Ubuntu HortonWorks

Install the Ubuntu OS as normal. HortonWorks supports 12.04 and 14.04.

When partitioning the drives, do not create any swap.

Install some packages required by HDP:

aptitude -y install unzip ntp nscd

Increase the file descriptor and processor limits. In /etc/security/limits.conf:

* - nofile 32768
* - nproc 65536

Disable IPv6 completely in /etc/sysctl.conf. HortonWorks also recommends disabling swapping completely, and increasing max user instances:

net.ipv6.conf.all.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.default.disable_ipv6 = 1
net.ipv6.conf.lo.disable_ipv6 = 1
vm.swappiness = 0

Apply the changes:

sysctl -p

HortonWorks recommends disabling transparent hugepages as well. Add to /etc/rc.local:

echo never > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/enabled
echo never > /sys/kernel/mm/transparent_hugepage/defrag

On the primary node, add the HDP Ubuntu repos:

wget -nv http://public-repo-1.hortonworks.com/ambari/ubuntu14/2.x/updates/2.2.0.0/ambari.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ambari.list
apt-key adv --recv-keys --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com B9733A7A07513CAD
aptitude update

Install the Ambari package:

aptitude -y install ambari-server