Certification RPM, Boot Loaders, and Kickstart
UNIT 7 RPM, Boot Loaders, and Kickstart 1
UNIT 7: Objectives Upon completion of this unit the student should be able to: Use RPM to install, remove, update, and query packages Describe how to configure a multi-boot system Configure the GRUB and LILO boot loaders Configure Kickstart and perform automated installations 2
UNIT 7: Agenda Using RPM Installing Red Hat Linux on a multi-boot system Configuring a boot loader Deploying an installation server Installation using Kickstart 3
The RPM Way? Package installation is never interactive? Applies to all sw (core OS and add-ons)? No such thing as a patch to a package 4
RPM Package Manager RPM Components local database rpm and related executables package files rpmfind and metadirectories Primary Functions install/remove query verify build 5
Installing and Removing Software Installing and Removing Software Install: rpm -i, --install Upgrade: rpm -U, --upgrade Freshen: rpm -F, --freshen Erase: rpm -e, --erase Common Options Output options: -v, -h Preconditions: --nodeps, --replacefiles, --force Relocating: --excludepath, --prefix, --relocate, --badreloc, --root URL support: ftp (with globbing), http 6
Updating a Kernel RPM? Make sure to install kernel updates? Do not use rpm -U! rpm -ivh kernel-version.arch.rpm Boot new kernel to test Revert to old kernel if a problem arises rpm -e kernel-oldversion if no problems 7
rpm Queries Syntax: rpm -q what_packages what_information Package Options: -a package_name -f filename -p package_file_name Information Options: Default: package name -i: general information -l: file list 8
rpm Queries and Verification Additional query examples File Verification: rpm -V package_name rpm -Va Signature verification: gpg --import gpg_key rpm -import gpg_key At package install: rpm - checksig package_file_name 9
Other RPM Utilities and Features rpm2cpio: file extraction rpmdb-redhat: distribution database rpm -redhatprovides filename rpm -redhatprovides capability redhat-config-packages 1 0
Red Hat Network (RHN) RHN Components RHN account System identity /usr/sbin/up2date rhnsd daemon and queued actions Advantages Errata concurrency collective and remote administration 1 1
Automatic Dependency Resolution? automatic installation of dependent packages? invoked with "--aid" option.? use in conjunction with rpmdb-redhat? macro can indicate where package files found 1 2
RHN in the Enterprise?Workgroup Service? System grouping? Multiple administrators?proxy Server? Updates cached locally? Private channels?satellite Server? Client profiles stored locally? Custom channel management 1 3
RHN Registration /usr/sbin/up2date username, password, system name Remote Information Hardware Profile Software Profile (RPM list) Subscribed Channel Local Digital Certificate /etc/sysconfig/rhn/systemid 1 4
The up2date utility Interactive or batch invocations Functions Freshen with published errata/updates Install new packages Resolve package dependencies /usr/sbin/up2date-config install or download only cache dir: /var/spool/up2date 1 5
Remote Administration Web based administration https://rhn.redhat.com Multiple subscribed systems Queued actions Local polling: rhnsd Every 2 hours by default /usr/sbin/rhn_check does the hard work 1 6
Boot Loader Components Boot Loader 1st Stage - small, resides in MBR or boot sector 2nd Stage - loaded from boot partition Minimal specifications for Linux: kernel location, root partition, label Minimal specification for other OS: boot device, label 1 7
LILO and lilo.conf LILO was standard boot loader in older versions of Red Hat Linux Configuration file is /etc/lilo.conf /sbin/lilo must be run for lilo.conf changes to take effect /sbin/lilo -t to test configuration before installing /sbin/lilo -v to install LILO or update configuration /sbin/lilo -u to restore the MBR backup 1 8
GRUB and grub.conf GRUB is an advanced replacement for LILO Command-line interface available at boot prompt Boot from ext2/ext3, ReiserFS, JFS, FAT, minix, or FFS filesystems Supports MD5 password protection /boot/grub/grub.conf Changes to grub.conf take effect immediately unlike LILO, don't need to reinstall when configuration is modified if MBR on /dev/hda is corrupted, reinstall GRUB with /sbin/grub-install /dev/hda 1 9
Starting the Boot Process: LILO LILO boot: forced with <SHIFT>, <CAPS LOCK> Image selection (<TAB> lists) Linux kernels Partition boot sectors (other OSes) Argument passing LILO parameters kernel parameters init arguments or environment 2 0
Starting the Boot Process: GRUB Image selection select with up/down arrows on the boot splash screen Argument passing change an existing stanza in menu editing mode issue boot commands interactively on the GRUB command line 2 1
Multiboot Systems Linux can coexist with other operating systems, including the following: Windows NT/2000 DOS, Windows 3.x/9x/ME/XP NetBSD, FreeBSD, and other open systems Two major issues arise when implementing multiboot systems: Partitioning and the boot process 2 2
Red Hat Linux Network Installation Server Necessary for network-based installs Often faster than CDROM-based installation methods Provides an easy distribution platform for the enterprise Shares the RedHat directory via NFS, FTP and/or HTTP 2 3
Using Kickstart to automate installation? Kickstart is a component of the installer that automates installation? Kickstart supports all installation methods? The installer reads information from an ASCII file rather than prompting for it 2 4
Kickstart: Commands Section? Constructs arguments that are passed to configuration utilities ( commands )? The absence of required specifications (e.g., keyboard) will raise the appropriate utility? Commands section must come first 2 5
Kickstart: %packages? %packages specifies components groups and RPMs to install? Component groups in the comps.xml file are specified with @ component-group? Third-party RPMs cannot be specified without modifying hdlist? Package names only (not version) 2 6
Kickstart: %pre, %post?%pre gives you the first word? executes as a bash shell script? executes after Kickstart file is parsed?%post gives you the final word? Can specify interpreter (bash is default)? chroot ed by default, but may be run without chroot 2 7
End of Unit 7 Questions and answers Summary In what files are GRUB and LILO configured, respectively? What LILO command installs the first stage loader? What GRUB command does this? Where can the Kickstart configuration file be stored? 2 8