PXE + kickstart to MOUNT! a preconfigured ISO

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achristi
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Joined: 2015/03/19 16:31:11

PXE + kickstart to MOUNT! a preconfigured ISO

Post by achristi » 2015/03/19 16:50:00

Dear,

I'm looking for a way to download and MOUNT an ISO-image on completely standardized HW using PXE and kickstart.
I do know how to setup a PXE server and INSTALL for example CentOS7 from scratch but that's not what I'm looking for.

I have a system completely setup (CentOS7) and customised with SW that is not available in packages (installers).
I want this system replicated to an unlimited amount of other chassis whit exactly the same HW and without user intervention.
PXE and kickstart seem appropriate but all kickstart documentation is starting with an "install" which is not what I wan't.
I want kickstart to download an ISO using http and then cp/mount it in on Compact Flash.
After this the mounted image should become the boot image and a reboot should be triggered.

Can anyone tell me if this is possible and possibly point me in the right direction?

Thanks for your time and kind regards, Arnd

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TrevorH
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Location: Brighton, UK

Re: PXE + kickstart to MOUNT! a preconfigured ISO

Post by TrevorH » 2015/03/19 17:44:26

I don't know how to do what you want but there are implications to it: all the cloned systems will have setups that expect the same MAC address for example. They'll also all share the same host ssh key which is not a good thing. Things like that will all need to be fixed up post-copy.

Did you investigate configuration management programs like puppet/ansible/salt/etc? They would be a better way to make the same changes to multiple systems - so install using PXE/kickstart then in the post script, install epel-release and then install puppet and kick puppet off on first boot. s/puppet/$configmanagementapp/ - I just happen to be familiar with puppet and not with the others.

Otherwise, using your intended direction I think you have to boot into a tailored rescue environment which then downloads your image and unpack it, then fix up the things that need to change.
The future appears to be RHEL or Debian. I think I'm going Debian.
Info for USB installs on http://wiki.centos.org/HowTos/InstallFromUSBkey
CentOS 5 and 6 are deadest, do not use them.
Use the FAQ Luke

achristi
Posts: 2
Joined: 2015/03/19 16:31:11

Re: PXE + kickstart to MOUNT! a preconfigured ISO

Post by achristi » 2015/03/19 17:57:22

Thanks for your reply.
Yes, I thought about those issues as well.
I will have to find a way around them.

I know it should be possible to install a regular CENTOS using PXE en then execute post scripting to mount an ISO and make it the bootable device.
Was hoping there was a way around that...

Anyway, txs for your answer!

Kr, Arnd

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