https://github.com/rhinstaller/anaconda
https://docs.centos.org/en-US/8-docs/advanced-install

Create Kickstart files¶

My Kickstart examples¶

My Kickstart examples

Using and modifying the automatically generated¶

Any manual install of rhel or centos will generate a kickstart from the options you chose during installation and store them in /root (anaconda-ks.cfg ks_post.log original-ks.cfg)

Red Hat's Kickstart generator¶

Kickstart generator (for Red Hat subscribers only I think)

View all available kickstart options in source code¶

git clone https://github.com/rhinstaller/anaconda && \
cd anaconda

view pyanaconda/core/kickstart/commands.py

Complex partitioning¶

Online resource for complex partitioning

Making Kickstart files available¶

PXE boot server¶

This is the preferred method, will need to track down my notes on how to create one.

Retrieve kickstart from a public GitLab repository¶

linux inst.ks=https://git.andrewmercer.net/amercer/kickstart/raw/master/server_ks.cfg [ networking_options ]

Retrieve kickstart file from a private GitLab repository¶

Retrieve project and file ID and private token¶

# Project ID
curl https://git.andrewmercer.net/api/v3/projects?private_token=[ my_private_token ] | grep -i kickstart

# File ID
curl https://git.andrewmercer.net/api/v3/projects/145/repository/tree?private_token=[ my_private_token ]

Retrieve the kickstart¶

linux inst.ks=https://[ gitlab_user ]:[ gitlab_password ]@git.andrewmercer.net/api/v3/projects/145/repository/raw_blobs/<file_id>?private_token=[ my_private_token ] [ networking_options ]

Create a custom ISO with a kickstart on it¶

KS_DIR="/build/RHEL7/isolinux/ks"
mkdir -p $KS_DIR
cp [ kickstart_file ]_ks.cfg $KS_DIR/ks.cfg
sudo mkisofs -o <hostname>.iso -b isolinux.bin -c boot.cat -no-emul-boot -V 'CentOS 7 x86_64' -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table -R -J -v -T /build/RHEL7/isolinux/

Retrieve kickstart file from a mounted ISO (cdrom)¶

linux inst.ks=cdrom:/dev/cdrom:/ks/[ kickstart_file ].cfg [ networking_options ]

Retrieve kickstart file from http¶

linux inst.ks=http://[ server_address ]/kickstart/[ kickstart_file ].cfg [ networking_options ]

Server with a bonded interface restriction¶

linux inst.ks=http://[ server_address ]/ks/[ kickstart_file ].cfg [ networking_options ] bond=bond0:ens160,ens192:mode=802.3ad,primary=ens160

Retrieve kickstart file from floppy¶

(VMware floppy image)

linux inst.ks=hd:fd0:/[ kickstart_file ].cfg [ networking_options ]

Retrieve kickstart file from image file¶

(DRAC image file)

linux inst.ks=hd:/dev/sdb:/[ kickstart_file ].cfg [ networking_options ]

Specify networking options for the server¶

https://anaconda-installer.readthedocs.io/en/latest/boot-options.html#network-options

ip=192.168.1.238::192.168.1.1:255.255.255.0:[ my_hostname ]:ens160:none nameserver=192.168.1.1

ip=<ip>::<gateway>:<netmask>:<hostname>:<interface>:none nameserver=<nameserver_ip>

Kickstart tools¶

sudo dnf install pykickstart

ksvalidator¶

Lint your kickstart files

ksvalidator ~/kickstart/standard_rhel7_virt_ks.cfg

ksverdiff¶

See changes between Red Hat versions

ksverdiff -f rhel7 -t rhel8

ksflatten¶

I haven't used this tool, but more information can be found in the man page

man ksflatten

ksshell¶

ksshell is an interactive kickstart shell. I haven't used this tool, but more information can be found in the man page

man ksshell

Troubleshooting Kickstart installations¶

SSH into a kickstarting instance¶

Get a list of current dhcp leases on your hypervisor¶

arp -an > leases_before.txt

Add inst.sshd=1 to the --extra-args section of your virt-install command¶

For example:

sudo virt-install --name cluster0 --description "cluster0" --memory=1024 --vcpus=1 --location ~/CentOS-7-x86_64-Minimal-1908.iso \
--os-type=linux --os-variant=rhel7 --disk pool=default,bus=virtio,size=10 --network bridge=br0,model=virtio --graphics none --console=pty,target_type=serial \
--extra-args "console=ttyS0,115200n8 inst.sshd=1 ks=http://192.168.0.50:8000/standard_ks.cfg ip=dhcp"

Once kickstart has passed point of acquiring a dhcp lease, get a new list of dhcp leases on hypervisor¶

arp -an > leases_after.txt
sdiff leases_before.txt leases_after.txt

ssh into the kickstarting instance¶

ssh root@[ instance_ip ]

Shouldn't require a password.