Configuration for Diskless Installation

1. Specify dependence package [required for RHEL and SLES]

1. Copy a correct pkglist file shipped by xCAT according your environment to the /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/ directory

   cp /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/<ostype>/compute.<osver>.<arch>.pkglist \
    /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/compute.<osver>.<arch>.pkglist
   

2. Edit your /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/<profile>.pkglist and add one line #INCLUDE:/opt/xcat/share/xcat/ib/netboot/<ostype>/ib.<osver>.<arch>.pkglist#

Take RHEL 6.4 on x86_64 for example

cp /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels6.x86_64.pkglist \
/install/custom/netboot/rh/compute.rhels6.x86_64.pkglist

Edit the /install/custom/netboot/rh/compute.rhels6.x86_64.pkglist and add below line #INCLUDE:/opt/xcat/share/xcat/ib/netboot/rh/ib.rhels6.x86_64.pkglist#

Then /install/custom/netboot/rh/compute.rhels6.x86_64.pkglist looks like below

#INCLUDE:/opt/xcat/share/xcat/ib/netboot/rh/ib.rhels6.x86_64.pkglist#
bash
nfs-utils
openssl
dhclient
.....

2. Prepare postinstall scripts

1. Specify postinstall script shipped by xCAT

   mkdir -p /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/
   
   cp /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/<ostype>/<profile>.postinstall \
     /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/
   
   chmod +x /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/<profile>.postinstall
   

Take RHEL 6.4 on x86_64 for example

mkdir -p /install/custom/netboot/rh/
cp /opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/rh/compute.rhels6.x86_64.postinstall \
       /install/custom/netboot/rh/
chmod +x /install/custom/netboot/rh/compute.rhels6.x86_64.postinstall

2. Edit /install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/<profile>.postinstall and add below line in the end:

   installroot=$1 ofeddir=/install/post/otherpkgs/<osver>/<arch>/ofed/  \
   NODESETSTATE=genimage mlnxofed_options=--force /install/postscripts/mlnxofed_ib_install
   

3. Set the related osimage use the customized pkglist and customized compute.postinsall

• [RHEL/SLES]

  chdef  -t osimage -o <osver>-<arch>-netboot-compute \
          pkglist=/install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/compute.<osver>.<arch>.pkglist \
          postinstall=/install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/<profile>.postinstall
  

• [Ubuntu]

  chdef  -t osimage -o <osver>-<arch>-netboot-compute \
          postinstall=/install/custom/netboot/<ostype>/<profile>.postinstall
  

4. Generate and package image for diskless installation

   genimage   <osver>-<arch>-netboot-compute
   packimage  <osver>-<arch>-netboot-compute
   

5. Install node

   nodeset <nodename> osimage=<osver>-<arch>-netboot-compute
   rsetboot <nodename> net
   rpower <nodename> reset