2260 lines
80 KiB
Plaintext
2260 lines
80 KiB
Plaintext
Network Install HOWTO
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Graham White, gwhite@uk.ibm.com
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IBM Hursley, UK
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v1.0, 12th September 2002
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This HOWTO describes how to install Linux over a Local Area Network
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(LAN). It covers setting up and administrating the install server
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machine as well as installing client machines from your server. Since
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Network Installation is distribution dependent it covers SuSE, Redhat
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and Debian installs but also includes a generic Linux network install
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guide.
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______________________________________________________________________
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Table of Contents
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1. Introduction
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1.1 Copyright
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1.2 Disclaimer
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1.3 Credits
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1.4 Translations
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1.5 Change Log
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2. Document Structure
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2.1 Server Setup Structure
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2.2 Client Install Structure
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2.3 Reading plan
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3. Quick Guide
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3.1 Advantages & Disadvantages
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3.1.1 Advantages
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3.1.2 Disadvantages
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3.2 Automatic vs Manual Installation
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3.2.1 Automatic Installation
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3.2.2 Manual Installation
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3.3 Hardware
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3.4 Software/Services
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3.5 Generic Server Setup Guide
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3.5.1 Begin Setup
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3.5.2 Setting Up Filespace
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3.5.2.1 How much space will you need?
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3.5.2.2 How much space do you have?
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3.5.3 Copy Installation Media
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3.5.4 Enable Remote Access
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3.5.4.1 NFS
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3.5.4.2 FTP
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3.5.4.3 HTTP
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3.5.5 Basic Setup Complete
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3.6 Generic Client Install Guide
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3.6.1 Create Config Files
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3.6.1.1 Configuration Program Installation
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3.6.1.2 Create A Basic Config File
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3.6.1.3 Advanced Config File Setup
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3.6.2 Boot the Machine
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4. SuSE Server Setup
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4.1 Setting Up Filespace
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4.1.1 How much space will you need?
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4.1.2 How much space do you have?
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4.2 Copy Installation Media
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4.3 Enable Remote Access
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4.3.1 NFS
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4.4 Package Customisation
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5. SuSE Client Install
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5.1 Create AutoYaST Config Files
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5.1.1 YaST 2 Module Installation
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5.1.2 Create A Basic Config File
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5.1.3 Advanced Config File Setup
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5.2 Boot the Machine
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5.2.1 Manual Installation
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5.2.2 Automatic Installation
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5.2.2.1 Further Boot Options
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6. Redhat Server Setup
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6.1 Setting Up Filespace
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6.1.1 How much space will you need?
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6.1.2 How much space do you have?
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6.2 Copy Installation Media
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6.3 Enable Remote Access
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6.3.1 NFS
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6.3.2 FTP
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6.3.3 HTTP
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6.4 Package Customisation
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6.4.1 Further Customisation
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7. Redhat Client Install
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7.1 Create Kickstart Config Files
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7.1.1 Kickstart Configurator Installation
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7.1.2 Create A Basic Config File
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7.1.3 Advanced Config File Setup
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7.2 Boot the Machine
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7.2.1 Further Boot Options
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8. Debian Server Setup
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8.1 Setting Up Filespace
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8.1.1 How much space will you need?
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8.1.2 How much space do you have?
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8.2 Mirror the Debian Archive
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8.2.1 Where to Mirror From?
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8.2.2 How to Mirror?
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8.3 Enable Remote Access
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8.3.1 NFS
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8.3.2 FTP
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8.3.3 HTTP
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9. Debian Client Install
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9.1 Boot the Machine
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10. Appendix A: Further Information
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10.1 HOWTO
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10.1.1 Generic
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10.1.2 Redhat
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10.2 Mini-HOWTO
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10.2.1 Generic
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10.2.2 Debian
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10.3 Web Pages
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10.3.1 Generic
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10.3.2 SuSE
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10.3.3 Redhat
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10.3.4 Debian
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10.4 Mailing Lists
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10.4.1 SuSE
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10.4.2 Redhat
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10.4.3 Debian
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______________________________________________________________________
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1. Introduction
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I was first prompted to write this document after reading a request
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for such a document on the LDP suggestions page. I realised that this
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was within my area of expertise and approached the LDP about creating
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a new HOWTO document for the project. I took the LDP standard
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template and have modified that in order to come up with the structure
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of this document. Using both the template and a few SGML references,
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I have written the SGML source, that I have since found to be a
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particularly convenient type for converting into many different
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document formats.
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About the author - I started working with Linux 2 years ago (at the
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time of writing) when I joined IBM <20> in a Linux support role. I
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started IBM with no previous administration experience and learned my
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skills on the job. A year after I joined I was certified as a Redhat
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Expert (RHCE). During my second year I implemented a Linux network
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install server that I am still managing and from which I hope to draw
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my knowledge to write this document.
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1.1. Copyright
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(C) Copyright IBM Corp. 2002.
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1.2. Disclaimer
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This document is provided "AS IS," with no express or implied
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warranties. Use the information in this document at your own risk.
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The following terms are registered trademarks of International
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Business Machines corporation in the United States and/or other
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countries: IBM. A full list of U.S. trademarks owned by IBM may be
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found at http://www.ibm.com/legal/copytrade.shtml.
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Linux is a trademark of Linus Torvalds
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Other company, produce, and service names may be trademarks or service
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marks of others.
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Naming of particular products or brands should not be seen as
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endorsements.
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This document may be reproduced or distributed in any form without
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prior permission provided the copyright notice is retained on all
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copies. Modified versions of this document may be freely distributed
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provided that they are cloearly identified as such, and this copyright
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is included intact.
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You are strongly recommended to take a backup of your system before
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major installation, and backups at regular intervals.
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1.3. Credits
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I am always open to putting more names in this section so if you want
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to get in here then please send me feedback or write your own section
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for a different Linux <20> distribution that is not included yet.
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Thanks to my proof readers of version 0.9:
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- Adrian Fewings
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- Beth Carey
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- Paul Milner
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1.4. Translations
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Currently this document is only available in English. If you would
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like to be a translator for it then please mail me.
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1.5. Change Log
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You can always find the latest copy of this document at the Linux
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Documentation Project <http://www.tldp.org/> homepage.
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V. DATE CHANGE
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______________________________________________________________________
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0.1 27th July 2002 Started writing the first draft
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Wrote the Introduction Section.
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0.2 2nd August 2002 Finalised the document structure.
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Written the SuSE Server Setup.
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0.3 20th August 2002 Tidied up source to work better with PDF docs
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Written SuSE Client Install
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0.4 21st August 2002 Written Redhat Server Setup
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0.5 22nd August 2002 Written Redhat Client Install
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0.6 23rd August 2002 Written Debian Server Setup
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0.7 30th August 2002 Written Debian Client Install
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0.8 1st September 2002 Written Quick Install Section
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0.9 2nd September 2002 Written Structure Section & Tidied up loose ends
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1.0 12th September 2002 Proof read and made refinements
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Submit to the LDP
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2. Document Structure
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This document is split up into various sections that are designed to
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make it easy to read and learn from. There are major sections that
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allow the reader to skip to parts of the HOWTO that will be relevant
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for them. The entire document is not designed to be relevant to every
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reader and you may wish to skip out entire major sections of it. Each
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major section will consist of a set of subsections, so if you think a
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major section is relevant to what you are reading this HOWTO for then
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please read ALL the subsections.
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This HOWTO covers different distributions of Linux and I try to be
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generic across different versions of a particular distribution. It
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contains two basic high-level structures to it for each distribution
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that it contains, these are (a) sections on setting up Linux install
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``server'' server machines, and (b) sections on setting up ``clients''
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using an install server. In addition to these two types of main
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section there are also a few other sections that are designed for
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reference purposes to other documents, and how to use this document.
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2.1. Server Setup Structure
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This is a rough list of points that you will need to follow in order
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to setup a Linux machine as a network install server. The HOWTO
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sections on setting up servers roughly adhere to this list:
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1. Install a machine with Linux to be a server machine
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2. Check you have enough disk space free to serve Linux installs
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3. Set up the filespace you want to use to serve the Linux installs
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4. Copy the install media to your filespace
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5. Enable one or more remote access methods to your filespace
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6. Customise your server images
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2.2. Client Install Structure
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This is a rough list of points that you will need to follow in order
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to install a Linux distribution from a network install server. The
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HOWTO sections on installing client machines roughly adhere to this
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list:
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1. Install config program on a machine
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2. Use config program to create config files
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3. Edit the config file to include customisable options
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4. Create a bootable media
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5. Provide access to the config file
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6. Boot your machine and read the config file
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7. Client contacts server machine
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8. Manually supply any requested arguments
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9. Client installs and reboots to new operating system
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2.3. Reading plan
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Although this is not the biggest reference guide in the world you can
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still help yourself for quicker reading by following the guidelines
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below. I have tried to write the HOWTO in such a way that it will be
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useful to all skill levels in Linux.
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Expert
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(aka the elite). If you are familiar with Linux as well as
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installation over networks then you will probably be able to do
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most of your setup using the quick guide section, you will also
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find some useful references in the appendices for further
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reading purposes. For distribution specific details of a
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network install then you should be able to reference the
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appropriate subsection.
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Experienced
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(aka competent). If you are familiar with Linux but new to
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network installations then you should be able to make good use
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of the various distribution independent sections. Read
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carefully through the sections that you think are relevant for
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your purposes but you should be able to skip through the
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commands quite easily. You will also find good references in
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the appendices for further reading.
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Newbie
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(mostly harmless). You will find some excellent installation
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references listed in the appendices that I would thoroughly
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recommend reading before attempting network installations. Make
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sure you are completely happy with a basic non-network Linux
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installation before you attempt networked installs. Once you
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think you are ready then read very thoroughly through the
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sections for the distribution you are interested in and make
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sure you read the non-distribution specific sections carefully
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too. You should find the command references in this HOWTO very
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helpful.
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3. Quick Guide
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This chapter gives some overview information about installing Linux
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over a network. All examples and information here can be considered
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generic between different Linux distributions. If you want more
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specific information for a particular distribution then please read
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one of the following relevant chapters.
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3.1. Advantages & Disadvantages
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The following is a list of advantages and disadvantages of installing
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Linux over a network and the automatic installation features available
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with many distributions of Linux. The list is in no specific order:
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3.1.1. Advantages
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<20> Fastest installation (on a good network)
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<20> Automatic configuration available (unattended installation)
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<20> Very quick installation of many systems
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<20> No need for physical installation media
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<20> Customisable installation with packages not available from the
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standard distribution
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<20> Once the install system is setup and working installations are very
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simple
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<20> Multiple system configurations available for automatic installation
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with different config files
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<20> Simultaneous installation from a single source
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<20> No need for an install media library, space-saving
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<20> Very easy to update
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<20> No problems with reading install media
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3.1.2. Disadvantages
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<20> Slow installation (on a bad network)
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<20> Added complexity of installation
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<20> Time needed initially to set up an install server
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<20> Relies on network and connectivity
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<20> Uses network bandwidth
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<20> A server machine is required (expensive)
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3.2. Automatic vs Manual Installation
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This section briefly compares the differences between automatic (or
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unattended) installations with the more common manual installations
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available. This should give you a good idea of which system is right
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for your usage.
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3.2.1. Automatic Installation
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Automated or unattended installation is probably less used and less
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well known for installing systems than manual installation. This
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instantly gives rise to the challenges of trying to educate people
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about what it is and how to use it. Once you understand the basics of
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networked installation then automatic installation is a natural next
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step to take when installing and configuring your systems.
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Automatic installation has the major drawback of a longer setup period
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required at the start of your process. This is to set up the install
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server (which you need to do for any network install environment) but
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you must also make up one or more configuration files for your install
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client to read. It is this setup time and slight added complexity
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that you must weigh up before deciding whether to do manual or
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automatic installations. Basically, as a rule of thumb, the more
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machines you have to install, the more time will be saved by using
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automatic installation techniques.
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Automated installations are very easy to perform once you have the
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initial setup completed. You boot your client system in any way shape
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or form you like (usually by floppy disk) but you also provide access
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to your configuration file to the client at install time (usually
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either on the floppy disk or over the network connection). The
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configuration file contains all the required information that your
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client will need for installation, from what mouse/keyboard to use
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right through to the packages that you want installed on your system.
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Another large bonus point of using the automated installation
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techniques is that most Linux distributions also provide means to add
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customised packages to the system at install time. This means that
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you can install packages that are not provided by the particular Linux
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distribution you are installing. There are normally also further
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configuration steps available such as the ability to write scripts for
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your installation that will get performed before, during, or after the
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install is complete. This all adds up to providing much faster
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installation of a complete system that is already setup in a
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customised way for your particular environment.
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3.2.2. Manual Installation
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This is the method of Operating System (OS) installation that most
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people are used to. Commonly we install our base OS using CDROM disks
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and boot from CDROM or floppy disk before proceeding through a program
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of menus that allow us to customise certain options. This is probably
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the greatest benefit of Manual Installation i.e. most people are
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familiar with the process. However, it can bring other benefits too
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such as a quick/easy/simple installation and this method of
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installation is used more (therefore tested more) than other methods
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of installation so it might just be more reliable too.
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The problems with manual installation come when you update your system
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very regularly, you are installing a large number of systems, or you
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want to have a particularly customised setup. Manual installation
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will not allow you to add extra programs to your OS at install time,
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you will have to install the OS then boot it before configuring the
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programs you want in the way that you would like. Also, this method
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can be quite time consuming if you are installing lots of systems,
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particularly if you only have a few sets of CDs.
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Manual installation can still be done using a networked install
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environment. You can do this on any compatible OS that allows you to
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boot your client machine ready for installation before loading your
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network drivers and contacting your install server. All the data that
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would otherwise have been copied from CD images is now sent over the
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network instead.
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3.3. Hardware
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You do not require any special hardware in order to install Linux over
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a network in either manual or automated mode. The basic requirements
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are:
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1. That you have a server machine available to you that has enough
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storage space on it to hold the install image that you want to
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transfer over the network.
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2. Ensure that this server is powerful enough to cope with the load
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that is going to be placed upon it.
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3. A network connection between your server and the client you want to
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install.
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4. A client machine with the appropriate hardware for the installation
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that you are intending to do.
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Some examples where you might require specific hardware may be if you
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have a specialised network or if you need to attach more storage to
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your server, for example. In the example of attaching storage to your
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server, it does not matter in any way to the installation process
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where the install image is held, it can be on a local hard disk, in a
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RAID array, on a distributed filesystem or anywhere that the server
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machine can access reliably and quickly.
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It goes without saying that if you don't have a network or your
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network is unreliable or slow then do not attempt network
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installations as they may fail or take a very long time to complete.
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3.4. Software/Services
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You will require a basic understanding of some of the services that
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run on a Linux based machine in order to setup your install server.
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These are services that make your install image available over your
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local network to the client machines that you want to install. In
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addition you will also need basic Linux administration skills in order
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to set up and maintain your server well.
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Most Linux distributions have a network installation method that makes
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use of between one and three methods of transferring data cross a
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network. These services may or may not have an impact on the
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installation you are going to perform at the client end. The
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differences between the services will depend on the Linux distribution
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you are installing and any distinctions that this distribution makes
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between these services.
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The three data transfer services are NFS (Network Filesystem), HTTP
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(Hypertext Transfer Protocol) and FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Each
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of these services is slightly different in the way that it operates,
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the function that it is designed for, and the way that you
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administrate it. Basic guidance is provided throughout this HOWTO
|
||
about what these differences are but you are recommended to
|
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familiarise yourself with each of them so that you can manage your
|
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system responsibly and make informed choices about the services that
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you run.
|
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|
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|
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|
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3.5. Generic Server Setup Guide
|
||
|
||
This section gives a brief run down of setting up an install server
|
||
for a Linux distributions as they can be and are designed specifically
|
||
to give you a very quick overview of what network installations
|
||
involve. If you want to perform network installations on your own
|
||
machines then you are advised to read the relevant sections of this
|
||
HOWTO in full. If the HOWTO does not contain a section for the
|
||
distribution that you want to install then you can either change the
|
||
distribution you are installing over the network to match the HOWTO or
|
||
use the following as a very rough guide on how to do it.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.1. Begin Setup
|
||
|
||
This section explains how to set up your server machine to be an
|
||
install server for a generic Linux distribution. For most
|
||
distributions you can use any other distribution as the install
|
||
server. For example, you can install Redhat over your network using a
|
||
server installed with SuSE.
|
||
|
||
This guide starts from the point where you have a machine installed
|
||
with Linux which is already up and running and connected to your
|
||
network. If you require help with installing Linux on your server
|
||
then please consult the Further Information section of this HOWTO in
|
||
``Appendix A''.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.2. Setting Up Filespace
|
||
|
||
In order to set up an install server you will need to put on all the
|
||
required data that will be needed to perform a full installation of
|
||
the Linux distribution you are going to serve. For example, if you
|
||
are used to installing Linux using CDs then you will need space on
|
||
your server to copy ALL the contents of each CD onto your server.
|
||
|
||
So, before you even think about setting up your machine as an install
|
||
server, you must check that you have the required space available.
|
||
This sounds like a trivial thing to check but it is very important and
|
||
easily forgotten when you're setting up.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.2.1. How much space will you need?
|
||
|
||
A guide for the amount of space that you will require will be the
|
||
amount of space on your install media that you are intending to copy
|
||
from later. This might be one of the following approximate examples:
|
||
|
||
<20> Number of CDs x 650Mb
|
||
|
||
<20> Number of ISO images x 650Mb
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.2.2. How much space do you have?
|
||
|
||
You will need the appropriate amount of space available to your system
|
||
on some local filesystem. It does not matter what form this takes,
|
||
whether it's a RAID device, local disk (either SCSI or IDE), etc.
|
||
Ensure that the space you intend to use is formatted with your chosen
|
||
filesystem and is mounted.
|
||
|
||
You can check this space with the command:
|
||
|
||
df -h
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If this output shows you have enough space to copy your install media
|
||
then great, you can continue installation. If not then it's time to
|
||
think about an upgrade to your intended server machine!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.3. Copy Installation Media
|
||
|
||
Once you know you have enough space available it's time to start
|
||
copying your install media to your chosen filesystem and directory.
|
||
This might involve copying the entire contents of all your CDs to one
|
||
install directory on your server or copying the data over the network
|
||
by some method, etc.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.4. Enable Remote Access
|
||
|
||
Time to make your install data available to other machines on the
|
||
network. Most distributions allow installation over the network using
|
||
NFS, HTTP and FTP protocols. You can select which of these will be
|
||
used at install time on the client. If one of the services is not
|
||
setup on the machine then it will still be available for selection by
|
||
the client but the install will not work. Therefore, it is either
|
||
best to enable all three services on your server (so they all work on
|
||
each client machine) or if you don't enable all three then advertise
|
||
the fact very well and say which service should be used for your
|
||
particular install server.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.4.1. NFS
|
||
|
||
To install over NFS you need to meet certain conditions on the server:
|
||
|
||
<20> Your install directory is exported
|
||
|
||
<20> NFS is installed and running
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Portmap is running
|
||
|
||
To export your install directory edit the /etc/exports file and add an
|
||
entry for your installation target directory to it. If you are not
|
||
sure about exporting filesystems then see your man page for the
|
||
exports file at exports (5).
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.4.2. FTP
|
||
|
||
To install over FTP you need to allow FTP access to the directory that
|
||
you have setup on the server as the installation directory. This can
|
||
be either anonymous FTP access or access through a named account with
|
||
a password. Anonymous access is probably best unless you have a
|
||
reason to protect your install server via a password.
|
||
|
||
If you want anonymous FTP to point to a different directory then you
|
||
can use sym links to point to the directory that you have set up as
|
||
the install directory on the server. This will allow FTP into a
|
||
chrooted environment but still give you access to the install images
|
||
in a different location.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.4.3. HTTP
|
||
|
||
If you have a web server running and want to enable HTTP access to
|
||
your install server then add sym links from your document root to the
|
||
install server directory and this will grant access. If you are not
|
||
familiar with web servers or are not comfortable with this approach
|
||
then leave out HTTP access from your install server as it provides no
|
||
benefits over NFS or FTP installs which may be simpler to set up.
|
||
|
||
If you do choose to use HTTP then basically all you have to do is make
|
||
the install directory visible to your web server by making it appear
|
||
under the document root by some means.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.5.5. Basic Setup Complete
|
||
|
||
You have now completed the basic setup of your install server.
|
||
Different distributions will grant you different options for further
|
||
customisation techniques of the installation process. The most
|
||
commonly found customisation is the option to install packages that do
|
||
not come as standard with the distribution you are installing.
|
||
However, there may be further customisations you want to do on your
|
||
particular server or that are available for your particular Linux
|
||
distribution.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.6. Generic Client Install Guide
|
||
|
||
This section gives a brief run down of setting up a client machine
|
||
using your install server. The terms and theory here are as general to
|
||
all Linux distributions as I can be and are designed specifically to
|
||
give you a very quick overview of what network installations involve.
|
||
If you want to perform network installations on your own machines then
|
||
you are advised to read the relevant sections of this HOWTO in full.
|
||
If the HOWTO does not contain a section for the distribution that you
|
||
want to install then you can either change the distribution you are
|
||
installing over the network to match the HOWTO or use the following as
|
||
a very rough guide on how to do it.
|
||
|
||
3.6.1. Create Config Files
|
||
|
||
You only need to read/follow this section if you are intending to use
|
||
an automated install process, if you intend to do a manual
|
||
installation over your network then skip this section. Here we go
|
||
through the process of creating configuration files that the installer
|
||
will read in order to create the configuration of our client machines
|
||
we are installing during an unattended network installation.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.6.1.1. Configuration Program Installation
|
||
|
||
In order to start creating your config files you will need to install
|
||
the relevant config file editor. Each distribution that is capable of
|
||
installing in unattended mode over the network will provide some means
|
||
of editing config files. Make sure you have these installed on some
|
||
Linux machine that will allow you to create and save all the different
|
||
configurations you might want to install on your network.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.6.1.2. Create A Basic Config File
|
||
|
||
Once you have confirmed that you have the configuration program
|
||
package installed, you can start to create configuration files. For
|
||
most situations the basic configuration described here will be
|
||
sufficient to perform your installations.
|
||
|
||
Start the configuration program that you have on your system. In most
|
||
cases, you will now be presented with a window that allows you to
|
||
configure most of your installation options as if you were installing
|
||
a new machine or performing an upgrade. You can proceed through each
|
||
menu, configuring your options for a particular system or set of
|
||
similar systems that you wish to automatically install.
|
||
|
||
Once you have progressed through each configuration screen, you are
|
||
ready to save out your configuration file to disk. Click the save
|
||
button and choose a location on your system to store configuration
|
||
files. If you are creating lots of different configurations then it
|
||
might be worthwhile creating your own configuration repository - don't
|
||
forget to name the files sensibly so you know which is which.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.6.1.3. Advanced Config File Setup
|
||
|
||
Before attempting advanced configuration please make sure that you
|
||
have first created a valid basic configuration file as described
|
||
``above''. It is perfectly possible to create your own configuration
|
||
files from scratch but it is far easier to use the tools provided to
|
||
do the job for you!
|
||
|
||
Once you have your configuration file saved, you can open it in your
|
||
favourite text editor. You can use or modify any of the existing tags
|
||
in your file, just so long as the tags, options, and syntax you use
|
||
are legal. Once you have edited the file manually then save it back
|
||
out in text format again. The best use of editing the configuration
|
||
file manually is probably for adding your own customised packages to
|
||
the installation.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3.6.2. Boot the Machine
|
||
|
||
The most common method of booting a client ready for installation over
|
||
a network is to use a floppy disk.
|
||
|
||
1. If you have not already created a boot floppy then do it now (you
|
||
only need to do this step once, when you have a boot floppy you can
|
||
install as many machines as you like with a single floppy):
|
||
|
||
<20> Locate the floppy image that you need to use.
|
||
|
||
<20> Copy the image to your floppy disk (make sure you have one inserted
|
||
in the drive, but not mounted) using the following command:
|
||
|
||
dd if=your-file.img of=/dev/fd0
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
2. If you are doing an automated install (with the config file) then
|
||
you should follow this step (otherwise skip to next step):
|
||
|
||
<20> Copy your config file to the root directory of the floppy
|
||
|
||
3. Insert your floppy disk into the client machine that you want to
|
||
install. Make sure that the floppy disk is in the boot list of
|
||
your BIOS and turn on your machine to boot from the floppy.
|
||
|
||
4. At the boot prompt:
|
||
|
||
<20> If you are doing an automated install then start the automated
|
||
process
|
||
|
||
<20> If you're not using config files then press ENTER for the default
|
||
installation
|
||
|
||
5. Finish the installation.
|
||
|
||
Don't forget that some distributions will allow you to boot from other
|
||
media as well as floppy images to perform network installations.
|
||
Also, each distribution normally has a set of extra boot options that
|
||
you can use if the above method does not work on your hardware. These
|
||
extra configuration options are normally for less common hardware but
|
||
are provided to make sure you can perform network installs.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4. SuSE Server Setup
|
||
|
||
This section explains how to set up your server machine to be an
|
||
install server for SuSE Linux. You can set up any Linux distribution
|
||
to be a SuSE Linux install server, this machine does not necessarily
|
||
have to be running SuSE Linux itself.
|
||
|
||
This guide starts from the point where you have a machine installed
|
||
with Linux which is already up and running and connected to your
|
||
network. If you require help with installing Linux on your server
|
||
then please consult the Further Information section of this HOWTO in
|
||
``Appendix A''.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.1. Setting Up Filespace
|
||
|
||
In order for your server to act as a SuSE Network Install server you
|
||
will need to put on all the required data that will be needed to
|
||
perform a full installation of the SuSE version you are serving. For
|
||
example, if you are used to installing SuSE using CDs then you will
|
||
need space on your server to copy ALL the contents of each CD onto
|
||
your server.
|
||
|
||
So, before you even think about setting up your machine as an install
|
||
server, you must check that you have the required space available.
|
||
This sounds like a trivial thing to check but it is very important and
|
||
easily forgotten when you're setting up.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.1.1. How much space will you need?
|
||
|
||
A guide for the amount of space that you will require will be the
|
||
amount or space of install media that you are intending to copy from
|
||
later. This might be one of the following examples:
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Number of CDs x 650Mb
|
||
|
||
<20> Number of ISO images x 650Mb
|
||
|
||
<20> One DVD which might be roughly 5Gb
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.1.2. How much space do you have?
|
||
|
||
You will need the appropriate amount of space available to your system
|
||
on some local filesystem. It does not matter what form this takes,
|
||
whether it's a RAID device, local disk (either SCSI or IDE), etc.
|
||
Ensure that the space you intend to use is formatted with your chosen
|
||
filesystem and is mounted.
|
||
|
||
You can check this space with the command:
|
||
|
||
df -h
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If this output shows you have enough space to copy your install media
|
||
then great, you can continue installation. If not then it's time to
|
||
think about an upgrade to your intended server machine!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.2. Copy Installation Media
|
||
|
||
Once you know you have enough space available it's time to start
|
||
copying your install media to your chosen filesystem and directory.
|
||
For the purposes of this HOWTO we will use the following example to
|
||
represent the directory from which our install server will be setup
|
||
and running:
|
||
|
||
/install
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Copy your install media to /install. The following example shows you
|
||
how to do this for copying your SuSE CD images to /install:
|
||
|
||
1. Mount your CD
|
||
|
||
2. Copy the data from CD
|
||
|
||
3. Unmount the CD
|
||
|
||
4. Now swap CDs and repeat from step 1 for each of your CDs you have.
|
||
|
||
5. Ensure that you have the dot files from the root directory of each
|
||
CD copied over to /install
|
||
|
||
Now you should have all you need in /install but if you have copied
|
||
from CD then as far as SuSE is concerned the /install directory still
|
||
represents a set of CD images that you have copied. You need to
|
||
change this such that the set of CD images appears as a single
|
||
installation medium. Use the following Perl command to do this:
|
||
|
||
perl -pi -e 's/InstPath:\t\d+/InstPath:\t01/' /install/suse/setup/descr/common.pkd
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.3. Enable Remote Access
|
||
|
||
Time to make your install data available to other machines on the
|
||
network.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4.3.1. NFS
|
||
|
||
SuSE is best installed over the network using NFS since support for
|
||
the HTTP and FTP protocols is not necessarily supported during
|
||
installation, even though later system updates may be applied over
|
||
HTTP or FTP.
|
||
|
||
To install over NFS you need to meet certain conditions on the server:
|
||
|
||
<20> Your install directory is exported
|
||
|
||
<20> NFS is installed and running
|
||
|
||
<20> Portmap is running
|
||
|
||
To export your install directory edit the /etc/exports file and add an
|
||
entry for /install to it. In our example, we would use the folowing
|
||
line:
|
||
|
||
/install *(ro)
|
||
|
||
|
||
When you have saved your exports file you must then get your NFS dae<61>
|
||
mon to read its configuration file again in order to export the direc<65>
|
||
tory you just added. Do this by running the command:
|
||
|
||
exportfs -r
|
||
|
||
|
||
This gives us the most simple read-only export to all hosts on our
|
||
network. If you want to include more advanced options in your export
|
||
e.g. only exporting to certain hosts on the network or a certain sub<75>
|
||
net, etc then see your man page for the exports file at exports (5).
|
||
|
||
You have now completed the basic setup of your install server.
|
||
|
||
4.4. Package Customisation
|
||
|
||
You can, if you wish, add your own packages to the SuSE distribution
|
||
so that they are installed along with SuSE over the network when you
|
||
install your clients. The advantage of this is that you don't have to
|
||
spend time configuring each machine for packages that you may want
|
||
installed that are not included with SuSE. Examples of this might be
|
||
your own RPM packages that you have created or some specialised
|
||
package.
|
||
|
||
Simply copy your RPM package files into the following directory
|
||
|
||
/install/suse/custom
|
||
|
||
|
||
NOTE: you may need to create this directory if it does not exist
|
||
|
||
Your custom RPM packages should now be available to the clients.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5. SuSE Client Install
|
||
|
||
You should have already decided by now using the ``Quick Guide''
|
||
section of this HOWTO whether you are going to install your machine
|
||
using the automated process or a manual process. The automated
|
||
process under SuSE is known as AutoYaST and in short provides you with
|
||
a configuration file for the machine that you are going to install so
|
||
that you can perform unattended installs of client machines.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.1. Create AutoYaST Config Files
|
||
|
||
You only need to read/follow this section if you are intending to use
|
||
an automated install process, if you intend to do a manual
|
||
installation over your network then skip this section. Here we go
|
||
through the process of creating configuration files that the installer
|
||
will read in order to create the configuration of our client machine
|
||
we are installing during an unattended network installation.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.1.1. YaST 2 Module Installation
|
||
|
||
In order to start creating your config files you will need to install
|
||
the AutoYaST module for YaST2 on your SuSE machine. You will need
|
||
three RPMs for this, all of which are on your SuSE source media e.g.
|
||
CDs. The three RPMs are:
|
||
|
||
<20> yast2-trans-autoinst
|
||
|
||
<20> yast2-config-autoinst
|
||
|
||
<20> yast2-module-autoinst
|
||
|
||
Check to see if you already have them installed with the command:
|
||
|
||
rpm -q {rpm package name}
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If these packages are not installed then install with the command:
|
||
|
||
rpm -Uvh {rpm package name}
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.1.2. Create A Basic Config File
|
||
|
||
Once you have confirmed that you have the AutoYaST packages installed
|
||
on your system, you can now start to create configuration files. For
|
||
most situations the basic configuration described here will be
|
||
sufficient to perform your installations.
|
||
|
||
Start the YaST2 Autoinstall configuration GUI with the command:
|
||
|
||
yast2 autoyast
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
You will now be presented with a window that allows you to configure
|
||
most of your installation options as if you were installing a new
|
||
machine or performing an upgrade. You can proceed through the menu
|
||
system configuring your options for a particular system or set of
|
||
similar systems that you wish to automatically install. Alternatively,
|
||
you can create class definitions which allows you to save different
|
||
parts of the configuration setup and then use different classes for
|
||
different sets of machines.
|
||
|
||
The use of classes is particularly good when you have a set of systems
|
||
that are similar but that you would like installed in slightly
|
||
different ways. For example, you could create a class definition for
|
||
the hardware setup of all your client machines and create a separate
|
||
class for the packages you want installed on them, whether they are
|
||
server machines, test machines, workstations, etc. You can then
|
||
choose which classes are used by which machines when they are
|
||
installed. In our example here, all the machines would use the same
|
||
hardware setup, but the workstation machines could install our
|
||
workstation class of packages, test machines the test class, etc.
|
||
|
||
Once you have progressed through each configuration screen in the
|
||
config setup GUI from YaST2 you are ready to save out your
|
||
configuration file to disk. NOTE: it is outside the boundaries of
|
||
this document to take you through each configuration option for
|
||
installation, we are just concerned with the principles of network
|
||
installs here. Please consult your SuSE documentation or the SuSE
|
||
Website <http://www.suse.com> for this information.
|
||
|
||
When you save your configuration files they will be stored locally in
|
||
two different locations depending on what file you have created as
|
||
follows:
|
||
|
||
<20> Machine configuration files are stored in
|
||
/var/lib/autoinstall/repository
|
||
|
||
<20> Class definition files are stored in /var/lib/autoinstall/classes
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.1.3. Advanced Config File Setup
|
||
|
||
Before attempting advanced configuration please make sure that you
|
||
have first created a valid basic configuration file as described
|
||
``above''. It is perfectly possible to create your own configuration
|
||
files from scratch but it is far easier to use the tools provided to
|
||
do the job for you!
|
||
|
||
Once you have your configuration file saved, you can open it in your
|
||
favourite text editor. The file is in XML format so it is
|
||
particularly easy to follow and edit manually. You can use or modify
|
||
any of the existing tags in your file, just so long as the tags,
|
||
options, and syntax you use are legal. A full guide to the tags and
|
||
their usage can be found in the AutoYaST manual, please see ``Appendix
|
||
A'' of this guide for a reference.
|
||
|
||
The best use of editing the configuration file manually is probably
|
||
for adding your own customised packages to the installation. Back in
|
||
the ``SuSE Server Setup'' section we describe how to add your own
|
||
customised packages to your install server. Here, we describe how to
|
||
access those packages using the configuration file so they can be
|
||
automatically installed with the rest of the system.
|
||
|
||
You should be able to locate a <software> section in your basic
|
||
configuration file in your editor. You can use a sub-tag inside the
|
||
software section called the <extra_packages> tag which can be used as
|
||
in the following example:
|
||
|
||
<software>
|
||
<extra_packages>
|
||
<package_location>
|
||
custom
|
||
</package_location>
|
||
<packages config:type="list">
|
||
<package>{Your package name}</package>
|
||
<package>{Another Package}</package>
|
||
</packages>
|
||
<extra_packages>
|
||
<base>Default<base>
|
||
<software>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
The package location is written as custom which describes the
|
||
directory under the suse directory of you install server where you
|
||
have put your custom packages, in our example this would be
|
||
/install/suse/custom, but you only need to write custom here.
|
||
|
||
You can include as many package tags under the packages section as you
|
||
wish. Use one package tag for each custom package you want to include
|
||
in your config file and install on the client machine.
|
||
|
||
The base tag at the bottom should be left as you configured it during
|
||
the basic configuration.
|
||
|
||
Save your modified configuration file from your text editor and it
|
||
will then be ready to use in your installations as described below.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.2. Boot the Machine
|
||
|
||
There are different situations during a network installation boot of
|
||
one of your client systems that might mean that you wish to boot in
|
||
one of the ways below. NOTE: you only need use one of the methods
|
||
described for the particular usage for which it has been described.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.2.1. Manual Installation
|
||
|
||
If you skipped over the section above about creating AutoYaST config
|
||
files then this is the way in which you should boot your client
|
||
machines.
|
||
1. Turn on your machine, ensure the CD drive is in the boot list of
|
||
your BIOS, insert the CD. You should be faced with the normal boot
|
||
menu of the SuSE installation program. As an alternative to
|
||
booting from CD, you can boot from floppy images, from the network,
|
||
or using whichever method you would normally use to boot the
|
||
installation program.
|
||
|
||
2. Select the "Manual Installation" option from the boot menu
|
||
|
||
3. Your client should now boot the installation program and present
|
||
you with a new menu system for the installer
|
||
|
||
4. Load any network modules you will need in order to connect to your
|
||
network
|
||
|
||
5. Load any other modules you might need for installation e.g. SCSI
|
||
modules if you are installing onto a SCSI type machine.
|
||
|
||
6. Select "Start Installation" from the menu
|
||
|
||
7. Choose the NFS option and fill in the IP addresses when prompted
|
||
for. These should all be familiar to you i.e. the IP address of
|
||
your server, and perhaps your client and nameserver as well if you
|
||
have not selected to use DHCP.
|
||
|
||
8. The installation will now proceed to the configuration screens
|
||
where you can select the installation options you require for your
|
||
client in the normal way
|
||
|
||
9. Once you have configured all the installation options and selected
|
||
to start the installation process, instead of reading from the
|
||
normal CD (or other) media, the installation program will read all
|
||
the information it needs from the network.
|
||
|
||
10.
|
||
Don't forget to remove the CD (or other media) from the drive
|
||
otherwise you could end up with a recursive installation process.
|
||
|
||
11.
|
||
Go grab a cup of something while you wait for your shiny new
|
||
installation to finish, no changing of installation media needed.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.2.2. Automatic Installation
|
||
|
||
If you followed the section above about creating AutoYaST config files
|
||
then this is the way in which you should boot your client machines.
|
||
|
||
1. Copy your config file that you have already created as above from
|
||
your repository directory on your hard disk to your floppy disk as
|
||
a file called autoinst.xml. You can do this as follows:
|
||
|
||
Insert and mount a floppy disk
|
||
cp /var/lib/autoinstall/repository/Your-File /dev/fd0/autoinst.xml
|
||
Unmount the floppy disk
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
2. Put your floppy disk with the config file in your client machine
|
||
|
||
3. Turn on your machine, ensure the CD drive is in the boot list of
|
||
your BIOS, insert the CD. You should be faced with the normal boot
|
||
menu of the SuSE installation program. As an alternative to
|
||
booting from CD, you can boot from floppy images, from the network,
|
||
or using whichever method you would normally use to boot the
|
||
installation program.
|
||
|
||
4. At the boot menu leave the default line as Linux to do the standard
|
||
boot, but add the following parameters in order to read your
|
||
configuration file from the floppy disk:
|
||
|
||
linux autoyast=floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5. Your client should now boot the installation program and it will
|
||
try to load appropriate modules and install the system with the
|
||
information that you have provided in the config file.
|
||
|
||
6. If you are prompted to input any information for any reason then do
|
||
so e.g. if the installer cannot connect to your network.
|
||
|
||
7. Once the installation is running then you can remove the CD and the
|
||
floppy disk and grab a cup of something while you wait for your
|
||
shiny new installation to finish, no changing of installation media
|
||
needed.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
5.2.2.1. Further Boot Options
|
||
|
||
This is an extension to the technique used to boot client machines for
|
||
Automatic Installations as described above. You should try this
|
||
method if you have tried and failed with the method above. This
|
||
section should help you if you have had network connection problems
|
||
during boot, for example, if you do not have a DHCP server on your
|
||
network.
|
||
|
||
You can create what we call an "info" file to hold information about
|
||
your clients network details. This can then be used more explicitly
|
||
by the install process to contact your network. This is a plain text
|
||
file in which you put certain keyword and value combinations that are
|
||
recognised by the installer.
|
||
|
||
The list of keywords you can use is as follows:
|
||
|
||
<20> autoyast - the location of your configuration file
|
||
|
||
<20> gateway - the gateway your client should use (if any)
|
||
|
||
<20> insmod - any special kernel modules you need to be loaded
|
||
|
||
<20> install - a full path to your server installation directory
|
||
|
||
<20> ip - the address of your client machine. If this is blank then the
|
||
installer will try BOOTP/DHCP
|
||
|
||
<20> nameserver - the nameserver address on your network
|
||
|
||
<20> netdevice - the network adaptor you want to be used
|
||
|
||
<20> netmask - your client's netmask
|
||
|
||
<20> server - the hostname or IP address of the server you have set up
|
||
i.e. the machine you have your NFS exports from
|
||
|
||
<20> serverdir - the directory on your server the installation should be
|
||
taken from
|
||
|
||
Using the above keywords in an example info file, you might end up
|
||
with something looking a little bit like this:
|
||
install: nfs://10.0.0.100/install/SuSE8.0
|
||
netdevice: eth0
|
||
server: 10.0.0.100
|
||
serverdir: /install/SuSE8.0
|
||
ip: 10.0.0.200
|
||
netmask: 255.0.0.0
|
||
gateway: 10.0.0.1
|
||
nameserver: 10.0.0.2
|
||
autoyast: floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Substitute the IP addresses above for relevant ones for your
|
||
particular network and save this file with filename info in the root
|
||
directory of your floppy disk that contains your configuration file
|
||
autoinst.xml
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6. Redhat Server Setup
|
||
|
||
This section explains how to set up your server machine to be an
|
||
install server for Redhat Linux. You can set up any Linux
|
||
distribution to be a Redhat install server, this machine does not
|
||
necessarily have to be running Redhat.
|
||
|
||
This guide starts from the point where you have a machine installed
|
||
with Linux which is already up and running and connected to your
|
||
network. If you require help with installing Linux on your server
|
||
then please consult the Further Information section of this HOWTO in
|
||
``Appendix A''.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.1. Setting Up Filespace
|
||
|
||
In order for your server to act as a Redhat network install server you
|
||
will need to put on all the required data that will be needed to
|
||
perform a full installation of the Redhat version you are serving.
|
||
For example, if you are used to installing Redhat using CDs then you
|
||
will need space on your server to copy ALL the contents of each CD
|
||
onto your server.
|
||
|
||
So, before you even think about setting up your machine as an install
|
||
server, you must check that you have the required space available.
|
||
This sounds like a trivial thing to check but it is very important and
|
||
easily forgotten when you're setting up.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.1.1. How much space will you need?
|
||
|
||
A guide for the amount of space that you will require will be the
|
||
amount or space of install media that you are intending to copy from
|
||
later. This might be one of the following examples:
|
||
|
||
<20> Number of CDs x 650Mb
|
||
|
||
<20> Number of ISO images x 650Mb
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.1.2. How much space do you have?
|
||
|
||
You will need the appropriate amount of space available to your system
|
||
on some local filesystem. It does not matter what form this takes,
|
||
whether it's a RAID device, local disk (either SCSI or IDE), etc.
|
||
Ensure that the space you intend to use is formatted with your chosen
|
||
filesystem and is mounted.
|
||
|
||
You can check this space with the command:
|
||
|
||
df -h
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If this output shows you have enough space to copy your install media
|
||
then great, you can continue installation. If not then it's time to
|
||
think about an upgrade to your intended server machine!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.2. Copy Installation Media
|
||
|
||
Once you know you have enough space available it's time to start
|
||
copying your install media to your chosen filesystem and directory.
|
||
For the purposes of this HOWTO we will use the following example to
|
||
represent the directory from which our install server will be setup
|
||
and running:
|
||
|
||
/install
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
Copy your install media to /install. The following example shows you
|
||
how to do this for copying your Redhat CD images to /install:
|
||
|
||
1. Mount your CD
|
||
|
||
2. Copy the data from CD
|
||
|
||
3. Unmount the CD
|
||
|
||
4. Now swap CDs and repeat from step 1 for each of your CDs you have.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3. Enable Remote Access
|
||
|
||
Time to make your install data available to other machines on the
|
||
network. Redhat can be installed over the network using NFS, HTTP and
|
||
FTP protocols. You can select which of these will be used at install
|
||
time on the client. If one of the services is not setup on the
|
||
machine then it will still be available for selection by the client
|
||
but the install will not work. Therefore, it is either best to enable
|
||
all three services on your server (so they all work on each client
|
||
machine) or if you don't enable all three then advertise the fact very
|
||
well and say which service should be used for your particular install
|
||
server.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.1. NFS
|
||
|
||
The NFS protocol is the only one which will work with the graphical
|
||
install method of Redhat when installing your client machine.
|
||
Therefore, if you want to do graphical (as opposed to text based)
|
||
installations then you must enable this service on your server.
|
||
To install over NFS you need to meet certain conditions on the server:
|
||
|
||
<20> Your install directory is exported
|
||
|
||
<20> NFS is installed and running
|
||
|
||
<20> Portmap is running
|
||
|
||
To export your install directory edit the /etc/exports file and add an
|
||
entry for /install to it. In our example, we would use the folowing
|
||
line:
|
||
|
||
/install *(ro)
|
||
|
||
|
||
When you have saved your exports file you must then get your NFS dae<61>
|
||
mon to read its configuration file again in order to export the direc<65>
|
||
tory you just added. Do this by running the command:
|
||
|
||
exportfs -r
|
||
|
||
|
||
This gives us the most simple read-only export to all hosts on our
|
||
network. If you want to include more advanced options in your export
|
||
e.g. only exporting to certain hosts on the network or a certain sub<75>
|
||
net, etc then see your man page for the exports file at exports (5).
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.2. FTP
|
||
|
||
The FTP protocol will only allow text installs to be performed by your
|
||
clients. This may or may not be ideal for your situation but bear it
|
||
in mind.
|
||
|
||
To install over FTP you need to allow FTP access to the directory that
|
||
you have setup on the server as the installation directory. This can
|
||
be either anonymous FTP access or access through a named account with
|
||
a password. Anonymous access is probably best unless you have a
|
||
reason to protect your install server via a password.
|
||
|
||
If you want anonymous FTP to point to a different directory then you
|
||
can use sym links to point to the directory that you have set up as
|
||
the install directory on the server. This will allow FTP into a
|
||
chrooted environment but still give you access to the install images
|
||
in a different location.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.3.3. HTTP
|
||
|
||
Similarly to the FTP protocol, HTTP will only allow text installs on
|
||
the client side. If you have a web server running and want to enable
|
||
HTTP access to your install server then add sym links from your
|
||
document root to the install server directory and this will grant
|
||
access. If you are not familiar with web servers or are not
|
||
comfortable with this approach then leave out HTTP access from your
|
||
install server as it provides no benefits over NFS or FTP installs
|
||
which may be simpler to set up.
|
||
|
||
If you do choose to use HTTP then basically all you have to do is make
|
||
the install directory visible to your web server by making it appear
|
||
under the document root by some means.
|
||
|
||
You have now completed the basic setup of your install server.
|
||
|
||
6.4. Package Customisation
|
||
|
||
You can, if you wish, add your own packages to the Redhat distribution
|
||
so that they are installed along with Redhat over the network when you
|
||
install your clients. The advantage of this is that you don't have to
|
||
spend time configuring each machine for packages that you may want
|
||
installed that are not included with Redhat. Examples of this might
|
||
be your own RPM packages that you have created or some specialised
|
||
package.
|
||
|
||
Make sure you have the anaconda-runtime package installed on your
|
||
server. This is normally installed if you're running Redhat but if
|
||
you have another distribution on the server then you should be able to
|
||
install the Redhat RPM without too much trouble. To check if you have
|
||
the correct package enter the command
|
||
|
||
rpm -q anaconda-runtime
|
||
|
||
of the package is returned then you have it installed, if nothing is
|
||
returned the install the RPM as required.
|
||
|
||
Now simply copy your RPM package files into the following directory
|
||
|
||
/install/Redhat/RPMS
|
||
|
||
|
||
This is the directory that should already contain all the Redhat stan<61>
|
||
dard RPMS for the Redhat version you have setup on your install
|
||
server.
|
||
|
||
Once you have copied your custom RPMS you need to regenerate Redhat's
|
||
list of packages that it can install. Do this using the following
|
||
command:
|
||
|
||
/usr/lib/anaconda-runtime/genhdlist /install
|
||
|
||
|
||
The directory used here of /install is the example directory we have
|
||
been using so far. Replace this with the directory where you copied
|
||
the Redhat CD images to. The directory should be the base directory
|
||
of the Redhat CD set i.e. the one that contains a subdirectory called
|
||
Redhat before the directory called RPMS
|
||
|
||
Your custom RPM packages should now be available to the clients.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
6.4.1. Further Customisation
|
||
|
||
In addition to adding your own RPMS to Redhat you can also create RPM
|
||
groups for the installation process. These will be similar to the
|
||
standard groups offered by the Redhat install already such as the
|
||
"Software Development" group which will install all packages for this
|
||
purpose onto your system.
|
||
|
||
This allows quick installation of many RPMS for a specific purpose on
|
||
your systems and the groups will become available like the normal
|
||
Redhat groups (and are used in the same way) upon installation of the
|
||
client.
|
||
|
||
To create your own groups you must edit a text file called the comps
|
||
file. In our example, this is located at:
|
||
|
||
/install/Redhat/base/comps
|
||
|
||
|
||
Copy the syntax for the groups that are already in the file and you
|
||
can create your own groupings. These can include both packages from
|
||
the standard Redhat install or any custom packages that you might have
|
||
already added i.e. you can include any package in the RPMS directory.
|
||
|
||
Once you have edited the file then save it back out over the original
|
||
(it might be an idea to take a backup of the original but it will
|
||
always be on your CD images anyway if you need it). You must now run
|
||
the genhdlist command again as explained above.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7. Redhat Client Install
|
||
|
||
You should have already decided by now using the ``Quick Guide''
|
||
section of this HOWTO whether you are going to install your machine
|
||
using the automated process or a manual process. The automated
|
||
process under Redhat is known as Kickstart and in short provides you
|
||
with a configuration file for the machine that you are going to
|
||
install so that you can perform unattended installs of client
|
||
machines.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1. Create Kickstart Config Files
|
||
|
||
You only need to read/follow this section if you are intending to use
|
||
an automated install process, if you intend to do a manual
|
||
installation over your network then skip this section. Here we go
|
||
through the process of creating configuration files that the installer
|
||
will read in order to create the configuration of our client machine
|
||
we are installing during an unattended network installation.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1.1. Kickstart Configurator Installation
|
||
|
||
In order to start creating your config files you will need to install
|
||
the Kickstart Configurator on your Linux machine. You will need one
|
||
of two RPMS for this depending on the version of Redhat you are using.
|
||
These RPMS are available on your Redhat install CDs as follows:
|
||
|
||
<20> redhat-config-kickstart - for versions 8.x and above
|
||
|
||
<20> ksconfig - for earlier versions
|
||
|
||
Check to see if you already have them installed with the command:
|
||
|
||
rpm -q {rpm package name}
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If these packages are not installed then install with the command:
|
||
|
||
rpm -Uvh {rpm package name}
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1.2. Create A Basic Config File
|
||
|
||
Once you have confirmed that you have the configurator packages
|
||
installed, you can now start to create configuration files. For most
|
||
situations the basic configuration described here will be sufficient
|
||
to perform your installations.
|
||
|
||
Start the Kickstart configuration program that you have on your
|
||
system. This will be done with the command redhad-config-kickstart
|
||
for Redhat 8.x systems and above (or if you have the redhat-config-
|
||
kickstart RPM installed), or the command ksconfig for other Redhat
|
||
systems (or if you have the ksconfig RPM installed).
|
||
|
||
You will now be presented with a window that allows you to configure
|
||
most of your installation options as if you were installing a new
|
||
machine or performing an upgrade. You can proceed through each menu,
|
||
configuring your options for a particular system or set of similar
|
||
systems that you wish to automatically install.
|
||
|
||
Once you have progressed through each configuration screen, you are
|
||
ready to save out your configuration file to disk. NOTE: it is
|
||
outside the boundaries of this document to take you through each
|
||
configuration option for installation, we are just concerned with the
|
||
principles of network installs here. Please consult your Redhat
|
||
documentation or the Redhat Website <http://www.redhat.com> for this
|
||
information. Click the "save" button and choose a location on your
|
||
system to store configuration files. If you are creating lots of
|
||
different configurations then it might be worthwhile creating your own
|
||
configuration repository - don't forget to name the files sensibly so
|
||
you know which is which.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.1.3. Advanced Config File Setup
|
||
|
||
Before attempting advanced configuration please make sure that you
|
||
have first created a valid basic configuration file as described
|
||
``above''. It is perfectly possible to create your own configuration
|
||
files from scratch but it is far easier to use the tools provided to
|
||
do the job for you!
|
||
|
||
Once you have your configuration file saved, you can open it in your
|
||
favourite text editor. You can use or modify any of the existing tags
|
||
in your file, just so long as the tags, options, and syntax you use
|
||
are legal. Once you have edited the file manually then save it back
|
||
out in text format again.
|
||
|
||
The best use of editing the configuration file manually is probably
|
||
for adding your own customised packages to the installation. Back in
|
||
the ``Redhat Server Setup'' section we describe how to add your own
|
||
customised packages to your install server. Here, we describe how to
|
||
access those packages using the configuration file so they can be
|
||
automatically installed with the rest of the system.
|
||
|
||
You should be able to locate a packages section in your basic
|
||
configuration file in your editor. You can add extra packages by name
|
||
as you require to the end of this list of packages. Follow the format
|
||
of the other packages that you have listed in the file already from
|
||
the basic configuration. Packages that start with @ are package group
|
||
names. You can use any of the default Redhat package groups or you
|
||
can use any custom groups you may have created.
|
||
|
||
You can add as many packages and groups under the packages section as
|
||
you wish. Just put one package on each line and follow the format
|
||
already provided.
|
||
|
||
Save your modified configuration file from your text editor and it
|
||
will then be ready to use in your installations as described below.
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.2. Boot the Machine
|
||
|
||
It is simplest to use a floppy disk to boot your clients ready for
|
||
installation. Everything you need is provided for you on the Redhat
|
||
CDs as follows:
|
||
|
||
1. If you have not already created a boot floppy then do it now (you
|
||
only need to do this step once, when you have a boot floppy you can
|
||
install as many machines as you like with a single floppy):
|
||
|
||
<20> Locate the floppy image that you need to use. This is on the first
|
||
Redhat CD and is at images/bootnet.img
|
||
|
||
<20> From the images directory on the CD copy the image to your floppy
|
||
disk (make sure you have one inserted in the drive, but not
|
||
mounted) using the following command:
|
||
|
||
dd if=bootnet.img of=/dev/fd0
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
2. If you are doing an automated install (with the config file) then
|
||
you should follow this step (otherwise skip to next step):
|
||
|
||
<20> Mount your floppy disk
|
||
|
||
mount /mnt/floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Copy your config file to the root directory of the floppy with the
|
||
name ks.cfg
|
||
|
||
cp /path/to/file /mnt/floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Umount your floppy disk
|
||
|
||
umount /mnt/floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
3. Insert your floppy disk into the client machine that you want to
|
||
install Redhat on. Make sure that the floppy disk is in the boot
|
||
list of your BIOS and turn on your machine to boot from the floppy.
|
||
|
||
4. At the boot prompt:
|
||
|
||
<20> If you are doing an automated install:
|
||
|
||
linux ks=floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> If you're not using config files then press ENTER for the default
|
||
installation
|
||
|
||
5. Finish the installation:
|
||
|
||
<20> If you are doing an automated install then you must complete any
|
||
parts of the configuration process that you have missed in the
|
||
config file. If you have a complete config file then you're done
|
||
so go get yourself a cup of something nice and wait for your
|
||
install to finish.
|
||
|
||
<20> If you are doing a manual install then you must complete the
|
||
installation in the normal way, going through each menu of the
|
||
Redhat install program and selecting the options you require for
|
||
your machine. When you finish then it's time for a cup of
|
||
something nice, no need to swap install media here.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
7.2.1. Further Boot Options
|
||
|
||
This is an extension to the technique used to boot client machines for
|
||
automatic installations as described above. You should try this
|
||
method if you have tried and failed with the method above. This
|
||
section should help you if you have had network connection problems
|
||
during boot, for example, if you do not have a network card supported
|
||
by the floppy boot disk.
|
||
|
||
You can create a second floppy disk to use in the boot process which
|
||
contains extra drivers for network cards. This can then be read on
|
||
boot and the drivers loaded for your card from there instead. This is
|
||
done as follows:
|
||
|
||
1. In the images directory on your CD you should find a file called
|
||
drvnet.img.
|
||
|
||
2. From the images directory on your CD, copy the file to a different
|
||
floppy disk with the command:
|
||
|
||
dd if=drvnet.img of=/dev/fd0
|
||
|
||
|
||
Again, make sure your floppy disk is not mounted when you run this
|
||
command.
|
||
|
||
3. Now you have a network driver floppy disk. You should return to
|
||
your installation as described above but now add the keyword dd to
|
||
your command line.
|
||
|
||
<20> So for automated intall we type:
|
||
|
||
linux dd ks=floppy
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> For manual install we type:
|
||
|
||
linux dd
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
4. When prompted if you have a driver disk, select YES. Then swap the
|
||
boot disk for your driver disk and the extra drivers will load and
|
||
detect your network card.
|
||
|
||
5. You should now continue with the installation as described above.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8. Debian Server Setup
|
||
|
||
This section explains how to set up your server machine to be an
|
||
install server for Debian. You can set up any Linux distribution to
|
||
be a Debian install server, this machine does not necessarily have to
|
||
be running Debian. Don't forget that there are already plenty of
|
||
Debian mirrors out there that provide free access to the Debian
|
||
archive so unless you really need your own archive it might be best
|
||
just to use one that already exists.
|
||
|
||
This guide starts from the point where you have a machine installed
|
||
with Linux which is already up and running and connected to your
|
||
network. If you require help with installing Linux on your server
|
||
then please consult the Further Information section of this HOWTO in
|
||
``Appendix A''.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.1. Setting Up Filespace
|
||
|
||
In order for your server to act as a Debian network install server you
|
||
will need to set up your machine to be a mirror of the Debian
|
||
archives. Unlike most Linux distributions, Debian is commonly
|
||
installed over the network, so you are not likely to have obtained a
|
||
set of CD images containing Debian. A mirror system is provided that
|
||
enables you to copy all the required data to your own server machine,
|
||
for free.
|
||
|
||
Before you even think about setting up your machine as an install
|
||
server, you must check that you have the required space available.
|
||
This sounds like a trivial thing to check but it is very important and
|
||
easily forgotten when you're setting up.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.1.1. How much space will you need?
|
||
|
||
The entire Debian archives are roughly around 40Gb at the time of
|
||
writing but if you are going to set up a full mirror then bear in mind
|
||
that this will grow. It is possible for you to mirror only parts of
|
||
the Debian archive and you can obviously mirror just the parts that
|
||
you think you will require. For example, if you do not use a certain
|
||
machine architecture then there may be little point in your mirroring
|
||
this part of the archive.
|
||
|
||
The latest information about the size of the Debian archive is
|
||
available from their website at <http://www.debian.org/mirror/size>.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.1.2. How much space do you have?
|
||
|
||
You will need the appropriate amount of space available to your system
|
||
on some local filesystem. It does not matter what form this takes,
|
||
whether it's a RAID device, local disk (either SCSI or IDE), etc.
|
||
Ensure that the space you intend to use is formatted with your chosen
|
||
filesystem and is mounted.
|
||
|
||
You can check this space with the command:
|
||
|
||
df -h
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
If this output shows you have enough space then great, you can
|
||
continue. If not then it's time to think about an upgrade to your
|
||
intended server machine!
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.2. Mirror the Debian Archive
|
||
|
||
When you are confident that you have enough space for the data you
|
||
want to mirror then you can move on to this step. If you are not sure
|
||
you have enough space to mirror all the parts of the Debian archive
|
||
that you want then you can always try this method, then if you run out
|
||
of space, remove some parts of the archive from the mirror and try
|
||
again.
|
||
|
||
Debian maintain their own guide on how to set up your own Debian
|
||
mirror. You are welcome to view this at
|
||
<http://www.debian.org/mirror/ftpmirror>. The list of steps below is
|
||
based on the Debian instructions but is my own interpretation of them,
|
||
designed to be easy to use and understand.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.2.1. Where to Mirror From?
|
||
|
||
There are an awful lot of Debian sites out there that you could mirror
|
||
from. It is best for you to choose one that is near your location or
|
||
one that you know will have a good bandwidth to your location. Please
|
||
remember, that if everybody uses the same sites for their own mirrors
|
||
then things will get rather slow, so choose carefully.
|
||
|
||
A list of sites that you can choose to mirror from can be found at
|
||
<http://www.debian.org/misc/README.mirrors>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.2.2. How to Mirror?
|
||
|
||
I would recommend using a program called rsync to copy the data from
|
||
your chosen server to your own server. This is a program that is
|
||
ideally suited to mirroring data from one system to another. If you
|
||
want to find out more information about rsync itself then see the
|
||
webpages or the man pages for it.
|
||
|
||
Debian provide a well commented script at
|
||
<http://www.debian.org/mirror/anonftpsync> that will perform the
|
||
mirroring for you. Go to this site and download the script to your
|
||
server machine, we will then need to set up the script to mirror the
|
||
archive as you want it.
|
||
|
||
Now go through the entire script (it's not very long) and look at each
|
||
line. Decide whether you want the line to be active in your script or
|
||
not. If you don't know what a line does then it is probably best to
|
||
leave it at it's default setting. However, you must set up the script
|
||
with some minimal settings in order for it to work at all. These will
|
||
include your chosen server, the location to put the archive on your
|
||
machine, etc.
|
||
|
||
Once you have set up the script with all the required information
|
||
requested in it then you are ready to run it and it will start copying
|
||
data from the server you have chosen to your own server machine.
|
||
Don't forget to change the permissions of the script so that it is
|
||
executable and then run it from the command line.
|
||
|
||
The Debian archive is regularly updated and in order to maintain your
|
||
own archive and make sure it is up to date, you will need to
|
||
periodically run the script again to copy any changes made. NOTE: the
|
||
script uses rsync which is a one-way transaction, you can never copy
|
||
from your machine to your chosen server (as you don't have permission
|
||
to do so!). It is probably best to run the script daily, so you can
|
||
edit your crontab to do this or put the script in
|
||
/etc/cron.d/cron.daily if your Linux distribution has this set up.
|
||
8.3. Enable Remote Access
|
||
|
||
Time to make your install data available to other machines on the
|
||
network. Debian can be installed using NFS, HTTP and FTP protocols.
|
||
You can select which of these will be used at install time on the
|
||
client. If one of the services is not setup on the machine then it
|
||
will still be available for selection by the client but the install
|
||
will not work. Therefore, it is either best to enable all three
|
||
services on your server (so they all work on each client machine) or
|
||
if you don't enable all three then advertise the fact very well and
|
||
say which service should be used for your particular install server.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.3.1. NFS
|
||
|
||
To install over NFS you need to meet certain conditions on the server:
|
||
|
||
<20> Your install directory is exported
|
||
|
||
<20> NFS is installed and running
|
||
|
||
<20> Portmap is running
|
||
|
||
To export your install directory edit the /etc/exports file and add an
|
||
entry for directory you have copied your Debian archive to. In our
|
||
examples throughout this HOWTO, we would use the folowing line:
|
||
|
||
/install *(ro)
|
||
|
||
|
||
When you have saved your exports file you must then get your NFS dae<61>
|
||
mon to read its configuration file again in order to export the direc<65>
|
||
tory you just added. Do this by running the command:
|
||
|
||
exportfs -r
|
||
|
||
|
||
This gives us the most simple read-only export to all hosts on our
|
||
network. If you want to include more advanced options in your export
|
||
e.g. only exporting to certain hosts on the network or a certain sub<75>
|
||
net, etc then see your man page for the exports file at exports (5).
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.3.2. FTP
|
||
|
||
To install over FTP you need to allow FTP access to the directory that
|
||
you have setup on the server as the installation directory. This can
|
||
be either anonymous FTP access or access through a named account with
|
||
a password. Anonymous access is probably best unless you have a
|
||
reason to protect your install server via a password.
|
||
|
||
If you want anonymous FTP to point to a different directory then you
|
||
can use sym links to point to the directory that you have set up as
|
||
the install directory on the server. This will allow FTP into a
|
||
chrooted environment but still give you access to the install images
|
||
in a different location.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
8.3.3. HTTP
|
||
|
||
If you have a web server running and want to enable HTTP access to
|
||
your install server then add sym links from your document root to the
|
||
install server directory and this will grant access. If you are not
|
||
familiar with web servers or are not comfortable with this approach
|
||
then leave out HTTP access from your install server as it provides no
|
||
benefits over NFS or FTP installs which may be simpler to set up.
|
||
|
||
If you do choose to use HTTP then basically all you have to do is make
|
||
the install directory visible to your web server by making it appear
|
||
under the document root by some means. If you are using the Apache
|
||
webserver then Debian recommend adding the following to your http.conf
|
||
file
|
||
|
||
<directory /org/ftp.debian.org/ftp>
|
||
IndexOptions NameWidth=* +SuppressDescription
|
||
DirectoryIndex .
|
||
</directory>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
You have now completed the basic setup of your install server.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
9. Debian Client Install
|
||
|
||
This version of the Network Install HOWTO does not include information
|
||
about automatic installation of a Debian system, if this is what you
|
||
need then please refer to the link in the Further Information section
|
||
located in ``Appendix A''. A later version of this HOWTO is likely to
|
||
include details for this system.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
9.1. Boot the Machine
|
||
|
||
There are many ways to boot your machine in order to install Debian,
|
||
you can if you wish use a Debian CD 1 which contains all the floppy
|
||
boot disks on one easy to use media to boot your system. However, it
|
||
is more common to boot an install of Debian using floppy disks, these
|
||
are provided by Debian on their mirror system.
|
||
|
||
Obtain the floppy boot images from your chosen mirror server from the
|
||
directory /debian/dists/stable/main/disks-hardware/current/images-1.44
|
||
where disks-hardware is the hardware type that you are going to
|
||
install Debian onto. Note that there are several different sets of
|
||
floppy disk boot images in this directory and you should be careful to
|
||
choose one that is suitable for your use. If you are not sure which to
|
||
use then just use the ones in the directory specified rather than any
|
||
of it's subdirectories.
|
||
|
||
Copy each floppy disk image that you have downloaded from the server
|
||
to a different floppy disk following the example below:
|
||
|
||
<20> Insert a floppy disk
|
||
|
||
<20> dd if=/path/to/image of=/dev/fd0
|
||
|
||
<20> Remove floppy disk.
|
||
|
||
Do not mount the floppy disks when using this procedure to create
|
||
floppy boot disks. Also, don't forget to check that the floppy disks
|
||
you are going to use are (a) good floppy disks i.e. not broken, and
|
||
(b) do not contain any data that you need as the entire disk will be
|
||
overwritten with all data lost.
|
||
|
||
Once you have a set of boot disks you can boot your client system from
|
||
them by inserting the first disk and turning on your system. You will
|
||
be presented with a welcome screen with some instructions on which you
|
||
should be able to press [ENTER] to continue the installation. A
|
||
normal Debian installation can now take place, see the ``Further
|
||
Information'' section for references to instructions on how to install
|
||
Debian.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10. Appendix A: Further Information
|
||
|
||
This page is an informal list of references in no particular order
|
||
that I have found useful or that others have pointed out to me. If
|
||
you have a suggested reference that is not listed here then please
|
||
mail it to me and I will add it to the list.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.1. HOWTO
|
||
|
||
These are intended as the primary starting points to get the
|
||
background information as well as show you how to solve a specific
|
||
problem.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.1.1. Generic
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Net-HOWTO <http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Net-HOWTO/index.html>
|
||
|
||
<20> Installation-HOWTO <http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Installation-
|
||
HOWTO/index.html>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.1.2. Redhat
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Kickstart-HOWTO <http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/KickStart-HOWTO.html>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.2. Mini-HOWTO
|
||
|
||
These are the smaller free text relatives to the HOWTOs above.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.2.1. Generic
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Pre-Installation-Checklist <http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/mini/Pre-
|
||
Installation-Checklist/index.html>
|
||
|
||
<20> Post-Installation-Checklist <http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/mini/Post-
|
||
Installation-Checklist/index.html>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.2.2. Debian
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Debian-Jigdo <http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/mini/Debian-
|
||
Jigdo/index.html>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.3. Web Pages
|
||
|
||
There is a huge number of informative web pages out there and by their
|
||
very nature they change quickly. I will attempt to keep the links
|
||
below as valid as possible but they may become outdated.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.3.1. Generic
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Linux Documentation Project <http://www.tldp.org> - the Linux
|
||
documentation reference site.
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.3.2. SuSE
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Main SuSE Website <http://www.suse.com>
|
||
|
||
<20> Autoinstall Website <http://www.suse.de/~nashif/autoinstall>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.3.3. Redhat
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Main Redhat Website <http://www.redhat.com>
|
||
|
||
<20> Documentation Page <http://www.redhat.com/docs>
|
||
|
||
<20> Support/Resources Page
|
||
<http://www.redhat.com/apps/support/resources>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.3.4. Debian
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Main Debian Website <http://www.debian.org>
|
||
|
||
<20> Installation Manual
|
||
<http://www.debian.org/releases/stable/installmanual>
|
||
|
||
<20> Setting up your own Debian mirror
|
||
<http://www.debian.org/mirrors/ftpmirror>
|
||
|
||
<20> List of mirrors <http://www.debian.org/misc/README.mirrors>
|
||
|
||
<20> Debian Fully Automatic Installation <http://www.informatik.uni-
|
||
koeln.de/fai>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.4. Mailing Lists
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.4.1. SuSE
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> suse-autoinstall@suse.com is a mailing list specific to AutoYaST.
|
||
List archives are at http://lists.suse.com/archive/suse-autoinstall
|
||
<http://lists.suse.com/archive/suse-autoinstall>
|
||
Subscribe address is suse-autoinstall-subscribe@suse.com
|
||
<mailto:suse-autoinstall-subscribe@suse.com>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.4.2. Redhat
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> redhat-install-list@redhat.com is a mailing list for Redhat
|
||
installation.
|
||
List archives are only available to list members
|
||
List information page is at
|
||
https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/redhat-install-list
|
||
<https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/redhat-install-list>
|
||
|
||
<20> Other Redhat Lists are also available on-line
|
||
Information page is at http://www.redhat.com/support/forums
|
||
<http://www.redhat.com/support/forums>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|
||
10.4.3. Debian
|
||
|
||
|
||
<20> Debian mailing lists can be found at
|
||
http://www.debian.org/MailingLists
|
||
<http://www.debian.org/MailingLists>
|
||
|
||
<20> List archives can be found at http://lists.debian.org
|
||
<http://lists.debian.org>
|
||
|
||
|
||
|