1. WebYaST Remote Web Based System Management
Ladislav Slezák
SUSE Linux s.r.o.

2. Content YaST WebYaST features WebYaST demo
Implementation details, solved problems
Installation, customization
Questions

3. YaST

4. YaST – Yet another Setup Tool
System management tool for Linux
System installer
Open source (GPLv2+)
Included in openSUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise
Desktop application, administration account needed

5. YaST – Installation

6. YaST – Control Center

7. YaST – Package Manager

8. YaST – Package Manager

9. WebYaST

10. WebYaST Features Successor to YaST Access via a web browser
Open source (GPLv2 and LGPLv2)

11. WebYaST – Target Users Beginner users
Experts (remote system monitoring)
Appliance (virtual machine) management
e.g. SUSE Lifecycle Management Server (SLMS)

12. Comparing YaST and WebYaST
Remote access
YaST
WebYaST
SSH
VNC
HTTPS
No special SW needed,
just a web browser
OS/HW independent

13. Comparing YaST and WebYaST
Authorization and security
YaST
WebYaST
Admin
Password
User administrator
SW administrator ?
Linux System
User administrator
SW administrator
User's
password
Access
rights
Linux System
No password sharing
Access control
Role based access

14. WebYaST Demo

15. WebYaST

16. WebYaST

17. WebYaST

18. WebYaST

19. WebYaST

20. WebYaST in Details

21. YaST Architecture YaST UI Application Logic Low Level Access
(Qt, Gtk, ncurses)
Application Logic
YaST
Low Level
Access
System
Privileged user (root)

22. WebYaST Architecture – Overview
Web browser
HTML/HTTPS
Web client
Non-privileged
user
XML/HTTP
Web service
(REST service)
Non-privileged
user ?
System
WebYaST

23. WebYaST Architecture – Details
Web browser
HTML/HTTPS
Web client
Non-privileged
user
Client
Web
XML/HTTP
Web service
(REST service)
Non-privileged
user
DBus
WebYaST
YaST DBus
service
PackageKit
...
Privileged
user
System
REST Service
Direct non-privileged access

24. WebYaST – Details WebYaST uses Ruby on Rails framework
Reusing existing YaST code
DBus
Access control
PolicyKit UI
(Qt, Gtk, ncurses)
DBus
Wrapper
Application Logic
Low Level
Access
DBus service
System
Legacy YaST
Privileged user (root)

25. REST Service The backend which actually configures system
XML or JSON format over HTTP
Can be also used by 3rd party software
or from commadline (via curl, wget)

26. REST Service Key components/features
Small privileged part – DBus service
Access control – using PolicyKit
Reusing existing YaST components

27. Web Client HTML output over HTTPS Key features
XML communication with REST – Rails ActiveResource
Cross-browser compatibility – jQuery JavaScript library
Localization support – GetText

28. Web Client – Customization
First boot mode – first time configuration
Set of modules started before the main application
Started just once
Example: license agreement, root password, registration
Custom icon/link in the control panel, custom label
Custom CSS (layout, colors, ...)

29. WebYaST – Customization

30. WebYaST – Plugins Plugin design Similar to legacy YaST
Basic and shared functionality in base packages
Plugins implement the actual functionality
Decrease package dependencies
Install only the needed modules (security)
Plugins make WebYaST easily extensible

31. Installing WebYaST

32. WebYast – Installation
Already preinstalled
WebYaST in an appliance
Installing from RPM packages
Start yastws and yastwc system services
Open webyast-ui firewall port (optional for remote access)
Open in your browser
Running directly from sources (GIT)
The latest version for developers
See

33. WebYaST – Development Interested in WebYaST development?
Open source (GPLv2 and LGPLv2)
Contact:
IRC freenode.net #yast
Bug reporting
product: WebYaST

34. Resources WebYaST Documentation User and Vendor Guide General Terms
User and Vendor Guide
book_webyast_use/data/cha_webyast_user_overview.html
book_webyast_vendor/data/cha_webyast_vendor_overview.html
General Terms
REST:

35. Questions?