How to Install Rancher on CentOS 8

Rancher, an open-source container management platform, provides a powerful solution for managing and orchestrating containers in a Kubernetes environment. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process of installing Rancher on CentOS 8, enabling you to streamline container deployment and management on your system.

Step 1: Update System Packages
Before installing Rancher, it's essential to ensure that your system is up-to-date. Open a terminal and run the following commands:

sudo dnf update -y

This command will update all installed packages on your CentOS 8 system.

Step 2: Install Docker
Rancher relies on Docker for containerization. Install Docker on CentOS 8 using the following commands:

sudo dnf install -y docker
sudo systemctl start docker
sudo systemctl enable docker

These commands will install Docker, start the Docker service, and enable it to start on boot.

Step 3: Install Rancher
Once Docker is installed, you can deploy Rancher using the following Docker command:

sudo docker run -d --restart=unless-stopped -p 80:80 -p 443:443 rancher/rancher

This command pulls the Rancher image from Docker Hub and starts the Rancher server. The -p option maps the necessary ports for Rancher to operate.

Step 4: Access Rancher Web Interface
After the installation is complete, access the Rancher web interface by opening a web browser and navigating to your server's IP address or domain name. If you're running Rancher on the same machine, you can use https://localhost.

Step 5: Set Up Rancher
Once you access the Rancher web interface, you'll be prompted to set up an admin password and choose your Rancher server URL. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup.

Step 6: Add a Cluster
With Rancher set up, you can now add a Kubernetes cluster to manage. Click on the "Add Cluster" button and follow the prompts to configure your cluster. You can either import an existing cluster or create a new one.

More Examples:

• Upgrade Rancher:
  To upgrade Rancher to the latest version, you can use the following Docker command:

sudo docker pull rancher/rancher:latest
sudo docker stop rancher
sudo docker rm rancher
sudo docker run -d --restart=unless-stopped -p 80:80 -p 443:443 rancher/rancher:latest

These commands pull the latest Rancher image, stop and remove the existing Rancher container, and then start a new container with the updated image.

Congratulations! You've successfully installed Rancher on CentOS 8 and set up a Kubernetes cluster. Rancher provides a user-friendly interface for managing containers and simplifies the deployment of applications in a Kubernetes environment. Explore the features offered by Rancher to enhance your container orchestration experience.