Guide on Installing Jenkins on AlmaLinux 9
Running Jenkins on AlmaLinux 9: A Secure and Stable Solution for CI/CD
Jenkins, a popular open-source automation server, and AlmaLinux 9, an enterprise-grade Linux distribution, form a powerful combination for continuous integration and continuous delivery (CI/CD) tasks. This combination offers several benefits, making it ideal for running critical CI/CD pipelines.
Stability and Security
AlmaLinux 9, a RHEL 9 clone, is a secure, stable, and scalable Linux distribution optimized for modern workloads. It provides enterprise-grade reliability, predictable updates, SELinux security, and a resilient architecture, making it an excellent choice for running Jenkins servers.
Compatibility and Ecosystem
Jenkins has native support and is actively maintained on RHEL-compatible systems like AlmaLinux. AlmaLinux 9 supports all modern Jenkins plugins and integrations, allowing seamless automation of building, testing, and deploying software. It also supports tools commonly used alongside Jenkins such as Ansible, Podman, and Kubernetes for hybrid and cloud-native workflows.
Performance and Scalability
AlmaLinux 9's kernel and system tuning for high performance and support for modern hardware ensure Jenkins can run highly scalable CI/CD pipelines efficiently. This is crucial for enterprises running numerous parallel builds or complex delivery workflows.
Security Best Practices
AlmaLinux 9 includes enhanced security features like SELinux enforcing mode and support for encrypting communications. These features are crucial for protecting Jenkins environments, their secrets, and pipeline data transmitted over the network.
Ease of Maintenance
Jenkins is open-source and regularly updated. AlmaLinux 9’s compatibility with RHEL 9 repos allows easy installation, updates, and patch management for Jenkins and its dependencies using standard package managers, ensuring Jenkins stays up-to-date with security patches and new features.
Integration with Modern DevOps Toolchains
AlmaLinux 9 supports the latest DevOps tools and plugins, including those for code quality analysis, security scanning, and compliance reporting in CI pipelines. For example, Jenkins can incorporate tools like Klocwork for static code analysis which support AlmaLinux 9 environments directly.
Setting Up Jenkins on AlmaLinux 9
Jenkins runs as a service on AlmaLinux 9, and you can access the web interface via a browser at the default port 8080. The official Jenkins YUM repository provides easy setup and updates. SSH access and Jenkins port are allowed in the firewall, which is managed by UFW. To install OpenJDK 17, the required version by Jenkins, you can use the appropriate repository like EPEL/Remi or Adoptium builds on AlmaLinux 9.
In conclusion, using Jenkins on AlmaLinux 9 provides a secure, stable, and performant platform for implementing scalable, maintainable, and secure continuous integration and continuous delivery pipelines suited for enterprise-grade software development and deployment workflows. The platform's compatibility with modern DevOps tools and plugins, ease of maintenance, and strong security features make it an ideal choice for production-grade CI/CD pipelines and automation environments.
[1] https://almalinux.org/docs/alma-9/ [2] https://jenkins.io/doc/book/installing/ [3] https://almalinux.org/docs/alma-9/package-management/ [4] https://www.klocwork.com/products/static-analysis-tools/static-code-analyzer-integration/
Data-and-cloud-computing technologies play a crucial role in deploying and scaling Jenkins servers on AlmaLinux 9, enhancing the platform's ability to manage complex delivery workflows and hybrid cloud-native workloads.
Modern DevOps toolchains, such as static code analysis tools like Klocwork, can be easily integrated with Jenkins on AlmaLinux 9, enabling seamless automation of code quality analysis, security scanning, and compliance reporting in CI pipelines.
