How to register a cloned virtual machine on the satellite server?

Environment

• Red Hat Satellite 6
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x

Issue

• Registering a cloned machine, which was created from an already registered Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 virtual machine to Red Hat Satellite server, lists as the original system that was cloned in web interface.

• When we try to register a cloned virtual machine in Red Hat Satellite server, the cloned machine will get registered but does not appear on the Red Hat Satellite server web interface.

• When we try to register a cloned virtual machine in Red Hat Satellite server, the below error is observed:

  The system is already registered. Use --force to override.
  

Resolution

Solution 1

• Ensure that /etc/rhsm/rhsm.conf file has default content in it

• While cloning images for virtual machines, ensure that the following files are not present and have the cloning process regenerate them on the first boot:

  /var/lib/dbus/machine-id 
  /etc/machine-id
  /etc/rhsm/facts/katello.facts 
  /etc/insights-client/machine-id
  

Solution 2
NOTE: Applies for an existing VM that has been cloned without removing the files as described in Solution 1

• Generate the new UUID and store in the variable:

  # _UUID=$(uuidgen)
  

• Update the UUID in katello.fact file:

  # sh -c "echo '{\"network.hostname-override\": \"$(hostname --fqdn)\", \"dmi.system.uuid\": \"$_UUID\", \"virt.uuid\": \"$_UUID\"}' > /etc/rhsm/facts/katello.facts"
  

• Run the below command to update the UUID:

  # subscription-manager register
  

For more KB articles/solutions related to Red Hat Satellite 6.x Client Subscription Issues, please refer to the Red Hat Satellite Consolidated Troubleshooting Article for Red Hat Satellite 6.x Client Subscription Issues

Root Cause

• As a part of the registration process when katello-ca-consumer-latest.noarch.rpm is installed it creates file. /etc/rhsm/facts/katello.facts to ensure that subscription-manager reports system via FQDN.Since this file already exists on a cloned machine, so new facts file is not created.
• When a virtual machine already registered with the Satellite server is cloned, then file /etc/rhsm/facts/katello.facts on cloned machines, has the katello facts information of the original virtual machine.
• So it is necessary to ensure that katello.facts file is not present and have the cloning process regenerate them on the first boot. Otherwise, the system might report a short hostname and that causes issues with the puppet.

Diagnostic Steps

• If it's present, based on Root Cause explanation, compare facts file /etc/rhsm/facts/katello.facts on original as well as cloned virtual machine where the same entries are present.

• Verify the virt.uuid on both the systems using the following command.

  # subscription-manager facts |egrep 'hostname|uuid'
    network.hostname: client.example.com
    virt.uuid: 422e8494-9477-532b-984e-c0675a88969c
  
  # subscription-manager facts |egrep 'hostname|uuid'
    network.hostname: cloned-client.example.com
    virt.uuid: 422e8494-9477-532b-984e-c0675a88969c
  

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