How to: Basic Elasticsearch installation. (RHEL/SUSE)

Slavik

XenForo moderator
Staff member
Basic Elasticsearch Installation (RHEL / SUSE)

@Floren has an amazing repo for RHEL 6 and 7, the Elasticsearch RPM he provides is perfectly set up and currently I suggest using it.

The old manual setup guide can be found below.

Step 1) Install the Axivo Repo: https://www.axivo.com/resources/repository-setup.1/

Step 2) Install ElasticSearch: https://www.axivo.com/resources/elasticsearch-setup.11/




This guide is provided to show how to do a basic (vanilla get up and go) install of Elasticsearch (0.90.0 Beta 1), the Elasticsearch Service Wrapper and the required Java Runtime Environment (JRE) (1.7.0_17) on RHEL / SUSE. This guide will not cover running a dedicated Elasticsearch user.

For Debian/Ubuntu users, a guide can be found here.

This guide assumes the user has basic knowledge of SSH and prior to starting the steps below has logged in as root. This guide also assumes the user does not currently have any JRE installed. You can check if you have JRE installed by typing

Code:
java -version

As of writing, the current file locations for JRE are as follows:

32 bit
Code:
http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/java/jdk/7u17-b02/jre-7u17-linux-i586.rpm

64 bit
Code:
http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/java/jdk/7u17-b02/jre-7u17-linux-x64.rpm

The guide will be shown using the 64 bit install, however if you are using a 32 bit system, change the file names as appropriate.

Please note, whilst this is a simple and easy setup, I take no responsibility for any damages or losses that may occur to your system by following the steps below. If you are unsure at any stage, please ask for assistance or seek the help of a qualified Linux Systems Administrator.

Installing the JRE
Type the following commands into your SSH terminal.
Code:
cd /tmp
wget http://download.oracle.com/otn-pub/java/jdk/7u17-b02/jre-7u17-linux-x64.rpm
rpm -ivh jre-7u17-linux-x64.rpm
java -version

Assuming everything was done correctly, you should get the following output.

Code:
# java -version
java version "1.7.0_17"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0_17)
Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM (build 22.0-b10, mixed mode)

Install Elasticsearch

Code:
cd /
curl -L -O -k https://download.elasticsearch.org/elasticsearch/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-0.90.0.Beta1.zip
unzip elasticsearch-0.90.0.Beta1.zip
mv elasticsearch-0.90.0.Beta1 elasticsearch

Install the Elasticsearch Service Wrapper

Code:
curl -L -k http://github.com/elasticsearch/elasticsearch-servicewrapper/tarball/master | tar -xz
mv *servicewrapper*/service elasticsearch/bin/
elasticsearch/bin/service/elasticsearch install
ln -s `readlink -f elasticsearch/bin/service/elasticsearch` /usr/local/bin/rcelasticsearch
rcelasticsearch start

Assuming everything was done correctly, you should see the following output.

Code:
rcelasticsearch start
Starting ElasticSearch...
Waiting for ElasticSearch......
running: PID: xxxxx

Basic Configuration

You should do some basic configuration of Elasticsearch before installing the addon in XenForo.


1) Open up /elasticsearch/config/elasticsearch.yml and on line 32 edit

Code:
# cluster.name: elasticsearch

To

Code:
cluster.name: PUT-SOMETHING-UNIQUE-HERE

on line 199 edit

Code:
# network.host: 192.168.0.1

to

Code:
network.host: 127.0.0.1

On line 211 edit

Code:
# http.port: 9200

to

Code:
http.port: 9200

Save and Close


2) Open up /elasticsearch/bin/service/elasticsearch.conf on line 2 edit

Code:
set.default.ES_HEAP_SIZE=1024

To a number suitable for the size of your forum.

I reccomend approximately 1 GB for the HEAP_SIZE per 1 million posts on your forum.

1 Million Posts: 1024
2 Million Posts: 2048
3 Million Posts: 3072
4 Million Posts: 4096
etc

This will not mean the service will use all that available memory, however it will have it at its disposal if required.

So for example a 3 Million Post forum would edit

Code:
set.default.ES_HEAP_SIZE=1024

to

Code:
set.default.ES_HEAP_SIZE=3072



Save and Exit.


3) Optional - Move the Elasticsearch data directory.

Your linux install may be configured in such a way that your install partition is only a few Gb in size, and placing a large Elasticsearch index there is not ideal.

In which case you will want to move the index directory to a different, larger, location (in this example /var/elasticsearch)

Code:
cd /var
mkdir elasticsearch

Open up /elasticsearch/config/elasticsearch.yml on line 143 edit

Code:
# path.data: /path/to/data

to

Code:
path.data: /var/elasticsearch

Save and Exit

4) Restart the Elasticsearch Service

In SSH type

Code:
rcelasticsearch restart

You should get the following output

Code:
rcelasticsearch restart
Stopping ElasticSearch...
Stopped ElasticSearch.
Starting ElasticSearch...
Waiting for ElasticSearch......
running: PID: xxxxx

Elasticsearch is now runing with your updated config.



Install the XenForo Enhanced Search Addon

1) Turn your board off into maintainance mode*

2) Download the addon from your customer area at http://xenforo.com/customers/

3) Follow the instructions found at http://xenforo.com/help/enhanced-search/

4) Wait for your indexes to be rebuilt

5) Open your board.

6) Install the index pre-warmer.

As of 0.90.0 Beta an index pre-warmer is available. This keeps your search index "warm" in active memory so when a search is done, the access time latency is highly reduced.

Installing this is simple, in SSH simply run the following replacing the *INDEX NAME* with the name of your ES index.

Code:
curl -XPUT localhost:9200/*INDEX NAME*/_warmer/warmer_1 -d '{
    "query" : {
        "match_all" : {}
    }
}'

You should have the following returned

Code:
{"ok":true,"acknowledged":true}


*You may leave your board open during the re-index process.

Congratulations. Your board should now be running XenForo Enhanced Search.
 
Last edited:
@Floren

Is there any reason "/etc/init.d/elasticsearch start" and "service elasticsearch start" would behave differently for which user owns /var/lib/elasticsearch ?

I had a case where "/etc/init.d/elasticsearch start" start when run as root, but "service elasticsearch start" would fail because /var/lib/elasticsearch was owned by root for some reason.

Changing ownership of /var/lib/elasticsearch fixed it, and allowed elasticsearch to start correctly on boot and when using 'service' to start/stop it.
 

@Floren has an amazing repo for RHEL 6 and 7, the Elasticsearch RPM he provides is perfectly set up and currently I suggest using it.

The old manual setup guide can be found below.

Step 1) Install the Axivo Repo: https://www.axivo.com/resources/repository-setup.1/

Step 2) Install ElasticSearch: https://www.axivo.com/resources/elasticsearch-setup.11/

FYI, Axivo Repo only has RHEL6/CentOS 6 Elasticsearch YUM package. There's no RHEL7 / CentOS 7 package yet.

here's to @Floren releasing the RHEL7/CentOS7 version. For now on CentOS7, I use the official Elasticsearch EL7 YUM package.

from official repo http://www.elasticsearch.org/guide/en/elasticsearch/reference/current/setup-repositories.html

Code:
 yum list available --disablerepo=* --enablerepo=elasticsearch-1.4 -q
Available Packages
elasticsearch.noarch                                                        1.4.4-1                                                         elasticsearch-1.4

From Axivo EL7 / CentOS 7 available packages
Code:
yum list available --disablerepo=* --enablerepo=axivo --disableplugin=priorities -q
Available Packages
GeoIP.x86_64                                                                         1.6.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
GeoIP-devel.x86_64                                                                   1.6.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
GeoIP-update.noarch                                                                  1.6.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs.x86_64                                                                     3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-api.x86_64                                                                 3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-api-devel.x86_64                                                           3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-cli.x86_64                                                                 3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-devel.x86_64                                                               3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-extra-xlators.x86_64                                                       3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-fuse.x86_64                                                                3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-geo-replication.x86_64                                                     3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-libs.x86_64                                                                3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-rdma.x86_64                                                                3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-regression-tests.x86_64                                                    3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-resource-agents.noarch                                                     3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
glusterfs-server.x86_64                                                              3.5.2-1.el7                                                        axivo
jemalloc.x86_64                                                                      3.6.0-1.el7                                                        axivo
jemalloc-devel.x86_64                                                                3.6.0-1.el7                                                        axivo
openssl.x86_64                                                                       1:1.0.1j-1.el7                                                     axivo
openssl-devel.x86_64                                                                 1:1.0.1j-1.el7                                                     axivo
openssl-libs.x86_64                                                                  1:1.0.1j-1.el7                                                     axivo
openssl-perl.x86_64                                                                  1:1.0.1j-1.el7                                                     axivo
openssl-static.x86_64                                                                1:1.0.1j-1.el7                                                     axivo
pcre.x86_64                                                                          8.35-1.el7                                                         axivo
pcre-devel.x86_64                                                                    8.35-1.el7                                                         axivo
pcre-static.x86_64                                                                   8.35-1.el7                                                         axivo
pcre-tools.x86_64                                                                    8.35-1.el7                                                         axivo
 
Last edited:
@eva2000, I'm waiting for the RHEL 7.1 release, before I migrate all packages... still few things to fiddle with, like adjusting everything to systemd/firewalld. I always waited for a the .1 release before moving to a new version in production.
 
@Slavik the version in @Floren's repos ships with a remote exploit if it isn't configured 100% correctly (that hit AVForums recently).
Code:
yum list --disablerepo=* --enablerepo=axivo -q | grep elastic
elasticsearch.x86_64  1.4.2-1.el6  @axivo

If you follow the guide as per linked in the original post then its fine.

Code:
 sed -i 's|^#network.host.*|network.host: 127.0.0.1|' /etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml

Code:
sed -i 's|^#script.disable_dynamic.*|script.disable_dynamic: true|' /etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml
 
I have successfully installed.
after a few hours, I have to run ssh service start an elastic search.
otherwise it will not work
I want to ask is there a way to config elasticsearch not going concern ?

Thanks you.
 
AXIVO repo provides a standard RPM. It is your responsibility to read the tutorial and secure your server, the same way you do when you install CentOS/RHEL.

@Floren, thanks for your work. Due to lack of knowledge, I'm always a little worried hearing something like this. Are the additional steps mentioned on your pages (and quoted above by Slavik) the steps needed to secure this, and you mean it's our responsibility to follow the steps? or are there additional steps it is assumed someone running Linux should know?
 
@Floren, thanks for your work. Due to lack of knowledge, I'm always a little worried hearing something like this. Are the additional steps mentioned on your pages (and quoted above by Slavik) the steps needed to secure this, and you mean it's our responsibility to follow the steps? or are there additional steps it is assumed someone running Linux should know?

Floren is saying that you should take responsibility for checking packages and securing your server *whatever* you install. If the guide you use includes those steps (Florens does), then so be it, but simply relying on guides without understanding *why* you are doing a particular step could lead you into trouble in the future. This is why in my guides I generally explain what im doing to give the reader a better understanding.
 
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