How can I access the Red Hat Knowledge Base using my AWS Account?

Question

I have a minor kernel issue showing on my Red Hat Insights Console.  I would like to fix it.  
There is a knowledge base article that matched the description.  I would like to read it.  
I can't read the knowledge base article because I pay AWS rather than Red Hat for my Red Hat servers on AWS.

So I followed the Steps Here https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/fleet-manager-red-hat-knowledge-base-access.html
The button in the console takes me to the Red Hat Knowledge Base.  But it doesn't grant me access to any of the content once I have logged in.

It seems to be a bug with the authentication process for this method of accessing the knowledge base.  Can anyone help?

I currently have 2x EC2 instances on Red Hat.  They are running RHEL 9.4 at this time.

BrianDAnderson_AWS · Answer

Troubleshooting Red Hat Knowledge Base Access Through AWS Systems Manager

I understand your frustration with not being able to access Red Hat Knowledge Base articles despite following the AWS documentation. This is a known issue that affects some AWS customers who use RHEL instances with AWS billing rather than direct Red Hat subscriptions. Let me help you troubleshoot and provide some alternative solutions.
Diagnosing the Authentication Issue

The problem you're experiencing is likely due to one of these common issues:

Authentication Chain Break: The authentication process between AWS Systems Manager Fleet Manager and Red Hat's authentication system isn't properly passing your AWS-RHEL entitlement information.

Account Linking Issues: Your AWS-provisioned RHEL instances aren't being properly linked to your Red Hat account when you access the knowledge base.

RHEL Version Specifics: RHEL 9.4 is relatively new, and there might be specific issues with the integration for this version.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Let's try these steps to resolve the issue:
1. Verify IAM Permissions

First, ensure your IAM user or role has all the necessary permissions:

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ssm:StartSession",
                "ssm:DescribeInstanceInformation",
                "ec2:DescribeInstances",
                "rhelkb:GetRhelURL"
            ],
            "Resource": "*"
        }
    ]
}

The rhelkb:GetRhelURL
permission is particularly important and sometimes overlooked.
2. Try an Alternative Access Method

Since the Fleet Manager integration is problematic, let's try an alternative approach:
Option A: Use the AWS CLI to Access the Knowledge Base URL

aws ssm start-session \
    --target your-instance-id \
    --document-name AWS-StartPortForwardingSession \
    --parameters '{"portNumber":["443"],"localPortNumber":["8443"]}'

Then access https://localhost:8443
in your browser.
Option B: Connect to Your Instance and Use the Red Hat Insights CLI

Connect to your RHEL instance using Session Manager:

aws ssm start-session --target your-instance-id

Install the insights-client if not already installed:

sudo yum install insights-client

Register with Red Hat Insights:

sudo insights-client --register

View the specific issue details:

sudo insights-client --show-results

3. Create a Support Case with AWS

This appears to be an integration issue between AWS Systems Manager and Red Hat's authentication system. Consider opening a support case with AWS to report this specific issue:

Go to the AWS Support Center
    Create a new case
    Select "Technical Support"
    Provide details about:
        Your RHEL 9.4 instances
        The steps you've taken
        The specific error or behavior you're seeing
        Reference this documentation page: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/fleet-manager-red-hat-knowledge-base-access.html

4. Direct Access to Red Hat Solutions

While waiting for a resolution, you can try to identify the specific kernel issue and search for solutions:

Connect to your instance:

aws ssm start-session --target your-instance-id

Check kernel details:

uname -r

View system logs for kernel issues:

sudo journalctl -k

Search for the specific error message on general search engines, which might lead you to public Red Hat discussions or bug reports.

Alternative Solutions
1. Use the Red Hat Customer Portal Directly

You can try registering for a free Red Hat Developer account at https://developers.redhat.com/ 
and then access the knowledge base at https://access.redhat.com/knowledgebase

While this won't automatically link to your AWS-provided RHEL subscription, it may give you access to the general knowledge base articles.
2. Use AWS re:Post for RHEL Questions

Post your specific kernel issue on AWS re:Post (https://repost.aws/

), where AWS and Red Hat experts might be able to provide guidance without requiring knowledge base access.
3. Consider AWS Support

If this is a production issue, consider upgrading to AWS Business or Enterprise Support, which includes support for operating systems running on EC2, including RHEL.

Next Steps

- Try the alternative access methods described above
    - Open a support case with AWS to report the authentication issue
    - Provide feedback on the documentation page to help AWS improve their guidance

Sources:

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/fleet-manager-red-hat-knowledge-base-access.html

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/Explorer-troubleshooting.html

https://repost.aws/questions/QU3k1MOwHYT3qhku0QSTsaFA/multi-account-transversal-need

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/security_iam_troubleshoot.html

BrianDAnderson_AWS · Answer

Troubleshooting Red Hat Knowledge Base Access Through AWS Systems Manager

I understand your frustration with not being able to access Red Hat Knowledge Base articles despite following the AWS documentation. This is a known issue that affects some AWS customers who use RHEL instances with AWS billing rather than direct Red Hat subscriptions. Let me help you troubleshoot and provide some alternative solutions.
Diagnosing the Authentication Issue

The problem you're experiencing is likely due to one of these common issues:

Authentication Chain Break: The authentication process between AWS Systems Manager Fleet Manager and Red Hat's authentication system isn't properly passing your AWS-RHEL entitlement information.

Account Linking Issues: Your AWS-provisioned RHEL instances aren't being properly linked to your Red Hat account when you access the knowledge base.

RHEL Version Specifics: RHEL 9.4 is relatively new, and there might be specific issues with the integration for this version.

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

Let's try these steps to resolve the issue:
1. Verify IAM Permissions

First, ensure your IAM user or role has all the necessary permissions:

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "ssm:StartSession",
                "ssm:DescribeInstanceInformation",
                "ec2:DescribeInstances",
                "rhelkb:GetRhelURL"
            ],
            "Resource": "*"
        }
    ]
}

The rhelkb:GetRhelURL
permission is particularly important and sometimes overlooked.
2. Try an Alternative Access Method

Since the Fleet Manager integration is problematic, let's try an alternative approach:
Option A: Use the AWS CLI to Access the Knowledge Base URL

aws ssm start-session \
    --target your-instance-id \
    --document-name AWS-StartPortForwardingSession \
    --parameters '{"portNumber":["443"],"localPortNumber":["8443"]}'

Then access https://localhost:8443
in your browser.
Option B: Connect to Your Instance and Use the Red Hat Insights CLI

Connect to your RHEL instance using Session Manager:

aws ssm start-session --target your-instance-id

Install the insights-client if not already installed:

sudo yum install insights-client

Register with Red Hat Insights:

sudo insights-client --register

View the specific issue details:

sudo insights-client --show-results

3. Create a Support Case with AWS

This appears to be an integration issue between AWS Systems Manager and Red Hat's authentication system. Consider opening a support case with AWS to report this specific issue:

Go to the AWS Support Center
    Create a new case
    Select "Technical Support"
    Provide details about:
        Your RHEL 9.4 instances
        The steps you've taken
        The specific error or behavior you're seeing
        Reference this documentation page: https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/fleet-manager-red-hat-knowledge-base-access.html

4. Direct Access to Red Hat Solutions

While waiting for a resolution, you can try to identify the specific kernel issue and search for solutions:

Connect to your instance:

aws ssm start-session --target your-instance-id

Check kernel details:

uname -r

View system logs for kernel issues:

sudo journalctl -k

Search for the specific error message on general search engines, which might lead you to public Red Hat discussions or bug reports.

Alternative Solutions
1. Use the Red Hat Customer Portal Directly

You can try registering for a free Red Hat Developer account at https://developers.redhat.com/ 
and then access the knowledge base at https://access.redhat.com/knowledgebase

While this won't automatically link to your AWS-provided RHEL subscription, it may give you access to the general knowledge base articles.
2. Use AWS re:Post for RHEL Questions

Post your specific kernel issue on AWS re:Post (https://repost.aws/

), where AWS and Red Hat experts might be able to provide guidance without requiring knowledge base access.
3. Consider AWS Support

If this is a production issue, consider upgrading to AWS Business or Enterprise Support, which includes support for operating systems running on EC2, including RHEL.

Next Steps

- Try the alternative access methods described above
    - Open a support case with AWS to report the authentication issue
    - Provide feedback on the documentation page to help AWS improve their guidance

Sources:

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/fleet-manager-red-hat-knowledge-base-access.html

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/Explorer-troubleshooting.html

https://repost.aws/questions/QU3k1MOwHYT3qhku0QSTsaFA/multi-account-transversal-need

https://docs.aws.amazon.com/systems-manager/latest/userguide/security_iam_troubleshoot.html

How can I access the Red Hat Knowledge Base using my AWS Account?

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