I don't have PXE, etc. setup yet, but I tried your suggestion of just booting from a DVD and giving it the ks parameter. I think it almost worked. I got the following error:
"Unable to read package metadata. This may be due to a missing repodata directory. Please ensure that your install tree has been correctly generated. Cannot retrieve reposutory metadata...." I believe this was because the kickstart file is littered with URLs with 'localhost.localdomain' in them. I was able to get one of the URLs to change by hard coding the URL in the Kickstart -> Profiles -> System Details -> Advanced options. But many other URLs still have the localhost.localdomain in the URL. What is considered the preferred way to fix these? Robert Kuropkat On Wed, 2009-11-25 at 08:11 +0800, Colin Coe wrote: > Don't get too hung up on PXE. > > Spacewalk/Satellite can be configured as a DHCP/TFTP server which is > used by the PXE client (server, Fedora desktop, whatever) to get an IP > address and grab a kernel + initial ramdisk for booting the installer > via TFTP. That's where PXE comes in. You could just as easily boot > from a USB key or RHEL/Fedora CD/DVD and type "linux > ks=http://spacewalk.server.com/ks/cfg/org/1/label/test-ks2 ip=1.2.3.4 > etc" > > As for setting up the Kickstart trees, follow > https://fedorahosted.org/spacewalk/wiki/HowToKickstartCobbler. I hate > to admit it, but this process has gotten a lot more involved since > v0.4 and is not as clear. Follow the instructions with the knowledge > that 'this is what you have to do', understanding will come. > > The clear advantage of Satellite over Spacewalk is that sync'ing RHEL > content is easy. If you have less than 50 physical nodes, my > understanding is that special pricing is available from RedHat. One > of my clients bought Satellite and they only had 20 or so physical > boxes so they paid about a third of the Satellite retail price. YMMV. > > Spacewalk/Satellite will give you the automated installs you want but > it will give you much more. The API set is huge and at a previous > client site I tied the monitoring system and Satellite together so > that any new Linux nodes were automatically added to the monitoring > system. I choose not to your the inbuilt Satellite monitoring as it > didn't easily do what I wanted (red light/green light monitoring, > trending and alerting). What Satellite/Spacewalk can do is limitted > by your imagination and coding skills. > > You can't make a RHEL ISO from the Satellite server although this is > functionality I've requested in the past. I think the request was > rejected as it also needed work done in Anaconda (the installer). > > Hope I've helped and not rambled to much (I have a habit of doing that) > > CC > > On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 7:34 AM, Robert Kuropkat > <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > That's another thing I am not clear on yet, but I have more reading to > > do still. Does Spacewalk serve as a network (PXE) install server? Or > > does it just store the kickstart files? Or does it need the kickstart > > files to determine what packages to keep up to date on each server. > > > > My end goal is an automated install. Obviously, there are many ways to > > go about that, but I thought Spacewalk would provide automated installs > > as well as provide a useful foundation for on going maintenance. > > > > I'm not sure yet what my target environment will be, but suspect a > > combination of being able to install/update over the network from this > > server, install from a CD (hopefully made from this server) and install > > from another Spacewalk server (or proxy) based on having to sneaker net > > files to it (thus my reason for wanting to understand how to setup rpms > > from CD even though I have a valid RHN account). > > > > Robert Kuropkat > > > > > > On Wed, 2009-11-25 at 07:19 +0800, Colin Coe wrote: > >> Just remember that putting RPMs into a channel is step one, you also > >> need to get the kickstart trees into Spacewalk if you want to do > >> provisioning (building systems). > >> > >> CC > >> > >> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 6:46 AM, Robert Kuropkat > >> <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > > >> > hehehe, I am starting to work that out :-) > >> > > >> > Right now I've hit pause on this for a couple more hours. I'm tired of > >> > Windows 7 blue screening on me and corrupting my VMs, so I am trying to > >> > get my Ubuntu partition functional. > >> > > >> > I hope to be back on this later tonight or tomorrow. > >> > > >> > Right now, I think I've been able to load the rpms from the iso using > >> > rhnpush and I used the web GUI to initiate a load of rpms from the RHN > >> > Extras site. This gave me about 6,000 rpms in this channel. > >> > > >> > Now, whether that did something useful or not, I'm not sure. I'll try > >> > to recreate it soon and see if I can subscribe a system to that channel > >> > and do updates. > >> > > >> > 'preciate all the help from everyone so far... > >> > > >> > Robert Kuropkat > >> > > >> > > >> > On Wed, 2009-11-25 at 06:41 +0800, Colin Coe wrote: > >> >> Robert, > >> >> > >> >> RHN Satellite != Spacewalk > >> >> > >> >> There are a lot of similarities but they are not the same, esp. when > >> >> dealing with RHEL products. > >> >> > >> >> CC > >> >> > >> >> On Wed, Nov 25, 2009 at 12:33 AM, Robert Kuropkat > >> >> <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> > > >> >> > now see, that almost makes sense. It does not appear to be what the > >> >> > documentation actually says, though maybe I am misreading it. it > >> >> > talks > >> >> > about copying the files from the ISO and then goes right to the > >> >> > satellite-sync import. I'm on page 47 of the install guide and > >> >> > rhnpush has > >> >> > not even been mentioned yet. Perhaps the Channel Management guide is > >> >> > more > >> >> > detailed and I should skip to it... > >> >> > > >> >> > Robert Kuropkat > >> >> > > >> >> > > >> >> > [email protected] wrote: > >> >> >> > >> >> >> The ISO's they are speaking of are the same one you downloaded on > >> >> >> your > >> >> >> first thread. > >> >> >> > >> >> >> They are saying that to save time, download the iso, mount it, and > >> >> >> import > >> >> >> into spacewalk via the rhnpush utility. > >> >> >> > >> >> >> This means it will not take as long to sync the channel from RHN via > >> >> >> the > >> >> >> rhnget command, because most of the packages are already there. > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- > >> >> >> From: [email protected] > >> >> >> <[email protected]> > >> >> >> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > >> >> >> Sent: Tue Nov 24 11:07:25 2009 > >> >> >> Subject: Re: [Spacewalk-list] Initial load of Red Hat channel...? > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> I still need to look into these packages. Last night I accidentally > >> >> >> imported 3817 packages on accident, not exactly sure what. I guess > >> >> >> part of > >> >> >> what is irritating me is the following paragraph from the Satellite > >> >> >> Server > >> >> >> Installation guide: > >> >> >> > >> >> >> The Red Hat Network Channel Content ISOs or RHN Satellite Exporter > >> >> >> data > >> >> >> must be available, or the Satellite must have access to the Internet > >> >> >> and the > >> >> >> RHN website. > >> >> >> > >> >> >> Although it is possible to conduct the import directly from the RHN > >> >> >> website, this should be done only if Channel Content ISOs are not > >> >> >> available. > >> >> >> It takes a long time to populate a channel from scratch over the > >> >> >> Internet. > >> >> >> For this reason, Red Hat urges you to use ISOs, if they are > >> >> >> available, for > >> >> >> initial import. > >> >> >> > >> >> >> So how the hell does one get the "Red hat Network Channel Content > >> >> >> ISOs"? > >> >> >> I have a valid RHN login but the iso's I download don't seem to > >> >> >> have the > >> >> >> Channel Content info? Or am I just on crack? I mean I try not to > >> >> >> read > >> >> >> documentation very often but would appreciate it to be correct when > >> >> >> I do > >> >> >> bother... :-) > >> >> >> > >> >> >> Robert > >> >> >> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> [email protected] wrote: > >> >> >> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> Look into rhnget and gensystemid from the mrepo package. > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> You can use that to sync the rhel rpms locally, then use rhnpush to > >> >> >>> import into spacewalk. > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> ----- Original Message ----- > >> >> >>> From: [email protected] > >> >> >>> <[email protected]> > >> >> >>> To: [email protected] <[email protected]> > >> >> >>> Sent: Mon Nov 23 21:37:40 2009 > >> >> >>> Subject: Re: [Spacewalk-list] Initial load of Red Hat channel...? > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> yea, in the little reading I recall on it, I gave it a confused dog > >> >> >>> look > >> >> >>> and just hoped I did not really need that. So I'll look a little > >> >> >>> harder at > >> >> >>> it unless this other thing actually works accidentally. But it > >> >> >>> sounds like > >> >> >>> even though I am getting nearly 4,000 packages it is still only > >> >> >>> part of what > >> >> >>> I need. > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> Thanks for the info... > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> Colin Coe wrote: > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>>> > >> >> >>>> I didn't like mrepo as: > >> >> >>>> a) I didn't find it at all intuitive > >> >> >>>> b) unless you do some fancy scripting you end up all the RHEL > >> >> >>>> (and/or > >> >> >>>> EPEL) content twice on your filesystem > >> >> >>>> > >> >> >>>> CC > >> >> >>>> > >> >> >>>> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 10:24 AM, Robert Kuropkat > >> >> >>>> <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >>>> > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> hmmm... Well that makes a little more sense I guess. I think it > >> >> >>>>> did/is > >> >> >>>>> syncing the epel repo, which is of course not what I wanted but > >> >> >>>>> would > >> >> >>>>> imply > >> >> >>>>> that process would work if I can dredge up the correct url. > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> I did see something about spacewalk-repo-sync but I think that > >> >> >>>>> requires > >> >> >>>>> a > >> >> >>>>> URL as well, not local media. > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> I do seem to have a sync process running, so I am not sure if it > >> >> >>>>> is > >> >> >>>>> because > >> >> >>>>> I clicked on the sync button multiple times or what. Nothing is > >> >> >>>>> showing up > >> >> >>>>> in the Schedule tab in Space walk under pending, failed, > >> >> >>>>> completed or > >> >> >>>>> archived so I don't really understand what state this process is > >> >> >>>>> in. > >> >> >>>>> There > >> >> >>>>> is a /var/log/rhn/rhn_taskomatic_daemon.log file that is showing > >> >> >>>>> a lot > >> >> >>>>> of > >> >> >>>>> hibernate and java null pointer errors so that does not seem > >> >> >>>>> promising. > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> Actually, it looks like something might be happening now, I might > >> >> >>>>> have > >> >> >>>>> just > >> >> >>>>> been impatient. There is now file in /var/log/rhn/reposync that > >> >> >>>>> is > >> >> >>>>> growing > >> >> >>>>> and shoes 754/3817.... and my little VM has gotten sluggish as > >> >> >>>>> hell. > >> >> >>>>> So > >> >> >>>>> maybe it is downloading everything for a complete RH 5.2? > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> Of course, that kinda sucks because I was about to give up and go > >> >> >>>>> home. > >> >> >>>>> Now > >> >> >>>>> I have to stay and wait it out :-/ > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> Robert > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> P.S. What is mrepo and what did you not like about it? I > >> >> >>>>> thought I > >> >> >>>>> saw > >> >> >>>>> that mentioned somewhere in my reading but don't recall now... > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> Colin Coe wrote: > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> My understanding is that satellite-sync does not work with > >> >> >>>>>> Sapcewalk > >> >> >>>>>> but I'm not 100% on that. > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/epel/5/i386/ is the > >> >> >>>>>> location for > >> >> >>>>>> EPEL (Extra Packages for Enterprise Linux), not for RHEL. > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> a minute or two after clicking sync repo, do a 'ps -ef | grep > >> >> >>>>>> sync' to > >> >> >>>>>> see if you have any spacewalk-repo-sync processes running. I > >> >> >>>>>> think > >> >> >>>>>> the logs are under /var/satellite/sync_repo or something similar. > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> I ended up using mrepo to do this but I was less than happy with > >> >> >>>>>> it. > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> CC > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> On Tue, Nov 24, 2009 at 9:51 AM, Robert Kuropkat > >> >> >>>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> I seem to be missing something obvious. I've installed Red Hat > >> >> >>>>>>> 5.2 > >> >> >>>>>>> (in a > >> >> >>>>>>> VirtualBox VM) and installed Spacewalk. Now I need to create my > >> >> >>>>>>> first > >> >> >>>>>>> channel. I downloaded Red Hat 5.2 and copied the ISO to the > >> >> >>>>>>> file > >> >> >>>>>>> system > >> >> >>>>>>> and > >> >> >>>>>>> tried: > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> satellite-sync --list-channels --mount-point > >> >> >>>>>>> /var/rhn-sat-import/rhel > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> It fails saying it is unable to process file > >> >> >>>>>>> /var/rhn-sat-import/rhel/channel_families/channel_families.xml > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> Sure enough, that file is not there. I read the documentation > >> >> >>>>>>> on how > >> >> >>>>>>> to > >> >> >>>>>>> get > >> >> >>>>>>> the channel iso but it only gives me an iso without the channel > >> >> >>>>>>> information. > >> >> >>>>>>> The documentation does not seem to exactly describe the web ui > >> >> >>>>>>> navigation > >> >> >>>>>>> through the RHN web site so I'm not sure if the documentation is > >> >> >>>>>>> slightly > >> >> >>>>>>> out of date and I am guessing wrong, or if there is some other > >> >> >>>>>>> detail > >> >> >>>>>>> I > >> >> >>>>>>> am > >> >> >>>>>>> missing. > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> I do also see the URL for repo sync in Spacewalk, but don't > >> >> >>>>>>> understand > >> >> >>>>>>> what > >> >> >>>>>>> the URL should be for Red hat version 5.2. I put in this: > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> http://download.fedora.redhat.com/pub/epel/5/i386/ > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> And it said repository sync scheduled, but I see no evidence it > >> >> >>>>>>> actually > >> >> >>>>>>> did > >> >> >>>>>>> anything... okay wait, before I hit send I went and looked > >> >> >>>>>>> again and > >> >> >>>>>>> it > >> >> >>>>>>> does look like it did something, just not what I wanted it to. > >> >> >>>>>>> So > >> >> >>>>>>> maybe > >> >> >>>>>>> the > >> >> >>>>>>> URL above is just incorrect? How do I setup a local Red Hat 5.2 > >> >> >>>>>>> repo? > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> Any help appreciated. > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> Robert Kuropkat > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ > >> >> >>>>>>> Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> >>>>>>> [email protected] > >> >> >>>>>>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>>> > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> _______________________________________________ > >> >> >>>>> Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> >>>>> [email protected] > >> >> >>>>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>>> > >> >> >>>> > >> >> >>>> > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> _______________________________________________ > >> >> >>> Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> >>> [email protected] > >> >> >>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> >>> > >> >> >>> _______________________________________________ > >> >> >>> Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> >>> [email protected] > >> >> >>> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> >>> > >> >> >> > >> >> >> _______________________________________________ > >> >> >> Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> >> [email protected] > >> >> >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> >> > >> >> >> _______________________________________________ > >> >> >> Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> >> [email protected] > >> >> >> https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> >> > >> >> > > >> >> > _______________________________________________ > >> >> > Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> >> > [email protected] > >> >> > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> >> > > >> >> > >> >> > >> >> > >> > > >> > > >> > _______________________________________________ > >> > Spacewalk-list mailing list > >> > [email protected] > >> > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > >> > > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Spacewalk-list mailing list > > [email protected] > > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list > > > > > _______________________________________________ Spacewalk-list mailing list [email protected] https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/spacewalk-list
