9.12. Configuring Node Hosts for xPaaS Cartridges

Most standard cartridges provided with the base OpenShift Enterprise entitlement can run effectively on node hosts using the default node configuration. However, some xPaaS cartridges, typically provided with premium add-on OpenShift Enterprise entitlements [7], have specific configuration requirements for node hosts where their gears are hosted.
This section is only relevant if you have installed or intend to install xPaaS cartridges on your node host, with each cartridge's general requirements and recommendations outlined below. If you have not installed any xPaaS cartridges and intend to only have standard cartridges installed on the node host, skip to Section 9.13, “Configuring Gear Profiles (Sizes)” and continue through to the end of the chapter for the remaining manual node host installation instructions.
Configuring Node Hosts for the JBoss Fuse and JBoss A-MQ Cartridges

The JBoss Fuse and JBoss A-MQ premium xPaaS cartridges have the following configuration requirements:

  • All node and broker hosts must be updated to OpenShift Enterprise release 2.1.7 or later.
  • Because the openshift-origin-cartridge-fuse and openshift-origin-cartridge-amq cartridge RPMs are each provided in separate channels, the node host must have the "JBoss Fuse for xPaaS" or "JBoss A-MQ for xPaaS" add-on subscription attached to enable the relevant channel(s) before installing either cartridge RPM. See Section 9.1, “Configuring Node Host Entitlements” for information on these subscriptions and using the oo-admin-yum-validator tool to automatically configure the correct repositories starting in releases 2.1.8 and 2.2.
  • The configuration in the /etc/openshift/resource_limits.conf.xpaas.m3.xlarge example file must be used as the gear profile on the node host in place of the default small gear profile.
  • The cartridges require 15 external ports per gear. All of these ports are not necessarily used at the same time, but each is intended for a different purpose.
  • The cartridges require 10 ports on the SNI front-end server proxy.
  • Due to the above gear profile requirement, a new district must be created for the gear profile. Further, due to the above 15 external ports per gear requirement, the new district's capacity must be set to a maximum of 2000 gears instead of the default 6000 gears.
  • Starting in OpenShift Enterprise 2.2, restrict the xPaaS cartridges to the xpaas gear size by adding to the VALID_GEAR_SIZES_FOR_CARTRIDGE list in the /etc/openshift/broker.conf file on broker hosts. For example: 
    VALID_GEAR_SIZES_FOR_CARTRIDGE="fuse-cart-name|xpaas amq-cart-name|xpaas"
See the JBoss Fuse Cloud Deployment Guide for detailed instructions on configuring a node host for the JBoss Fuse cartridge. The guide provides the node and broker host configuration instructions to meet the above requirements, as well as instructions on ensuring user accounts have access to the cartridge. See the JBoss A-MQ Cloud Deployment Guide for the same instructions for the JBoss A-MQ cartridge. Because the JBoss Fuse cartridge and the JBoss A-MQ cartridge have the same configuration requirements, you can install both cartridges on the same node host.
The instructions in the above Cloud Deployment Guides cover similar tasks handled by Section 9.13, “Configuring Gear Profiles (Sizes)”, Section 9.14, “Configuring Districts”, and Section 9.15, “Importing Cartridges” of this guide for basic node host installations. After finishing the instructions in one or both of the above Cloud Deployment Guides, you can return to this guide starting in Chapter 10, Continuing Node Host Installation for Enterprise for instructions on further customizing your node host installation for enterprise use, if desired.
Configuring Node Hosts for the JBoss Fuse Builder Cartridge

The JBoss Fuse Builder premium xPaaS cartridge can run on a default node host configuration. However, because the openshift-origin-cartridge-fuse-builder cartridge RPM is provided in the same separate channels as the JBoss Fuse and JBoss A-MQ cartridges, the node host must have either the "JBoss Fuse for xPaaS" or "JBoss A-MQ for xPaaS" add-on subscription attached to enable either of the channels before installing the cartridge RPM. See Section 9.1, “Configuring Node Host Entitlements” for more information.

See the JBoss Fuse Cloud Deployment Guide or the JBoss A-MQ Cloud Deployment Guide for more information on the JBoss Fuse Builder cartridge.
Configuring Node Hosts for the JBoss EAP Cartridge

The JBoss EAP premium xPaaS cartridge has the following configuration requirement and recommendation:

  • Because the openshift-origin-cartridge-jbosseap cartridge RPM is provided in a separate channel, the node host must have the "JBoss Enterprise Application Platform for OpenShift Enterprise" add-on subscription attached to enable the channel before installing the cartridge RPM. See Section 9.1, “Configuring Node Host Entitlements” for more information.
  • Red Hat recommends setting the following values in the node host's /etc/openshift/resource_limits.conf file: 
    limits_nproc=500
memory_limit_in_bytes=5368709120 # 5G
memory_memsw_limit_in_bytes=5473566720 # 5G + 100M (100M swap)
    You can set these values while following the instructions in Section 9.13, “Configuring Gear Profiles (Sizes)” through to the end of the chapter.

[7] See Section 9.1, “Configuring Node Host Entitlements” for a table that notes the subscriptions that provide xPaaS cartridges.