Automated installation

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* Follow the guidelines at [[partitioning]] on how best to slice up the disks.
 
* Follow the guidelines at [[partitioning]] on how best to slice up the disks.
 
* After the install, ensure the system can use puppet for basic updates.  DO NOT PUSH NEW SYSTEMS INTO THE CLUSTER WITHOUT PUPPET WORKING!
 
* After the install, ensure the system can use puppet for basic updates.  DO NOT PUSH NEW SYSTEMS INTO THE CLUSTER WITHOUT PUPPET WORKING!
 
=== Post Install ===
 
 
At this point you can add, migrate and install whatever in needed and available from our ubuntu repo.
 
* Add your new host to the [http://wikitech.wikimedia.org/view/Server_roles ServerRoles] page to properly track it.
 
* Monitoring ?
 
  
 
== Outstanding issues ==
 
== Outstanding issues ==

Revision as of 19:41, 13 September 2010

We have an automated installation system for Ubuntu server, using the Ubuntu installer and preseeding.

Contents

How to install a server

Information needed

  • MAC Address
    • Note the mac address either from it being printed on the hardware, seeing it on boot or looking it up from the system bios within the management console.
  • Internal or external based host
    • Choose whether this will be an externally routable host like zwinger.wikimedia.org or if its just internally routable like srv98.pmtpa.wmnet
      • Network_design is a good reference point for understanding what vlans are available for the network.
    • Apply the correct vlan settings as documented at IOS_howto#moving_vlans.

System Install

  • Ensure the server is in the netboot.cfg file located in /srv/autoinstall/netboot.cfg on brewster in the correct section.
  • If your box is part of a cluster, then add it to corresponding range otherwise the common install will be used.
  • Systems with no entry in netboot.cfg merely have the installer prompt for partitioning information.
  • Add the host to the dhcpd configuration file on brewster found in /etc/dhcpd/ and restart dhcpd.
  • Please do note there is one configuration file per system baud rate on serial. Please put the system you wish to install in the proper file.
  • Connect through the management interface of your new host, power on the server, and netboot the box (e.g. hit F-12 during bootup if it's a Dell).
    • There are far more detailed instructions on how to interact with the remote management interfaces at Remote_management

If all works well, you should pull down an automated install from zwinger and lots of magical things will transpire until you get to the partitioning screen.

  • Follow the guidelines at partitioning on how best to slice up the disks.
  • After the install, ensure the system can use puppet for basic updates. DO NOT PUSH NEW SYSTEMS INTO THE CLUSTER WITHOUT PUPPET WORKING!

Outstanding issues

  • Partitioning
  • mcelog
  • security.ubuntu.com
  • SSH keys repository
  • Grub PXE booting
  • Automatic setting of root password

Problems

My host turned on through the management interface but got no dhcp lease

  • Check /var/log/dhcpd.log on brewster to see if the hosts request was ever received.
    • If it wasn't then there might be a link issue between the two hosts.
    • If it is there then pay attention to the error message. A message of no leases available can mean many things.
      • Check the mac address in dhcpd configuration to make sure you entered in the right address.
      • Make sure you have set the proper vlan on the switch that your new host is connected to.

Links

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