YDL.net

TOPIC: Configuring the Host and Installing YDEL

Introduction

Supported Hardware
This document provides a guide to install Yellow Dog Enterprise Linux (YDEL) on:

IBM QS2x Blade
IBM PXCAB (Fixstars GigaAccel 180)

This installation guide assumes the user has a working understanding of:

Anaconda, the installation program used by Yellow Dog Enterprise Linux, Fedora, and CentOS.
Administrating RPM based linux distributions.

Requirements for Installation

Host System
You will need a separate server (PowerStation, x86, x86_64, or Power) running YDEL, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or CentOS. This server will host NFS, DHCP, and TFTP.

A Power architecture machine is not required to create boot or installation images.

This documentation was written for YDEL; minor modifications to the instructions may be required for other distributions.

Disable SELinux on the host system before you begin.
For QS2x
You will also need a gigabit ethernet cable between the Host System and a gigabit ethernet switch module in the BladeCenter H chassis. The default configuration is to use eth0 on the QS2x blades. Please review the BladeCenter H documentation or contact your local systems administrator for assistance.
For PXCAB
You will need a gigabit ethernet cable between the Host System and PXCAB.

NFS Setup

On the Server, define a directory to store the QS2x/PXCAB installations. It is recommended to use /srv/nfsroots. The YDEL installer, running from the QS2x or PXCAB, will create unique directories inside this directory on the Server, based upon the QS2x's or PXCAB's Machine (MAC) Address. Please ensure the location you choose has ample space as each YDEL installation will need between 2 to 6GB plus user generated files. We recommend a minimum of 20GB.
You will need to add the nfsroots and ydel61_installer paths to /etc/exports. For example, if you are using QS2x/PXCAB on a 192.168.100.0/24 network and have chosen the recommended /srv/nfsroots directory, the two entries you must add to /etc/exports will look like this:
```
/srv/nfsroots 192.168.100.0/24(rw,sync,no_root_squash)
/srv/nfsroots/ydel61_installer 192.168.100.0/24(rw,sync,no_root_squash)
```
The exports man page contains more information on configuring NFS.
Once /etc/exports is configured, enable and start the NFS server:
chkconfig nfs on
service nfs restart

DHCPD Setup
Configure the DHCPD server to contain a host entry for the QS2x or PXCAB. To do this, edit the /etc/dhcpd.conf file.

For systems with a dedicated DHCP server- The DHCP server is not serving IPs to any other non-YDEL systems:

Edit the /etc/dhcpd.conf file using the following example as a guide:

	allow bootp;
	ddns-update-style interim;
	default-lease-time 60000;
	subnet 192.168.100.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
	  option routers      192.168.100.1;
	  option subnet-mask  255.255.255.0;
	  next-server         192.168.100.1;
	  allow bootp;
	  range dynamic-bootp 192.168.100.2 192.168.100.99;
	  filename            "ydel61.img";
	}

For systems without a dedicated DHCP server - The DHCP server is serving IPs to other non-YDEL systems

Find the MAC address of the QS2x or PXCAB. Refer to:
Finding the MAC Address of the QS2x
Finding the MAC Address of the PXCAB.
Edit the /etc/dhcpd.conf file, using the following example as a guide:

	allow bootp;
	ddns-update-style interim;
	default-lease-time 60000;
	subnet 192.168.100.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
	   host {HOSTNAME1} {
	      hardware ethernet   {MAC ADDRESS1};
	      filename            "ydel61.img";
	      fixed-address       {IP ADDRESS1};
	   }
	   host {HOSTNAME2} {
	      hardware ethernet   {MAC ADDRESS2};
	      filename            "ydel61.img";
	      fixed-address       {IP ADDRESS2};
	   }
	   host {HOSTNAME3} {
	      hardware ethernet   {MAC ADDRESS3};
	      filename            "ydel61.img";
	      fixed-address       {IP ADDRESS3};
	   }
	   option routers       192.168.100.1;
	   option subnet-mask   255.255.255.0;
	   next-server          192.168.100.1;
	   allow bootp;
	   range dynamic-bootp  192.168.100.2 192.168.100.99;
	}

Replace {HOSTNAME1}, etc. with what you plan to set the hostnames of the QS2x or PXCAB to later during the install.
Replace the {MAC ADDRESS1}, etc. with the MAC address of the eth0 on the QS2x or PXCAB.
Replace {HOSTNAME} in each filename ("{HOSTNAME1}.img").
Replace {IP ADDRESS1}, etc. with the IP address of the QS2x or PXCAB.
Be sure to configure the routers, subnet-mask, etc.

Enable and start DHCPDi

Type:
chkconfig dhcpd on
service dhcpd restart

Enable TFTPD

Type:
chkconfig tftp on

Installation Media Setup
YDEL supports installation via NFS, FTP and HTTP. This guide documents NFS installations; FTP and HTTP require additional configuration that is beyond the scope of this guide.

NFS Installations

Mount the YDEL DVD.
Copy the contents of the DVD to a configured content location on the Server. Configuring NFS is the fastest means to complete the installation, as it is required for post-installation netbooting.
cp -av [/path/to/YDEL-DVD] /srv/nfsroots/ydel61_installer
To netboot (TFTP) the QS2x or PXCAB, copy /srv/nfsroot/ydel61_installer/images/netboot/ppc64.img to /tftpboot/ydel61.img.
Restart XINETD:
service xinetd restart

YDEL Installation on the Clients
Now you are ready to install YDEL on the client(s).

For instructions in the basic use of Anaconda, please refer to the most current Yellow Dog Linux Guide to Installation for Apple or PS3. You may either use the DVD for a full, local installation, or use TFTP to conduct a full network installation with no local media.

Connect to the system on which you are installing YDEL:
- Connecting to the Blade over Serial-Over-Lan (SOL).
- Connecting to the PXCAB via Serial.
Begin the installation. Select the appropriate type of installation from below.
- TFTP Installations
  To conduct a TFTP installation:
  boot net
- Graphical Installer over VNC
  If you desire to use a graphical installer over VNC, add “vnc” to the boot arguments either in OpenFirmware when conducting a network boot:
  boot net vnc
  ... or from yaboot when conducting a DVD installation:
  linux vnc
  The default behavior, if you do not select VNC is an installation over serial (SOL) cable.
Anaconda, the Yellow Dog Enterprise Linux installer will launch. When prompted to select the media type, select the method chosen in the Installation Media Setup section.
- You must set a hostname during the installation.
- Instead of prompting for drive partition instructions, the installer will prompt for information pertaining to your NFS server and the path to the location where YDEL will be installed. Use the server and path information configured in NFS Setup. The installer will create a directory inside the specified directory which is named after the MAC address of the eth0 interface. This new directory is where YDEL will be installed.

Booting the Host-Installed Kernel
After all clients have booted the install image and the installation is complete, replace the install image file with the boot image file. It is important to retain the same name (ydel61.img) as this is the filename that was set in the /etc/dhcpd.conf file.

Once the installation is complete, a file will be placed within the /{MAC ADDRESS}/boot directory within the specified NFS path of the new YDEL installation on the Server. For example, if the NFS directory was /srv/nfsroot, the file will be placed in /srv/nfsroot/{MAC ADDRESS}/boot.
The file will be named ydel-nfsroot-*.img (where the * denotes the current kernel version.
Copy this file to the /tftpboot directory on the NFS host. The file must be renamed "ydel61.img". This one image file will be used for all nfsroot machines.
Restart XINETD:
service xinetd restart [ENTER]
Reboot the QS2x or PXCAB server.

Run the yum Configuration Utility
Before you can use yum for the first time, you must configure it for authentication with YDL.net. Refer to Configuring yum.

This HOWTO was prepared by Owen Stampflee and Aaron Johnson, Fixstars Solutions, Inc.