & Host Name

  • Click Network & Host Name

  • Select the appropriate network adapter (e.g., Ethernet (eth0))

  • Click the toggle switch in the top-right to turn it ON

    • The system should obtain an IP address via DHCP

  • (Optional) Enter a hostname at the bottom

  • Click Done

📷 [Image: The Network & Host Name configuration screen]

5

Begin the Installation

Once all required fields are configured and no warnings remain:

  • Click Begin Installation on the summary screen

📷 [Image: The Installation Summary screen with all settings configured, ready to begin]

Set user passwords during installation

While the files are being copied, you must set up user accounts.

[Image, EXISTING: The Configuration screen showing options for ROOT PASSWORD and USER CREATION.]

1

Set the Root Password

  • Click Root Password

  • Enter and confirm a strong password for the root user (system administrator)

  • Click Done

📷 [Image: The screen for setting the root password]

Important Note: The root account has unrestricted access to the system. Be sure to store this password securely.

2

Create a User Account

  • Click User Creation

  • Enter your full name and desired username

  • Check the box for "Make this user administrator"

    • This adds the user to the wheel group, allowing use of sudo

  • Set and confirm a strong password for the new user

  • Click Done

📷 [Image: The Create User screen]

Reboot and finalize

  1. Once the installation is complete, the Reboot button will become available. Click it to restart the server.

  2. Remember to unmount the ISO file from the Virtual media page in the BMC to prevent the server from booting into the installer again.

  3. After the system reboots, you may be prompted to accept the End User License Agreement (EULA) on the first login.

Post-installation checks

After logging in, your first steps should be to register the system and apply updates.

  • Register the System: Open a terminal and run the following command to register your system with Red Hat, which will attach your subscription.

    sudo subscription-manager register --username <your_username> --password <your_password> --auto-attach

  • Check for Updates: Run sudo dnf check-update to see available updates, and sudo dnf upgrade to install them.

PreviousInstalling Ubuntu ServerNextTroubleshooting

Last updated