In the landscape of data analysis and visualization, the ELK Stack has emerged as a powerful toolset. Comprising Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana, the ELK Stack enables real-time data search, analysis, and visualization. This article provides a detailed walkthrough on installing the ELK Stack on Fedora 39.

What is the ELK Stack?

The ELK Stack is an integrated solution for managing and understanding complex data systems. It includes:

• Elasticsearch: A search and analytics engine.
• Logstash: A server-side data processing pipeline.
• Kibana: A tool for visualizing data with charts and graphs.

These tools are invaluable for system administrators, developers, and DevOps professionals who need to interpret logs and understand complex data systems.

Prerequisites

Before proceeding with the installation of the ELK Stack on Fedora 39, ensure that you meet the following prerequisites:

• A server running Fedora 39.
• A fresh OS install is recommended to prevent potential issues.
• Access to the terminal to execute commands.
• Internet connectivity to download the ELK Stack packages.
• Access to a non-root sudo user or the root user. It’s safer to operate as a non-root sudo user.

Installation Steps

Step 1: Update your Fedora system

Before starting with the ELK Stack installation, update your Fedora system and install the necessary dependencies:

sudo dnf clean all
sudo dnf update

Step 2: Install Java

As Elasticsearch requires Java to operate, install OpenJDK using the following commands:

sudo dnf install lsof java-17-openjdk java-17-openjdk-devel

Verify the installation by checking the Java version:

java -version

Step 3: Install Elasticsearch

Elasticsearch forms the backbone of the ELK Stack. To install it, first import the GPG key:

sudo rpm --import https://packages.elastic.co/GPG-KEY-elasticsearch

Next, create a file named elasticsearch.repo in /etc/yum.repos.d/ and add the repository configuration:

sudo nano /etc/yum.repos.d/elasticsearch.repo

Add the following configuration:

[elasticsearch-8.x]
name=Elasticsearch repository for 8.x packages
baseurl=https://artifacts.elastic.co/packages/8.x/yum
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://artifacts.elastic.co/GPG-KEY-elasticsearch
enabled=1
autorefresh=1
type=rpm-md

Now, install Elasticsearch and start the service:

sudo dnf install elasticsearch-oss
sudo systemctl start elasticsearch
sudo systemctl enable elasticsearch

Step 4: Install Kibana

Kibana provides visualization capabilities for data stored in Elasticsearch. Install Kibana and start the service as follows:

sudo dnf install kibana-oss
sudo systemctl enable kibana.service
sudo systemctl start kibana.service

Generate the enrollment token:

/usr/share/elasticsearch/bin/elasticsearch-create-enrollment-token -s kibana

Step 5: Install Logstash

Logstash is used for processing incoming data and feeding it into Elasticsearch. Add the Logstash repository and install it:

echo '[logstash-8.x]
name=Elastic repository for 8.x packages
baseurl=https://artifacts.elastic.co/packages/8.x/yum
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://artifacts.elastic.co/GPG-KEY-elasticsearch
enabled=1
autorefresh=1
type=rpm-md' | sudo tee /etc/yum.repos.d/logstash.repo

sudo dnf install logstash

Step 6: Configure Elasticsearch and Kibana

Edit the configuration files for Elasticsearch ( /etc/elasticsearch/elasticsearch.yml ) and Kibana ( /etc/kibana/kibana.yml ). Set up user authentication and define access controls to secure your ELK Stack.

Step 7: Access Kibana Dashboard

Access the Kibana dashboard through a web browser at http://localhost:5601. Use the enrollment token generated earlier to set up credentials and access Kibana.

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Christian Wells