How to Restart Your GitLab Instance: A Step-by-Step Guide

by Devop · 05/03/2024

Restarting a GitLab instance involves a series of steps that ensure the application runs smoothly and securely. This guide provides a structured approach to restarting your GitLab server, from preparation to final testing, covering system requirements, backup procedures, service management, security measures, and more. It is crucial to follow these steps carefully to avoid data loss and ensure the integrity of your GitLab installation.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

Ensure system requirements are met and backup your data before stopping GitLab services for a restart.
Use the ‘sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure’ command for an automated reconfiguration and initialization of your GitLab instance.
Secure your GitLab account by locating the initial root password in ‘/etc/gitlab/initial_root_password’ and updating it upon first login.
Adjust firewall rules and network settings to allow trusted access and maintain secure communication for your GitLab instance.
Regularly maintain, update, and monitor your GitLab instance to ensure optimal performance and security.

Preparing to Restart Your GitLab Instance

Ensuring System Requirements Are Met

Before initiating a restart of your GitLab instance, it’s crucial to verify that your system meets the necessary requirements. Ensure your server has adequate resources to run GitLab smoothly, including sufficient CPU, memory, and disk space. For instance, a GitLab Runner installation on Ubuntu not only requires the Ubuntu OS but also enough disk space and a stable internet connection to function properly.

Compatibility across updates is key to a seamless restart process. Check the GitLab documentation for any specific version prerequisites and make sure your system complies with them. Here’s a quick checklist to help you assess your system’s readiness:

Update your system packages to the latest versions
Confirm that there is enough free disk space for GitLab and its components
Verify network connectivity and speed
Check for any required dependencies or software

Remember, a well-prepared system is the foundation of a successful GitLab restart. Taking the time to ensure all requirements are met can save you from potential issues down the line.

Backing Up Your GitLab Data

Before restarting your GitLab instance, it’s crucial to safeguard your data by creating a backup. This ensures that you can restore your system to its current state if anything goes awry during the restart process. Navigate to your GitLab installation directory and use the following command to create a backup:

$ sudo -u gitlab -H bundle exec rake gitlab:backup:create RAILS_ENV=production

Remember to replace gitlab with your actual GitLab user if it differs. The backup will be stored in /var/opt/gitlab/backups by default, but you can specify a different directory if needed.

Note: If you’re using GitLab Ultimate or any other edition, ensure that your backup strategy complies with your specific setup and data requirements.

After the backup is complete, verify the integrity of the backup file. A simple way to do this is by checking the file size and comparing it with the expected size. If the sizes match, you’re ready to proceed to the next step. If not, troubleshoot the backup process before moving forward.

Stopping the GitLab Services

Before proceeding with the restart, it’s crucial to stop all GitLab services to prevent data corruption or loss. Use the GitLab init script to safely stop the services. The command service gitlab stop will halt Puma (the web server) and Sidekiq (the job processor). Additionally, ensure that the Redis cache and the SSH daemon are not running by executing /etc/init.d/redis stop and /etc/init.d/sshd stop respectively.

Stopping these services ensures a clean state for your GitLab instance, which is essential for a smooth restart process.

Remember to verify that all processes have been stopped successfully. You can do this by running service gitlab status, /etc/init.d/redis status, and /etc/init.d/sshd status. This step is vital to avoid any unexpected issues during the restart. Once you have confirmed that all services are inactive, you can proceed with confidence to the next steps in the restart process.

To configure GitLab for user and repository management, CI/CD, and security, it’s important to utilize the powerful features for codebase control and analytics in a self-hosted environment. This will be covered in detail in the subsequent sections of this guide.

Reconfiguring GitLab

Running the Reconfigure Command

After making changes to your GitLab configuration file, it’s essential to apply those changes by running the gitlab-ctl reconfigure command. This command initiates an automated process that updates the system’s configuration based on the settings you’ve modified. Ensure that you run this command as the root user to avoid permission issues.

When you execute the reconfigure command, GitLab will perform a series of tasks in sequence. Here’s a simplified overview of what happens:

GitLab checks the configuration syntax for errors.
Services are adjusted according to the new configuration.
Necessary services are restarted to apply the changes.

Remember, if you’re using a legacy configuration method, such as the Praefect configuration prior to GitLab 15.9, you should update to the new single configuration structure to avoid issues when support is dropped in future releases.

If you encounter any errors during the reconfiguration, consult the GitLab documentation or community forums for troubleshooting advice. It’s also a good practice to review the configuration changes to ensure they align with your intended setup.

Automated Initialization Process

Once you’ve run the reconfigure command, GitLab will begin the automated initialization process. This is a critical step where GitLab configures itself based on the environment it detects. You won’t need to intervene; the system handles everything from setting up the necessary services to initializing the database.

During this phase, GitLab performs a series of tasks including but not limited to: setting up background verification, configuring server hooks, and initializing the container registry.

It’s important to monitor the process for any errors that might occur. If you encounter issues, consulting the GitLab documentation or seeking support from the community can be invaluable. Remember, successful initialization is key to a stable and functional GitLab instance.

Let’s Encrypt Certificate Configuration

Once you’ve set up Let’s Encrypt, configuring your GitLab instance to use the SSL certificates is crucial for secure communication. Ensure your gitlab.rb file includes the correct paths to your Let’s Encrypt certificates. For Apache configurations, you might see entries like SSLCertificateFile and SSLCertificateKeyFile pointing to your server’s certificate and key.

To automate the renewal of your Let’s Encrypt certificates, set the auto_renew option to true in your gitlab.rb file. This will help avoid any service interruptions due to expired certificates. Here’s a quick rundown of the settings you should verify:

letsencrypt['contact_emails']: Array of email addresses for renewal notifications.
letsencrypt['auto_renew']: Set to true for automatic renewals.
letsencrypt['auto_renew_hour'] and letsencrypt['auto_renew_minute']: Schedule the renewal time.
letsencrypt['auto_renew_day_of_month']: Define the renewal day, e.g., "*/7" for every 7 days.

Remember to replace SERVERNAME with your actual server name in the SSL configuration paths.

After configuring these settings, reconfigure your GitLab instance to apply the changes. If you encounter any issues, double-check the paths and settings, and consult the GitLab SSL documentation for further guidance.

Initial Web Interface Configuration

Accessing the GitLab Dashboard

Once your GitLab instance is up and running, the next step is to access the web interface, commonly known as the GitLab Dashboard. Navigate to https://your_domain in your web browser, where your_domain is the domain name you’ve set up for your GitLab server. On your first visit, you’ll be prompted to log in.

Enter ‘root’ as the username and use the password from /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password. This file contains a secure, auto-generated password that you can view by running sudo nano /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password as a sudo user.

After successfully logging in, you’ll land on the dashboard where you can start managing and adding projects to your GitLab instance. It’s a good practice to change your initial password immediately for security reasons.

Remember, the dashboard is your control center for all GitLab activities. From here, you can create new projects, manage existing ones, and configure your instance settings to match your workflow requirements.

Setting Up the Root Account

After successfully accessing the GitLab dashboard, the next critical step is to set up the root account, which serves as the initial administrative user. Immediately change the default username from ‘root’ to a unique username to enhance security. This is a precaution against targeted attacks, as ‘root’ is a well-known default that can be easily guessed by malicious actors.

To set the root account password, you can use the one generated during installation, which is found at /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password. It’s essential to update this password promptly to prevent unauthorized access. Here’s how to update your root account credentials:

Log in with the initial root password provided.
Navigate to the Account settings.
Enter a new, secure password.
Update the username from ‘root’ to your chosen username.
Confirm the changes to finalize the setup.

Remember, the root account has full administrative access, so it’s crucial to use a strong, unique password and keep it confidential.

Fine-Tuning Instance Settings

Once you’ve accessed the GitLab dashboard and set up the root account, it’s time to fine-tune your instance settings to ensure optimal performance and user experience. Adjusting these settings is crucial as they can significantly affect how your GitLab instance operates. Start by navigating to the ‘Admin Area’ where you can configure a variety of settings such as CI/CD, email, and external authorization.

Here’s a quick checklist of some key settings to review:

Appearance: Customize the look and feel of your GitLab instance.
CI/CD: Set up your continuous integration and delivery preferences.
Email: Configure email notifications and SMTP settings.
External authorization: Integrate with external authentication services.
Maintenance Mode: Enable this to perform system upgrades without user interference.

Remember to regularly review and update these settings to align with your evolving project needs and security standards.

Fine-tuning also involves setting up instance limits to prevent abuse and ensure fair resource distribution among users. This includes configuring rate limits for Git operations and setting up IP address restrictions to enhance security. Lastly, don’t forget to configure job artifacts and logs to manage how data is stored and accessed within your GitLab instance.

Securing Your GitLab Account

Locating the Initial Root Password

After successfully installing GitLab, the initial step to secure your account involves locating the initial root password. This password is automatically generated and stored in a file on your server. To access it, use the command sudo nano /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password. It’s crucial to note that this password is only valid under certain conditions:

The password has not been manually changed via the UI or command line.
It was provided before the database was seeded for the first time.

Ensure you retrieve this password within 24 hours of installation, as the file is designed to be automatically deleted after this period for security reasons.

Once you have the initial root password, proceed to the GitLab login page and use the username root along with the retrieved password to sign in. After logging in, it’s highly recommended to change the default password to maintain the integrity of your GitLab instance.

Updating the Root Password

Once you’ve logged in with the initial root password, immediately updating your password is crucial for securing your account. Navigate to the user icon in the upper-right corner and select Edit Profile to access the password settings.

Follow these steps to update your root password:

Click on the user icon in the navigation bar.
Choose ‘Edit Profile’ from the dropdown menu.
Scroll down to the Password section.
Enter your new password and confirm it.
Save your changes.

Remember, a strong password is essential for maintaining the security of your GitLab instance. Ensure it meets the GitLab Password Standards and is unique to your GitLab account.

After changing your password, consider changing your username from the default ‘root’ to something less predictable to enhance security further. This does not affect your administrative privileges but adds an extra layer of protection.

Implementing Two-Factor Authentication

Enabling two-factor authentication (2FA) is a critical step in securing your GitLab account against unauthorized access. It adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification in addition to your password. To set up 2FA on GitLab, follow these steps:

Log in to your GitLab account.
Navigate to your user settings.
Click on ‘Account’ and find the ‘Two-factor Authentication’ section.
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup, which typically involves scanning a QR code with your mobile device.

Remember, once 2FA is enabled, you will need to enter both your password and a code from your 2FA device whenever you sign in.

After setting up 2FA, it’s important to generate and safely store recovery codes. These codes will allow you to access your account in case your 2FA device is unavailable. Regularly review your security settings to ensure that your account remains protected.

Managing GitLab Services and Processes

Starting and Enabling gitlab.target

After ensuring that PostgreSQL and Redis services are operational, it’s time to start and enable the gitlab.target. This is a crucial step to get your GitLab instance up and running. Execute the following command to initiate the services:

sudo systemctl start gitlab.target

Once started, enable the service to ensure it automatically launches after a system reboot:

sudo systemctl enable gitlab.target

It’s important to verify that all services are running smoothly after starting gitlab.target. You can do this by checking the status of the GitLab services.

To check the status of your GitLab services, use the command:

sudo gitlab-ctl status

This will provide you with a list of all the GitLab components and their current status. Ensure that each component is running as expected before proceeding to the next steps in your configuration process.

Checking Service Status

After restarting your GitLab instance, it’s crucial to verify that all services are running as expected. Use the gitlab-ctl status command to check the status of each component. This ensures that your GitLab instance is fully operational and ready for use.

GitLab Premium users have access to additional monitoring tools that can provide more detailed insights into the health and performance of the system. Here’s a simple checklist to follow:

Run gitlab-ctl status to view service statuses.
Look for any services that are not running or are marked as ‘down’.
If a service is not running, use gitlab-ctl start <service-name> to attempt a manual start.
Check the logs for any services that fail to start using gitlab-ctl tail <service-name>.

Remember, maintaining a healthy GitLab instance is key to avoiding disruptions in your workflow. Regularly checking the service status after maintenance or updates can prevent potential issues from escalating.

Troubleshooting Common Service Issues

When you encounter issues with GitLab services, the first step is to consult the README or GitLab’s documentation for guidance. Common problems often have well-documented solutions. For instance, if GitLab’s web interface is unresponsive, checking the status of Puma and Sidekiq using the init scripts can provide immediate insights:

/etc/init.d/gitlab status
/etc/init.d/redis status

Remember, a proactive approach to monitoring services like Redis, Postfix, and the SSH daemon can prevent many issues from escalating.

If the problem persists, consider the following steps:

Review the logs for error messages or warnings.
Verify that all dependencies, such as databases and load balancers, are functioning correctly.
Ensure that replication and failover mechanisms are operational.

GitLab’s issue tracking system simplifies project management, code reviews, and CI/CD pipelines. It offers collaboration, feedback, and troubleshooting tools for efficient development processes. Utilizing these features can help identify and resolve issues more quickly.

Configuring Network and Firewall Settings

Adjusting Firewall Rules for GitLab

Ensuring that your GitLab instance is accessible while maintaining security is a delicate balance. Adjusting your firewall rules is a critical step in this process. For a typical GitLab installation, you’ll need to allow traffic on both HTTP and HTTPS ports. Here’s how you can update your firewall settings using ufw:

First, check the current status of your firewall with sudo ufw status.
To allow HTTP traffic, execute sudo ufw allow http.
For HTTPS, which is recommended for secure communication, use sudo ufw allow https.

Remember, if you’re using a non-standard SSH port for GitLab, you’ll need to allow traffic on that port as well. For example, if GitLab is running on port 2222, you would use sudo ufw allow 2222/tcp.

It’s essential to only allow traffic from trusted sources. For instance, if you want to restrict access to a specific network, you could use a command like sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp -s 192.168.1.0/24 –dport 80 -j ACCEPT to only accept HTTP traffic from the 192.168.1.0/24 subnet.

After making these changes, don’t forget to apply them by restarting the firewall service. This ensures that your GitLab instance is both reachable by your team and protected from unauthorized access.

Allowing Access from Trusted Hosts

To maintain a secure GitLab environment, it’s crucial to control which hosts can communicate with your instance. Allow only trusted hosts to ensure that your data remains protected. Start by configuring your firewall to permit traffic from known, safe IP addresses or ranges.

For HTTP and HTTPS traffic, you can use the /etc/services file to reference the correct ports by name. Here’s how to update your firewall settings using ufw:

sudo ufw allow http
sudo ufw allow https
sudo ufw allow OpenSSH

After updating the firewall rules, verify the changes with sudo ufw status. The output should reflect the newly allowed services. Remember, GitLab Dedicated offers the option to select your data’s cloud region, enhancing control over your hosting environment.

Ensure that your firewall rules are correctly configured before proceeding. Incorrect settings can leave your GitLab instance vulnerable or inaccessible.

Ensuring Secure Network Communication

Securing your GitLab instance’s network communication is crucial to protect against threats and vulnerabilities. Modify your GitLab configuration files to enforce HTTPS/SSL, ensuring all data transmitted is encrypted. For instance, update /etc/webapps/gitlab/shell.yml and /etc/webapps/gitlab/gitlab.yml to reflect the https:// prefix and set the https: setting to true.

When configuring GitLab runners and registry communication, adhere to the official configuration guide to establish TLS protocol. This ensures encrypted communication between services, safeguarding your CI/CD pipeline.

It’s essential to manage network ports and protocols effectively. For example, GitLabWorkhorse requires UDP 6831 for Jaeger, while services like Alertmanager, Sidekiq, and Puma use TCP 25 for SMTP. Always verify that your firewall settings allow these necessary communications without exposing your system to unnecessary risks.

Remember to rotate secrets of third-party integrations regularly and respond promptly to security incidents. By following these practices, you maintain a robust security posture for your GitLab instance.

Customizing GitLab Features and Integrations

Editing the GitLab Configuration File

Customizing your GitLab instance begins with editing the gitlab.rb file, which contains all the configuration settings. Start by opening the file with your preferred text editor, such as nano, with the command sudo nano /etc/gitlab/gitlab.rb. Ensure you have the correct permissions to edit this file, as it controls critical aspects of your GitLab setup.

When modifying the gitlab.rb file, you’ll encounter various configuration directives. For example, to update the Let’s Encrypt contact emails, locate the line letsencrypt['contact_emails'] and add your email address. Remember to uncomment any lines you wish to change by removing the # at the beginning of the line.

After making your changes, save and exit the editor. To apply the new configuration, run sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure. This command triggers an automated process that integrates your changes without requiring further input. It’s a good practice to review the changes and ensure they align with your security and operational policies.

It’s crucial to regularly review and update your GitLab configuration to maintain a secure and efficient environment.

Integrating Third-Party Services

Integrating third-party services into your GitLab instance can significantly enhance its functionality and streamline your workflow. GitLab simplifies software development with its ability to connect to a variety of external services. Whether you’re looking to authenticate users with OAuth providers like Auth0, AWS Cognito, or Google, or you want to integrate project management tools such as JIRA, GitLab’s flexible integration options have you covered.

Here’s a list of some common services that GitLab supports integration with:

Auth0
AWS Cognito
Azure
Bitbucket Cloud
GitHub
Google
LDAP
OmniAuth
Salesforce
SAML

Remember to configure each service according to the best practices for security and performance. Proper configuration ensures that your GitLab instance remains robust and reliable while benefiting from the added capabilities of external services.

Setting Up Webhooks and CI/CD Pipelines

Integrating webhooks and setting up CI/CD pipelines are crucial for automating your development processes. Start by configuring webhooks in your project settings to trigger actions in response to events within your GitLab repository. For instance, you can navigate to Project > Settings > Webhooks and add a new webhook to initiate builds or deployments when new commits are pushed.

GitLab CI/CD pipelines are defined in the .gitlab-ci.yml file, which controls the actions to be performed at each stage of the development lifecycle. To ensure a smooth workflow, follow these steps:

Define your pipeline structure with stages such as build, test, and deploy.
Write jobs within each stage that specify the tasks to be executed.
Use service integrations like Docker or Kubernetes to manage your application containers.
Optimize your pipeline configuration to reduce build times and resource usage.

Remember to validate your .gitlab-ci.yml file for syntax errors before committing it to your repository to avoid pipeline failures.

Lastly, consider the migration paths available if you’re transitioning from another CI/CD system. GitLab provides detailed guides for migrating from systems like Jenkins, Bamboo, or GitHub Actions. This ensures a seamless transition and leverages the full potential of GitLab’s DevOps capabilities.

Controlling User Access and Permissions

Restricting or Disabling Public Sign-Ups

To maintain a secure and compliant environment, GitLab allows administrators to control public access to their instance. By default, anyone can sign up on the GitLab landing page, which might be suitable for open-source projects but not for private enterprises. To restrict or disable this feature, navigate to the Admin area, select ‘Settings’, and locate the ‘Sign-up Restrictions’ section.

Disabling public sign-ups is straightforward:

Expand the ‘Sign-up Restrictions’ section.
Uncheck the ‘Sign-up enabled’ checkbox.
Click ‘Save changes’ to apply the new settings.

Remember, changes take effect immediately, removing the sign-up section from the landing page.

For organizations with specific domain email addresses, you can limit sign-ups to approved domains:

In the ‘Sign-up Restrictions’ section, check ‘Send confirmation email on sign-up’.
Enter your allowed domains in the ‘Whitelisted domains for sign-ups’ box, one per line.
Use an asterisk (*) for wildcard domains.
Click ‘Save changes’ to enforce domain restrictions.

By taking these steps, you ensure that only authorized users can create accounts, enhancing the security and compliance of your GitLab instance.

Managing User Roles and Groups

Effectively managing user roles and groups is crucial for maintaining the security and workflow of your GitLab instance. Groups contain multiple projects and resources, and the user roles within these groups determine access levels and permissions. It’s important to understand the hierarchy of roles in GitLab to ensure that each user has the appropriate level of access.

Guest roles, for example, have limited permissions, which are ideal for users who need to view, but not alter, project content. For more granular control, GitLab allows you to manage group-level custom roles, enabling you to tailor permissions to the specific needs of your organization.

Here’s a quick reference for the default roles in GitLab:

Guest: Can view but not contribute to projects
Reporter: Can contribute reports and view the project
Developer: Can contribute code and modify project resources
Maintainer: Can push to protected branches and manage the project
Owner: Has full control over the group and its projects

Remember, assigning the correct roles to users is essential for the integrity of your projects. Regularly review and adjust user permissions to align with changes in your team or project scope.

Setting Up Namespace and Project Permissions

Properly configuring namespace and project permissions is crucial for maintaining the security and workflow of your GitLab instance. Start by creating groups to organize your projects and users effectively. Use the GitLab interface to set up your organization and manage groups, ensuring that each group has the appropriate access and permissions.

When setting up permissions, remember to assign the minimum permissions needed for each role within a group or project. This practice enhances security and prevents unnecessary access to sensitive information. The following table outlines the basic roles and their permissions:

Role	Description	Permissions
Guest	For users who need read-only access	Access project, view issues
Reporter	For users who need to create issues	Guest permissions, plus create issues
Developer	For users contributing to the project	Reporter permissions, plus code push
Maintainer	For users who manage the project and its CI/CD	Developer permissions, plus settings
Owner	For users with full control over the group	Maintainer permissions, plus group management

It’s essential to review and adjust these permissions regularly to reflect changes in your team and project requirements.

Lastly, consider using advanced features like SAML Group Sync and SCIM to automate the management of group memberships and permissions, especially in larger organizations.

Maintaining and Updating Your GitLab Instance

Regular Maintenance Tasks

Maintaining a GitLab instance is crucial for ensuring its reliability and performance. Regularly check and update your application to the latest version to benefit from security patches and new features. Utilize the Admin Area to monitor and configure various aspects of your GitLab instance, such as CI/CD settings, secure files, and instance limits.

It’s essential to clear the application cache at regular intervals to prevent potential slowdowns and issues with outdated data.

For a healthy system, perform routine database maintenance tasks like backups, index rebuilding, and vacuuming. The gitlab-ctl and gitlab-rake commands are powerful tools for these operations. Here’s a quick checklist to keep your GitLab instance in top shape:

Update GitLab to the latest version
Clear application cache
Monitor and optimize database performance
Review and adjust instance limits
Conduct health checks and troubleshoot as needed

Remember, a well-maintained GitLab instance is the foundation of a productive and secure development environment.

Applying Updates and Patches

Keeping your GitLab instance up-to-date is crucial for security and performance. Always check for the latest updates and apply them promptly. Start by reviewing the release notes for each update to understand the changes and any actions you might need to take.

To apply updates, follow these steps:

Ensure your backups are recent and restorable.
Switch to the root user or use sudo for the following commands.
Stop GitLab services with gitlab-ctl stop.
Run the update command specific to your installation method (e.g., apt-get update && apt-get install gitlab-ee for Debian/Ubuntu).
Restart GitLab services with gitlab-ctl start.
Verify the update by accessing your GitLab instance and checking the version number.

Remember to monitor your instance after applying updates to catch any issues early. If you encounter problems, consult the GitLab documentation or seek support from the community.

Regular maintenance ensures your instance remains reliable and secure. For more detailed guides on specific tasks such as renaming GitLab projects or connecting VSCode to GitLab, refer to the official documentation.

Monitoring System Performance

Monitoring your GitLab instance’s performance is crucial to ensure a smooth and efficient workflow for all users. Regularly check the system’s health to preemptively identify and resolve potential issues. Utilize the Health Check feature to gain insights into the system’s status and performance metrics.

To facilitate this process, GitLab provides a variety of tools and features. For instance, the Admin Area offers access to logs, instance limits, and environment variables that can be critical in diagnosing problems. Additionally, GitLab recommends using the GitLab Performance Tool (GPT) for an effective performance test. Remember, it’s best to run GPT in a non-production environment to avoid any disruptions.

When monitoring, pay special attention to database performance, as it is often a bottleneck in large instances. Use tools like PgBouncer for connection pooling and monitor external databases to ensure they are not overburdened.

Finally, keep an eye on the metrics reports and test coverage visualization to maintain a high standard of code quality and performance. Regular maintenance and proactive monitoring can save you from unexpected downtimes and sluggish performance.

Finalizing and Testing the GitLab Setup

Verifying the Installation

Once you’ve completed the setup, it’s crucial to verify that your GitLab instance is running correctly. Start by checking that all services are up and operational. You can do this by running sudo gitlab-ctl status from the command line. If any services are not running as expected, consult the troubleshooting documentation for guidance.

Next, ensure that you can access the GitLab web interface. Open your web browser and navigate to your GitLab instance’s URL. You should be greeted with the GitLab sign-in page. If you encounter any issues accessing the page, verify your network and firewall settings are correctly configured to allow traffic to GitLab.

It’s also important to perform an integrity check to confirm that all system components are functioning properly. Run the sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:check SANITIZE=true command to carry out a series of diagnostic tests.

Finally, review the settings and configurations of your GitLab instance. Make sure they align with your organization’s requirements and best practices. For detailed guidance, refer to the installation guide relevant to your GitLab version, such as 16-0-stable.

Performing a Smoke Test

After successfully restarting your GitLab instance, it’s crucial to perform a smoke test to ensure basic functionality works as expected. Begin with a series of simple checks to confirm that the web interface loads, user authentication works, and core features are operational.

To systematically verify the functionality, consider the following steps:

Access the GitLab dashboard and log in with the root account.
Create a new project and upload some files.
Clone the repository to your local machine.
Make a change locally and push it back to the GitLab server.

Remember, the goal of a smoke test is to catch any glaring issues that could impede basic operations. It’s not as comprehensive as full regression testing but is essential for a quick health check.

If you encounter any failures, refer to the ‘Debugging Failing Tests and Test Pipelines‘ section in the GitLab Handbook for guidance on addressing these issues. This will help you to investigate and resolve problems before they affect your users or production workflows.

Reviewing the Configuration

After meticulously configuring your GitLab instance, it’s crucial to review all settings to ensure they align with your operational requirements. Perform a final check of the configuration files and the active settings in the GitLab dashboard. This step is vital to catch any misconfigurations or errors that could impact the performance or security of your instance.

Ensure that all integrations are correctly set up and that the communication between GitLab and any third-party services is functioning as expected. If you’ve customized any rulesets or enabled specific analyzers, verify that these changes are active and working correctly.

Remember, a well-reviewed configuration sets the stage for a stable and secure GitLab environment.

Lastly, consider documenting your configuration settings for future reference or audits. This documentation can be invaluable for troubleshooting or when planning upgrades.

Conclusion

Congratulations on successfully restarting your GitLab instance! By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ve reconfigured GitLab, accessed the web interface, and performed initial setup tasks. Remember, the journey doesn’t end here. GitLab offers a plethora of features and configurations to explore, from setting up your organization to mastering Git commands. Keep this guide handy for future reference, and don’t hesitate to consult GitLab’s extensive documentation for further customization and troubleshooting. Happy coding!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I reconfigure my GitLab instance?

To reconfigure GitLab, run the command ‘sudo gitlab-ctl reconfigure’. This initializes GitLab using your server’s information in an automated process, including setting up a Let’s Encrypt certificate for your domain.

Where can I find the initial root password after GitLab installation?

The initial root password is generated by GitLab and stored in ‘/etc/gitlab/initial_root_password’. You can view it by running ‘sudo nano /etc/gitlab/initial_root_password’.

How do I access the GitLab web interface for the first time?

Visit your GitLab server’s domain in a web browser and log in as ‘root’ using the password found in ‘/etc/gitlab/initial_root_password’.

Can I fine-tune my GitLab instance settings through the web interface?

Yes, after logging in as ‘root’, you can fine-tune your GitLab instance settings through the web interface dashboard.

What are some common GitLab Rake tasks?

Common GitLab Rake tasks include creating and configuring a GitLab Dedicated instance, learning Git, setting up your organization, managing groups, and troubleshooting.

How do I restrict or disable public sign-ups on GitLab?

To restrict or disable public sign-ups, you can configure the settings through the GitLab web interface under the ‘Settings’ section after installation.

How do I start and test my GitLab instance?

Ensure PostgreSQL and Redis are running correctly, then start/enable ‘gitlab.target’. Test your GitLab instance by visiting ‘http://localhost’ or the specific port number your web server listens on.

Is it safe to allow access to GitLab from hosts other than localhost during installation?

It is not recommended to allow access to GitLab from hosts other than localhost before completing the installation and setting the root password for security reasons.