Preparing for installation
The BMC Helix Edge deployment comprises the OT Network, On-prem Core, and BMC Helix Operations Management on-prem components. This section explains the deployment architecture and the steps to complete the installation.
The following diagram explains the layers and components for deployments:
To describe the installation steps for the three layers—OT Network, On-prem core, BMC Helix Operations Management on premises, BMC Helix Edge core on Kubernetes, and Docker-Compose-based installation for nodes—according to the deployment diagram, here is the breakdown of each layer's installation process:
OT network
The Operational Technology (OT) network is the foundational layer that comprises the physical infrastructure, devices, and sensors. Installing the OT network involves setting up the physical infrastructure, connecting devices, and ensuring network communication between devices and the on-premises core.
On-premises core
The On-premises core is the central layer for managing and processing data from the OT network. It hosts the necessary components for data aggregation and initial processing. You must install the required software components on the On-premises core server. This installation includes BMC Helix Operations Management, BMC Helix Dashboards, and BMC AI Foundation components.
BMC Helix Operations Management On-prem
BMC Helix Operations Management On-prem is the top layer for advanced analytics, machine learning, and deriving insights from processed data. You must deploy the necessary components, including BMC Helix BMC Helix Single Sign-On (Remedy Single Sign-On), BMC Helix Operations Management, BMC Helix Dashboards, and BMC AI Foundation components. You can customize configurations to meet the specific requirements of your deployment.
BMC Helix Edge core on Kubernetes
The BMC Helix Edge core is part of the left-side node deployment for managing edge devices and their interactions. You must deploy the BMC Helix Edge-Core cluster and follow the Kubernetes-specific installation steps in the documentation.
Docker-Compose-based installation for nodes
A Docker-Compose-based installation simplifies the deployment process for individual devices for the nodes on the left side of the deployment diagram. Use Docker-Compose to set up containers for the nodes on the left side. Define the necessary configurations and dependencies for each node type.
After you deploy Docker Compose:
- Test the end-to-end integration between the OT network, On-premises core, and BMC Helix layers.
- Validate the data flow and processing across the layers.
- Monitor and optimize the system performance for efficient operation.
Before you begin
The BMC Helix Edge core manages edge devices and their interactions. You must deploy the BMC Helix Edge core cluster.
Before installing BMC Helix Edge on Kubernetes, you must complete the following tasks:
Task | Action | Reference |
|---|---|---|
1 | Make sure you have access and permissions as Cluster Admin to run the installer and the user permissions on all servers where you install BMC Helix Edge. | Installation permissions |
2 | Make sure that all hardware and software components are present in BMC Helix's on-premises infrastructure. | |
3 | Get the BMC Helix Edge files to complete the installation from the BMC Electronic Product Distribution (EPD) site. Upload and unzip the installation files to all servers where you install BMC Helix Edge. | |
4 | Update the BMC DTR registry details and the deploy.sh script for environment variables. |
When preparing for deployment, you must install all necessary tools on the server from where you run the deployment. By following these installation guidelines, you ensure that the required tools are available in standard system paths, avoiding potential issues during deployment.
Related topics
Task 1: To install Ansible
- Install Ansible on the machine from where you plan to run the deployment commands.
- Install Ansible in a system-wide location, such as /usr/local/bin/ansible.
- Follow the official Ansible installation instructions for your environment.
For more information about the Ansible, installation, see Installing Ansible
.
Task 2: To install Helm
- Install Helm on the same machine where Ansible is installed.
- Install Helm in a directory included in the path name, such as /usr/local/bin/.
- Refer to the Helm installation guide for platform-specific instructions.
For more information about the Helm installation, see Installing Helm.
Task 3: To install kubectl
- Install Kubectl on the machine from where you run commands against the Kubernetes cluster.
- Install kubectl in a system-wide location, such as, /usr/local/bin/kubectl.
- Follow the official Kubernetes documentation for installing kubectl.
For more information about the kubectl installation, see Install kubectl.
Task 4: To install the envsubst utility
- Make sure that the envsubst utility is available on the machine.
This utility is included in the gettext package. - On a UNIX-based system, install gettext, which includes envsubst.
For example, on macOS, by using Homebrew: brew install gettext