Setting Up Nexus Repository Manager on Ubuntu 20.04 with External Storage

Introduction

In this tutorial, we will guide you through installing and configuring the Nexus Repository Manager on Ubuntu 20.04. However, we’ll take a step further by optimizing the storage setup. Rather than utilizing the root volume for Nexus, we’ll demonstrate how to mount an external volume to a specific path, enhancing flexibility and scalability.

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Prerequisites

Before diving into the installation, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

A server running Ubuntu 20.04.
A root password is configured for the server.

Step-by-Step Guide

To begin, update your system packages to the latest version using the following command:

apt-get update -y

1	apt-get update -y

Install Java:

As Nexus is based on Java, install Java version 8 on your system:

apt-get install openjdk-8-jdk -y

1	apt-get install openjdk-8-jdk -y

Verify the installed Java version:

java -version

1	java -version

Install Nexus:

To create a separate user for Nexus:

useradd -M -d /opt/nexus -s /bin/bash -r nexus

1	useradd -M -d /opt/nexus -s /bin/bash -r nexus

Grant the necessary privileges to the Nexus user:

echo "nexus ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" > /etc/sudoers.d/nexus

1	echo "nexus ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL" > /etc/sudoers.d/nexus

Create a directory for Nexus and download the latest version:

mkdir /opt/nexus
wget https://sonatype-download.global.ssl.fastly.net/repository/downloads-prod-group/3/nexus-3.29.2-02-unix.tar.gz
tar xzf nexus-3.29.2-02-unix.tar.gz -C /opt/nexus --strip-components=1
chown -R nexus:nexus /opt/nexus

mkdir /opt/nexus

wget https://sonatype-download.global.ssl.fastly.net/repository/downloads-prod-group/3/nexus-3.29.2-02-unix.tar.gz

tar xzf nexus-3.29.2-02-unix.tar.gz -C /opt/nexus --strip-components=1

chown -R nexus:nexus /opt/nexus

Edit the nexus.vmoptions configuration file:

nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus.vmoptions

1	nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus.vmoptions

Set Java max memory size and replace “../sonatype-work” with “./sonatype-work”:

-Xms1024m
-Xmx1024m
-XX:MaxDirectMemorySize=1024m
-XX:LogFile=./sonatype-work/nexus3/log/jvm.log
-XX:-OmitStackTraceInFastThrow
...

-Xms1024m

-Xmx1024m

-XX:MaxDirectMemorySize=1024m

-XX:LogFile=./sonatype-work/nexus3/log/jvm.log

-XX:-OmitStackTraceInFastThrow

...

Save and close the file. Edit the nexus.rc file to define the run-as user:

nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus.rc

1	nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus.rc

Uncomment and change the following line with the Nexus user:

run_as_user="nexus"

1	run_as_user="nexus"

Save and close the file. Start the Nexus service:

sudo -u nexus /opt/nexus/bin/nexus start

1	sudo -u nexus /opt/nexus/bin/nexus start

Verify Nexus:

tail -f /opt/nexus/sonatype-work/nexus3/log/nexus.log

1	tail -f /opt/nexus/sonatype-work/nexus3/log/nexus.log

Nexus should be running and listening on port 8081. Stop the Nexus service:

/opt/nexus/bin/nexus stop

1	/opt/nexus/bin/nexus stop

Create a systemd service file to manage the Nexus service:

nano /etc/systemd/system/nexus.service

1	nano /etc/systemd/system/nexus.service

Add the following lines:

[Unit]
Description=nexus service
After=network.target

[Service]
Type=forking
LimitNOFILE=65536
ExecStart=/opt/nexus/bin/nexus start
ExecStop=/opt/nexus/bin/nexus stop
User=nexus
Restart=on-abort

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

[Unit]

Description=nexus service

After=network.target

[Service]

Type=forking

LimitNOFILE=65536

ExecStart=/opt/nexus/bin/nexus start

ExecStop=/opt/nexus/bin/nexus stop

User=nexus

Restart=on-abort

[Install]

WantedBy=multi-user.target

Reload the systemd daemon:

systemctl daemon-reload

1	systemctl daemon-reload

Start and enable the Nexus service:

systemctl start nexus
systemctl enable nexus

1 2	systemctl start nexus systemctl enable nexus

Verify the status of the Nexus service:

systemctl status nexus

1	systemctl status nexus

Configure Nginx as a Reverse Proxy for Nexus:

Install Nginx and create a virtual host configuration file:

apt-get install nginx -y

1	apt-get install nginx -y

nano /etc/nginx/conf.d/nexus.conf

Add the following lines:

upstream backend {
  server 127.0.0.1:8081;
}

server {
    listen 80;
    server_name nexus.example.com;
    location / {
        proxy_pass http://backend/;
        ...
    }
}

upstream backend {

server 127.0.0.1:8081;

}

server {

listen 80;

server_name nexus.example.com;

location / {

proxy_pass http://backend/;

...

}

Verify the Nginx configuration:

nginx -t

nginx -t

Restart Nginx to apply the changes:

systemctl restart nginx

1	systemctl restart nginx

Verify the status of Nginx:

systemctl status nginx

1	systemctl status nginx

Mount External Storage for Nexus:

Now, let’s enhance Nexus storage by mounting an external volume. Assume the external storage device is /dev/sdb. First, partition and format the disk:

fdisk /dev/sdb
mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

1 2	fdisk /dev/sdb mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1

Create a mount point and mount the external volume:

mkdir /mnt/nexus_data
mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/nexus_data

1 2	mkdir /mnt/nexus_data mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt/nexus_data

Update the /etc/fstab file to ensure the volume is mounted on system reboot:

echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/nexus_data ext4 defaults 0 0' >> /etc/fstab

1	echo '/dev/sdb1 /mnt/nexus_data ext4 defaults 0 0' >> /etc/fstab

Update the Nexus data directory to use the mounted volume:

nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus.rc

1	nano /opt/nexus/bin/nexus.rc

Change the line related to the Nexus data directory to:

karaf.data=/mnt/nexus_data/nexus3

1	karaf.data=/mnt/nexus_data/nexus3

Save and close the file. Start the Nexus service:

systemctl start nexus

1	systemctl start nexus

Verify Nexus status:

systemctl status nexus

1	systemctl status nexus

Access Nexus Web Interface:

Retrieve the Nexus admin password:

cat /opt/nexus/sonatype-work/nexus3/admin.password

1	cat /opt/nexus/sonatype-work/nexus3/admin.password

Access the Nexus web UI using your browser and the configured URL. Sign in with the admin username and the obtained password. Complete the setup wizard, configure anonymous access, and finish the setup.

Conclusion

You have successfully installed and configured Nexus Repository Manager on Ubuntu 20.04 while optimizing storage by mounting an external volume. This setup enhances flexibility and scalability for managing your software artifacts.

Drop a query if you have any questions regarding Nexus Repository Manager and we will get back to you quickly.

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FAQs

1. Why is it beneficial to mount external storage for Nexus Repository Manager?

ANS: – Mounting external storage for Nexus provides several benefits. It allows for better scalability, as the external volume can be easily expanded without modifying the root volume. It also facilitates data management, enabling you to separate Nexus data from the system disk, which is especially crucial for systems with limited root volume space. Additionally, using external storage simplifies backups and data migration processes.

2. What steps are involved in securing the Nexus Repository Manager setup with HTTPS when using Nginx as a reverse proxy?

ANS: – Securing Nexus with HTTPS involves configuring Nginx to handle SSL/TLS termination. First, obtain an SSL certificate from a trusted certificate authority. Next, update the Nginx virtual host configuration file (e.g., nexus.conf) to include SSL directives, specifying the path to the certificate and private key. Configure Nginx to listen on port 443, the default port for HTTPS. Finally, restart the Nginx service to apply the changes. This ensures that data exchanged between clients and Nexus is encrypted, enhancing the overall security of the Nexus web interface.

WRITTEN BY Deepak S

Deepak S works as a Research Intern at CloudThat. His expertise lies in AWS's services. Deepak is good at haunting new technologies and automobile enthusiasts.