Procedure 5.2. Automating Deployment using PXE and Kickstart

1. Download the RHVH ISO image from the Customer Portal:
   1. Log in to the Customer Portal at https://access.redhat.com.
   2. Click Downloads in the menu bar.
   3. Click Red Hat Virtualization, scroll up, and click Download Latest to access the product download page.
   4. Choose the appropriate hypervisor image and click Download Now.
2. Make the RHVH ISO image available over the network using the instructions in Installation Source on a Network.
3. Extract the squashfs.img file from the RHVH ISO:

   # mount -o loop /path/to/RHVH-ISO /mnt/rhvh
   # cp /mnt/rhvh/Packages/redhat-virtualization-host-image-update* /tmp
   # cd /tmp
   # rpm2cpio redhat-virtualization-host-image-update* | cpio idmv

   The squashfs.img file is located at /tmp/usr/share/redhat-virtualization-host/image/.
4. Configure the PXE server using the instructions in Preparing for a Network Installation.
   The following requirements apply in order to boot RHVH from the PXE server:
   • Ensure that you copy the RHVH boot images to the /tftpboot directory.

     # cp URL/to/RHVH-ISO/images/pxeboot/{vmlinuz,initrd.img} /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux/

   • The boot loader configuration file must include a RHVH label that specifies the RHVH boot images.

     LABEL rhvh
       MENU LABEL Install Red Hat Virtualization ^Host
       KERNEL /var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux/vmlinuz
       APPEND initrd=/var/lib/tftpboot/pxelinux/initrd.img inst.stage2=URL/to/RHVH-ISO

   Example 5.2. Red Hat Virtualization Host PXELinux Satellite Template

   The following is an example of a boot loader label that uses information from Red Hat Satellite to provision the host. You must create a global or host group level parameter called rhvh_image and populate it with the directory URL where the ISO is mounted or extracted.

   <%#
   kind: PXELinux
   name: RHVH PXELinux
   %>
   # Created for booting new hosts
   #
   
   DEFAULT rhvh
   
   LABEL rhvh
   KERNEL <%= @kernel %>
   APPEND initrd=<%= @initrd %> inst.ks=<%= foreman_url("provision") %> inst.stage2=<%= @host.params["rhvh_image"] %> intel_iommu=on console=tty0 console=ttyS1,115200n8 ssh_pwauth=1 local_boot_trigger=<%= foreman_url("built") %>
   IPAPPEND 2

5. Create a Kickstart file and make it available over the network using the instructions in Kickstart Installations.
   The following constraints apply to RHVH Kickstart files:
   • The %packages section is not required for RHVH. Instead, use the liveimg option and specify the squashfs.img file from the RHVH ISO image.

     liveimg --url=example.com/tmp/usr/share/redhat-virtualization-host/image/squashfs.img

   • The autopart command is highly recommended. Thin provisioning must be used.

     autopart --type=thinp

     Note

     The --no-home option does not work in RHVH. This is an expected behavior, because /home is a required directory.
     If your installation requires manual partitioning instead, see Section 5.2.1, “Custom Partitioning” for a list of limitations that apply to partitions, and an example of manual partitioning in a Kickstart file.
   • A %post section that calls the nodectl init command is required.

     %post
     nodectl init
     %end

   To fully automate the installation process, you can add this Kickstart file to the boot loader configuration file on the PXE server. Specify the Kickstart location by adding inst.ks= to the APPEND line:

   APPEND initrd=/var/tftpboot/pxelinux/initrd.img inst.stage2=URL/to/RHVH-ISO inst.ks=URL/to/RHVH-ks.cfg

   Example 5.3. Red Hat Virtualization Host Kickstart File

   The following is an example of a Kickstart file used to deploy Red Hat Virtualization Host. You can include additional commands and options as required.

   liveimg --url=http://1.2.3.4/tmp/usr/share/redhat-virtualization-host/image/squashfs.img
   clearpart --all
   autopart --type=thinp
   rootpw --plaintext ovirt
   timezone --utc America/Phoenix
   zerombr
   text
   
   reboot
   
   %post --erroronfail
   nodectl init
   %end

   Example 5.4. Red Hat Virtualization Host Kickstart File with Registration and Network Configuration

   The following is an example of a Kickstart file that uses information from Red Hat Satellite to configure the host network and register the host to the Satellite server. You must create a global or host group level parameter called rhvh_image and populate it with the directory URL to the squashfs.img file. ntp_server1 is also a global or host group level variable.

   <%#
   kind: provision
   name: RHVH Kickstart default
   oses: 
   - RHVH
   %>
   install
   liveimg --url=<%= @host.params['rhvh_image'] %>squashfs.img
   
   network --bootproto static --ip=<%= @host.ip %> --netmask=<%= @host.subnet.mask %> --gateway=<%= @host.subnet.gateway %> --nameserver=<%= @host.subnet.dns_primary %> --hostname <%= @host.name %>
   
   zerombr
   clearpart --all
   autopart --type=thinp  
   
   rootpw --iscrypted <%= root_pass %>
   
   # installation answers
   lang en_US.UTF-8
   timezone <%= @host.params['time-zone'] || 'UTC' %>
   keyboard us
   firewall --service=ssh  
   services --enabled=sshd  
   
   text
   reboot
   
   %post --log=/root/ks.post.log --erroronfail 
   nodectl init
   <%= snippet 'subscription_manager_registration' %>
   <%= snippet 'kickstart_networking_setup' %>
   /usr/sbin/ntpdate -sub <%= @host.params['ntp_server1'] || '0.fedora.pool.ntp.org' %>
   /usr/sbin/hwclock --systohc
   
   /usr/bin/curl <%= foreman_url('built') %>
   
   sync  
   systemctl reboot
   %end

6. Install RHVH using the instructions in Booting the Installation on AMD64 and Intel 64 Systems from the Network Using PXE.