Getting Started with Txlog Agent

This tutorial will guide you through the process of installing, configuring, and running the Txlog Agent for the first time. By the end of this guide, you will have a working agent syncing your system's RPM transaction history to a central Txlog Server.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

1. A Linux system using RPM/DNF (e.g., Fedora, RHEL, CentOS, AlmaLinux).
2. Root or sudo access to the system.
3. A running Txlog Server instance (you will need its URL).
   • Note: If you don't have a server yet, ask your team lead for the https://... endpoint.

Step 1: Install the Agent

First, we need to add the repository and install the package. Open your terminal and run:

# Add the repository
sudo dnf localinstall -y https://rpm.rda.run/repo.rpm

# Install the txlog agent
sudo dnf install -y txlog

You can verify the installation by checking the version:

txlog version

You should see output similar to: txlog version 1.2.3 ...

Step 2: Configure the Agent

The agent needs to know where to send the data. The configuration file is located at /etc/txlog.yaml.

1. Open the file with your preferred editor (e.g., nano or vi):

   sudo nano /etc/txlog.yaml

2. Locate the server section. It will look something like this:

   server:
     url: https://txlog-server.example.com:8080
     # api_key: ...

3. Update the URL to point to your actual Txlog Server.

4. (Optional) If your server requires authentication, uncomment and set the api_key or username/password.

   Example with API Key:

   server:
     url: https://my-txlog.internal:443
     api_key: txlog_prod_123456

5. Save and exit the file.

Step 3: Sync Your First Transactions

Now that the agent is configured, let's send your current RPM history to the server.

Run the build command:

txlog build

What happens next? The agent will read your local DNF history database, compile the transaction logs, and upload them to the configured server.

If successful, you will see output indicating the synchronization status.

Step 4: Verify the Data

To ensure everything is in sync, use the verify command. This checks if your local state matches what the server has recorded.

txlog verify

• Success: If the output is clean or says "All transactions verified", you are good to go!
• Failure: If it lists missing transactions, run txlog build again to sync them.

Next Steps

Congratulations! You have successfully set up the Txlog Agent.

• Check out the How-to Guides to learn about configuring authentication or running in CI/CD.
• Read the Explanation section to understand how the agent ensures data integrity.