View source for CentOS installation as kickstart pxe server

__TOC__
= Introduction =
Installation of Centos 5.2 as a PXE server to install Centos Servers via the network.<br/>
The reason for this project is that we need to teach the students Linux Clustering, and the students need to install a CentOS cluster. This server will reduce the time needed to install several cluster nodes.
= Installation of CentOS 5.2 =
Find a suitable server with at least 1GB of ram and two NIC's of which one should be 1000BASET. 
== Harddisk partitionering ==

SATA Harddisk sda 115 GB
SATA Harddisk sdb 305 GB 
{|border=1 ;style="margin: 0 auto; text-align: center; cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0"
|+ Hard disk partitions
|- bgcolor=lightgrey
! Harddisk !! Mount point !!Type !!  Size
|-
|sda || / || ext3 || align="right"| 5.000 MB
|- 
|sda || /boot || ext3 || align="right"| 4.000 MB
|- 
|sda || swap || swap || align="right"| 5.000 MB
|-
|sda || /tmp || ext3 || align="right"| 25.000 MB
|- 
|sda || /usr || ext3 || align="right"| 40.000 MB
|- 
|sdb || /home || ext3 || align="right"| 100.000 MB
|-
|sdb || /var || ext3 || align="right"| 100.000 MB
|-  
|sdb || swap || swap || align="right"| 5.000 MB
|- 
|}

== Choosing installation categories ==
*Desktop - Gnome
*Desktop - KDE
*Server
*Server - GUI

No Selinux firewall. Running in secure environment.
= Post installation =
== Upgrading software ==
Update the installed software to newest versions.
<source lang=cli>
[root@localhost]# <input>yum update</input>
</source>
== Permit ssh login as root ==
Uncomment the ''#PermitRootLogin yes'' line in ''/etc/ssh/sshd_config'' file and restart ''sshd''
<source lang=cli>
[root@localhost ~]# <input>vi +/PermitRootLogin /etc/ssh/sshd_config</input>
[root@localhost ~]# <input>service sshd restart</input>
</source>
== Changing hostname ==
Changing the hostname to ''ks.tekkom.dk''
<source lang=cli>
[root@localhost ~]# <input>hostname ks.tekkom.dk</input>
[root@localhost ~]# <input>vi /etc/sysconfig/network</input>
</source>
= Preparing for network installation =
== Copying the ISO images to the server ==
Make a directory for [[NFS]] export or [[FTP]] access. Copy the [[dvd]] or the six cd's [[iso]] image to it.
=== Prepare for centos installation ===
<source lang=cli>
[root@localhost home]# <input>mkdir -p /var/ftp/install/centos52</input>
[root@localhost home]# <input>dd if=/dev/hda of=/var/ftp/install/centos52/disk1</input>
[root@localhost home]# <input>dd if=/dev/hda of=/var/ftp/install/centos52/disk2</input>
[root@localhost home]# <input>dd if=/dev/hda of=/var/ftp/install/centos52/disk3</input>
[root@localhost home]# <input>dd if=/dev/hda of=/var/ftp/install/centos52/disk4</input>
[root@localhost home]# <input>dd if=/dev/hda of=/var/ftp/install/centos52/disk5</input>
[root@localhost home]# <input>dd if=/dev/hda of=/var/ftp/install/centos52/disk6</input>
</source>

== export ISO images directory via NFS ==
Export ''/home/iso'' directory ''read-only'' and start NFS daemons. Now and permanently. 
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks init.d]# <input>echo "/home/iso *(ro,no_root_squash)" >> /etc/export</input>
[root@ks init.d]# <input>chkconfig --level 345 nfs on</input>
[root@ks init.d]# <input>service nfs start</input>
Starter NFS-tjenester:                                     [     O.k.    ]
Starter NFS-kvoter:                                        [     O.k.    ]
Starter NFS-dæmonen:                                       [     O.k.    ]
Starter NFS mountd:                                        [     O.k.    ]
</source>
== start ftp server ==
''vsftpd'' homedirectory ''/var/ftp''. Start vsftp now and permanently.
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks ~]# <input>chkconfig --level 345 vsftpd on</input>
[root@ks ~]# <input>service vsftpd start</input>
Starter vsftpd for vsftpd:                                 [     O.k.    ]
</source>

== Network access ==
edit ''/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth1'' to contain
<source lang=cli>
DEVICE=eth1
ONBOOT=yes
BOOTPROTO=none
HWADDR=00:0e:0c:cf:d2:cb
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
IPADDR=172.20.0.1
TYPE=Ethernet
</source>
== NAT through the server ==
Allow masqerading from eth1 (172.20.0.0/24) network to outside eth0 (dhcp) network. Add the following lines to /etc/rc.local
<source lang=cli>
#  Enable IP Forwading between Interfaces (Routing)
echo "1" > /proc/sys/net/ipv4/ip_forward
# Allow the internal hosts to connect to any IP address on the outside 0.0.0.0/24
iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -s 172.20.0.0/24 -d 0.0.0.0/0 -o eth0 -j MASQUERADE 
</source>
== Installing additional services ==
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks init.d]# yum install tftp-server
[root@ks init.d]# yum install dhcp
</source>

=== TFTP server setup ===
Edit ''/etc/xinetd.d/tftp'' and change disable from ''yes'' to ''no'', and restart ''xinetd''.
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks ~]# <input>vi /etc/xinetd.d/tftp</input>
[root@ks ~]# <input>service xinetd restart</input>
Stopper xinetd:                                            [     O.k.    ]
Starter xinetd:                                            [     O.k.    ]
</source>

=== DHCPD server setup ===
Change ''/etc/dhcpd.conf'' to the contain the scope shown below:
<source lang=cli>
ddns-update-style interim;
authoritative;

option domain-name "tekkom.dk";
option domain-name-servers 172.16.4.77;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
subnet 172.20.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
        authoritative;
        range 172.20.0.10 172.20.0.90;
        next-server 172.20.0.1;
        option routers 172.20.0.1;
        allow unknown-clients;
        allow booting;
        allow bootp;
        filename "pxelinux.0";
}
</source>
Start the dhcpd daemon now and permanently.
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks ~]# <input>chkconfig --level 345 dhcpd on</input>
[root@ks ~]# <input>service dhcpd start</input>
Starter dhcpd:                                             [     O.k.    ]
</source>

= Preparing for PXE boot =
== Copy pxe boot files to tftp server directory ==
Copy the PXE boot file to TFTP directory. Create ''/tftpboot/centos52'' directory and copy the pxeboot files from CentOS installation cd 1 (or DVD)
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks ~]# <input>cp /usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /tftpboot</input>
[root@ks ~]# <input>mkdir /tftpboot/centos</input>
[root@ks ~]# <input>cp /media/CentOS_5.2_Final/images/pxeboot/* /tftpboot/centos52/</input>
</source>
== Create the PXE menu ==
Copy the COM executable file to tftp server root. And create directory to hold menufile.
<source lang=cli>
[root@ks ~]# <input>cp /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 /tftpboot</input>
[root@ks ~]# <input>mkdir /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg</input>
</source>
Create ''/tftpboot/pxelinux.cnf/default'' configuration file with the following content.
<source lang=cli>
default menu.c32
prompt 0
timeout 300
MENU TITLE Mercantec PXE Menu for Tekkom.
LABEL CentoS 5.2 i386
MENU LABEL CentOS 5.2 i386
KERNEL centos/i386/5.2/vmlinuz
append vga=normal initrd=centos5.2/initrd.img ramdisk_size=32768 method=ftp://172.20.0.1/install/centos5.2
</source>
== Create kickstart auto configuration files ==
run: '''system-config-kickstart''' and save files in '''/var/ftp/install/centos52/kickstart''' (vsftp default homepath is /var/ftp).

Add the menuitem below to '''/tftpboot/pxelinux.cnf/default''' file
<source lang=cli>
LABEL CentoS 5.2 i386 Full cluster software automatic 
MENU LABEL CentOS 5.2 i386 Full cluster software automatic 
KERNEL centos52/vmlinuz
append vga=normal initrd=centos52/initrd.img ramdisk_size=32768 method=ftp://192.168.22.4/install/centos52 ks=ftp://192.168.22.4/install/centos52/kickstart/fullcluster.cfg
</source>

= Links =
[http://shirwablog.com/?p=26 Nice page describing PXE from Centos Kickstart]
{{Source cli}}


[[Category:Linux]][[Category:Cluster]][[Category:CentOS]][[category:PXE]]