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I've 2 remote HP Proliant DL180 G6 servers with HP Integrated Lights Out enabled on both and I have to install RHEL5 on these servers.

I try to do it with ILO - mounted ISO file from local hard drive as Virtual CD-ROM, and performed installation from ILO console. OS installation on the first server was successful. But I have to make 3 tries to achive this.

The channel between me and the servers is too slow - they are in datacenter. The installation takes a long time - 5-6 hours. So sometimes Virtual CD accidently unmounts and installation hangs.

How can I perform the installation on the other server in more convinient way?

lexsys
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4 Answers4

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I like the other answers, but you could also try loop mounting all the RHEL iso's (on one of the servers you already have configured), and then serving them up with http - I believe RHEL lets you choose http server. This worked for me - and I could just let it go for hours and not worry about a thing.

Marm0t
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Now that you have one installed, put the files on there and perform the installation from that source.

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams
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  • Can you be more explicit? Do you mean that I need to upload RHEL distrib on the server 1, make them accessible by ftp and then perform installation on server 2 with ILO virtual media, but from the nearby ftp-source? – lexsys Dec 10 '10 at 10:04
  • That is one possibility, yes. HTTP and NFS also work. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Dec 10 '10 at 10:09
  • What will happen, when virtual media becomes unavailable during network installation? – lexsys Dec 10 '10 at 11:04
  • Why would it become unavailable? – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Dec 10 '10 at 11:17
  • Network break, for example. I experienced this when perform installation from mounted virtual cdrom. – lexsys Dec 10 '10 at 12:26
  • If the network breaks between the two remote machines then you REALLY REALLY REALLY need to find a new provider... – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Dec 10 '10 at 12:32
  • How can I start installation from the server 1 to server 2? I have no GUI on server 1, so I can't start ILO web console from it. – lexsys Dec 10 '10 at 13:19
  • You... don't. You start the installation on server 2, and point it to server 1 for the media. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Dec 10 '10 at 13:21
  • How can I start installation on server 2 without mounting booting CD? – lexsys Dec 10 '10 at 13:58
  • Other than PXE you can't, but once the installer is up and running you no longer need the 80-120MB netinstall image. You may want to review the installation methods in the documentation. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Dec 10 '10 at 14:04
  • You have to make an install with a smalled DVD iso. Use a RH network install media, they are much much lighter than the typical install DVD and you probably won't have your performance problem anymore. You still have to export the rest of the install files from your first server. – Rosco Dec 10 '10 at 16:36
  • Ignacio, could you please summarize all the information from comments in your answer, so other people can view it as single piece? – lexsys Dec 11 '10 at 08:33
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RHEL supports installation via kickstart and netboot the way it works is very efficient - you rsync into the datacenter a RHEL repository, then you need to boot with a net image (see into the repo directory images) your server, you will be asked about the method of installation - choose http and point to your local repo (you can use a remote repo but will be slower) and the rest is interactive. if you don't want to be asked just point to a kickstart file.

I use it that way with kickstart and cfengine.

silviud
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The best solution might be to mail the datacentre some DVDs and ask them to insert them into the drives.

They will charge for this, but it could be cheaper in the long run.

MarkR
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