kickstart on Linux on zSeries?

[Cameron, Thomas]

Howdy all -

I am working with 64-bit RHEL 3 for zSeries.  We are currently thinking that we will be using a mainframe tool (ddr, similar to the dd command under *nix) to copy a single "golden image" to multiple production servers.  I want to explore using kickstart to build servers instead, but I don't know if it is possible.

For those of you not familiar with Linux on the mainframe, it doesn't boot with the Syslinux boot screen or even a floppy or compact disk.  Instead you load the kernel and the initrd.img into a virtual punchcard reader and then load it into the mainframe CPU/memory.

I have read that there is a RUNKS ("run kickstart") option listed for the mainframe parm (configuration) file, but I do not know how to actually specify the kickstart file.  I know how to copy the ks.cfg into the initrd.img file, but does it go into the root of the initrd, or in /tmp, or somewhere else?  Are there additional parm file options I need which are not discussed at https://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-3-Manual/s390-multi-install-guide/s1-s390-steps-vm.html?

Anyone who has any pointers, I am all ears!

Thanks!
Thomas Cameron, RHCE, CNE, MCSE, MCT
Assistant Vice President
Linux Design and Engineering
Bank of America
(972) 997-9641