How to Configure Yum Server in RHEL/CentOS/Rocky Linux | Create Local Yum Server Configuration

To create a local YUM (Yellowdog Updater Modified) server, you'll need a system with access to the packages you want to host locally. This local server can then be used to distribute packages to other systems on the same network, improving installation and update speeds and reducing external internet dependencies. Here's a step-by-step guide to creating a local YUM server:

Steps To follow:

1 - Set Up a CentOS/RHEL System (or Similar) 

2 - Install Required Software 

3 - Prepare the Package Repository 

4 - Create the YUM Repository Metadata 

5 - Configure HTTP Server (Apache) 

6 -  Configure Firewall (if necessary) 

7 - Verify the YUM Repository

8 - Configure YUM Clients:

9 - Update YUM Cache on Clients

10 - Install Packages from Local Repository

 

1. 1: Set Up a CentOS/RHEL System (or Similar):

2. Choose a CentOS, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), or a similar distribution as the base for your local YUM server. You can also use a virtual machine for this purpose.

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4. 2: Install Required Software: Open a terminal and make sure your system is up to date. Install the necessary packages:

   bash
   sudo yum update
   
   sudo yum install epel-release
   
   sudo yum install createrepo httpd

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6. 3: Prepare the Package Repository: Create a directory to store the RPM packages you want to make available via YUM. For example, you can use the following directory structure:

   bash
   sudo mkdir -p /var/www/html/local-yum/repo
   

   Copy or download the RPM packages you want to host into this directory.

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8. 4: Create the YUM Repository Metadata: Now, you need to generate metadata for the repository using the createrepo command. This metadata helps YUM clients understand the package dependencies and other information.

   bash
   sudo createrepo /var/www/html/local-yum/repo
   

9. 5: Configure HTTP Server (Apache): Since YUM clients will access the repository over HTTP, you need to configure a web server. The most common choice is Apache.

   bash
   sudo systemctl start httpd
   
   sudo systemctl enable httpd
   

10. 6: Configure Firewall (if necessary): If you have an active firewall, you need to open the HTTP port (port 80) to allow incoming connections.

    bash
    sudo firewall-cmd --add-service=http --permanent
    
    sudo firewall-cmd --reload
    

11. 7: Verify the YUM Repository: At this point, your local YUM repository should be set up and accessible over HTTP. To verify it, open a web browser and go to http://your_server_ip/local-yum/repo/. You should see the repository's directory listing and the repodata folder containing the repository metadata.

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13. 8: Configure YUM Clients: On the client machines, create a .repo file in the /etc/yum.repos.d/ directory to configure YUM to use your local repository. For example:

    bash
    sudo vi /etc/yum.repos.d/local-yum.repo
    

    Add the following content to the file (replace your_server_ip with the IP address or hostname of your YUM server):

    makefile
    [local-yum]
    
    name=Local YUM Repository
    
    baseurl=http://your_server_ip/local-yum/repo
    
    enabled=1
    
    gpgcheck=0  # If you're not using GPG signing
    

    Save the file and exit the editor.

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15. 9: Update YUM Cache on Clients: On the client systems, update the YUM cache to include the new local repository:

    bash
    sudo yum clean all
    
    sudo yum makecache
    

16. 10: Install Packages from Local Repository: Now, you can install packages from your local repository as you would with any other YUM repository:

bash
sudo yum install package_name

That's it! You now have a local YUM server that provides packages to your local network. Keep in mind that you'll need to regularly update the packages in your local repository to keep it up to date with the latest versions. Additionally, you can explore further configurations, such as setting up GPG signing for added security.