Wow - thanks for the detailed response, I feel much better about moving
forward with this.

I wish could just get the same level of support for tivoli provisioning
manager.


On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 7:57 PM, Thang Pham <[email protected]> wrote:

> The network configuration is done by xCAT.  The mkay4z script will help
> you generate an autoyast template that can be consumed by xCAT.  It
> basically makes a basic template with placeholders that will be eventually
> replaced with actual values by xCAT.  xCAT fills in the network, subnet
> mask, nameserver, etc.
>
> The root password is given in the password table:
>
>    # tabdump passwd
>    #key,username,password,cryptmethod,authdomain,comments,disable
>    "system","root","rootpw",,,,
>
> The password for key=system is used by xCAT to fill in the password for
> the virtual machine you will deploy.
>
> The software section is configured in the pkglist, based on the profile,
> OS version, and architecture.  For example, a tmpl and pkglist file should
> come with xCAT that you copy over into /install/custom/sles for SLES:
>
>    # cat /install/custom/install/sles/compute.sles11.s390x.pkglist
>    @base
>    libapr1
>
> This will configure the software going onto the node you would deploy.
>  Right now, it only installs the base and libapr1 RPM, but you can add as
> many you you want, e.g. apache.  If you want to install apache, just append
> the package name to the list, as:
>
>    # cat /install/custom/install/sles/compute.sles11.s390x.pkglist
>    @base
>    libapr1
>    apache
>
>
> For packages that are found outside the Linux distribution, you have to
> create an otherpkgs.pkglist.  There is documentation for that at *
> http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/xcat/index.php?title=XCAT_zVM#Adding_Software_Packages
> *<http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/xcat/index.php?title=XCAT_zVM#Adding_Software_Packages>
>  , where it shows you how to install Ganglia.  But it can be applied to
> WebSphere, DB2, etc.
>
> Once you created a custom template that you want, you can deploy it as
> many times as needed, by specifying the OS version, arch, and profile with
> the node:
>
>    # chtab node=gpok6 noderes.netboot=zvm nodetype.os=sles11sp2
>    nodetype.arch=s390x nodetype.profile=mycustomprofile
>
>
> This gives you a custom virtual machine every time, built from scratch.
>  Of course, you can also clone, and xCAT does also support that.
>
>
> Regards,
> -------------------------------------
> *Thang Pham*
> IBM Poughkeepsie
> Phone: (845) 433-7567* *
> e-mail: [email protected]
>
>
> [image: Inactive hide details for Mark Pace ---02/13/2013 04:34:57
> PM---Working on the autoyast configuration. The documentation says]Mark
> Pace ---02/13/2013 04:34:57 PM---Working on the autoyast configuration.
>  The documentation says An autoyast generator is available fo
>
>
> From: Mark Pace <[email protected]>
> To: xCAT Users Mailing list <[email protected]>,
> Date: 02/13/2013 04:34 PM
>
> Subject: Re: [xcat-user] xCat configuration problem
> ------------------------------
>
>
>
> Working on the autoyast configuration.  The documentation says
> An autoyast generator is available for SLES 10 and SLES 11. It will help
> create an autoyast template with the desired DASD, partition layout, and
> software.
>
> I ran the tool and the only thing it asked about was DASD and
> partitioning.  It did not as about software.
>
> Right after the example in the doc it also says
> The script will ask you several questions concerning the configuration in
> the autoyast template. It is designed to help you configure the disks,
> partitions, and networking in the autoyast template for xCAT.
>
> Now it says it will also ask about networking.  There were no networking
> questions asked either.
>
> Do I need to go find directions on editing an an autoyast file?  There are
> many things missing from this.  networking, initial user, root password,
> software. And those are just the things I can think of off the top of my
> head.
>
> The way I have done this in the past is have a "golden" image, flashcopy
> that disk to a new disk, IPL the copy and modify the network settings. I
> don't have to go through a new install every time.
>
>
> On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 2:11 PM, Mark Pace 
> <*[email protected]*<[email protected]>>
> wrote:
>
>    Damn!  Out smarted myself.  I had not defined that node yet!  Checking
>    on the zhcp node.
>
>    slesxcat:~ # rpower sleszhcp stat
>    sleszhcp: on
>
>    Thanks everyone.
>
>
>    On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 1:58 PM, Thang Pham 
> <*[email protected]*<[email protected]>>
>    wrote:
>       When you run something like: mkdef -t node -o gpok2 userid=LNX2 hcp=
>       *gpok2.endicott.ibm.com* <http://gpok2.endicott.ibm.com/> mgt=zvm
>       groups=all
>       The value of "mgt=" is set in the nodehm.mgt column for you by
>       xCAT.  The values of "hcp=" & "userid=" is set in the zvm.hcp and
>       zvm.userid columns.  xCAT does this behind the scenes for you.
>
>       What is the output for: lsdef slesxcat1?  It might be missing the
>       "mgt=".  To fix this, you would run: chtab node=slesxcat1 nodehm.mgt=zvm
>
>       Regards,
>       -------------------------------------*
>       Thang Pham*
>       IBM Poughkeepsie
>
>
>       [image: Inactive hide details for Mark Pace ---02/13/2013 01:48:36
>       PM---Thanks, Lissa - I see where I was confused on setting up the 
> "m]Mark
>       Pace ---02/13/2013 01:48:36 PM---Thanks, Lissa - I see where I was 
> confused
>       on setting up the "master".  It indeed was
>
>       From: Mark Pace <*[email protected]* <[email protected]>>
>       To: xCAT Users Mailing list 
> <*[email protected]*<[email protected]>>,
>
>       Date: 02/13/2013 01:48 PM
>       Subject: Re: [xcat-user] xCat configuration problem
>
>
>       ------------------------------
>
>
>
>       Thanks, Lissa -
>
>       I see where I was confused on setting up the "master".  It indeed
>       was pointed to my DNS server.  So I changed the master to point to the 
> xcat
>       server, which what I gather from the doc that is what it should be.
>       172.16.1.40 is the IP of my xcat server.
>
>       slesxcat:~ # chtab key=master site.value='172.16.1.40'
>       slesxcat:~ # rpower slesxcat1 stat*
>       slesxcat1: Error: Unable to identify plugin for this command, check
>       relevant tables: nodehm.power,mgt*
>
>       Searching through the install doc I see nothing about setting up a
>       nodehm.
>
>       On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 12:28 PM, Lissa Valletta <*[email protected]
>       * <[email protected]>> wrote:
>          Did you have host name resolution for the Management Node, where
>          you installed xCAT, established when you installed.  That can cause
>          problems with the initial setup of the site table attributes.
>          tabdump site  and look for the *master* attribute.  Is that the
>          ip address that the node will be able to contact the management node.
>          Also maybe you need the domain attribute set in the same table.
>
>          Lissa K. Valletta
>          8-3/B10
>          Poughkeepsie, NY 12601
>          (tie 293) 433-3102
>
>
>
>          [image: Inactive hide details for Mark Pace ---02/13/2013
>          12:11:39 PM---I've installed xCat in a SLES11 linux guest running 
> under
>          z/VM.]Mark Pace ---02/13/2013 12:11:39 PM---I've installed xCat
>          in a SLES11 linux guest running under z/VM.  I've been through the
>          installation
>
>          From: Mark Pace <*[email protected]*<[email protected]>
>          >
>          To: xCat 
> <*[email protected]*<[email protected]>
>          >
>          Date: 02/13/2013 12:11 PM
>          Subject: [xcat-user] xCat configuration problem
>          ------------------------------
>
>
>
>
>          I've installed xCat in a SLES11 linux guest running under z/VM.
>          I've been through the installation process for xCat and zHCP.  I'm 
> now to
>          the section where it says I can begin using xCat commands and the 
> UI.  So
>          for grins I try to rpower command to check the status of my zHCP 
> server.
>
>          slesxcat:~ # rpower sleszhcp stat
>          Error: Unable to dispatch hierarchical sub-command to *
>          10.6.0.10:3001* <http://10.6.0.10:3001/>.  This service node may
>          be down or its xcatd daemon may not be responding.
>
>          So here's a problem.  10.6.0.10 is NOT my zHCP server.  That is
>          my DNS server.  Looking through the install process I can not 
> determine
>          where it was that I told xcat what my zHCP server IP address is.
>
>          I've search back through the document and I know I have to have
>          missed something, but I sure can't find it.  This is the only time I 
> see
>          the IP address of the zHCP being entered.
>
>          mkdef -t node -o gpok2 userid=LNX2 
> hcp=*gpok2.endicott.ibm.com*<http://gpok2.endicott.ibm.com/> mgt=zvm
>          groups=all
>
>          chtab node=gpok2 hosts.ip="10.1.100.2" hosts.hostnames="*
>          gpok2.endicott.ibm.com* <http://gpok2.endicott.ibm.com/>"
>
>          Which I have done using my specfics.
>          slesxcat:~ # lsdef -t node -o sleszhcp
>
>          Object name: sleszhcp
>             groups=all
>             
> hcp=*sleszhcp.xcat.s390.mainline.com*<http://sleszhcp.xcat.s390.mainline.com/>
>             
> hostnames=*sleszhcp.xcat.s390.mainline.com*<http://sleszhcp.xcat.s390.mainline.com/>
>
>             ip=172.16.1.41
>             mgt=zvm
>             postbootscripts=otherpkgs
>             postscripts=syslog,remoteshell,syncfiles
>             userid=SLESZHCP
>
>          What have I missed?
>
>
>          --
>          The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily
>          represent Mainline’s positions or opinions
>
>          Mark D Pace
>          Senior Systems Engineer
>          Mainline Information Systems
>
>
>
>          
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>
>
>       --
>       The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily
>       represent Mainline’s positions or opinions
>
>       Mark D Pace
>       Senior Systems Engineer
>       Mainline Information Systems
>
>
>
>       
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>       Buy your Sophos next-gen firewall before the end March 2013
>       and get the hardware for free! Learn more.*
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>
>
>
>    --
>    The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent
>    Mainline’s positions or opinions
>
>    Mark D Pace
>    Senior Systems Engineer
>    Mainline Information Systems
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent
> Mainline’s positions or opinions
>
> Mark D Pace
> Senior Systems Engineer
> Mainline Information Systems
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Free Next-Gen Firewall Hardware Offer
> Buy your Sophos next-gen firewall before the end March 2013
> and get the hardware for free! Learn more.
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>
>
>
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-- 
The postings on this site are my own and don’t necessarily represent
Mainline’s positions or opinions

Mark D Pace
Senior Systems Engineer
Mainline Information Systems

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