Quick Start Guide

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This guide helps you install Red Hat Enterprise Linux on a Linux on Power Systems server.

Overview

Use this information to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux on a non-virtualized or bare metal IBM Power System (POWER9) server by using a network boot server. This procedure follows these general steps:

  • Connect to the BMC firmware to set up network connection
  • Configure Petitboot for a network installation
  • Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux from the network connection

Completing the prerequisites and booting your firmware

Before you power on the system, ensure that you have the following items:

  • Ethernet cable
  • VGA monitor. The VGA resolution must be set to 1024x768-60Hz.
  • USB Keyboard
  • Power cords and outlet for your system
These instructions require that you have a network server set up with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x. Download Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.x LE ALT at https://access.redhat.com/products/red-hat-enterprise-linux/#addl-arch. Take the link for Downloads for Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, little endian. Log into your Red Hat account (if you have not already done so). Select Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power 9 from the Product Variant list. Look for the Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power 9 (v. 7.x for ppc64le) ISO file. The downloaded ISO file will include rhel-alt......iso rather than rhel....iso in the path name.

For a list of supported distributions, see Supported Linux distributions for POWER8 and POWER9 Linux on Power Systems.

Complete these steps:
  • If your system belongs in a rack, install your system into that rack. For instructions, see IBM® Power Systems™ information at https://www.ibm.com/support/knowledgecenter/POWER9/p9hdx/POWER9welcome.htm.
  • Connect an Ethernet cable to the embedded Ethernet port next to the serial port on the back of your system. Connect the other end to your network.
  • Connect your VGA monitor to the VGA port on back of system.
  • Connect your USB keyboard to an available USB port
  • Connect the power cords to the system and plug them into the outlets.

At this point, your firmware is booting. Wait for the green LED on the power button to start flashing, indicating that it is ready to use. If your system does not have a green LED indicator light, then wait 1 to 2 minutes.

Configuring Petitboot

After the system powers on, the Petitboot bootloader scans local boot devices and network interfaces to find boot options that are available to the system. To install Red Hat Enterprise Linux from a network server, you need to set up a network interface (that is not the BMC network interface).

Set up a network connection and provide the network boot detail to Petitboot by following these steps:

  1. Connect an Ethernet cable to the second Ethernet port on the back of your system. Connect the other end to your network.
  2. On the Petitboot main screen, select c to configure your system options.
  3. In the Network field of the configuration screen, enter your network information:
    1. Select your network type
    2. Select your network device (remember the interface name and mac address)
    3. Specify your IP/mask, Gateway, and DNS server (remember these setting as you will need them in the next step)
    4. Select OK to return to the main menu.
  4. Back on the Petitboot main screen, select n to create new options.
  5. Choose your boot device or select to Specify paths/URLs manually and then enter your boot options:
    1. In the Kernel field, enter the path to the kernel. This field is mandatory. Enter a URL similar to this one for a network:

      http://<http_server_ip>/ppc/ppc64/vmlinuz

    2. In the Initrd field, enter the path to the init ramdisk. Enter a URL similar to this one for a network:

      http://<http_server_ip>/ppc/ppc64/initrd.gz

    3. In the Boot parameter field, set up the set up the repository path and the IP address of the server where the operating system is installed. For example: append repo=http://<http_server_ip>/ root=live:http://<http_server_ip>/os/LiveOS/squashfs.img ipv6.disable=1 ifname=<ethernet_interface_name>:<mac_addr> ip=<os ip>::<gateway>:<2 digit mask>:<hostname>:<ethernet_interface_name>:none nameserver=<anem_server> inst.text

      You can accept the defaults for the rest of the fields.

  6. After you set your netboot options, select OK and press Enter.
  7. On the Petitboot main window, select User Item 1 as your boot option and press Enter.

More information

For more information, see the following resources:

Notices

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