How-to info needed for multiple instances of RH OS's and multiple unique versions {to be kickstarted}

Mon Jul 2 07:56:20 UTC 2007

Well, first of all, you can dispense with the WS/ES/AS redundancy.  The
only difference between them is what gets installed in package groups
and the redhat-release rpm.  For testing binary compatibility, you can
simply test any of the WS/ES/AS versions.  In fact, depending on your
kickstart, it's possible you get the exact same build from each one (I
do using our kickstart).

I would probably just take my kickstart file, replace the install source
with something unique such as INSTALL_SOURCE_HERE, then do a "for `ls
/dir/of/your/install/trees`" loop using perl or sed to change the
INSTALL_SOURCE_HERE to the proper directory name and create kickstart
files for each release.  You could then simply use
ks=method:/path_to_kickstarts/release.cfg.

It may be a bit simplistic, but it's quick and should work just fine.
Any issues you run into can be fixed in the specific release kickstart
file.

Although Cobbler is an excellent tool (and I highly recommend it for
anyone setting up a build infrastructure), it sounds like more setup
than you need for this project.

Chip

________________________________

From: kickstart-list-bounces at redhat.com
[mailto:kickstart-list-bounces at redhat.com] On Behalf Of Joe_Wulf
Sent: Saturday, June 30, 2007 10:45 PM
To: kickstart-list at redhat.com
Subject: How-to info needed for multiple instances of RH OS's and
multiple unique versions {to be kickstarted}

Hi.  I'm a new member of the list, recently joined about a week ago.  I
could really use some help regarding kickstart.

I have one physical system running FC6.  It is set up as my
kickstart/NFS/DNS/DHCP server.  I've a second physical
system, a PC with the VMware Workstation installed and running.  I use
it to boot/build 'play' virtual machines from the
FC6 kickstart server.

I've taken the /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file from the same FC6 system and
am using it, along with all the other normal
kickstart steps, to tailor a network-based build of FC6.  I do basically
understand how to do that, and can successfully
build a Virtual Machine (under VMware Workstation v6.0 on a separate
computer) with FC6.  Great.  Now I am cook'n.

Next, I established many new directory names, unique for each OS,
established them each/all basically the same as for
FC6, into that same FC6 kickstart server.  The list follows for each of
the OS's I'm working with.

RHEL WS3u0 x32
RHEL WS3u1 x32
RHEL WS3u2 x32
RHEL WS3u3 x32
RHEL WS3u4 x32
RHEL WS3u5 x32
RHEL WS3u6 x32
RHEL WS3u7 x32
RHEL WS3u8 x32
RHEL WS3u9 x32 {And conceivably back to the 2.1 versions, too}

RHEL WS3u0 x64
RHEL WS3u1 x64
RHEL WS3u2 x64
RHEL WS3u3 x64
RHEL WS3u4 x64
RHEL WS3u5 x64
RHEL WS3u6 x64
RHEL WS3u7 x64
RHEL WS3u8 x64
RHEL WS3u9 x64 {And conceivably back to the 2.1 versions, too}

RHEL WS4u0 x32
RHEL WS4u1 x32
RHEL WS4u2 x32
RHEL WS4u3 x32
RHEL WS4u4 x32
RHEL WS4u5 x32

RHEL WS4u0 x64
RHEL WS4u1 x64
RHEL WS4u2 x64
RHEL WS4u3 x64
RHEL WS4u4 x64
RHEL WS4u5 x64
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RHEL ES3u0 x32
RHEL ES3u1 x32
RHEL ES3u2 x32
RHEL ES3u3 x32
RHEL ES3u4 x32
RHEL ES3u5 x32
RHEL ES3u6 x32
RHEL ES3u7 x32
RHEL ES3u8 x32
RHEL ES3u9 x32 {And conceivably back to the 2.1 versions}

RHEL ES3u0 x64
RHEL ES3u1 x64
RHEL ES3u2 x64
RHEL ES3u3 x64
RHEL ES3u4 x64
RHEL ES3u5 x64
RHEL ES3u6 x64
RHEL ES3u7 x64
RHEL ES3u8 x64
RHEL ES3u9 x64 {And conceivably back to the 2.1 versions}

RHEL ES4u0 x32
RHEL ES4u1 x32
RHEL ES4u2 x32
RHEL ES4u3 x32
RHEL ES4u4 x32
RHEL ES4u5 x32

RHEL ES4u0 x64
RHEL ES4u1 x64
RHEL ES4u2 x64
RHEL ES4u3 x64
RHEL ES4u4 x64
RHEL ES4u5 x64
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RHEL AS3u0 x32
RHEL AS3u1 x32
RHEL AS3u2 x32
RHEL AS3u3 x32
RHEL AS3u4 x32
RHEL AS3u5 x32
RHEL AS3u6 x32
RHEL AS3u7 x32
RHEL AS3u8 x32
RHEL AS3u9 x32 {And conceivably back to the 2.1 versions}

RHEL AS3u0 x64
RHEL AS3u1 x64
RHEL AS3u2 x64
RHEL AS3u3 x64
RHEL AS3u4 x64
RHEL AS3u5 x64
RHEL AS3u6 x64
RHEL AS3u7 x64
RHEL AS3u8 x64
RHEL AS3u9 x64 {And conceivably back to the 2.1 versions}

RHEL AS4u0 x32
RHEL AS4u1 x32
RHEL AS4u2 x32
RHEL AS4u3 x32
RHEL AS4u4 x32
RHEL AS4u5 x32

RHEL AS4u0 x64
RHEL AS4u1 x64
RHEL AS4u2 x64
RHEL AS4u3 x64
RHEL AS4u4 x64
RHEL AS4u5 x64
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

RHEL AS5u0 x32
RHEL AS5u0 x64
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

FC1 x32
FC2 x32
FC3 x32
FC4 x32
FC5 x32
FC6 x32

FC1 x64
FC2 x64
FC3 x64
FC4 x64
FC5 x64
FC6 x64
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Fedora 7 x32

Fedora 7 x64
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

These are all for the Intel architecture, as that is all I have
available. I'd do other architectures too (zSeries, Itanium
and S/390) if someone wishes to loan me the equipment for the next year
or so. <smile>

My question is this:
How do I dynamically build OS-specific kickstart anaconda-ks.cfg files
for EACH of them without having to waste
tons of hours manually installing each one simply to get that one file
out of it???  I would have thought the kickstart
GUI would have had something to allow the operator to 'select' which OS
from the multitudes possible, that it would
now be looking at.  If such a capability exists, I'm unable to find it.

I seek to devote more of my time to developing/polishing the
post-installation area(s) than basic OS building.

I have the disk resources to support hosting all the native files for
each of the OS's I've listed above.  Additionally,
I've the disk resources to support hosting each of the OS's as they get
built, to include snapshots and checkpoints,
within VMware virtual machines.  I have all the ISO's for each them as
well. I have a 64 bit Intel system for virtual
building of OS's. I have a task which requires testing various
capabilities against each of these OSs, and uniquely
against each of the various update/releases, thus this is why I'm
approaching kickstart from such a broad perspective.
I'm simply unsure on how to properly go about it.

So, how do I manage kickstart building for any OS I wish to pick, and
have the resultant anaconda-ks.cfg file work
correctly for the chosen OS, when I'm building tons of machines
'virtually'?  Do the kickstart tools in existence today
facilitate this (it doesn't seem like they do)?  If not, what manual
method is needed?  Is there a resource or two on
the net that would facilitate what I'm seeking to learn?

Thank you very much in advance for your help.

R,
-Joe Wulf, CISSP, USN(RET)

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