Stage 1.1 - Server Builds

Return to Workshop

Stage 1

Estimated time to complete: 20 mintues

In Stage 1, we will brainstorm ideas on how we can introduce network automation into your environment. We will discuss use cases and tasks that are manually done today that could be automated.

The second part of Stage 1 is to install and initially build the two servers.

Here is a summary of Stage 1

Server 1 and Server 2 Diagram

Server 1 Requirements

Ubuntu version 20.04 LTS with the latest updates
CPU = 4 vCPU or greater
Memory = 8 Gig or greater
Disk size = 100 Gig or greater
Name = netdev-01
Domain = yourdomain.com
Register the server in DNS or update the host file
Login as a user

Git - Installation on Server 1

Check git version

git version

Perform a quick update on your instance:

sudo apt-get update -y

Install git-lfs on your Server for large file transfers

sudo apt-get install git-lfs -y

Install git on your Server if it is not installed

sudo apt-get install git -y

Virtual Environment and Python - Installation on Server 1

Check if Python3 is already installed

python3 --version

Python 3.8 and higher will work

Upgrade Python if it is installed

sudo apt --only-upgrade install python3

If Python is not installed

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade –y
sudo apt install python3

Install PIP

sudo apt install python3-pip -y

Virtual environment installation

sudo apt install python3-venv -y

Ansible - Installation on Server 1

Installation of Ansible

sudo apt -y install software-properties-common

sudo apt-add-repository ppa:ansible/ansible

Hit Enter to continue

sudo apt-get install ansible -y

Installation of Ansible-pylibssh

pip install ansible-pylibssh

Docker - Installation on Server 1

Download Docker

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl gnupg -y
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo \
"deb [arch="$(dpkg --print-architecture)" signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
"$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME")" stable" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

sudo apt-get update

Install Docker Engine

sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin -y

Check docker service

systemctl status docker

Type q to quit if needed

Add User to Group

sudo usermod -a -G docker $USER

Logout and log back in

Check Docker

docker ps

If successful, you should see the following:

cloud_user@ed26757f4b1c:~$ docker ps
CONTAINER ID   IMAGE     COMMAND   CREATED   STATUS    PORTS     NAMES

Install Docker Compose

sudo apt-get install docker-compose -y

Check Docker Compose

docker-compose version

ContainerLabs – Installation on Server 1

Download and install the latest release (may require sudo)

bash -c "$(curl -sL https://get.containerlab.dev)"

Optional Samba Installation

Install Samba

sudo apt install samba -y

Edit the Samba config file to create the file share

sudo nano /etc/samba/smb.conf

Scroll to the bottom of the file and add the following:

[share]
comment = Shared Folder
path = /home/$USER/network-automation
writeable = yes
browseable = yes
public = no

Ctrl + O to save Ctrl + X to exit

Restart Samba Service

sudo service smbd restart

Set up your username to access the share

sudo smbpasswd -a $USER

Ensure the file share works: \\a.b.c.d\share

Replace a.b.c.d with the IP address of Server 1

Server 2 Requirements

Ubuntu version 20.04 LTS with the latest updates
CPU = 4 vCPU or greater
Memory = 8 Gig or greater
Disk size = 100 Gig or greater
Name = netdev-02
Domain = yourdomain.com
Register the server in DNS or update the host file
Login as a user

Docker - Installation on Server 2

Download Docker

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install ca-certificates curl gnupg -y
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
sudo curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

echo \
"deb [arch="$(dpkg --print-architecture)" signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
"$(. /etc/os-release && echo "$VERSION_CODENAME")" stable" | \
sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

sudo apt-get update

Install Docker Engine

sudo apt-get install docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin -y

Check docker service

systemctl status docker

Type q to quit if needed

Add User to Group

sudo usermod -a -G docker $USER

Logout and log back in

Check Docker

docker ps

If successful, you should see the following:

cloud_user@ed26757f4b1c:~$ docker ps
CONTAINER ID   IMAGE     COMMAND   CREATED   STATUS    PORTS     NAMES

Install Docker Compose

sudo apt-get install docker-compose -y

Check Docker Compose

docker-compose version

Setup a Host file entry on both Server (If required)

Not required for acloudguru servers or any servers that will have a FQDN

The following command below will be unique to you and are only required if you did not enter these into your local DNS Server

Edit /etc/hosts

127.0.0.1 localhost
10.1.1.11 lab-server-1.domain.com (1)
10.1.1.10 lab-server-2.domain.com (2)

# The following lines are desirable for IPv6 capable hosts
::1     ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::0 ip6-localnet
ff00::0 ip6-mcastprefix

1	Modify to reflect your IP addresses and hostnames for Server 1
2	Modify to reflect your IP addresses and hostnames for Server 2

Be sure you can log in to your instances. If you can’t log in start shouting, loudly, and waving your hands!

End Result

At this point, everyone should have logged into both servers. If you haven’t, let us know so we can get you fixed up.

Return to Workshop