How to set up rundeck in a centos-7 server

By /

Post Date: February 15, 2018
Last Updated: October 07, 2026

Introduction

Rundeck is an open-source runbook automation platform that helps system administrators and DevOps teams automate routine operational tasks across multiple servers.

Instead of manually logging in to individual servers and executing the same commands repeatedly, you can create jobs and workflows in Rundeck and run them from a centralized web interface.

Rundeck can be used for tasks such as:

  • Server maintenance
  • Application deployment
  • Log collection
  • Service restart
  • Backup operations
  • Scheduled administration tasks
  • Running Ansible playbooks
  • Auditing and operational automation

It also provides useful features such as access control, job scheduling, workflow management, execution logs, node management, and integration with automation tools such as Ansible.

In this guide, we will install Rundeck on a CentOS 7 server and then configure it to work with Ansible.

Important: CentOS 7 is an end-of-life operating system. This guide is intended primarily for existing or legacy CentOS 7 environments. For a new deployment, use a currently supported operating system and the current Rundeck requirements. Current Rundeck documentation requires Java 17.

Prerequisites

Before installing Rundeck, make sure you have:

  • CentOS 7 server
  • Root or sudo access
  • Minimum 2 CPU cores
  • At least 4 GB RAM for a small installation
  • At least 20 GB disk space
  • Java 17
  • Network access to the Rundeck repository
  • Port 4440 available for HTTP access

For production environments, use a supported operating system and size the server according to the current Rundeck system requirements.

Step 1: Update the Server

First, update the existing packages.

yum update -y

Check the operating system:

cat /etc/centos-release

Example:

CentOS Linux release 7.x

Step 2: Install Java

Rundeck is a Java-based application. Current Rundeck documentation requires Java 17 for supported current releases.

Install Java 17:

yum install java-17-openjdk -y

Verify the installation:

java -version

Example:

openjdk version "17.x.x"

You can also check the Java path:

which java

If multiple Java versions exist, make sure Java 17 is the active version.

alternatives --config java

Step 3: Add the Rundeck Repository

The official Rundeck CentOS installation procedure uses the Rundeck RPM repository.

Run:

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/rundeck/packaging/main/scripts/rpm-setup.sh 2> /dev/null | bash -s rundeck

Verify that the repository is available:

yum repolist | grep rundeck

Step 4: Install Rundeck

Install the Rundeck package:

yum install rundeck -y

Verify the package:

rpm -qa | grep rundeck

Step 5: Configure Rundeck Server URL

By default, Rundeck may use localhost as its server URL. When users access Rundeck from another machine, configure the server URL with the server IP address or domain name.

Edit:

vi /etc/rundeck/rundeck-config.properties

Set:

grails.serverURL=http://YOUR_SERVER_IP:4440

Example:

grails.serverURL=http://192.168.1.100:4440

For a production setup behind DNS and HTTPS, use your actual domain.

Example:

grails.serverURL=https://rundeck.example.com

Step 6: Start Rundeck

Start the service:

systemctl start rundeckd

Enable it at boot:

systemctl enable rundeckd

Check the service status:

systemctl status rundeckd

You can also monitor the Rundeck log:

tail -f /var/log/rundeck/service.log

Rundeck is ready when the application starts successfully and listens on port 4440.

Step 7: Check Port 4440

Verify that Rundeck is listening:

netstat -nltp | grep 4440

Expected output will look similar to:

tcp  0  0 0.0.0.0:4440  0.0.0.0:*  LISTEN

If netstat is unavailable:

ss -nltp | grep 4440

Step 8: Allow the Firewall Port

If firewalld is enabled, allow port 4440:

firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=4440/tcp
firewall-cmd --reload

Verify:

firewall-cmd --list-ports

For production environments, it is better to expose Rundeck through a reverse proxy with HTTPS rather than directly exposing port 4440 to the internet.

Step 9: Access the Rundeck Web Interface

Open a browser and visit:

http://SERVER_IP:4440

Example:

http://192.168.1.100:4440

The default login is:

Username: admin
Password: admin

Change the default password immediately after the first login.

Rundeck’s installation documentation also documents the default administrative login for a fresh installation.

Rundeck Working Flow

The basic Rundeck automation workflow looks like this:

Example

Suppose you need to restart Nginx on 20 servers.

Without Rundeck:

Login Server 1
Run command
Login Server 2
Run command
Login Server 3
Run command
...

With Rundeck:

This is where Rundeck becomes useful: operational tasks become repeatable, controlled, scheduled, and auditable.

Configure Rundeck with Ansible

Rundeck can integrate with Ansible so that Rundeck becomes the web-based automation layer while Ansible handles configuration and server execution.

The current Rundeck Ansible plugin provides support for importing Ansible inventory, running Ansible modules and playbooks, and using Ansible as a node executor.

Step 10: Install Ansible

On your automation server, install Ansible using the package source appropriate for your environment.

Verify:

ansible --version

Example:

ansible [core ...]

Step 11: Install the Rundeck Ansible Plugin

The Ansible plugin is maintained in the official rundeck-plugins GitHub organization.

The plugin files are placed under:

/var/lib/rundeck/libext/

For the exact plugin version you deploy, use the corresponding release artifact from the plugin’s official repository rather than an old 2019 download URL.

After installing the plugin, restart Rundeck:

systemctl restart rundeckd

Check:

systemctl status rundeckd

Step 12: Configure the Ansible Inventory

Create or use an Ansible inventory file.

Example:

[webservers]
web01 ansible_host=192.168.1.101
web02 ansible_host=192.168.1.102

[dbservers]

db01 ansible_host=192.168.1.110

Test connectivity:

ansible all -i inventory -m ping

Expected:

web01 | SUCCESS => {
    "changed": false,
    "ping": "pong"
}

Step 13: Create a Rundeck Project

Log in to Rundeck and create a new project.

Example:

Project Name: Infrastructure

Add your target nodes to the project.

Once the nodes are available, you can create jobs such as:

Restart Nginx
Disk Usage Check
Clear Application Cache
Backup Database
Deploy Application
Restart Docker
Run Ansible Playbook

Step 14: Create a Job

Create a Rundeck job with:

Job Name:
Restart Nginx

Workflow:
1. Select target nodes
2. Execute command
3. systemctl restart nginx
4. Verify service status
5. Store execution result

You can also add:

  • Schedules
  • Multiple workflow steps
  • Failure handling
  • Notifications
  • Access permissions
  • Execution logging

Example Automation Flow

A practical DevOps flow could look like:

Common Rundeck Use Cases

Rundeck can be used for many recurring infrastructure operations.

Application Deployment

Server Maintenance

Backup Automation

Security Recommendations

For production environments, do not leave the default credentials unchanged.

Recommended practices include:

Also consider:

  • Restricting Rundeck access to trusted networks
  • Using HTTPS
  • Using role-based access control
  • Limiting administrative permissions
  • Using SSH keys instead of passwords where appropriate
  • Protecting Ansible inventory and credentials
  • Auditing job execution logs

Rundeck also supports authentication and authorization controls that are useful for shared operational environments.

Conclusion

Rundeck provides a simple way to centralize infrastructure operations and automate repetitive tasks across multiple servers.

By combining Rundeck + Ansible, teams can build a controlled automation workflow where administrators trigger jobs from a web interface, while Ansible performs the actual configuration and server operations.

A typical environment can be summarized as:

For legacy CentOS 7 environments, this setup can still be useful, but new deployments should use a currently supported operating system and the current Rundeck release requirements. Java 17 is required by current Rundeck releases.

With Rundeck in place, repetitive infrastructure tasks can become standardized, scheduled, repeatable, and easier to audit.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is Rundeck used for?

Rundeck is used to automate and schedule operational tasks across multiple servers. It provides a central interface for executing commands, scripts, workflows, and automation jobs.

2. Can Rundeck work with Ansible?

Rundeck is used to automate and schedule operational tasks across multiple servers. It provides a central interface for executing commands, scripts, workflows, and automation jobs.

Yes. Rundeck can integrate with Ansible for inventory management and execution of Ansible modules and playbooks. This allows teams to use Rundeck as the operational interface and Ansible as the automation engine.

3. Which port does Rundeck use?

The default HTTP port is:

4440

Current Rundeck installations also support HTTPS on port:

4443

The exact port configuration can be changed according to your deployment.

Talk to our experts

Have a technology challenge or looking for the right solution for your business? Our team can help you with cloud, DevOps, development, infrastructure, design, and more. Feel free to reach out to our experts here.

Post Views: 157

admin

Our team has expertise across software and web development, WordPress, e-commerce, mobile applications, UI/UX, cloud and infrastructure, DevOps, CI/CD, API integration, security, testing, automation, and technical support. The team also works with AI-based software solutions, LLMs, AI workflows, AI agents, and intelligent application development to help businesses automate processes and build smarter digital solutions. We focus on developing, deploying, maintaining, and optimising secure, scalable, and reliable technology solutions while helping businesses adopt modern technologies and drive digital transformation.

Related posts

Leave a Comment

Scroll to Top