Rancher Extension Installation

Introduction

CloudCasa is a comprehensive, cloud-native backup and recovery solution for Kubernetes. If you’re using SUSE Rancher to manage your clusters, installing the CloudCasa extension makes it easy to monitor your protection status and manage backups directly from the Rancher dashboard.

This guide will walk you through the step-by-step process of installing the CloudCasa extension in Rancher.

Log In to Your Rancher UI

Begin by opening your preferred web browser and navigating to your Rancher user interface. Use your credentials to log in.

• Upon successful login, you’ll be taken to your Rancher dashboard, where you can access various administrative and cluster management tools.

• Tip: Ensure you have administrative privileges or the required access rights, as installing extensions may require higher-level permissions.

Navigate to the Extensions Section and Manage Repositories

Once logged in, locate the Extensions option in the main navigation menu.

Accessing Extensions:

• Click on the Extensions button on the left-hand side of the UI.

• At the top right of the Extensions page, you’ll see a three dots (ellipsis) menu. Clicking this icon will reveal additional options.

Managing Repositories:

• From the expanded menu, select Manage Repositories. This is where you can view, add, or edit repositories that provide access to various extension components.

Define a New Repository for the CloudCasa Extension

Now you’ll define a new repository where the CloudCasa extension is hosted.

Initiating Repository Creation:

• On the Manage Repositories page, click the Create button, typically located at the top left.

Filling Out the Repository Form:

• Repository Name: Enter a descriptive name such as “cloudcasa-extension” so that you can easily identify it later.

• Repository URL: In the URL field, enter the following address: https://catalogicsoftware.github.io/cloudcasa-rancher-extension/. This URL points to the location where the CloudCasa extension components are hosted.

Finalizing the Repository:

• After verifying your entries, click the Create button to add the new repository to your list.

Install the CloudCasa Extension Component

With the repository now available, the next step is to install the CloudCasa extension.

Locating the Extension:

• Navigate back to the main Extensions page and switch to the Available tab. This tab displays all extension components that are available for installation from your configured repositories.

Installing the Extension:

• Find the CloudCasa extension component in the list.

• Click on the Install button associated with it.

Post-Installation Prompt:

• After initiating the installation, Rancher will prompt you to reload your browser window. This is necessary to apply the extension’s changes to the user interface. Be sure to reload the page as instructed.

Verify the Installation of the CloudCasa Component

After the page reloads, you should see the CloudCasa extension installed.

Confirmation:

• Go to the list of installed extensions in the Extensions section.

• You should now see the CloudCasa component listed. This confirms that the installation process has successfully added the extension to your Rancher environment.

Access the CloudCasa Configuration Screen

A new icon representing CloudCasa should now appear in your main navigation menu.

Navigating to the Configuration:

• Click the new CloudCasa icon on the left side of the Rancher UI.

Configuring the API Key:

• The interface will display a configuration screen where you need to enter an API Key.

• Important: This API Key must be obtained from your CloudCasa UI. The key is crucial for enabling secure communication between Rancher and CloudCasa. You will find detailed instructions on creating an API key in API Keys.

• Enter the API Key in the provided field and save your configuration.

Review Your Main Dashboard for CloudCasa Agent Status

After configuring the API Key:

Dashboard Overview:

• Navigate back to the main dashboard. Here, you will see a list of clusters managed by your Rancher instance.

• Next to each cluster, there will be an indicator showing the status of the CloudCasa agent installation. This gives you a high-level view of which clusters have the CloudCasa agent deployed and whether they are operational.