Automate RHEL 7 Installation Using ‘Kickstart’

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (RHEL 7) is a popular operating system used in many enterprise environments. As a system administrator, automating the installation process of RHEL 7 can be very beneficial. Automating installation saves time and reduces the risk of human error. Kickstart is a tool that can be used to automate the installation process of RHEL 7. In this article, we will look at how to use Kickstart to automate RHEL 7 installations.

What is Kickstart?

Kickstart is a tool used to automate the installation process of RHEL 7. With Kickstart, you can create a script that contains all configuration options that you would normally provide during the installation process. This script is called a Kickstart file. The Kickstart file contains instructions on how the installation process should proceed and can be stored on a network server or on removable media such as a USB drive.

Creating a Kickstart File

To create a Kickstart file, you need to use a text editor. The Kickstart file contains various sections, each of which specifies a different aspect of the installation process. Here is an example of a Kickstart file

#version=RHEL7
install
text
lang en_US.UTF-8
keyboard us
network --bootproto=dhcp
rootpw --iscrypted $6$wU6tkMPR$sjyLJd0U3qAG4Xp1z4kKHj7VJzI6SBo8AmR.MjKtbC7Jn0ZoezG9/wgW5l2RYKj5iGPEu72mjV5W.jYABgs7V1
firewall --disabled
selinux --disabled
timezone America/Los_Angeles
bootloader --location=mbr --driveorder=sda --append="console=tty0 console=ttyS0,115200"
autopart --type=lvm
clearpart --all --drives=sda
part /boot --fstype=ext4 --size=500
part pv.01 --size=1 --grow --ondisk=sda
volgroup vg01 pv.01
logvol / --fstype=ext4 --name=lv_root --vgname=vg01 --size=20480
logvol swap --name=lv_swap --vgname=vg01 --size=8192
logvol /var --fstype=ext4 --name=lv_var --vgname=vg01 --size=8192

The first line of the file specifies the version of RHEL that the Kickstart file is intended for. The following sections specify different aspects of the installation process, such as language, keyboard, network settings, partitioning, and more. Each line in the Kickstart file specifies a particular option or setting.

Once you have created your Kickstart file, you need to make it available to the installation process. You can do this by placing the file on a network server, or by creating a bootable USB drive containing the file.

Boot Installation Media

To begin the installation process, you need to boot from RHEL 7 installation media. The installation media can be a DVD, USB drive, or network boot image.

Once the installation media has booted, you will see the initial installation screen. Press the Tab key to edit boot options. You can use boot options to specify the location of the Kickstart file. Here is an example of how to specify the location of a Kickstart file on a network server

linux ks=http://server.example.com/ks.cfg

In this example, http://server.example.com/ks.cfg is the location of the Kickstart file on a network server. Replace server.example.com with the hostname or IP address of your server.

If you are using a USB drive to store the Kickstart file, you can specify the location of the file using a similar syntax

linux ks=hd:/dev/sdb1:/ks.cfg

In this example, /dev/sdb1 is the location of the Kickstart file on the USB drive. Replace this with the actual location of your Kickstart file.

Automating Installation Process

Once you have specified the location of the Kickstart file, the installation process will begin automatically. The Kickstart file will be read and the installation process will proceed according to the instructions in the file.

During the installation process, you may be prompted to enter certain information, such as the root password or network settings. However, most of the installation process will be automated.

Customizing Kickstart File

You can customize the Kickstart file to suit your needs. Here are some key customization options

Specify Packages to be Installed

You can specify which packages should be installed during the installation process using the %packages section. This is useful if you want to install only the packages that you need.

%packages
@base
@core
vim
httpd
%end

Set up Partitions

You can specify how the disk should be partitioned during the installation process. This is useful if you want to set up a specific partitioning scheme with custom mount points and sizes.

Configure Network Settings

You can specify network settings for the system during the installation process using network commands. This allows you to set up static IP addresses, DNS servers, and gateway configurations.

Set up User Accounts

You can specify user accounts that should be created during the installation process using the user directive. This is useful for creating standard user accounts with predefined settings.

user --name=admin --password=encrypted_password --iscrypted --groups=wheel

Common Kickstart Options

Conclusion

Automating the installation process of RHEL 7 using Kickstart can save significant time and reduce the risk of human error. With Kickstart, you can create a comprehensive script that contains all necessary configuration options and use this script to automate the entire installation process. By customizing the Kickstart file, you can tailor installations to your specific enterprise requirements and deploy consistent system configurations across multiple servers.