Noob help creating automated install script for vsphere 4.0 on proliant DL580

[plsntn_rules1]

I dont have a deployment system like altiris.

I need to deploy esx 4.0 on HP proliant DL 580s.

These servers are half way around the world and all I have is iLo access with virtual media attachment capability.

How can I create an automated install of esx 4.0 to make deployment to these servers as painless as possible?

I was told I could create a bootable kickstart script but am clueless as to even how to start to do this.

Any help is kindly appreciated .

tks

[Troy_Clavell]

a kickstart would be a good start.  For instruction on how to configure a kickstart, you can look at the Install Guide

Also, this is and example of our we used for ESX.

# Auto-Generated Scripted Install Configuration file.
rootpw --iscrypted  <yourencrytedpasswordgoeshere>

# Authconfig
authconfig --enableshadow --enablemd5
# BootLoader
bootloader --location=mbr
########################
# Timezone
timezone US/Arizona
######################################################################################################################################################################################
#Install
install cdrom
######################################################################################################################################################################################
#Network install type
network --bootproto=static --ip=10.1.1.5 --gateway=10.1.1.1 --netmask=255.255.255.0 --hostname=hostname.domain.com --nameserver=10.1.1.8 --addvmportgroup=0 --vlanid=0
######################################################################################################################################################################################
#lang en_US
#langsupport --default en_US
############################################################
#Keyboard
keyboard us
############################################################
#mouse none
############################################################
#Reboot after install?
reboot
firewall --disabled
#############################################################
# Clear partitions
clearpart --firstdisk --overwritevmfs
##############################################################
#Partitioning
part /boot --fstype=ext3 --size=1100 --onfirstdisk
part esxhostname-local --fstype=vmfs3 --size=17146 --grow --onfirstdisk
part None --fstype=vmkcore --size=180 --onfirstdisk
##############################################################
# Create the vmdk on the cos vmfs partition.
virtualdisk cos --size=15946 --onvmfs=esxhostname-local
###########################################################
# Partition the virtual disk
part / --fstype=ext3 --size=5120 --grow --onvirtualdisk=cos
part swap --fstype=swap --size=1600 --onvirtualdisk=cos
part /var --fstype=ext3 --size=4096 --onvirtualdisk=cos
part /home --fstype=ext3 --size=2048 --onvirtualdisk=cos
part /tmp --fstype=ext3 --size=1024 --onvirtualdisk=cos
part /opt --fstype=ext3 --size=2048 --onvirtualdisk=cos
#########################################################
# Accept the EULA
vmaccepteula
########################################################
#vmlicense --mode=server --server=27000@ --edition=Full
#%packages
#@base
#%post
####No Post Configuration Commands Specified
########################################################

With all this said, ESX will no longer be offered as a hypervisor after 4.1.  You may start looking into ESXi

Hope this helps

[plsntn_rules1]

Troy..

Thanks for this.

How did you make the kickstart script bootable?

[Troy_Clavell]

for us, we inject the kickstart into our install media (CD/DVD) from there you can call the kickstart either manually or by editing the isolinux.cfg file.  However there are multiple ways to call the kickstart.  If using iLO, it may be better to inject the kickstart into the media using something like MagicISO

Your best bet is to continue reading the install guide, you should get a lot of useful information there.

[Troy_Clavell]

one other thing you may consider is the UDA

http://www.ultimatedeployment.org/

[plsntn_rules1]

UDA looks good as does EDA.

Can you tell me what is the difference between the two and which one is better fro a noob like me?

thanks

[Troy_Clavell]

I think EDA may be a bit easier to get help with and there is a thread dedicated to it.

Ultimate Deployment Appliance

[plsntn_rules1]

thanks for your help Troy.

feel a bit more confident now.

Can I ask you one question?

We have an esx 4.0 server that was spun up with the way we want it configured. Is there a way to generate a kickstart script from this existing install since it has the NICs, vswitch and disk partitions setup exactly the way we want it to be in our new environment?

[Troy_Clavell]

in ESX 4.x you will have a ks.cfg file located on /root that was generated from the build, whether automated or manually built.  You can SCP that file out of the Host and have a great building block for future ESX builds

[plsntn_rules1]

hmmmmm...dont see any such file at the root.

I think this server was upgraded from 3.5 to 4.0. Could that be why there is no such file?

[Troy_Clavell]

do you see something like anaconda-ks.cfg ?

[plsntn_rules1]

I dont see any .cfg files at the root

[Troy_Clavell]

then it may have been upgraded and therfore that file is gone.  However, you may want to do a GUI install of one ESX Host, from scratch, this will generate the ks.cfg on the root.

[plsntn_rules1]

so essentially there is no way to recreate the file from an exisiting install?

[Troy_Clavell]

do you have a host that was built from scratch, otherwise not that I am aware of.

[plsntn_rules1]

Nope

I dont...

Dang