Creating separate OE install images from DCOE DVD set

[BCB]

On my ignite server, I am trying to build separate configuration files to create separate installation options for each of the Operating Environments.

With the DCOE DVD set, I ran make_depots to create a full copy of the 3 DVDs (assuming this contained all the 'lower level' OEs). Upon running make_config, I get a configuration file that contains entries for all the OEs (VSOE, HA-OE, DC-OE, BOE). I then proceeded to remove the sw_sel stanzas for the OEs I wanted to eliminate. For instance, I wanted a VSOE config file, so I deleted the sw_sel for HA-OE, DC-OE, and BOE). My first question is...is this the right way to build an installation config file for separate OEs?

As for my next question - I was able to build a test server with my VSOE config file. However, when looking for the hpvm host commands (hpvmstatus, etc.), I did not see them installed. So, I'm not sure what happened with my installation using that configuration file. How can I confirm that the VSOE configuration file will load up what I need?

[Scot Bean · Accepted solution]

What you have done will work, if you are careful.

Only need one 'make_depots'. Only need one 'make_config'. The DC OE media is all inclusive and contains the other smaller OEs.

Another way to go would be to keep the config file 'as is' as a master file, and then add additional small config files made by hand that select/deslect the OEs you want. Then you do not have to edit/delete as you did.

As for HPVM and the VSE OE, I believe the documentation states that this OE contains "vPars OR HPVM". They still play games here where these 2 virtualizaion products do not install together. I think the default is, vPars wins and gets installed. If you really want HPVM, deselect all of the vPars products in your config file, make sure the HPVM ones are selected. (Check your /var/adm/sw/swinstall.log to confirm this HPVM exclusion)

[BCB]

Thanks Scot. I was looking at the option of creating separate "smaller" config files. My dilemma there was that make_config only likes to work on depots. When building the main depot for DCOE, the other bundles didn't show up as depots. I was thinking I needed to run an swcopy on each & every bundle, then work the config file from that. I was afraid I might miss something (dependency, etc.) - is that a valid concern? Or..is there an easier way to create the config files without building separate depots?

[Scot Bean]

I would keep one big depot, one big config file.

The custom, small config files would have just one line or so, such as

init sw_sel "VSE-OE"=TRUE


Then in your index file, you have
cfg "my VSE OE" {
...
.../my_master_big_config
.../my_vse_config
.../config.local
}

See what I mean?

[BCB]

Ok, I see what you're getting to. But won't the main config file then take precedence? Why I ask is this:

The main config file contains the following sw_sel entries (followed by a list of packages):

sw_sel "OE20HPUX11i-VSE-OE" | "HPUX11i-VSE-OE" | "BA929AA" | "VSE-OE"

sw_sel "OE14HPUX11i-HA-OE" | "HPUX11i-HA-OE" | "BA930AA" | "HA-OE"

sw_sel "OE10HPUX11i-DC-OE" | "HPUX11i-DC-OE" | "BA931AA" | "DC-OE"

sw_sel "OE24HPUX11i-BOE" | "HPUX11i-BOE" | "BA927AA" | "BOE"

Then, it has an init sw_sel statement, which I assume is the trigger to which OE to install with that config file. In my case, it is:

init sw_sel "OE10HPUX11i-DC-OE" = TRUE


So if I follow what you are saying, I can pull that init sw_sel statement, then manually create another config that has the sw_sel statement, in addition to an init sw_sel statement to trigger that install...right?

[Scot Bean]

You should experiment with the settings.

The order of the files in the INDEX staza determines the override. Since your customization file follows the master file, it should override any settings there.

By default, your master config will install DC-OE. That one-line change in the custom should override it. However, you should try it and see. Perhaps you may need to add a FALSE for that same DC-OE line to your custom setup.

Then you nca do similar for additional OEs, setups that you want.

[BCB]

Good news...I'm getting this to work so far. Thank-you for the information.

I had one last question before closing this out. It pertains to dependencies. When I created a separate depot for VPARS software, for instance, the swcopy pulled in a number of dependencies to get the software to install properly. After creating the depot, I would run the standard make_config command.

Now that I can 'call out' the software I want to install, I'm concerned about whether or not I'm including all software that *should* be installed (i.e. patches, dependencies, etc.). With the VPAR example, I can add a line in my custom config file to include the package
(init sw_sel "T1335DC,r=A.05.07" = TRUE). But...will that one line pull in everything that may be needed for VPARs?

[Scot Bean]

Yes, that one line will require all the dependencies are in the same vPars depot, and they will all be selected at install time. If one dependency is missing, the install will fail.

But since it sounds like your depot was created by copying over all deps, this should work.

[BCB]

Got the custom configuration files to work. Thanks for all of the input.