Chapter 7. Installing and configuring web console with the cockpit RHEL system role

With the cockpit RHEL system role, you can install and configure the web console in your system.

7.1. The cockpit system role

You can use the cockpit system role to automatically deploy and enable the web console and thus be able to manage your RHEL systems from a web browser.

7.2. Variables of the cockpit RHEL system role

The parameters used for the cockpit RHEL system roles are:

Role VariableDescription

cockpit_packages: (default: default)

Sets one of the predefined package sets: default, minimal, or full.

* cockpit_packages: (default: default) - most common pages and on-demand install UI

* cockpit_packages: (default: minimal) - just the Overview, Terminal, Logs, Accounts, and Metrics pages; minimal dependencies

* cockpit_packages: (default: full) - all available pages

Optionally, specify your own selection of cockpit packages you want to install.

cockpit_enabled: (default:true)

Configures if the web console web server is enabled to start automatically at boot

cockpit_started: (default:true)

Configures if the web console should be started

cockpit_config: (default: nothing)

You can apply settings in the /etc/cockpit/cockpit.conf file. NOTE: The previous settings file will be lost.

cockpit_port: (default: 9090)

The web console runs on port 9090 by default. You can change the port using this option.

cockpit_manage_firewall: (default: false)

Allows the cockpit role to control the firewall role to add ports. It cannot be used for removing ports. If you want to remove ports, you will need to use the firewall system role directly.

cockpit_manage_selinux: (default: false)

Allows the cockpit role to configure SELinux using the selinux role. The default SELinux policy does not allow Cockpit to listen on anything other than port 9090. If you change the port, set this option to true so that the selinux role can set the correct port permissions (websm_port_t).

cockpit_certificates: (default: nothing)

Allows the cockpit role to generate new certificates using the certificate role. The value of cockpit_certificates is passed on to the certificate_requests variable of the certificate role. This role is called internally by the cockpit role and it generates the private key and certificate.

Additional resources

  • /usr/share/ansible/roles/rhel-system-roles.cockpit/README.md file
  • /usr/share/doc/rhel-system-roles/cockpit/ directory
  • `cockpit.conf(5) man page

7.3. Installing the web console by using the cockpit RHEL system role

You can use the cockpit system role to install and enable the RHEL web console.

By default, the RHEL web console uses a self-signed certificate. For security reasons, you can specify a certificate that was issued by a trusted certificate authority instead.

In this example, you use the cockpit system role to:

  • Install the RHEL web console.
  • Allow the web console to manage firewalld.
  • Set the web console to use a certificate from the ipa trusted certificate authority instead of using a self-signed certificate.
  • Set the web console to use a custom port 9050.
Note

You do not have to call the firewall or certificate system roles in the playbook to manage the Firewall or create the certificate. The cockpit system role calls them automatically as needed.

Prerequisites

Procedure

  1. Create a playbook file, for example ~/playbook.yml, with the following content: 

    ---
- name: Manage the RHEL web console
  hosts: managed-node-01.example.com
  tasks:
    - name: Install RHEL web console
      ansible.builtin.include_role:
        name: rhel-system-roles.cockpit
      vars:
        cockpit_packages: default
        cockpit_port:9050
        cockpit_manage_selinux: true
        cockpit_manage_firewall: true
        cockpit_certificates:
          - name: /etc/cockpit/ws-certs.d/01-certificate
            dns: ['localhost', 'www.example.com']
            ca: ipa
            group: cockpit-ws

  2. Validate the playbook syntax: 

    $ ansible-playbook --syntax-check ~/playbook.yml

    Note that this command only validates the syntax and does not protect against a wrong but valid configuration.

  3. Run the playbook: 

    $ ansible-playbook ~/playbook.yml

Additional resources