I already wrote about network deployment of SuSE 11 and 12 for the POWER platform. Installing SLE15 is slightly different from previous versions due to the use of GRUB instead of "yaboot". Maybe you can still get yaboot to work with SLE15, but let's look at the new network boot method offered by SuSE.
I will build PXE on SLE15 itself, although you can use any other PXE for this. I just will use this opportunity to check what is required in SLE15 to build the PXE from the scratch.
I used only the first installation disk for the initial installation and therefore I have the minial OS installed. This system is almost unusable without the addition of software. I will register this system to install missing packages online.
# SUSEConnect -r REGISTRATIONCODE -e your@email # --debug .. Successfully registered system.
Now you need to select additional modules for the subscription. To view available extensions and modules:
# SUSEConnect --list-extensions
You should add Legacy Module 15 x86_64, Server Applications Module and SUSE Package Hub 15 x86_64 repository for this installation:
# SUSEConnect -p sle-module-legacy/15/x86_64 -p sle-module-server-applications/15/x86_64 -p PackageHub/15/x86_64
Finally lets install missing software that will be used during this HOWTO:
# zypper in rsyslog YaST man vim iputils net-tools-deprecated rsync \ xinetd tftp yast2-tftp-server apache2 dhcp-server syslinux autoyast2
The first line includes tools that hard to live without, and the second line are required services.
This PXE server will serve installation for both architectures. Thus I downloaded two CDs for both architectures: the installer and the packages. Instead of copying the contents of the CD, I will mount the CD directly in the right place. I have to mount four CDs. But which CD contains which image? Let's check:
# lsblk -f /dev/sr? NAME FSTYPE LABEL UUID MOUNTPOINT sr0 iso9660 SLE-15-Installer-DVD-x86_646.001 2018-06-20-13-49-39-18 sr1 iso9660 SLE-15-Installer-DVD-ppc64le.001 2018-06-20-13-53-22-12 sr2 iso9660 SLE-15-Packages-ppc64le-Media1 2018-06-20-16-59-47-97 sr3 iso9660 SLE-15-Packages-x86_64-Media1 2018-06-20-17-36-23-02
Lets fix /etc/fstab using this LABEL information as:
.. LABEL="SLE-15-Installer-DVD-x86_646.001" /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.x86_64 auto defaults 0 0 LABEL="SLE-15-Packages-x86_64-Media1" /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.x86_64.Packages auto defaults 0 0 LABEL="SLE-15-Installer-DVD-ppc64le.001" /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.ppc64le auto defaults 0 0 LABEL="SLE-15-Packages-ppc64le-Media1" /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.ppc64le.Packages auto defaults 0 0
And, mount it:
sle15:~ # mkdir -p /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.{x86_64,ppc64le}{,.Packages}
sle15:~ # mount -a
Edit the /etc/sysconfig/tftp file. Here you can set another location for the TFTP root (/srv/tftpboot by default). I have no problem with the default location, the only thing I changed here is an increase verbosity level of log for debugging boot process.
.. TFTP_OPTIONS="-v " ..
Enable tftp service and start it:
# systemctl enable tftp.socket # systemctl enable xinetd.service # systemctl start xinetd.service
Check that you can retrieve file and see log of that:
sle15:~ # cd /tmp sle15:/tmp # echo hello > /srv/tftpboot/aaa sle15:/tmp # tftp localhost tftp> get aaa tftp> quit sle15:/tmp # cat aaa hello sle15:/tmp # tail /var/log/messages 2018-11-09T12:16:49.699356+02:00 sle15 systemd[1]: Started Tftp Server. 2018-11-09T12:16:49.704655+02:00 sle15 in.tftpd[1758]: RRQ from 127.0.0.1 filename aaa sle15:/tmp # rm -f /srv/tftpboot/aaa
Once TFTP works, populate the TFTP directory:
# rsync -av /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.ppc64le/boot /srv/tftpboot/ # <- for Power # rsync -av /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.x86_64/boot /srv/tftpboot/ # <- for x86 (BIOS and EFI) # rsync -av /srv/www/htdocs/SLE15.x86_64/EFI /srv/tftpboot/ # <- for x86 EFI loader.
The default configuration suits well and probably does not require changes. The only change I made helps me view the content through the browser. The installer itself does not list directories, but requests certain files instead, so this change is not required.
The change is in /etc/apache2/default-server.conf. Replace Options None to Options Indexes.
Then enable and restart http service:
# systemctl enable apache2.service # systemctl restart apache2.service
Here is my /etc/dhcpd.conf
# cat /etc/dhcpd.conf
allow booting;
allow bootp;
ddns-update-style none;
default-lease-time 14400;
deny unknown-clients;
subnet 192.168.0.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
option domain-name "localdomain";
#option domain-name-servers 192.168.0.1;
option routers 192.168.0.1;
#option ntp-servers 192.168.0.1;
option subnet-mask 255.255.255.0;
next-server 192.168.0.1;
pool {
range dynamic-bootp 192.168.0.25 192.168.0.26 ;
host intel-EFI {
hardware ethernet 52:54:00:e7:1d:ab;
fixed-address 192.168.0.13;
filename "/EFI/BOOT/bootx64.efi";
}
host intel {
hardware ethernet 52:54:00:e7:1d:ad;
fixed-address 192.168.0.12;
filename "/boot/x86_64/pxelinux.0";
}
host ppc {
hardware ethernet 52:54:00:53:36:51;
fixed-address 192.168.0.11;
filename "/boot/ppc64le/grub2-ieee1275/core.elf";
}
}
}
Important NOTE!
Fix /etc/sysconfig/dhcpd to bind DHCP to the correct network interface, otherwise the service will not start without a clear reason:
.. DHCPD_INTERFACE="eth1" ..
Then enable and start DHCP server:
# systemctl enable dhcpd.service # systemctl restart dhcpd.service
During the initial boot, the GRUB bootloader is loaded from the network via TFTP. The GRUB continues to boot according to its configuration file /boot/ppc64le/grub2-ieee1275/grub.cfg, that sits on server in the TFTP root : /srv/tftpboot. We need to customize this file, indicating the location of our installation sources:
# cat /srv/tftpboot/boot/ppc64le/grub2-ieee1275/grub.cfg
with_gfx=0
gfxmode=auto
locale_dir=$prefix/locale
lang=en_US
set default='Installation'
insmod gettext
if sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
timeout=20
fi
menuentry 'Installation' --class opensuse --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os {
echo 'Loading kernel ...'
linux /boot/ppc64le/linux install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.ppc64le autoyast=http://192.168.0.1/autoyast.sle15.ppc64le.xml
# linux /boot/ppc64le/linux install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.ppc64le vnc=1 vncpassword=P@ssw0rd
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/ppc64le/initrd
}
menuentry 'Rescue System' $arch --class opensuse --class gnu-linux --class gnu {
echo 'Loading kernel ...'
linux /boot/ppc64le/linux rescue=1 install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.ppc64le
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/ppc64le/initrd
}
menuentry 'Upgrade' $arch --class opensuse --class gnu-linux --class gnu {
echo 'Loading kernel ...'
linux /boot/ppc64le/linux upgrade=1 install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.ppc64le
echo 'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
initrd /boot/ppc64le/initrd
}
menuentry 'local' {
exit
}
submenu 'Other options...' {
menuentry 'Reboot' {
reboot
}
menuentry 'Exit to Open Firmware' {
exit
}
}
My changes to the source file are in bold. Green options are required to start the installation using the VNC GUI. The red parameter will start unattended installation using autoyast feature.
Nice documentation could be found here
And this is mine collection of autoyast files. You must correct at least the IP address of the installation server before you can use it.
I have no server with EFI boot to test it. I think this is about to edit /srv/tftpboot/EFI/BOOT/grub.cfg with similar parameters as for grub.cfg for POWER.
When deploying Intel via classic PXE loader you have to use pxelinux loader. Copy it to TFTP root:
# cp -v /usr/share/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /srv/tftpboot/boot/x86_64/ # cp -v /usr/share/syslinux/vesamenu.c32 /srv/tftpboot/boot/x86_64/ # mkdir /srv/tftpboot/boot/x86_64/pxelinux.cfg
And create it's menu configuration file:
# cat > /srv/tftpboot/boot/x86_64/pxelinux.cfg/default << EOFcat default vesamenu.c32 timeout 600 LABEL local MENU LABEL Boot from local drive MENU DEFAULT localboot -2 LABEL linux MENU LABEL Interactive Install kernel loader/linux append initrd=loader/initrd splash=none showopts install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.x86_64 IPAPPEND 2 LABEL autoyast MENU LABEL Install SuSE for SAP using autoyast kernel loader/linux append initrd=loader/initrd install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.x86_64 autoyast=http://192.168.0.1/autoyast.sle15.x86_64.xml IPAPPEND 2 LABEL upgrade MENU LABEL Upgrade kernel loader/linux append initrd=loader/initrd splash=none upgrade=1 showopts install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.x86_64 IPAPPEND 2 LABEL rescue MENU LABEL boot Rescue disk kernel loader/linux append initrd=loader/initrd splash=none rescue=1 showopts install=http://192.168.0.1/SLE15.x86_64 IPAPPEND 2 EOFcat
The autoyast file used here is a full copy of autoyast used for POWER, with URL fixed to pointing on x86_64 sources.
It happens that you cannot use DHCP to boot your server, but still want to use autoyast for file and network repositories. You can force the installer to request for a network configuration before downloading the autoyast file.
First option: boot from the very first CD named Installer, select the Installation entry in the GRUB menu and press e to edit this entry. Add the following options to the linux line:
.. linux /boot/ppc64le/linux autoyast=http://192.168.0.1/auto.xml netsetup=hostip,netmask,gateway - OR - linux /boot/ppc64le/linux autoyast=http://192.168.0.1/auto.xml netsetup=dhcp - OR - linux /boot/ppc64le/linux ifcfg=*="192.168.0.2/24,192.168.0.254,8.8.8.8,mydomain.com" vnc=1 vncpassword=Passw0rdthen press Ctrl-x to boot the edited entry.
Refer to this guide for more boot options you can use.