[Novalug] Kickstart (was Re: Need some guidance)

Bryan J Smith b.j.smith@ieee.org
Sun Nov 1 06:59:44 EST 2009


Just to provide more links on the subjet ...

Fedora Project Wiki page on Anaconda's [Py]Kickstart:  
  http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Anaconda/Kickstart  

Fedora Hosted Cobbler/Koan:  
  https://fedorahosted.org/cobbler/  

More distro-release specific ...  

Fedora 11 Installation Guide ...
  http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f11/en-US/html/  
- Section 9.4:  Automating the Installation with Kickstart  
  http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f11/en-US/html/sn-automating-installation.html  
- Chapter 10:  Installing Without Media
  http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f11/en-US/html/ap-medialess-install.html  
- Chapter 11:  Chapter 11. Setting Up an Installation Server (Cobbler)
  http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f11/en-US/html/ap-install-server.html  
- Chapter 13:  Kickstart Installations  
  http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f11/en-US/html/ch-kickstart2.html  
- Chapter 14:  Kickstart Configurator (system-config-kickstart)  
  http://docs.fedoraproject.org/install-guide/f11/en-US/html/ch-redhat-config-kickstart.html  

There are other chapters of interest as well (e.g., Chapter 12 covers
how Anaconda can launch a VNC session for an interactive, but headless
install).

Red Hat EL Release 5 (based on Fedora Core 6) Installation Guide
  http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-5-manual/Installation_Guide-en-US/  
- Part VI. Advanced Installation and Deployment
  http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-5-manual/Installation_Guide-en-US/pt-install-advanced-deployment.html  
  In addition to Chapters 28 and 29 that match Fedora's 13 and 14,
  there is the legacy (pre-Cobbler/Koan -- e.g., pxeos and
  system-config-netboot) Chapter 31 on PXE basics.

Cobbler/Koan _can_ be _easily_ used for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (EL).
The docs just pre-date its introduction.  Cobbler/Koan is also
integrated into Spacewalk 0.4 and later.  Red Hat Network 5.3 (RHN53x)
is based on Spacewalk 0.5.  I believe the main "hosted" RHN
(rhn.redhat.com) is currently 5.1.2 (RHN512), but RHN Satellite Server
is available as 5.3.0 (RHN530) with Cobbler/Koan integrated for EL
release.  It works with older EL versions as well -- i.e., Kickstart
profiles are kickstart profiles, PXE is PXE, etc...

-- Bryan

P.S.  The man behind Cobbler/Koan is Michael DeHann.  If you ask
maintainers of _other_ distros who he is, they know him very well.
I.e., as typically the case with most maintainers employed by Red Hat,
they support _many_ distros, even if their ultimate focus is Red Hat
products.  http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/MichaelDeHaan  

He's also probably the guy responsible for naming many projects of
Fedora (e.g., Spacewalk).  If you ever have the chance to make a Red Hat
Summit / FUDCon, you want to meet him.  Outstanding guy, and if you want
to see changes in core provisioning/deployment/management of
Fedora-based systems, he's one to pass your ideas to.



-- 
Bryan J  Smith         Professional, Technical Annoyance 
Linked Profile:       http://www.linkedin.com/in/bjsmith 
-------------------------------------------------------- 
Only engineers can solve the growing needs of consumers
Stop being "aware" (that's so '70s) and start supporting
real solutions that actually work and sustain the planet






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