Katello

Katello is an open-source content management and lifecycle management layer for Foreman. It adds content management, repository hosting, and synchronization from external sources, along with features such as content views and lifecycle environments to support automated provisioning and patching of systems. Katello also integrates with subscription management to track and manage entitlements applied to hosts.

Key capabilities include managing software repositories and synchronizing content from upstream sources, creating curated content views, defining lifecycle environments (from development to production), and distributing content to registered hosts. Activation keys and host groups streamline enrollment and provisioning. Katello provides content auditing, errata handling, and release management to maintain consistent systems.

Architecture and integration: Katello is implemented as a plugin within Foreman. It relies on Pulp to manage repositories and content, and on Candlepin for subscription and entitlement management. A web UI and the hammer CLI provide management capabilities. The project contributes to the Red Hat Satellite ecosystem as the upstream content management layer.

History and usage: Katello originated to extend Foreman with content lifecycle management and became the foundation for Red Hat Satellite 6. It enables enterprises to centralize content updates and licensing across heterogeneous infrastructure, including physical, virtual, and cloud environments. As part of the Foreman ecosystem, Katello continues to evolve with new Foreman releases and accompanying content management features.