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:
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:
Do not change the assigned space for swap.
Allocate the space shown above for /boot.
Allocate 1-Gbyte plus 3 Gbytes for each operating system you plan to provision to /var.
Allocate the remaining space to /.
This section provides example Kickstart files and the procedures to configure a Kickstart file and then use the Kickstart file to install Linux.
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.
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
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
Log in to a machine that is accessible to the management server using NFS or HTTP.
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.
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.
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.
Save the Kickstart file to an NFS or HTTP directory on the Kickstart server.
Install Linux on the management server using the Kickstart file you created.
Install the internationally compliant Perl module as described in Installing the Internationally Compliant Perl Module
Configure the mail service as described in Configuring the Management Server Mail Service and Account.
Enable FTP as described in Enabling FTP on the Management Server.
Update the /etc/hosts file as described in Updating the /etc/hosts File.
This section provides the procedures for installing Linux manually on the management server.
The following topics are discussed:
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.
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.
When prompted for the boot loader, choose Grub.
When prompted to provide the Ethernet port selections, assign the IP addresses, netmask, and gateway values as described in the following guidelines.
Configure ETH0 to connect to the corporate network to provide external access to the management server.
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.
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.
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.
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.
When prompted to accept the default packages or to customize the set of packages to install, choose Customize.
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.
Answer the System information prompts.
When you have completed responding to the prompts, the login screen appears.
Log in as root.
If you have installed RedHat Enterprise Linux 3.0 AS or ES Update 2 on the management server, install the additional RPMs required by the N1 System Manager as described in the next section, To Install RPMs Required by the N1 System Manager From the CD-ROMs.
Install the internationally compliant Perl module as described in Installing the Internationally Compliant Perl Module
Enable FTP as described in Enabling FTP on the Management Server.
Update the /etc/hosts file as described in Updating the /etc/hosts File.
Configure the mail service as described in Configuring the Management Server Mail Service and Account.
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.
Log in as root to the N1 System Manager management server.
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.
Download and install the internationally compliant Perl module as described in the next section.
This section provides the procedure for downloading and installing the internationally compliant Perl module.
Open a web browser and find a site that provides the perl-5.8.3-16.i386.rpm file for download.
Download the perl-5.8.0-88.4.i386.rpm file to a directory on the management server.
In a terminal window, change directory to the location where you saved the RPM file.
Type rpm -i perl-5.8.3–16.i386.rpm to install the Perl module.
Enable FTP on the management server as described in the next section.