Appliance boot mode configuration

Check the current boot mode of an appliance

The default boot mode for all appliances is iso-required. To check the current boot mode:

1. Connect to the target appliance via SSH then switch to the root user:

   ssh apicadm@{ova appliance hostname}
   sudo -i

2. Use apic boot-mode to check the current boot mode of the appliance. For example:

   root@ip-192-168-122-241:~# apic boot-mode
   INFO[0000] Log level: info
   INFO[0000] current boot mode is: iso-required

Configure an appliance for iso-ignored boot mode

An appliance can be configured to use the iso-ignored boot mode instead of the default iso-required. Prerequisite: The appliance must have first booted with its configuration ISO attached and in iso-required boot mode (default) before the boot mode can be changed to iso-ignored.

You can configure an appliance to use he iso-ignored boot mode instead of the default iso-required.

Prerequisite: The appliance must have first booted with its configuration ISO attached and in iso-required boot mode (default), before you can change the boot mode to iso-ignored.

1. Connect to the target appliance via SSH then switch to the root user:

   ssh apicadm@{ova appliance hostname}
   sudo -i

2. Edit the file /etc/default/grub.d/50-cloudimg-settings.cfg to ensure that the GRUB_TIMEOUT and GRUB_RECORDFAIL_TIMEOUT are set to the value 5. Then run the command update-grub. For example:

   root@ip-192-168-122-241:~# update-grub
   Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub'
   Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/50-cloudimg-settings.cfg'
   Sourcing file `/etc/default/grub.d/init-select.cfg'
   Generating grub configuration file ...
   Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-84-generic
   Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.4.0-84-generic
   done

3. Set the appliance boot mode to iso-ignored with the command apic boot-mode iso-ignored. For example:

   root@ip-192-168-122-241:~# apic boot-mode iso-ignored
   INFO[0000] Log level: info
   INFO[0000] current boot mode is: iso-ignored

4. Shutdown the VM, and remove the CD/DVD device from the VM configuration through VSphere.

   For any subsequent boot of the appliance while it remains in iso-ignored boot mode, any ISO file attached will be ignored, and the boot will proceed as normal, whether an ISO file is attached or not.

   Warning: If the appliance was booted in iso-ignored boot mode, it is possible to change its boot mode to iso-required. However, as stated in the prerequisites, it is not possible to immediately switch back to iso-ignored, and the next boot of the appliance must happen with the configuration ISO attached and boot mode iso-required.

Configure an appliance for iso-required boot mode

The mode iso-required is the default boot mode for all appliances. If the appliance boot mode was changed to iso-ignored you can revert back to iso-required boot mode.

1. Connect to the target appliance via SSH then switch to the root user:

   ssh apicadm@{ova appliance hostname}
   sudo -i

2. Set the appliance boot mode to iso-required with the command apic boot-mode iso-required. For example:

   root@ip-192-168-122-241:~# apic boot-mode iso-required
   INFO[0000] Log level: info
   INFO[0000] current boot mode is: iso-required
   

   Important: For any subsequent boot of the appliance while it remains in iso-required boot mode, the configuration ISO file must be connected at boot and for every boot.

Revert back to iso-required boot mode by booting the appliance in rescue mode

When an appliance is configured with the iso-ignored boot mode, the boot sequence ignores any attached ISO. This means that it is not possible to influence the appliance configuration during its boot. In case the appliance is not booting properly and the boot mode needs to be reverted back to iso-required, proceed as follows:

1. Access to the VMware console for the Appliance, and after causing it to reboot, bring up a console to the appliance. You can give focus to the window by clicking the mouse into it. Press the Esc key to access the Linux grub boot menu. For example:

   GNU GRUB version 2.04
   
   *Ubuntu
   Advanced options for Ubuntu
   
   

2. Press e and navigate using arrow keys to the line starting with linux to append systemd.unit=rescue.target

   GNU GRUB version 2.04
   .
   .
   .
   insmod_part_gpt
   insmod ext2
   if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ];  then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e46da1b8-55ao-4df9-842e-\
        8d80c3a22ffc
   else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root e46da1b8-55ao-4df9-842e-8\
        d80c3a22ffc
   fi
   linux      /boot/vmlinuz-5.4.0-84-generic root=LABEL=cloudimg-roo\
      tfs ro console=tty1 console=ttyS0 net.ifnames=0 bioosdevname=0 systemd.unit\
      =rescue.target
   initrd     /boot/initrd.img-5.4.0-84-generic
   

3. Press Ctrl+x to boot.
4. Press Enter to enter maintenance mode. Run the commands:

   rm -f /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled

   and

   echo -n "iso-required" > /usr/local/lib/appliance-config/boot-mode

   
   [   3.442687] systemd[1]: Mounted Kernel Debug Filesystem
   [   3.444253] systemd[1]: Mounted Kernel Trace Filesystem
   [   3.445680] systemd[1]: Finished Create list of static device nodes for the current kernel
   [   3.446777] systemd[1]: Finished Set console scheme.
   [   3.449347] EXT4-fs (sda1): re-mounted. Opts: (null)
   [   3.452687] systemd[1]: Finished Remount Root and Kernel File Systems
   [   3.455123] systemd[1]: Finished Load Kernel Modules.
   [   3.458487] systemd[1]: Mounting FUSE Control File System...
   [   3.461333] systemd[1]: Mounting Kernel Configuration File System...
   [   3.462687] systemd[1]: Condition check resulted in Rebuild Hardware Database being skipped.
   [   3.464498] systemd[1]: Condition check resulted in Platform Persistant Storage Archival being skipped.
   [   3.466292] systemd[1]: Starting Load/Save Randome Seed...
   [   3.467324] systemd[1]: Starting Apply Kernel Variables...
   [   3.470531] systemd[1]: Starting Create System Users...
   [   3.471847] systemd[1]: Mounted FUSE Control File System
   [   3.472964] systemd[1]: Started Journal Service
   Press Enter for maintenance:
   (or press Ctrl-D to continue):
   root#ip-192-168-122-241:~# rm -f /etc/cloud/cloud-init.disabled
   root#ip-192-168-122-241:~# echo -n "iso-required" > /usr/local/lib/appliance-config/boot-mode
   root#ip-192-168-122-241:~# 

5. Reboot the appliance with correct configuration ISO attached.