Skip to main content

By clicking Submit, you agree to the developerWorks terms of use.

The first time you sign into developerWorks, a profile is created for you. Select information in your developerWorks profile is displayed to the public, but you may edit the information at any time. Your first name, last name (unless you choose to hide them), and display name will accompany the content that you post.

All information submitted is secure.

  • Close [x]

The first time you sign in to developerWorks, a profile is created for you, so you need to choose a display name. Your display name accompanies the content you post on developerworks.

Please choose a display name between 3-31 characters. Your display name must be unique in the developerWorks community and should not be your email address for privacy reasons.

By clicking Submit, you agree to the developerWorks terms of use.

All information submitted is secure.

  • Close [x]

Select a language:

  • Close [x]
  • Close [x]

Deploy Red Hat across multiple computers using Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment

Sam Boucot (boucot@verizon.net), Developer and writer, Freelance writer
Sam Boucot
Sam Boucot graduated with a degree in mathematics from the University of California at Berkeley in 1986. He has worked for many years as a database programmer.

Summary:  Any time you have employees, overhead costs are going to be substantial, especially when it comes to new hires. Of the many things new employees need, setting up their computer and its operating system, and installing and configuring appropriate applications is one of the most time-consuming. Tivoli® Provisioning Manager for Operating System Deployment greatly reduces this overhead by allowing you to create and manage deployable images and any associated software packages efficiently through a Web interface. This tutorial shows you how to use Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment to create installation images and manage packages for an actual deployment of RedHat Enterprise Linux®.

Date:  22 May 2007
Level:  Intermediate
PDF:  A4 and Letter (2310 KB | 42 pages)Get Adobe® Reader®

Activity:  16688 views
Comments:  

Before you start

This tutorial is for IT specialists who are responsible for deploying multiple computers, particularly if these machines use RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL). It explains how to use Tivoli Provisioning Manager for Operating System Deployment to deploy RHEL to one or more computers.

It assumes that you are familiar with the basics of system management. Familiarity with Tivoli Provisioning Manager is not required, but familiarity with Linux in general and RedHat Enterprise Linux in particular is recommended.

About this tutorial

Taking a new computer from its "bare metal" state to having a functional operating system and the necessary software can be a complex and time consuming project. Performing this task for multiple computers on a regular basis -- as IT specialists often have to do for new hires and equipment purchases -- can be torture. Fortunately, Tivoli Provisioning Manager for Operating System Deployment automates this process so that it doesn't have to be an endurance test.

This tutorial focuses on using Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment to deploy one or more installations of RedHat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) in a cross-platform environment. Learn about the following:

  • What Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment is
  • How to install Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment on Windows
  • What capabilities the Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment Web Console gives you
  • How to create an unattended installation profile for deploying RHEL
  • How to deploy RHEL from an unattended installation profile
  • How cloning an existing system works, and the implications thereof

Before you get started, you'll need a few tools.

Back to top

Prerequisites

None

Back to top

System requirements

To complete the steps in this tutorial, you will need to have access to the following:

  • Tivoli Provisioning Manager for Operating System Deployment: You can download a free trial version of Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment.
  • The server machine: This is the machine on which Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment runs. This machine must be running one of these operating systems:
    • Windows 2000, Windows 2003
    • Fedora Core 3, 4, 5, 6 (i386)
    • RedHat Enterprise Linux: RHEL3, RHEL4, RHAS4 (i386)
    • SuSE Linux Professional 9.x (i386)
    • SuSE Linux Enterprise Server: SLES 9, SLES 10 (i386)
    • Solaris 8, Solaris 9, Solaris 10 (SPARC)
    • FreeBSD 6.0 or higher (i386)
    • Mac OS X 10.4 (universal binary)
    This tutorial was written and tested using a system in which the server machine runs Windows 2003.
  • A DHCP server: This can be a separate server, or can be running on the main Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment server.
  • Image server: Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment creates disk images that must be stored somewhere. Again, this can be on the main server. In any case, the image server must have a minimum capacity of 10 GB.
  • The target machine: This machine must be compatible with RHEL4, and must have at least 8 GB of disk space.

1 of 10 | Next

Comments

Back to top

Close [x]

Help: Update or add to My dW interests

What's this?

This little timesaver lets you update your My developerWorks profile with just one click! The general subject of this content (AIX and UNIX, Information Management, Lotus, Rational, Tivoli, WebSphere, Java, Linux, Open source, SOA and Web services, Web development, or XML) will be added to the interests section of your profile, if it's not there already. You only need to be logged in to My developerWorks.

And what's the point of adding your interests to your profile? That's how you find other users with the same interests as yours, and see what they're reading and contributing to the community. Your interests also help us recommend relevant developerWorks content to you.

View your My developerWorks profile

Return from help

Close [x]

Help: Remove from My dW interests

What's this?

Removing this interest does not alter your profile, but rather removes this piece of content from a list of all content for which you've indicated interest. In a future enhancement to My developerWorks, you'll be able to see a record of that content.

View your My developerWorks profile

Return from help

static.content.url=http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/js/artrating/
SITE_ID=1
Zone=Tivoli, Linux
ArticleID=224752
TutorialTitle=Deploy Red Hat across multiple computers using Tivoli Provisioning Manager for OS Deployment
publish-date=05222007
author1-email=boucot@verizon.net
author1-email-cc=troy@backstopmedia.com

Table of contents

1 of 10 | Next

Next steps from IBM

Tags

Help
Use the search field to find all types of content in My developerWorks with that tag.

Use the slider bar to see more or fewer tags.

Popular tags shows the top tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere).

My tags shows your tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere).

Use the search field to find all types of content in My developerWorks with that tag. Popular tags shows the top tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere). My tags shows your tags for this particular content zone (for example, Java technology, Linux, WebSphere).

 

Dig deeper into Tivoli on developerWorks

Try IBM PureSystems. No charge.

IBM PureSystems on a kaleideoscope background

Experience today!

Get started with the cloud-based trial and pattern development kit.

Share this page:

  • Close [x]

Follow developerWorks:

  • Close [x]