Linux RedHat

[emp001]

Hi Linux Engineers

We are running RedHat 4.0, I know on HP-UX there is the ignite tool to create the tape and net recovery and also can create the golden image to install the new OS
Is there any similar tool we can use on Linux ?

Thank you.
Michael.

[Matti_Kurkela]

Mondo Rescue is the closest equivalent of Ignite-UX for Linux:

http://www.mondorescue.org/

For "golden image"-style installations, the Kickstart feature of the RedHat installer might be an appropriate choice.

Each RedHat installation produces a /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file. This is a Kickstart configuration template: if you want to exactly repeat a particular installation process, copy the template from the installed system, uncomment the disk partitioning directives (by default commented out for safety) and you have a fully functional Kickstart configuration file you can use to create exact copies of the original installation.

You can also write Kickstart configuration files manually, or install a "system-config-kickstart" tool for producing Kickstart configuration files.

For more details on how to use Kickstart, please see RedHat documentation:

https://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/

(For RHEL 4, Kickstart installations are covered in Chapter 1 of the RHEL 4 System Administration Guide. For RHEL 5 and 6, the Kickstart documentation is in the Installation Guide.)

MK

[emp001]

Thank you very much for your response.

So, the Mondo Rescue is the tool, that I can run make_tape_recovery and make_net_recovery, rigtht ?
And if I can run it for net_rec. I should have something similar to ignite server(on HP-UX, where archive file will be copied to, is it right ?

Also for /root/anaconda-ks.cfg file should be used on the server(like ignite server and the client should be on the same subnet ?

Thank you.
Michael.

[Matti_Kurkela]

MondoRescue is not exactly the same as Ignite-UX, although it serves the same purpose.

For MondoRescue, a generic writeable NFS server is enough for basic network functionality. MondoRescue will produce a set of CD or DVD images on the server; if you need to restore, you can burn the image files to appropriate media and reinstall the system using those. Such media can be used much like an Ignite recovery tape.

Or if you set up a network boot server (requires setting up at least DHCP & TFTP services + some configuration), you can use the image files to boot the system over the network for restore. (see README.pxe inside MondoRescue's "mindi" package)

The commands are not the same as on HP-UX: please see MondoRescue documentation.
http://www.mondorescue.org/docs/mondorescue-howto/backup-cmd.html

---------------------
The anaconda-ks.cfg file can be provided to the RedHat installer in many ways:
- on a floppy disk (if the installable system has a floppy drive)
- on a USB stick
- on a HTTP/FTP server that is accessible at installation time
- if you want, you can create a custom RHEL installation media that includes your Kickstart configuration file(s)

To start a Kickstart installation, you specify the "ks" boot option to the installation boot prompt. Please see RedHat documentation:
http://docs.redhat.com/docs/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/4/html/System_Administration_Guide/Kickstart_Installations-Starting_a_Kickstart_Installation.html

(If you create a custom installation media or a network boot server, you can include the ks boot option to the bootloader defaults, so you can install your preferred configuration in a fully automated fashion, or have a boot menu that allows you to choose one of your custom configurations.)

MK

[emp001]

Thank you very much, will check the documentation and try to set it up.

Michael.

[emp001]

Which one you do you recommend to use:

Mondo Rescue or anaconda-ks, or I should use the combination of both of them ?

Thank you.
Michael.

[Alzhy]

It depends on what your goal is.

If you already have a "refrence" server and would like to use that server to serve as template to install on other servers -- then MondoRescue is your best bet. Why? Becasue it allows you to create an BOOTABLE ISO Image that you can burn to USB or OCD/DVD Media or boot off using your vMedia infrastructure that is available on most PC Server these days.

HOWEVER - if your environment is a Virtual One -- i.e. vSPhere or KVM -- then you will be better off using the template/clone features of those Hypervisors...

[emp001]

So what I am planning to do is: 1)to have the customized OS with our own environment with some additional software and patches, that I can install ON new Linux clients

2) Also on the various existing clients I can run the backup to have the image on that server, so if I need to reinstall some of the clients I can use that archive and simply reinstall everything back

3) Also, I need to keep and update the latest patches that I can install fronm that server to any existing Linux client

For those 3 main things from above which tool I need better to use: Mondo Rescue or
/root/anaconda-ks.cfg or both
and if both which one for which step ?

Thank you.
Michael.

[Alzhy]

MondoRescue is both a BACKUP (OS) and CLONING tool.

As a BACKUP tool - it allows for rapid ercovery of your OS - from a bootable ISO Image of your OS created by MondoRescue.

As a CLONING Tool -- it allows you to restore a BACKUP of another Server's OS on to a different Server whilst giving you the ability to give it a new name, ip, etc...


So based on the above MondoRescue Functionaility -- I'd say you will be able to decide.

Anaconda/KickStart I do not think is a fit to your neesd.

[emp001]

Is MondoRescue needs to be downloaded as the additional tool(SW) and also is it working on RedHat only or on the other Linux flavors such us Sles or Suse Linux. Also what is the best website I can use to read and configure all of that stuff ?

Thank you.
Michael.