View source for Cobbler installation on CentOS/RHEL

== Pre-Requisits ==
For this installation, we will need to have the following services installed: '''dhcp''', '''bind''' & '''apache'''.

Install with the following yum command:
<syntaxhighlight>
yum install httpd dhcp bind
</syntaxhighlight>

Add syslinux too
<syntaxhighlight>
yum install syslinux
</syntaxhighlight>

If necessary, the dhcpd service can be restricted to servicing dhcp requests on just one port. To do this, edit the '''/etc/sysconfig/dhcpd''' file and set the following line:
<syntaxhighlight>
DHCPDARGS=eth1
</syntaxhighlight>

== Adding the EPEL Repo to get cobbler ==
Download '''http://mirrors.coreix.net/fedora-epel/5/i386/epel-release-5-4.noarch.rpm''' (or whatever is suitable for the installed OS):
<syntaxhighlight>
wget http://mirrors.coreix.net/fedora-epel/5/i386/epel-release-5-4.noarch.rpm
</syntaxhighlight>
And install:
<syntaxhighlight>
rpm -ivh epel-release-5-4.noarch.rpm
</syntaxhighlight>

== Install cobbler ==
Install using yum:
<syntaxhighlight>
yum install cobbler cobbler-web
</syntaxhighlight>

== Check apache is working ==
Restart '''httpd''':
<syntaxhighlight>
service httpd restart
</syntaxhighlight>
 
=== The following error might occur:===
<syntaxhighlight>
Starting httpd: Syntax error on line 10 of /etc/httpd/conf.d/cobbler.conf:
Invalid command 'WSGIScriptAliasMatch', perhaps misspelled or defined by a module not included in the server configuration
[FAILED]
</syntaxhighlight>

If this error occurs, firstly remove '''mod_python''':
<syntaxhighlight>
rpm -e mod_python
</syntaxhighlight>
Then, create a '''mod_wsgi''' config file:
<syntaxhighlight>
cat > /etc/httpd/conf.d/05-load-wsgi.conf
LoadModule wsgi_module modules/mod_wsgi.so
</syntaxhighlight>
And finally restart apache:
<syntaxhighlight>
service httpd restart
</syntaxhighlight>

== Add a few more packages to satisfy some cobbler requirements ==
Install '''debmirror''' with yum (needed to manage debian deployments):
<syntaxhighlight>
yum install debmirror
</syntaxhighlight>

Install '''pykickstart''' with yum (A python library for manipulating kickstart files):
<syntaxhighlight>
yum install pykickstart
</syntaxhighlight>

== Edit xinet.d/rsync file ==
Edit '''/etc/xinetd.d/rsync''' and change '''disable''' to '''no''':
<syntaxhighlight>
service rsync
{
        disable = no
        socket_type     = stream
        wait            = no
        user            = root
        server          = /usr/bin/rsync
        server_args     = --daemon
        log_on_failure  += USERID
}
</syntaxhighlight>

== Edit /etc/debmirror.conf for proper Debian support ==
Edit '''/etc/debmirror.conf''' and comment '''dists''' and '''arches''' lines:
<syntaxhighlight>
# Download options
$host="ftp.debian.org";
$user="anonymous";
$passwd="anonymous@";
$remoteroot="/debian";
$download_method="ftp";
# @dists="sid";
@sections="main,main/debian-installer,contrib,non-free";
# @arches="i386";
# @extra_dirs="";
# @ignores="";
. . . . .
</syntaxhighlight>

== Configure cobbler ==
Get cobbler to manage '''dhcp''' and '''dns''' by setting the following in '''/etc/cobbler/settings''':
<syntaxhighlight>
manage_dhcp: 1
manage_dns: 1
</syntaxhighlight>

Set server ip addresses in '''/etc/cobbler/settings''':
<syntaxhighlight>
next_server: 172.28.0.100
server: 172.28.0.100
</syntaxhighlight>

Confirm the following are set in '''/etc/cobbler/modules.conf''':
<syntaxhighlight>
[dns]
module = manage_bind

[dhcp]
module = manage_isc
</syntaxhighlight>

Edit '''/etc/cobbler/dhcp.template''' with relevant network information (for example):
<syntaxhighlight>
# ******************************************************************
# Cobbler managed dhcpd.conf file
#
# generated from cobbler dhcp.conf template ($date)
# Do NOT make changes to /etc/dhcpd.conf. Instead, make your changes
# in /etc/cobbler/dhcp.template, as /etc/dhcpd.conf will be
# overwritten.
#
# ******************************************************************
	
ddns-update-style interim;
	
allow booting;
allow bootp;
	
ignore client-updates;
set vendorclass = option vendor-class-identifier;
	
subnet 172.28.0.0 netmask 255.255.0.0 {
     option routers             172.28.0.100;
     option domain-name-servers 10.0.0.1;
     option subnet-mask         255.255.0.0;
     range dynamic-bootp        172.28.0.101 172.28.0.200;
     filename                   "/pxelinux.0";
     default-lease-time         604800;
     max-lease-time             604800;
     next-server                172.28.0.100;
}
. . . . .
</syntaxhighlight>

Attempt to start '''dhcpd''':
<syntaxhighlight>
service dhcpd restart
</syntaxhighlight>

'''NB''': if the dhcpd service isn't running and it fails to start, it may be because the default '''/etc/dhcpd.conf''' file is blank. Enter the above information and start the dhcpd service (it needs to be running for cobbler sync (below) to complete fully). The content of '''/etc/dhcpd.conf''' will be overwritten with the contents of '''/etc/cobbler/dhcp.template''' once <code>cobbler sync</code> has been performed.

Run cobbler check:
<syntaxhighlight>
cobbler check
</syntaxhighlight>

Run cobbler sync:
<syntaxhighlight>
cobbler sync
</syntaxhighlight>

== Import a CentOS ISO for deployment ==

Mount a the CentOS ISO file to a local folder, for example:
<syntaxhighlight>
mount -o loop ./CentOS-5.7-x86_64-bin-DVD-1of2.iso /mnt
</syntaxhighlight>

Import the ISO into cobbler:
<syntaxhighlight>
cobbler import --name=CentOS_5.7_X86_64 --path=/mnt/ --breed=redhat --arch=x86_64
</syntaxhighlight>

Finish with a <code>cobbler sync</code>:
<syntaxhighlight>
cobbler sync
</syntaxhighlight>

== Import ARM based Operating Systems ==
Pull the vmlinuz and initrd from:
* Ubuntu 12.04: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/Server/Install
* Ubuntu 12.10: https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ARM/Server/Install
* Fedora 17: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Architectures/ARM/Fedora_17_GA

Add the ARM kernel and ramdisk image to the cobbler system
<syntaxhighlight>
  cobbler distro add --name=ubuntu1204-armhf --kernel=/var/lib/tftpboot/images.bak/ubuntu1204-armhf/vmlinuz --initrd=/var/lib/tftpboot/images.bak/ubuntu1204-armhf/initrd.gz
  cobbler profile add --name=ubuntu1204-armhf --distro=ubuntu1204-armhf
</syntaxhighlight>

Change the boot args:
<syntaxhighlight>
  cobbler profile edit --name ubuntu1204-armhf --kopts="console=ttyAMA0 priority=critical text auto=true netcfg/choose_interface=eth0 url=http://172.28.0.2/cblr/svc/op/ks/profile/ubuntu1204-armhf"
  # Verify them:
  cobbler profile report --name ubuntu1204-armhf
</syntaxhighlight>

Add an ARM system to cobbler:
<syntaxhighlight>
  # Note: use cxmange to get all the MAC address then add MACs to cobbler system
  cobbler system add --name=calx1 --profile=ubuntu1204-armhf --mac=fc:2f:40:c6:e8:64 --ip-address=172.28.10.1 --hostname=calx1 --dns-name=calx1.pxe.boston.co.uk
</syntaxhighlight>

Sample of the Ubuntu NQA (No Questions Asked) preseed file
<syntaxhighlight>
 Ubuntu Server Quick Install
# by Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>
#  * Documentation: http://bit.ly/uquick-doc

d-i     debian-installer/locale string en_US.UTF-8
d-i     debian-installer/splash boolean false
d-i     console-setup/ask_detect        boolean false
d-i     console-setup/layoutcode        string us
d-i     console-setup/variantcode       string
d-i     netcfg/get_nameservers  string
d-i     netcfg/get_ipaddress    string
d-i     netcfg/get_netmask      string 255.255.255.0
d-i     netcfg/get_gateway      string
d-i     netcfg/confirm_static   boolean true
d-i     mirror/country string manual
d-i     mirror/http/hostname string ports.ubuntu.com
d-i     mirror/http/directory string /ubuntu-ports
d-i     clock-setup/utc boolean true
d-i     partman-auto/method string regular
d-i     partman-lvm/device_remove_lvm boolean true
d-i     partman-lvm/confirm boolean true
d-i     partman/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i     partman/choose_partition        select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk
d-i     partman/confirm boolean true
d-i     partman/confirm_nooverwrite boolean true
d-i     partman/default_filesystem string ext3
d-i     clock-setup/utc boolean true
d-i     clock-setup/ntp boolean true
d-i     clock-setup/ntp-server  string ntp.ubuntu.com
d-i     base-installer/kernel/image     string linux-server
d-i     passwd/root-login       boolean false
d-i     passwd/make-user        boolean true
d-i     passwd/user-fullname    string ubuntu
d-i     passwd/username string ubuntu
# password: ubuntu
d-i     passwd/user-password-crypted    password $6$.1eHH0iY$ArGzKX2YeQ3G6U.mlOO3A.NaL22Ewgz8Fi4qqz.Ns7EMKjEJRIW2Pm/TikDptZpuu7I92frytmk5YeL.9fRY4.
d-i     passwd/user-uid string 
d-i     user-setup/allow-password-weak  boolean false
d-i     user-setup/encrypt-home boolean false
d-i     passwd/user-default-groups      string adm cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
d-i     apt-setup/services-select       multiselect security
d-i     apt-setup/security_host string security.ubuntu.com
d-i     apt-setup/security_path string /ubuntu
d-i     debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated  string false
d-i     pkgsel/upgrade  select safe-upgrade
d-i     pkgsel/language-packs   multiselect 
d-i     pkgsel/update-policy    select none
d-i     pkgsel/updatedb boolean true
d-i     grub-installer/skip     boolean false
d-i     lilo-installer/skip     boolean false
d-i     grub-installer/only_debian      boolean true
d-i     grub-installer/with_other_os    boolean true
d-i     finish-install/keep-consoles    boolean false
d-i     finish-install/reboot_in_progress       note 
d-i     cdrom-detect/eject      boolean true
d-i     debian-installer/exit/halt      boolean false
d-i     debian-installer/exit/poweroff  boolean false
d-i     pkgsel/include string openssh-server puppet curl
byobu   byobu/launch-by-default boolean false
</syntaxhighlight>

Sample of Ubuntu preseed file which uses a custom partition scheme and XFS (details obtained from http://cptyesterday.wordpress.com/2012/06/17/notes-on-using-expert_recipe-in-debianubuntu-preseed-files/):
<syntaxhighlight>
# Ubuntu Server Quick Install
# by Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>
#  * Documentation: http://bit.ly/uquick-doc

d-i     debian-installer/locale string en_US.UTF-8
d-i     debian-installer/splash boolean false
d-i     console-setup/ask_detect        boolean false
d-i     console-setup/layoutcode        string us
d-i     console-setup/variantcode       string
d-i     netcfg/get_nameservers  string
d-i     netcfg/get_ipaddress    string
d-i     netcfg/get_netmask      string 255.255.255.0
d-i     netcfg/get_gateway      string
d-i     netcfg/confirm_static   boolean true
d-i	mirror/country string manual
d-i	mirror/http/hostname string 172.28.0.2
d-i	mirror/http/directory string /ubuntu-ports
d-i     clock-setup/utc boolean true
d-i 	partman-auto/disk string /dev/sda
d-i 	partman-auto/method string regular
d-i 	partman-auto/expert_recipe string root :: 			\
	300 10 300 ext3 						\
        	$primary{ } $bootable{ } method{ format }		\
        	format{ } use_filesystem{ } filesystem{ ext3 } 		\
        	mountpoint{ /boot } 					\
    	. 								\
    	2048 20 8192 linux-swap 					\
        	$primary{ } method{ swap } format{ } 			\
    	. 								\
    	100 30 10000000000 xfs 						\
        	$primary{ } method{ format } format{ } 			\
        	use_filesystem{ } filesystem{ xfs } 			\
        	mountpoint{ / } 					\
    	.
d-i 	partman-auto/choose_recipe select root
d-i 	partman-partitioning/confirm_write_new_label boolean true
d-i 	partman/choose_partition select Finish partitioning and write changes to disk
d-i 	partman/confirm boolean true
d-i     clock-setup/utc boolean true
d-i     clock-setup/ntp boolean true
d-i     clock-setup/ntp-server  string ntp.ubuntu.com
d-i     base-installer/kernel/image     string linux-server
d-i     passwd/root-login       boolean false
d-i     passwd/make-user        boolean true
d-i     passwd/user-fullname    string ubuntu
d-i     passwd/username string ubuntu
d-i     passwd/user-password-crypted    password $6$.1eHH0iY$ArGzKX2YeQ3G6U.mlOO3A.NaL22Ewgz8Fi4qqz.Ns7EMKjEJRIW2Pm/TikDptZpuu7I92frytmk5YeL.9fRY4.
d-i     passwd/user-uid string
d-i     user-setup/allow-password-weak  boolean false
d-i     user-setup/encrypt-home boolean false
d-i     passwd/user-default-groups      string adm cdrom dialout lpadmin plugdev sambashare
d-i     apt-setup/services-select       multiselect security
d-i     apt-setup/security_host string security.ubuntu.com
d-i     apt-setup/security_path string /ubuntu
d-i     debian-installer/allow_unauthenticated  string true
d-i     pkgsel/upgrade  select safe-upgrade
d-i     pkgsel/language-packs   multiselect
d-i     pkgsel/update-policy    select none
d-i     pkgsel/updatedb boolean true
d-i     grub-installer/skip     boolean false
d-i     lilo-installer/skip     boolean false
d-i     grub-installer/only_debian      boolean true
d-i     grub-installer/with_other_os    boolean true
d-i     finish-install/keep-consoles    boolean false
d-i     finish-install/reboot_in_progress       note
d-i     cdrom-detect/eject      boolean true
d-i     debian-installer/exit/halt      boolean false
d-i     debian-installer/exit/poweroff  boolean false
d-i     pkgsel/include string openssh-server puppet curl
d-i     preseed/late_command string chroot /target sh -c "/usr/bin/curl -o /tmp/postinstall http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/seeds/postinstall_puppet && /bin/sh -x /tmp/postinstall"
#d-i     preseed/late_command string true && \
#        \$SNIPPET('boston_test') \
#        true
#d-i     preseed/late_command string in-target 'pwd ; ls ; cd /root ; wget http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/seeds/arm_late_stage.sh ; chmod +x arm_late_stage.sh ; ./arm_late_stage.sh'
byobu   byobu/launch-by-default boolean false
</syntaxhighlight>

== Display available profiles ==
Display the available profiles used for installations. This is basically the same as seen on the PXE boot menu
<syntaxhighlight>
root@ubuntu1204-cobbler:~# cobbler profile list
   CentOS_6.3_X86_64-x86_64
   centos57-x86_64
   centos57-xen-x86_64
   centos62-x86_64
   centos63-x86_64
   fedora17-armhf
   rhel62-x86_64
   rhel62-x86_64_PCM
   ubuntu1204-armhf
   ubuntu1204-server-x86_64
   ubuntu1210-armhf
</syntaxhighlight>

== Change the installation settings ==
View the profile (which will include kickstart files) 
<syntaxhighlight>
root@ubuntu1204-cobbler:~$ cobbler profile report --name=centos62-x86_64
<snip>
Kickstart                      : /var/lib/cobbler/kickstarts/sample.ks
</snip>
</syntaxhighlight>

Change the kickstart file
<syntaxhighlight>
cobbler profile edit --name=centos62-x86_64 --kickstart=/var/lib/cobbler/kickstarts/kickstart-sdaonly.ks
</syntaxhighlight>

== Add a repo mirror to cobbler ==
<syntaxhighlight>
root@pxe:~# cobbler repo add --name=EPEL-x86_64 --mirror=http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64 --mirror-locally=0
</syntaxhighlight>
<br>
You then need to create an appropriate directory for this repo to exist (cobbler will decide upon a default directory but won't create it). For example:
<syntaxhighlight>
root@pxe:~# mkdir /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64
</syntaxhighlight>
<br>
Then run a '''<code>cobbler reposync</code>''':
<syntaxhighlight>
root@pxe:~# cobbler reposync
task started: 2014-11-27_123446_reposync
task started (id=Reposync, time=Thu Nov 27 12:34:46 2014)
hello, reposync
run, reposync, run!
running: /usr/bin/wget -q http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/repodata/repomd.xml -O /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64/.origin/repomd.xml
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
running: /usr/bin/wget -q http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/repodata/a61828faf0beb5ca73e9a5c2cd5294be3ac147a311041aed2bda39b530328846-comps-el6.xml -O /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64/repodata/a61828faf0beb5ca73e9a5c2cd5294be3ac147a311041aed2bda39b530328846-comps-el6.xml
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
running: /usr/bin/wget -q http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/repodata/b7dfeeb47e3c60f9510dc99f3e38ab42e8e8030458160cfabf111072295dfdb6-updateinfo.xml.gz -O /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64/repodata/b7dfeeb47e3c60f9510dc99f3e38ab42e8e8030458160cfabf111072295dfdb6-updateinfo.xml.gz
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
running: /usr/bin/wget -q http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/repodata/a28e7053cdd302f563a541eb4fb1a0cbd6442787c5a9a968fe0f550e35ad7ff8-comps-el6.xml.gz -O /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64/repodata/a28e7053cdd302f563a541eb4fb1a0cbd6442787c5a9a968fe0f550e35ad7ff8-comps-el6.xml.gz
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
running: /usr/bin/wget -q http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64/repodata/358cbe9abce14fa5e06d554032a83302e76198ebda9ca6f40017359eac79d32c-pkgtags.sqlite.gz -O /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64/repodata/358cbe9abce14fa5e06d554032a83302e76198ebda9ca6f40017359eac79d32c-pkgtags.sqlite.gz
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
creating: /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64/config.repo
running: chown -R root:www-data /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
running: chmod -R 755 /var/www/cobbler/repo_mirror/EPEL-x86_64
received on stdout: 
received on stderr: 
*** TASK COMPLETE ***
</syntaxhighlight>

== Attach a local repo to a cobbler profile ==
<syntaxhighlight>
cobbler profile edit --name=SLC6.5-compute-x86_64 --repos="EPEL-x86_64"
</syntaxhighlight>
<br>
Check the rendered kickstart file and you should see the new repo listed. In this example, the URL was '''<code>http://172.28.0.2/cblr/svc/op/ks/profile/SLC6.5-compute-x86_64</code>'''.
<syntaxhighlight>
# System authorization information
auth  --useshadow  --enablemd5
# System bootloader configuration
bootloader --location=mbr
# Partition clearing information
clearpart --all --initlabel
# Use text mode install
text
# Firewall configuration
firewall --enabled
# Run the Setup Agent on first boot
firstboot --disable
# System keyboard
keyboard uk
# System language
lang en_US
# Use network installation
url --url=http://172.28.0.2/cblr/links/SLC6.5-compute-x86_64
# If any cobbler repo definitions were referenced in the kickstart profile, include them here.
repo --name=EPEL-x86_64 --baseurl=http://download.fedoraproject.org/pub/epel/6/x86_64 
repo --name=source-1 --baseurl=http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/SLC6.5-x86_64-compute-x86_64
repo --name=source-2 --baseurl=http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/SLC6.5-x86_64-compute-x86_64/SLC
</syntaxhighlight>


== Add unmanaged DNS entry ==
Edit the file: '''/etc/cobbler/zone.template'''

<syntaxhighlight>
puppet IN A 172.28.0.2

$host_record
</syntaxhighlight>
Cobbler sync once the changes have been made

== Cobbler Commands ==
* Show the system settings for an installed systems
* Change profile (image) and MAC
<syntaxhighlight>
$ cobbler system report --name blade8
$ cobbler system edit --name=blade8 --profile=CentOS_6.5_X86_64-x86_64 --mac-address=00:25:90:95:30:EA
$ cobbler sync
</syntaxhighlight>

== Post Install script ==
A post install script can be called as soon as installation has completed. The above preseed file has this script called in the following line:
<syntaxhighlight>
d-i     preseed/late_command string chroot /target sh -c "/usr/bin/curl -o /tmp/postinstall http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/postinstall_puppet && /bin/sh -x /tmp/postinstall" 
</syntaxhighlight>
The actual file location is: '''<code>/var/lib/cobbler/webroot/cobbler/ks_mirror</code>''' and is linked to '''<code>/var/www/cobbler/webroot/cobbler/ks_mirror</code>'''
<br><br>
The file contents can be:
<syntaxhighlight>
#!/bin/sh 
CURL=/usr/bin/curl 
${CURL} -o /etc/puppet/puppet.conf http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/puppet.conf 
${CURL} -o /etc/default/puppet http://172.28.0.2/cobbler/ks_mirror/default-puppet
puppet agent --enable 
</syntaxhighlight>