Sun N1 System Manager 1.2 Site Preparation Guide

Chapter 3 Installing and Configuring an OS on the Management Server

This chapter provides the procedures for installing and configuring an operating system on the Sun N1 System Manager management server.

This chapter discusses the following topics:

To ensure that you select the correct operating system for the management server, see Table 2–1.

Installing the Solaris OS on the Management Server

This section provides procedures for installing and configuring the Solaris OS on your management server. The Solaris OS must be installed on the management server before you can install the N1 System Manager system software.

This section discusses the following topics:

Disk Drive Considerations

The Solaris OS must be installed on an empty hard drive that contains no partitions or data. If the hard drive contains partitions, delete the partitions before installing the Solaris OS.

The following table provides the partitioning information for SPARC and x86 architecture management server, based on the minimum requirement of a 73–gigabyte hard drive.

Table 3–1 Solaris-based Management Server Partitioning

Partition 

Mbytes 

swap

4 Gbytes minimum 

/var

1-Gbyte for system logging plus 3 Gbytes for each OS distribution you plan to provision. 

/

All remaining space 


Note –

Allocate 3 Gbytes of free space for each distribution you plan to provision. If needed, upgrade the management server to a larger hard drive before continuing.


Installing the Solaris OS Using the JumpStart File

This section provides an example of the JumpStart configuration file required to use JumpStart to install Solaris 10 on your management server.

Refer to your Solaris 10 documentation for the procedures for configuring a JumpStart server, and for the procedures to configure the JumpStart start and finish scripts for your environment. When you have completed JumpStart configuration, install Solaris 10 on your management server using JumpStart.


Example 3–1 JumpStart Configuration File

install_type    initial_install
system_type     standalone
partitioning    explicit
filesys c1t1d0s1        4096     swap
filesys c1t1d0s0        free    /
cluster SUNWCXall

After you have installed Solaris 10 on your management server:

Installing the Solaris OS Manually

This section provides the procedures for installing the Solaris OS manually on the management server.

ProcedureTo Install Solaris Manually

Before You Begin

Ensure the partitions on all disks on the management server have been deleted.

Steps
  1. Insert the Solaris installation DVD-ROM in the DVD drive of the N1 System Manager and reboot the system.

    Respond to each prompt according to the requirements of your environment.

  2. When prompted for the Type of Install, select Custom Install.

    Respond to each prompt according to the requirements of your environment.

  3. When prompted for the Software Group, select Entire Group Plus OEM.

  4. When prompted for disk selection, select all available disks.

  5. When prompted to lay out file systems, remove the /export/home directory, allocate 1-Gbyte plus 3 Gbytes per OS distribution that you plan to provision to the /var file hierarchy, and assign all remaining free space to / (the system root directory).

Next Steps

Installing the RedHat Enterprise Linux OS on the Management Server

This section provides procedures for installing and configuring the Linux OS on your management server. The Linux OS must be installed on the management server before you can install the N1 System Manager system software.

This section discusses the following topics:

Disk Drive Considerations

Linux must be installed on an empty hard drive that contains no partitions or data. If the hard drive contains data, ensure that all partitions on the drive are deleted during the Linux OS installation by modifying the Kickstart file as described in To Configure the Kickstart File.

The following table provides the partitioning information for the management server, based on the minimum requirement of a 73–gigabyte hard drive.

Table 3–2 Linux-based Management Server Partitioning

Partition 

Size 

/boot 

102 Mbytes 

swap 

4096 Mbytes 

/var 

1-Gbyte for system logging plus 3 Gbytes for each OS distribution you plan to provision. 

All remaining space 

If your hard drive is larger than 73 Gbytes:

Installing the RedHat Linux OS Using Kickstart

This section provides example Kickstart files and the procedures to configure a Kickstart file and then use the Kickstart file to install Linux.

Sample Kickstart Files

This section provides two example Kickstart files. The first Kickstart file shown in Example 3–2 is configured for a full distribution installation of Linux. The second Kickstart file shown in Example 3–3 is configured to install only the RPM groups required by the N1 System Manager.


Example 3–2 Entire Distribution Kickstart File

install
 lang en_US.UTF-8
 langsupport --default en_US.UTF-8 en_US.UTF-8
 keyboard us
 mouse genericwheelps/2 --device psaux
 nfs --server 10.0.0.50 --dir /export/images/RHEL3U2
 skipx
 timezone America/Denver
 rootpw --iscrypted $1$Rig3dbXb$OWcv00J/V2WsBGcgx0bmp1
 network --device eth0 --bootproto static --ip 10.0.0.100
 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway 10.0.0.254 --nameserver 10.0.0.200
 --hostname sun-ms
 network --device eth1 --bootproto static --ip 192.168.200.254
 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway --nameserver 10.0.0.200
 --hostname sun-ms-prov
 network --device eth2 --bootproto static --ip 192.168.100.254
 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway --nameserver 10.0.0.200
 --hostname sun-ms-admin
 firewall -disabled
 authconfig -enablemd5 -enableshadow
 bootloader -location=mbr
 clearpart --all -drives=hda
 part /boot --fstype ext3 --size=102 -ondisk=sda
 part / --fstype ext3 --size=1024 --grow -ondisk=sda
 part swap --size=4096 --grow --maxsize=1024 -ondisk=sda
 reboot 
 %packages 
 @ everything
 grub
 kernel
 kernel-smp
 %post
 echo "RHEL3U2 installed `/bin/date`" > /etc/motd
    cat << EOF > /etc/resolv.conf
    nameserver 10.0.0.200
    search Customer.Com
    EOF
    cat << EOF > /etc/hosts
    127.0.0.1         localhost.localdomain  localhost
    10.0.0.100        sun-ms
    192.168.200.254   sun-ms-prov
    192.168.100.254   sun-ms-admin 
    EOF


Example 3–3 Required RPMs Only Kickstart File

install
 lang en_US.UTF-8
 langsupport --default en_US.UTF-8 en_US.UTF-8
 keyboard us
 mouse genericwheelps/2 --device psaux
 nfs --server 10.0.0.50 --dir /export/images/RHEL3U2
 skipx
 timezone America/Denver
 rootpw --iscrypted $1$Rig3dbXb$OWcv00J/V2WsBGcgx0bmp1
 network --device eth0 --bootproto static --ip 10.0.0.100
 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway 10.0.0.254 --nameserver 10.0.0.200
 --hostname sun-ms
 network --device eth1 --bootproto static --ip 192.168.200.254
 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway --nameserver 10.0.0.200
 --hostname sun-ms-prov
 network --device eth2 --bootproto static --ip 192.168.100.254
 --netmask 255.255.255.0 --gateway --nameserver 10.0.0.200
 --hostname sun-ms-admin
 firewall -disabled
 authconfig -enablemd5 -enableshadow
 bootloader -location=mbr
 clearpart --all -drives=hda
 part /boot --fstype ext3 --size=102 -ondisk=sda
 part / --fstype ext3 --size=1024 --grow -ondisk=sda
 part swap --size=4096 --grow --maxsize=1024 -ondisk=sda
 reboot 
 %packages -resolvedeps
 @ office
 @ engineering-and-scientific
 @ editors
 @ system-tools
 @ base-x
 @ web-server
 @ development-tools
 @ printing
 @ text-internet
 @ legacy-network-server
 @ gnome-desktop
 @ admin-tools
 @ server-cfg
 @ mail-server
 @ ftp-server
 @ network-server
 @ graphical-internet
 @ compat-arch-support
 grub
 kernel
 kernel-smp
 %post
 echo "RHEL3U2 installed `/bin/date`" > /etc/motd
    cat << EOF > /etc/resolv.conf
    nameserver 10.0.0.200
    search Customer.Com
    EOF
    cat << EOF > /etc/hosts
    127.0.0.1         localhost.localdomain  localhost
    10.0.0.100        sun-ms
    192.168.200.254   sun-ms-prov
    192.168.100.254   sun-ms-admin 
    EOF

ProcedureTo Configure the Kickstart File

Steps
  1. Log in to a machine that is accessible to the management server using NFS or HTTP.

  2. Create the Linux Kickstart configuration file.

    Choose whether to use the entire distribution Kickstart file shown in Example 3–2, or the required-RPMs-only Kickstart file shown in Example 3–3. Copy the chosen configuration data into a file, for example, n1gc-ks.cfg.


    Note –

    If you chose the required-RPMs-Kickstart file, you must also manually install additional RPMs as described in To Install RPMs Required by the N1 System Manager From the CD-ROMs.


  3. Configure the Kickstart installation file for your environment.

    • If you plan to use dynamic IP addressing, replace each network statement in the Kickstart file using the following syntax:

      network --device ethx --bootproto dhcp

      where ethx is the port, for example, eth0.

    • If you plan to use static IP addressing, make the following changes in each of the network statements.

      • Replace ip with the Ethernet port IP address.

      • Replace nameserver with the IP address of the corporate name server. If you want to use more than one name server, separate each name server IP address with a comma. For example: --nameserver 110.112.113.11,110.112.113.22.

      • Replace hostname with the name of your management server.

      If desired, you can combine static and dynamic IP addressing for the ETH ports. Modify the network settings according to your chosen reference architecture.

  4. Save the Kickstart file to an NFS or HTTP directory on the Kickstart server.

Next Steps

Installing RedHat Linux Manually

This section provides the procedures for installing Linux manually on the management server.

The following topics are discussed:

ProcedureTo Install RedHat Linux Manually

Steps
  1. Insert the RedHat Linux installation CD-ROM 1 of 4 in the DVD drive of the N1 System Manager management server and reboot the system.

    At the boot: prompt, start either a text-based or graphical user interface-based installation.

    • Press Return to install using the graphical interface.

    • Type text to install using the text-based interface.

    Respond to each prompt according to the requirements of your environment. You are prompted for the language selection, keyboard configuration, and mouse type. Provide the requested information.

  2. When prompted for partitioning information, choose Automatically Partition.

    You are prompted to choose whether to remove all Linux partitions, remove all partitions, or keep all partitions. Choose Remove all partitions. The partitioning values are displayed.

    Compare the displayed values to the required values listed by Table 3–2.

    • If the partitioning values match, choose Next.

    • If the partitioning values do not match, update the partitioning values to match Table 3–2.

  3. When prompted for the boot loader, choose Grub.

  4. When prompted to provide the Ethernet port selections, assign the IP addresses, netmask, and gateway values as described in the following guidelines.

    1. Configure ETH0 to connect to the corporate network to provide external access to the management server.

    2. Configure ETH1 to connect to the provisioning network.

      ETH1 must be on the same broadcast domain as ETH0. The IP addresses must be on the same broadcast domain as the provisionable servers' ETH0 interfaces, and can be configured to support hundreds of provisionable servers.

    3. Configure ETH2 to connect to the management processor interface port (SP0) of all provisionable servers.

      The netmask and gateway values must allow access to the management network.


      Note –

      If you have not installed a separate ETH2 gigabit NIC card in the management server, ETH0 and ETH2 functionality can be provided solely by ETH0. ETH0 must be configured to provide access to and from the management processor interfaces of the provisionable servers.


  5. When prompted for the firewall configuration, choose No firewall.

    You are prompted in sequence for additional language support, your time zone, and the root password. Provide the requested information.

  6. When prompted to accept the default packages or to customize the set of packages to install, choose Customize.

  7. Choose the packages required by the N1 System Manager system.

    • Office

    • Engineering and Scientific

    • Editors

    • System Tools

    • X-Windows (base-x)

    • Web Server

    • Development Tools

    • Legacy Software Development

    • Printing

    • Text-based Internet

    • Legacy Network Server

    • Gnome Desktop

    • Administration Tools

    • Server Configuration

    • FTP Server

    • Mail Server

    • Network Server

    • Graphical-based Internet

    • Compatibility Architecture Support (graphical install) or Legacy Software Development (text install)

    When you have completed the package selection, continue the installation. When Linux installation completes, you are prompted for additional system information such as graphics, monitor type, and screen resolution after which the system reboots. You are then prompted for additional startup information.

  8. Answer the System information prompts.

    When you have completed responding to the prompts, the login screen appears.

  9. Log in as root.

Next Steps

ProcedureTo Install RPMs Required by the N1 System Manager From the CD-ROMs

If you have installed RedHat Enterprise Linux 3.0 AS or ES Update 2 on the management server, you must also install the additional RPMs required by the N1 System Manager system.

Steps
  1. Log in as root to the N1 System Manager management server.

  2. Install the following RPMs from your RedHat installation CD-ROMs.

    • perl-CGI-2.81-88.4.i386.rpm

    • anaconda-runtime-9.1.2-2.RHEL.i386.rpm

    • perl-DBI-1.32-5.i386.rpm

    • perl-DBD-Pg-1.21-2.i386.rpm

    • rh-postgresql-7.3.6-1.i386.rpm

    • rh-postgresql-server-7.3.6-1.i386.rpm

    • imap-2002d-8.i386.rpm

    The location of the RPMs on the installation CD-ROMs varies depending on your RedHat Linux version.

    A DSA signature:nokey warning is displayed during RPM installation. This warning message is generated only because the RPMs do not have a DSA security signature. All DSA signature:nokey warning messages can be safely ignored.

Next Steps

Download and install the internationally compliant Perl module as described in the next section.

Installing the Internationally Compliant Perl Module

This section provides the procedure for downloading and installing the internationally compliant Perl module.

ProcedureTo Download and Install the Internationally Compliant Perl Module

Steps
  1. Log in as root on the N1 System Manager management server.

  2. Open a web browser and find a site that provides the perl-5.8.3-16.i386.rpm file for download.

  3. Download the perl-5.8.0-88.4.i386.rpm file to a directory on the management server.

  4. In a terminal window, change directory to the location where you saved the RPM file.

  5. Type rpm -i perl-5.8.3–16.i386.rpm to install the Perl module.

Next Steps

Enable FTP on the management server as described in the next section.

Enabling FTP on the Management Server

If you plan to manage SPARC-based provisionable servers, you must enable the FTP service on the management server.

ProcedureTo Enable FTP on a Solaris Based Management Server

Steps
  1. Log in to the management server as root.

  2. Type the command svcadm -v enable network/ftp.

    The FTP service is enabled, and starts when the management server is rebooted. After the system is rebooted, you can verify whether the FTP service has start using the inetadm command:


    # inetadm
    enabled   online         svc:/network/telnet:default
    enabled   online         svc:/network/nfs/rquota:default
    disabled  disabled       svc:/network/echo:dgram
    disabled  disabled       svc:/network/time:stream
    enabled   online         svc:/network/ftp:default 
Next Steps

Update the /etc/hosts file as described in Updating the /etc/hosts File

ProcedureTo Enable FTP on a Linux Based Management Server

Steps
  1. Log in to the management server as root.

  2. Create symbolic links to the /etc/init.d/vsftpd file in the /etc/rc3.d and /etc/rc5.d directories.

    For example:


    # ln -s /etc/init.d/vsftpd /etc/rc3.d/S99vsftpd
    # ln -s /etc/init.d/vsftpd /etc/rc5.d/S99vsftpd
    

    The FTP service is enabled, and starts when the management server is rebooted. After the system is rebooted, you can verify whether the FTP service has started by using the ps and grep commands:


    # ps -eaf | grep ftp
    root    3035    1  0  16:27 ?    00:00:00 /usr/sbin/vsftpd /etc/vsftpd/vsf
Next Steps

Update the /etc/hosts file as described in the next section.

Updating the /etc/hosts File

The IP address and the name of your management server must be added to the /etc/hosts. Failure to add the IP address and name will cause Sun N1 System Manager installation to fail.

ProcedureTo Update the /etc/hosts file

Steps
  1. Log in as root to the Sun N1 System Manager management server.

  2. Verify that the /etc/hosts file has entries for loopback and the management server.

    1. Make certain that either of the following loopback entries is in the /etc/hosts file.

      127.0.0.1    localhost

      or

      127.0.0.1    localhost.localdomain    localhost
    2. Make certain that an entry exists for the management server and its IP address. For example:

      111.11.111.11 n1mgmt.domain n1mgmt.domain

      where 111.11.111.11 is the IP address of the management server, and n1mgmt is the name of the management server and domain is your company domain name.

      Your /etc/hosts should be similar to the following example:

      127.0.0.1    localhost.localdomain    localhost
      10.5.157.123 n1mgmt.company.com
      
    3. Save and close /etc/hosts.

  3. Reboot the N1 System Manager management server.

Next Steps

Configure the management server mail service as described in Configuring the Management Server Mail Service and Account.

Configuring the Management Server Mail Service and Account

This section provides the procedures for configuring system files on the management server can receive email event notifications from ALOM-based provisionable server. Certain management server system files are common to both the Solaris OS and the Linux OS, whereas others are specific to the operating system. The procedures in this section first address the configuration of the common files, and then address operating system specific file configuration.

The following topics are discussed:

ProcedureTo Configure the System Files and Account for the Mail Service

Steps
  1. Log in as root to the management server.

  2. Update the hosts entry in the file /etc/nsswitch.conf.

    Edit the file /etc/nsswitch.conf and ensure that the file contains the following line.

    hosts:      files dns
  3. Update the search and nameserver entries in the file /etc/resolv.conf.

    Edit the file /etc/resolv.conf and ensure that the file is configured for at least one name server. For example:


    # cat /etc/resolv.conf
    search nameserver.company.com
    nameserver name server IP address
    

    In this example, nameserver.company.com is the name of a name server that is accessible by the management server, and name server IP address is the IP address of the name server. More than one name server can be specified, and each name server must be accessible by the management server.

  4. Update the sendmail configuration SMTP IP address in the file /etc/mailsendmail.cf.

    Edit the file /etc/mailsendmail.cf and locate the SMTP line. The SMTP line should be similar to the following:

    # SMTP daemon options
     
    O DaemonPortOptions=Port=smtp,Addr=127.0.0.1, Name=MTA 

    In the DaemonPortOptions line, change 127.0.0.1 to the IP address of the management server, and then save and close the file.

  5. Configure the domains that will be accepted by the mail server in the file /etc/mail/local-host-names.

    Edit file /etc/mail/local-host-names and add the fully qualified domain name of the management server and fully qualified alias domain names. You can also add the management server IP addresses.

    For example, if your management server is assigned the following values:

    • The management server name is n1sm-manager and is assigned the IP address 10.0.5.67.

    • The management server is also assigned the alias name engineering, which is assigned IP address 10.0.5.10.

    • Your company domain name is company.com

    Your /etc/mail/local-host-names file would then contain the following entries:

    n1sm-manager.company.com
    engineering.company.com
    10.0.5.67
    10.0.5.10
  6. Create a user account, user password for the account, a user directory, and a user mail inbox on the management server.

    The user account, password, and mail inbox are used to receive event notifications sent by ALOM-architecture provisionable servers, and should be reserved for use solely by the N1 System Manager. During the configuration process, you are prompted for the email user account, password, and mail inbox. ALOM event notification email is made available for viewing on the N1 System Manager browser interface Event Log tab.

    Refer to your operating system documentations for mail account creation and configuration.

  7. Add the user account name and home directory names to the file /etc/aliases.

    Edit the file /etc/aliases and add the ALOM email account to the file. For example, if the ALOM email account name is emailuser1, you would then add the following line to the file /etc/aliases:

    emailuser1:    emailuser1
  8. Type the command newaliases to refresh the system mail aliases.

Next Steps

ProcedureTo Configure the Mail Service on a Solaris Management Server

Steps
  1. Log in as root to the management server.

  2. Add the following lines to the file /etc/inetd.conf:

    imap    stream  tcp     nowait  root    /opt/sfw/sbin/imapd imapd
    pop2    stream  tcp     nowait  root    /opt/sfw/sbin/ipop2d ipop2d
    pop3    stream  tcp     nowait  root    /opt/sfw/sbin/ipop3d ipop3d
  3. Type the command inetconv to generate the email service manifests.

    For example:


    # inetconv 
    inetconv: Notice: Service manifest for 100235/1 already generated as 
       /var/svc/manifest/network/rpc/100235_1-rpc_ticotsord.xml, skipped
    inetconv: Notice: Service manifest for tftp already generated as 
       /var/svc/manifest/network/tftp-udp6.xml, skipped
    inetconv: Notice: Service manifest for 100083/1 already generated as 
       /var/svc/manifest/network/rpc/100083_1-rpc_tcp.xml, skipped
    inetconv: Notice: Service manifest for 100068/2-5 already generated as 
       /var/svc/manifest/network/rpc/100068_2-5-rpc_udp.xml, skipped
    imap -> /var/svc/manifest/network/imap-tcp.xml
    Importing imap-tcp.xml ...Done
    pop3 -> /var/svc/manifest/network/pop3-tcp.xml
    Importing pop3-tcp.xml ...Done
  4. Restart the inetd service.

    Determine the inetd service process ID, and then restart the service using the command syntax kill -hup processid.

    For example:


    # ps -ef | grep inet
        root   410     1   0 16:12:20 ?           0:04 /usr/lib/inet/inetd start
    # kill -HUP 410
    
  5. Verify that the pop3 and imap mail services have started.

    Type the commands inetadm | grep pop3 and inetadmin | grep imap. For example:


    # inetadm |grep pop3
    enabled   online         svc:/network/pop3/tcp:default
    # inetadm |grep imap
    enabled   online         svc:/network/imap/tcp:default
  6. Type /etc/init.d/sendmail restart to restart the mail service.

Next Steps

Install and configure the N1 System Manager software on your management server as described in the Sun N1 System Manager 1.2 Installation and Configuration Guide.

ProcedureTo Configure the Mail Service on a Linux Management Server

Steps
  1. Log in as root to the management server.

  2. Configure the pop3 mail service.

    Edit the file /etc/xinetd.d/ipop3 and ensure that the file contains the following entries:

    # default: off
    # description: The POP3 service allows remote users to access their mail \
    #              using an POP3 client such as Netscape Communicator, mutt, \
    #              or fetchmail.
    service pop3
    {
            disable = no
            socket_type             = stream
            wait                    = no
            user                    = root
            server                  = /usr/sbin/ipop3d
            log_on_success  += HOST DURATION
            log_on_failure  += HOST
            instances               = 50
            cps                     = 70 30
    }
  3. Ensure that the ipop3 service has been set to run at levels 3, 4, and 5 by typing the command chkconfig --level 345 ipop3 on.

  4. Type the following commands to restart the mail service.

    Wait for the first command to complete before typing the second command.

    /etc/rc3.d/S80sendmail restart

    /etc/rc3.d/S56xinetd restart

    For example:


    [root]# /etc/rc3.d/S80sendmail restart
    Shutting down sendmail:                                [  OK  ]
    Shutting down sm-client:                               [  OK  ]
    Starting sendmail:                                     [  OK  ]
    Starting sm-client:                                    [  OK  ]
    [root]# /etc/rc3.d/S56xinetd restart
    Stopping xinetd:                                       [  OK  ]
    Starting xinetd:                                       [  OK  ]
  5. Type the following commands to verify whether the mail service has restarted.

    netstat -an |grep 110

    netstat -an |grep 25

    For example:


    [root]# netstat -an | grep 110
    tcp    0    0 0.0.0.0:110         0.0.0.0:*          LISTEN
    [root]# netstat -an | grep 25
    tcp    0    0 192.168.1.104:25    0.0.0.0:*          LISTEN
Next Steps

Install and configure the N1 System Manager software on your management server as described in the Sun N1 System Manager 1.2 Installation and Configuration Guide.