Linuxworld Kickstart Tips and Tricks

[John Summerfield]

Shabazian, Chip wrote:
> Howdy,
> 
> As I mentioned a while back, I'm doing a "Kickstart Tips and Tricks"
> seminar at Linuxworld this summer, and I need to finish (ok, START and
> finish) my presentation this weekend.  I've gotten a few good tips from
> you all, so this is my final call for help:
> 
> I will of course make the training materials I develop available to all
> when it's done.
> 
> Here is what I'm looking for:
> * If you were attending this training, what would you like to see
> covered
> * Although you may be well versed in kickstart, what should I cover for
> those not so experienced

Provoke the imagination. Here's a stanza from one of my PXE boot entries:

label centos4k
   kernel /linux-install/CentOS/4.3/vmlinuz
   append initrd=/linux-install/CentOS/4.3/initrd.img vga=794 
ramdisk_size=8192 ks=http://rhel.demo.lan/
ks/ks?OS=CentOS&REL=4&PACK=server ksdevice=link

We're running a CGI script to create a ks file. Parameters such as OS, 
REL, PACK are interpreted by the CGI script to modify the package 
selection. A bit like install classes embedded in comps.




> * What other technologies do you use in your provisioning of systems
> * What "best practices" have you learned
> * What else should I be asking for and presenting
> * And of course, all those wonderful tips and tricks that we have all
> learned over the years
> 
> Anything you send may be printed in the workbook that accompanies the
> tutorial, so I need your approval to print it.  If you would like to be
> credited, please provide me with how you want it to appear.

That's cool. My actual CGI script is a motley assortment of small shell 
scripts with not much checking - a bit of an embarrassment really, but 
the main thing is the idea.


> 
> Here is a brief outline that I have so far, both content AND topics are
> appreciated:
> 
> What is kickstart
> Why use kickstart
> Kickstart sections
> boot: options
> Command Section
> %include is your friend
> Yummy builds
> %Pre
I have been known to fdisk <<Z
<stuff>
Z
here.

> %Pre Magic
> %Post
> To chroot or not to chroot

I regularly do both. It's a good place to run sed over a few config 
files where the vendor hasn't a clue.
[ /etc/configfile~ ] || cp /etc/configfile /etc/configfile~
sed -r \
	-e .... \
	-e .... # etc

The initial cp aids in testing. Reruns always have the original input. 
And it documents what's changed.


> %Post magic
> Life after %post

Ah yes. I was doing the "first boot" trick at RHL 7.3,

> Troubleshooting
> Common problems
> Tools to make life easier
> Cobbler
> Revisor
> Novi
> mRepo
> Kickweb
> On the fly ks.cfg

Point Clark Networks (CLarkConnect) modifies Anaconda to create a ks 
file and then go. Tedious, I think, but that's their solution. I'd 
rather hack Anaconda and run it beforehand, then pick up the ks file 
from network, floppy or USB. For ClarkConnect, they could hardcode the 
floppy and USB locations and test them.







-- 

Cheers
John

-- spambait
1aaaaaaa at coco.merseine.nu  Z1aaaaaaa at coco.merseine.nu

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