Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Operating System Installation Guide

This chapter includes information about installing the Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and SUSE Enterprise Linux System (SLES) operating systems and system-specific drivers onto your server.

This chapter includes the following sections:

• Section 3.1, Installing the OS
• Section 3.2, Installing the System-Specific Drivers
• Section 3.3, Running Update Utilities

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3.1 Installing the OS

This section provides guidelines for installation methods and the tasks involved in the OS installation.

This section contains the following subsections:

• Section 3.1.1, OS Installation Overview
• Section 3.2, Installing the System-Specific Drivers
• Section 3.3, Running Update Utilities

3.1.1 OS Installation Overview

The following procedures are for installing drivers if you are performing a fresh installation of a Linux OS. You do not need to reinstall the drivers if you are using the preinstalled version of the OS.

See TABLE 3-1 for the task map for OS installation.

3.1.2 Configuring Your Linux OS System for RAID

If you don’t have the LSI Logic SAS3041E-R card installed in your system, and you don’t plan to install it, you can skip this section. If you have the LSI Logic SAS3041E-R card installed, use the procedure below to configure RAID for your Linux OS system.

1. Install the optional LSI Logic SAS3041E-R card (Sun part number
SG-PCIE4SAS-Z).

See the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Service Manual for instructions on installing and cabling the card.

2. Power on the server.

3. During the boot process, press Ctrl-C to enter the LSI utility when the LSI SAS card is recognized.

4. Create your RAID.

See the LSI Integrated RAID User’s Guide at:

http://www.lsi.com/documentation/storage/hbas/sas/IR-SAS_UserGuide.pdf

5. Save your work and exit the utility.

6. Install the Linux OS.

See Section 3.1.3, OS Installation Methods.

7. Download the LSI utilities for managing RAID from the following site:

http://lsi.com/storage_home/products_home/host_bus_adapters/sas_hbas/lsisas3041er/index.html

3.1.3 OS Installation Methods

See the following list of installation methods to determine the type of installation that you want to do and the relevant procedure.

See Section 1.4, Choosing an OS Installation Method for a description of each methods.

3.1.3.1 Installing the Linux OS Using the Direct Installation Method

Installing the Linux OS using the direct installation method, involves setting up the server to view the console and using CD/DVD OS installation media in a locally attached CD/DVD drive. You can then install the OS using the instructions for basic installation in the document that corresponds to the OS you are installing:

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Installation Guide for the x86, Itanium, and AMD64 Architectures at:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/

• SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 Administration and Installation at:

http://www.novell.com/documentation/sles9/pdfdoc/sles_9_admin_guide/sles_9_admin_guide.pdf

1. Set up the server so you can view the console output, by doing one of the following:

• Attach a local keyboard, video monitor and mouse to the server and go to Step 2.

-or-

• Connect to the console of the server via remote KVMS (RKVMS) through the ELOM web GUI’s Remote Console application. Go to Section 3.1.3.3, Installing Linux Using RKVMS.

-or-

• Connect to the console via the serial port. For a serial port console installation, do the following:

a. Connect a terminal to the serial port on the service processor.

A terminal can be a VT100, a PC running terminal emulation, or a terminal server. Set the terminal to receive at 9600 baud.

b. Redirect the console by doing one of the following:

• Enter the BIOS Setup Utility and set the "External COM port" value to "System".

-or-

• Use the CLI to change the SP ConsoleMux value:

i. Log in to the service processor’s (SP) command-line interface (CLI) using a user account that has administrator privileges.

For information about logging in to the CLI, see the Sun Fire X2200M2 Server Embedded Lights Out Manager Administration Guide.

ii. At the CLI prompt, enter the following commands to set the ConsoleMux value.

-> cd /SP/AgentInfo
-> set ConsoleMux=system

iii. Exit the CLI

-> exit

2. To complete the installation process, follow the procedures in the basic installation document for your OS.

3.1.3.2 Installing the Linux OS Using the PXE Network Installation Method

See the instructions for network installation in the document that corresponds to the OS you are installing:

These are the guidelines for NIC ports available for PXE installation:

3.1.3.3 Installing Linux Using RKVMS

This method involves using a remote networked system and the SP ELOM web GUI’s Remote Console application to install the OS onto the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server. The CD or DVD drive of the remote system is used to access the OS media. All output of the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server is displayed on the remote system (Remote Console).

For information about the Remote Console application and RKVMS, see the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Embedded Lights Out Manager Administration Guide.

Requirements for Remote KMVS Over IP installation include:

• Remote system connected to the network
• One of the following browsers on the remote system: Internet Explorer, Mozilla, or Firefox
• CD/DVD drive connected to the remote system
• Media for installing the OS of your choice
• SP of the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server set up as instructed in the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Installation Guide
• User must be logged into the remote system as root.

1. On a remote system, open a browser and type the IP address of the ELOM SP for the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server on which you want to install the OS.

The login screen appears.

2. Enter the user name and password for an account with administrator privileges, and click Log In.

3. In the main ELOM window, click Launch to open a remote console window.

4. Insert the OS CD/DVD to be installed on the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server into the local CD/DVD drive.

5. In the remote console window, select Storage, and then select Mount devices.

The Device Configuration windows appears.

6. In the Storage 1 Source field, from the drop-down menu, select the CD/DVD drive to be used for installing the OS.

7. Click Submit.

8. Configure the BIOS to boot from the remote (virtual) CD or DVD.

a. Go to the ELOM main page, and select Control -> Power Control ->
Reset.

The Sun Fire X2200 M2 system restarts and you can view the POST process from the Remote Console screen.

b. As the system is restarting, go back to the Remote Console screen and press F2 when the Sun Microsystems splash screen appears.

The BIOS setup utility appears.

c. Use the keyboard arrow keys to navigate to the Boot screen, and then select Boot Device Priority.

d. Change the first boot driver to Virtual CD/DVD.

e. Press F10 to save your changes and exit the BIOS.

The server boots from the virtual CD-ROM. The instructions for installing the OS are exactly the same as the instructions for using a local CD/DVD drive and monitor.

3.1.3.4 Installing Linux Using Serial Redirection and an Installation Server

If you have an installation server you can use the serial redirection method. This method involves using a terminal (or terminal emulator) connected to the server’s serial port to select the PXE network installation option from the BIOS prompt.

1. Connect a terminal to the serial port on the service processor.

A terminal can be a VT100, a PC running terminal emulation, or a terminal server.

2. Set the terminal to receive at 9600 baud.

3. Set up your OS to boot from an installation server.

See the instructions for serial redirection in the document that corresponds to the OS you are installing. There are OS specific changes that need to be performed in order for console redirection to work:

4. Login to the SP’s command-line interface (CLI) using an account with administrator privileges.

5. Type the following:

->  start /SP/AgentInfo/console

6. Boot the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server.

To boot via PXE, press F12 at the BIOS prompt.

7. After the OS is installed, log into the server.

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3.2 Installing the System-Specific Drivers

The following methods can be used to install system-specific drivers onto your Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server:

• For a system without a CD/DVD drive or monitor attached, use Section 3.2.1, Installing the Drivers Using KVMS.
• For a system with a CD/DVD drive and monitor attached, use Section 3.2.2, Installing Drivers Directly Onto the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server .

3.2.1 Installing the Drivers Using KVMS

See the instructions in Section 3.1.3.3, Installing Linux Using RKVMS.

3.2.2 Installing Drivers Directly Onto the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server

If your server has an onboard CD/DVD drive, you can install the drivers directly onto the server, using the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Tools and Drivers CD.

To install the video drivers and mount the diagnostic partition directly onto the server when running a Linux operating system:

1. Log in to the Sun Fire X2200 M2 server as root (superuser).

2. Insert the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Tools and Drivers CD into the DVD drive and type:

cd /mountpoint/drivers/linux/operating_system

mountpoint is the directory the CD is mounted.
operating_system is the type of Linux installed on the server (red_hat or suse).

• If the directory does not exist, the CD did not automount. You need to mount the CD and change to the correct directory as shown in Step 3 and Step 4.
• If you were able to access the operating_system directory, go to Step 5.

3. If the CD does not automount, open a terminal window and mount the CD by typing the following command:

# mount -o ro /dev/cdrom /mountpoint/device_type

/mountpoint/device_type is the appropriate mount point for the OS and optical drive type.

For example:

# mount -o ro /dev/cdrom /mnt/dvdrom

4. Change to the /mountpoint/drivers/linux/operating_system directory.

mountpoint is the directory that the CD is mounted to.
operating_system is the type of Linux installed on the server.

For example:

# cd /mnt/dvdrom/drivers/linux/red_hat

Your OS options are red_hat or suse.

5. Run the installation script by typing the following command:

# sh install.sh

This script is not executed if the X server is running.

• If the script exits and you receive an error message, go to Step 6.
• If the script is executed correctly, go to Step 7.

6. If the script exits and you receive an error message, perform the following steps to disable the X server:

a. Type the following at the system prompt:

# init 3 

b. Log in as root (superuser).

c. Repeat Step 4 and Step 5.

7. Eject the CD after the driver installation is finished.

8. Reboot the server.

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3.3 Running Update Utilities

Choose the section that corresponds to the Linux OS that you have installed:

• For RHEL: See Section 3.3.1, Running the up2date Utility for the RHEL OS.
• For SLES: See Section 3.3.2, Running the SuSEWatcher Utility for the SLES OS.

3.3.1 Running the up2date Utility for the RHEL OS

Run the up2date utility after installing the OS and drivers from the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Tools and Drivers CD.

1. Set up the up2date utility on the server.

See the documentation included with your Red Hat Enterprise Linux media kit for details.

2. Run the up2date program.

Select the kernel packages in the available package updates section.

3.3.2 Running the SuSEWatcher Utility for the SLES OS

Run the SuSEWatcher utility after installing the OS and drivers from the Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Tools and Drivers CD.

1. Set up the SuSEWatcher utility on the server.

See the documentation included with your SLES 9 media kit for details.

2. Run the SuSEWatcher program.

Select the kernel packages in the available package updates section.

^{1 (TableFootnote) For RHEL 3.7 and SLES 9 SP 3 operating systems, you need to install the drivers from the Tools and Drivers CD after installing the OS to obtain the full functionality of the NICs. See Appendix C for more information.}

Sun Fire X2200 M2 Server Operating System Installation Guide

819-6599-14

Copyright © 2008, Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved.