Remove references to postgresql-evr

[ianballou]

With the merging of Katello/katello#11087 , the evr database type is now being added to postgres directly in Katello. This means users no longer need to install the RPM. So, for Katello 4.14, it will be safe to remove this reference.

Q: do we still need postgresql-contrib? I think we may need it for Pulpcore...

• I am okay with my commits getting squashed when you merge this PR.
• I am familiar with the contributing guidelines.

Please cherry-pick my commits into:

• Foreman 3.11/Katello 4.13
• Foreman 3.10/Katello 4.12
• Foreman 3.9/Katello 4.11 (Satellite 6.15; orcharhino 6.8/6.9)
• Foreman 3.8/Katello 4.10
• Foreman 3.7/Katello 4.9 (Satellite 6.14)
• Foreman 3.6/Katello 4.8
• Foreman 3.5/Katello 4.7 (Satellite 6.13; orcharhino 6.6/6.7)
• We do not accept PRs for Foreman older than 3.5.

[github-actions]

The PR preview for 987cc45 is available at theforeman-foreman-documentation-preview-pr-3167.surge.sh

The following output files are affected by this PR:

• Administering_Project/index-katello.html
• Administering_Project/index-orcharhino.html
• Administering_Project/index-satellite.html
• Installing_Server/index-katello.html
• Installing_Server/index-orcharhino.html
• Installing_Server/index-satellite.html
• Installing_Server_Disconnected/index-satellite.html
• Release_Notes/index-katello.html
• Upgrading_Project/index-foreman-el.html
• Upgrading_Project/index-katello.html
• Upgrading_Project/index-orcharhino.html
• Upgrading_Project/index-satellite.html
• Upgrading_Project_Disconnected/index-satellite.html

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show diff as HTML

[ekohl]

AFAIK this was the only reason why we installed the Satellite repositories and enabled the satellite module on the external DB. Please simply it so it only uses RHEL base OS & AppStream.

I'd also like to see it in the release notes as a headline feature, because it enables managed databases (like in cloud environments) to be used.

[ianballou]

AFAIK this was the only reason why we installed the Satellite repositories and enabled the satellite module on the external DB. Please simply it so it only uses RHEL base OS & AppStream.

Which part of the docs does this live in?

I'm not seeing any references to Satellite at least in https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Installing_Server/index-katello.html#using-external-databases_foreman, which seems to contain all of the external DB docs.

[ekohl]

Which part of the docs does this live in?

https://github.com/ekohl/foreman-documentation/blob/move-external-db-params/guides/common/modules/proc_preparing-a-host-for-external-databases.adoc which I think can pretty much go entirely.

I'm not seeing any references to Satellite at least in https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Installing_Server/index-katello.html#using-external-databases_foreman, which seems to contain all of the external DB docs.

Downstream: https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Installing_Server/index-satellite.html#preparing-a-host-for-external-databases_satellite

Upstream: https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Installing_Server/index-katello.html#preparing-a-host-for-external-databases_foreman

[ianballou]

Downstream: https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Installing_Server/index-satellite.html#preparing-a-host-for-external-databases_satellite

I see, I thought you meant we advised users to install Satellite repositories on normal Foreman smart proxies.

[ianballou]

@ekohl if I'm not wrong, I think that means we can also stop having users install the Katello repositories as well on external databases. I've removed references to installing our repos from both the Katello and Satellite docs.
Unless

[ekohl]

For upstream, this is now the same as EL 8 so at the very least we can drop them. I'd actually consider dropping the whole repository setup for upstream. Essentially you want a basic OS install which I'd feel confident in assuming from users.

[ianballou]

I'm fine with that.

[ekohl]

We always add headers, so something like

Suggested change

	Remote installation of the Katello database on systems where root access is not available is now possible.
	=== postgresql-evr extension no longer required
	Installation of the Katello database on remote systems where root access is not available is now possible.

And perhaps also note that you only need a basic PostgreSQL installation now, which means it probably also works with managed databases like Amazon RDS and others.

[ianballou]

This is what the entire section looks like now for upstream external DBs:

There is only a "prerequisites" section with no procedure. Looking for comments on how to deal with this following normal foreman-documentation conventions.

[asteflova]

There is only a "prerequisites" section with no procedure. Looking for comments on how to deal with this following normal foreman-documentation conventions.

Conceptually speaking, it’s strange that a section named "Preparing" includes prerequisites. Because "Preparing" itself is a prerequisite by definition.

If you think the two bullets should indeed be considered prerequisites applicable to all the modules in 4.10. Using external databases with Foreman, you can split them off into a separate module and include it at the beginning of assembly_using-external-databases.adoc. See Prerequisites for bare-metal provisioning (source here) for an example of prereqs included at the assembly level.

If you feel the two bullets are actually procedure steps, you can merge them with .Procedure:

.Procedure
. Ensure the prepared host meets [...]
. Ensure the host has [...]
. Select the operating system [...]

Then, even if you hide the last step for upstream builds, the rest of the module will still make sense for these builds.

[ekohl]

I also think you can drop lines 6-9 because now a base RHEL subscription gives you access to the right repositories. Though with service level agreement I'm a bit uncertain.

Do we still need procedure? After removing the specific Satellite repositories, isn't it sufficient to say you need a RHEL 8 or 9 system with an attached subscription? Essentially, drop the whole chapter Preparing a host for external databases and make them prerequisites in the Installing PostgreSQL procedure

@asteflova @apinnick what do you think?

[ianballou]

I've ripped out so much of this page that I think I could just include this info as prerequisites.

[asteflova]

Sounds good to me from the docs perspective. Looking at the procedure steps, it looks like you could save a lot of space by shrinking it into a prerequisite bullet without losing much value. More importantly (to me), anything that's a prerequisite should be labeled as "prerequisite", not "preparing" or anything like that. We are supposed to apply the same wording and terminology consistently (this helps make the content predictable).

[ekohl]

This is out of scope, but we have a guide https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Deploying_Project_on_AWS/index-katello.html and using Amazon RDS would be a good thing to document, after it's been verified.

[ianballou]

It's looking likely that I'll need to also add information for users upgrading their remote databases due to Katello/katello#11098.

Looks like https://docs.theforeman.org/nightly/Upgrading_Project/index-katello.html#Upgrading_the_External_Database_upgrading-connected is what will need updating.

[ekohl]

Q: do we still need postgresql-contrib? I think we may need it for Pulpcore...

We do. I forgot which extension they use, but it's shipped in postgresql-contrib.

[ianballou]

Some screenshots of the update:

[ianballou]

postgresql-evr removal is looking to be delayed until Katello 4.15.