[rhn-users] Network Installations via RHN Proxy Servers

[inode0]

On 2/10/07, MJang <mike at mommabears.com> wrote:
> On Sat, 2007-02-10 at 09:08 -0600, inode0 wrote:
> > While I know there is no official support for this, everyone must do
> > it or arrange network installs from somewhere else. We maintain
> > network install trees for RHEL3, RHEL4, FC5, and FC6 currently and I
> > am getting tired of doing an installation and then needing to apply
> > hundreds of updates immediately after a fresh install.
> >
> > It doesn't seem to me that it would be that difficult to update the
> > installation trees as packages are updated so a fresh install will be
> > current right after it finishes.
>
> It sounds like you're looking for a consolidated install repository,
> with updates already included, so you can avoid an update cycle.

Exactly.

> Getting updated packages might be easier once RHEL5 is released, as
> they're moving towards yum updates.

I can hope, but even with yum there is a problem getting the
aggregation of updates onto one machine that is the distribution point
for all network installations.

> I'm not sure what you need beyond createrepo. The evolving Koan
> (Kickstart over a network) tool looks like an interesting future
> addition too.

I'm not too concerned about our kickstart users now, they can automate
the updates at the end and typically aren't sitting at the box waiting
for the installation to complete. But to help our many newer RHEL
users we provide a special installation ISO from which they can
interactively select which version of the OS they want to install from
a grub menu at boot time and the installation will proceed over the
network eliminating the hassles associated with each user obtaining a
pile of ISOs and correctly burning them and flipping them in and out
during the install, etc. In these interactive cases, the need to apply
hundreds of updates at the end of what they expect is the installation
of a fresh OS is not only annoying to them but doesn't really convey
the impression of a polished installation system.

It seems to me we should be able to do this better so after the
anaconda install the user has an up to date installation of the OS.

John