Kick start server

[Habib_4]

Hi Guys!,

Just wondered, what is a kick start server and how does it work?

[Paul Cross_1]

A kickstart server is a redhat linux install server like jumpstart (solaris) or ignite (hpux).
kickstart can be started from a boot cd or floppy with a ks.cfg file referencing custom aspects of installation such as partition info, NIS domain, install source (NFS, ftp, http) etc. etc.

-p

[Paul Cross_1]

No HERE's a link... d'oh.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/custom-guide/part-install-info.html

[Ivan Ferreira]

The "kick start server" is just a NFS server that holds the installation images for the Red Hat/Fedora Operating system. It may also be the DHCP server that indicates to the clients what kickstart file to use.

A kickstart file can be created with system config kickstart. You start the installation using:

linux ks (network kickstart file)
linux ks=floppy (floppy kickstart file)

The file normally is called ks.cfg. It's an answer file that automates the installation program. You always have a kickstart file in /root called anaconda-ks.cfg, that is the configuration used to install that system.

[Sung Oh]

Hi Habib,

It can be used as network installation server for REDHAT images on the network. You can install many systems VIA network at once if you have Kick start server setup on the network.

It uses DHCP to control the client systems to be loaded such redhat images. you can PXE boot the client systems from Kick start server and kickstart configuration file can be used to load images after PXE boot.

I hope this helps,

Sung

[Guru Dutta]

Hey,

I guess this link will be useful:-

http://wwwcache.ja.net/dev/kickstart/KickStart-HOWTO.html

Thanks,

~Guru Dutta

[Asif Sharif]

Hi Habib,

Due to the need for automated installation, Red Hat has created the kickstart installation method. With this method, a system administrator can create a single file containing the answers to all the questions that would normally be asked during a typical Red Hat interactive Linux installation.

Kickstart files can be kept on single server system, and read by individual computers during the installation. The kickstart installation method is powerful enough that often a single kickstart file can be used to install Red Hat Linux on multiple machines, making it ideal for network and system administrators.

Kickstart lets you automate most of a Red Hat Linux installation, including:

Language selection
Network configuration
Keyboard selection
Boot loader installation (LILO)
Disk partitioning
Mouse Selection
X Window System configuration
Kickstart installations can only be performed using a local CD-ROM, a local hard drive, or NFS installation methods. FTP and HTTP installations cannot be automated using kickstart mode.

For Redhat 9 see this link.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/linux/RHL-9-Manual/custom-guide/ch-kickstart2.html

For Redhat AS 4 see this link.

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/RHEL-4-Manual/sysadmin-guide/s1-kickstart2-options.html

Regards,
Asif Sharif

[Vipulinux]

Hi

Kickstart server is a central server thry which you can intsall linux client machines.

Kickstart Server can either be:
NFS based
FTP based
HTTP based.

It basically hold the entire Redhat packages at one location.

Once this server is ready you can boot the clinet machine using kickstart floppy and point it ot the Kickstart server and it will get installed. ( similar to RIS if you are familiar with Windows)

Cheers
Vipul