Changes

:* '''virsh''' (Refer to Fedora CentOS Virtualization Guide link in the "Resources on the Web" section)

[http://docswww.fedoraprojectcentos.org/en-USdocs/Fedora5/17html/html5.2/Installation_Guide/ Fedora 17 RHEL Installation Guide]* [http://docswww.fedoraprojectcentos.org/en-USdocs/Fedora5/17html/html5.2/Installation_Guide/ch-Preparing-x86.html#s1-steps-network-installs-x86/ s390.html Preparing for a Network Installation]* [http://docswww.fedoraprojectcentos.org/en-USdocs/Fedora5/17html/html5.2/Installation_Guide/ch-Preparing-x86.html#s1-stepsbegininstall-networkperform-installsnfs-x86 .html Performing a Network Installation]

[http://www.centos.org/docs/5/html/5.2/Installation_Guide-en-US/ RHEL Installation Guide]* [http://docswww.fedoraprojectcentos.org/en-USdocs/Fedora/175/html/Installation_Guide/sn-automating-installation5.html Automating the Installation with Kickstart]* [http://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/Fedora/17/html2/Installation_Guide/ch-kickstart2.html Kickstart Installations]* [http://docswww.fedoraprojectcentos.org/en-USdocs/Fedora5/17html/html5.2/Installation_Guide/ch-redhat-config-kickstart.html Kickstart Configurator]

== Preparation Comparison Chart == You will be learning to perform several different type of CENTOS Linux installs. As you proceed throughout this lab, you will be required to fill in the following table to be used for installation type comparison. You should try to fill out the section for the CENTOS install you performed in lab #1, and then continue with this lab. Complete the following table (and transfer into your lab2 log-book notes): {|border="1" width="100%" cellpadding="5"|-! ||c6host||centos1||centos2||centos3|-|'''Installation Method'''||Installation Disc||Live Disc||Network Installation||Network Installation + Kickstart|-|'''Number of Packages Installed'''|| || || |||-|'''Updates Installed immediately after installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Software could be selected during installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Disk layout could be selected during installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Any questions asked during installation?'''|| || || |||-|'''Total installation time''' (after installation questions)|| || || |||-|'''Amount of disk space used'''|| || || |||-|'''Any questions asked during first boot?'''|| || || |||-|'''Advantages of this type of installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Disadvantages of this type of installation'''|| || || |||-|'''This type of installation is recommended for...'''|| || || |||}   == Using the Virtual Machine Manager == 

<li>When prompted for the hostname, enter '''centos1''', and when prompted for the timezone, select '''Toronto - Eastern Time Ontario''', and when </li> <li>When asked about storage, select '''Use All Space'''. '''Use the default values for all other fields.''' Notice that the installer does not ask you what software should be installed; compare the installation time to the amount of time it took to do your Lab 2 installation. Record this information in the '''table contained in Investigation 4'''.</li>

<li value="13">Start the VM from its disk image. This can be done graphically by selecting the Virual machine name, and then clicking on the '''Open''' button, and then click the '''play''' button when the next screen appears (or by selecting Virtual Machine>Run from the virtual machine menu). You will get the ''Firstboot'' configuration questions during the boot process (asking you to create a user, set the date and time, and ignore the kdump out-of-memory warning). Make certain that the VM has a network interface connection (i.e. look at network applet on the top panel). Create a user with the same name as your Matrix account.</li>

It is possible to install Fedora CentOS entirely from the network. In this investigation, you will install Fedora CentOS from a webserver on Seneca's LANthe internet.

* '''Name:''' fedora2centos2

* '''Installation source:''' http://belmont.senecac.on.ca/fedoracentos/releases6.5/17/Fedoraos/x86_64/os/

# Create the VM (called '''fedora2centos2''') as you did with the ''fedora1centos1'' virtual machine, except:#* In '''step 1 of 5''', set select network installation using the installation type to '''Network Install (HTTP, FTP, or NFS)'''.#* In '''step 2 of 5''', provide the location of the software source by providing the URL http://belmont.senecac.on.ca/fedora/releases/17/Fedora/x86_64/os/#* In '''step 2 of 5''', set the ''OS Type'' to '''Linux''' and ''Version'' to '''Fedora 17'''url displayed above. # Observe the boot process. How is it different from booting from an optical disc (CD/DVD)?

# When you get to the disk partitioning step, select '''Use All Space''' and enable the checkbox labelled '''Review and modify partition layout'''.If an dialog box displays a permissions problem, then click yes to proceed. On the next screen, change the logical volumes as follows:

#* '''Add a <u>logical volume </u> with a size of 2000 MB and a mountpoint of /home''' (you can name it whatever you want, and use '''ext4''' as the file-system type).# On the software selection screen, select '''Graphical Desktop'''.# '''On the same screen, select the "Fedora 17 - x86_64" and the "Fedora 17 - x86_64 - Updates". Leave "Installation Repo" selected. ''DO NOT'' enable the "Test Updates" repository'''.

When Fedora CentOS is installed using the techniques you have used so far, the user is asked a number of questions. In some situations, it is better to provide the answers to these questions in a file rather than answer them individually. This type of file is called a ''kickstart'' file.

* '''Name:''' fedora3centos3

* '''Installation source:''' http://belmont.senecac.on.ca/fedoracentos/releases6.5/17/Fedoraos/x86_64/os/* '''Kickstart location:''' http://wwwmatrix.drivehqsenecac.com/fileon.ca/df~andrew.aspx/shareID10606286smith/fileID1269952040ops235/Fedora17centos6-kickstart-v01.cfg

# Create the VM as you did with the ''fedora2centos2'' virtual machine, specifying a network install as before, except:#* In step 2 of 5, after entering but specify the kickstart location under the URL "options section" for the installation source, click on the '''URL Options''' controlnetwork install.#* Enter What do you think is the Kickstart URL: http://www.drivehq.com/purpose of this kickstart file/df.aspx/shareID10606286/fileID1269952040/Fedora17-kickstart.cfg ?# Observe the installation. How is it different from booting from an optical disc (CD/DVD)?

# '''Take a look at the kickstart file (using the URL you enteredeg. view url in a webj-browser) to <u>determine</u> the root password as well as the name and password for the first user account'''.# Boot the virtual machine and log in (use the user ID and password information from the previous step). Compare the experience to the first time you booted the other virtual machines.Record this information in the '''table contained in Investigation 4'''.

== Investigation 4: Updating and Comparing the VMs == {{Admon/important|Check that your graphical VMs are connected to Network|It is recommended when starting a graphical VM, check the network icon to see if the system is connected. If it is NOT connected, select auto eth.}} 

{{Admon/caution|border="1" width="100%" cellpadding="5"|-! ||f17host||fedora1||fedora2||fedora3|-|'''Installation Method'''||Installation Disc||Live Disc||Network Installation||Network Installation + Kickstart|-|'''Packages Installed'''|| || || |||-|'''Updates Installed immediately after installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Software could be selected during installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Disk layout could be selected during installation'''|| || || |||-|'''No questions asked during installation'''|| || || |||-Never Shutdown Computer During Upgrade|'''Total installation time''' Your computer (after installation questionshost, vms)|| || || |||-|'''Amount of disk space used'''|| || || |||-|'''Questions asked during first boot'''|| || || |||-|'''Advantages of this type of installation'''|| || || |||-|'''Disadvantages of this type of installation'''|| || || |||-|'''This type of installation is recommended are at their most vulnerable when you perform an update. Always plan ahead forappropriate time prior to performing an update...'''|| || || ||Shutting down your computer while performing an update may cause your computer not to boot! You have been warned!!!}}|}

# Start the ''fedora1centos1'' virtual machine, and stop the ''fedora2centos2'' and ''fedora3centos3'' virtual machines.# Switch to the f19host c6host machine, and open a shell terminal.# Enter these commands into your f19host c6host machine and note the result:

# Now, shut-down your fedora1 centos1 VM normally, and close the fedora1 centos1 VM window. Make certain NOT to close the Virtual Machine Manager main window.# Switch to your terminal and issue the command: <code>'''virsh start fedora1centos1'''</code># Check Using the appropriate command check to see if your fedora1 centos1 VM is now running.# Switch to the terminal and issue<code>'''virsh list --all'''</code> and confirm the status of the fedora1 VM.# There are other commands that can be used (such as suspend, or shutdown). The "shutdown" command may not always work since it sends relies on the guest handling a request to "shutdown virtual machine gracefully", but may not always workparticular ACPI event. Why do you think it is useful to have commands to manipulate VMs? {{Admon/note|Virtual Machine Does not Shutdown from Command|If the Virtual machine fails to shutdown from the <code>virsh shutdown</code> command, then you can go to the '''Virtual Machine manager''' and '''halt''' or '''shutdown''' within the VM itself, then you can click the '''PowerOff''' button in the VM window. You'll want to avoid a forced shutdown since those are equivalent to yanking the cord out of the wall on a physical machine!|}}

{{Admon/important|Backing up VMs|There are two general processes in order to back up your images:<ol><li>'''Compressing your images''' (also recommended to backup up to external storage USB Key) using the '''gzip''' command.</li><li>'''Backup the VM xlm xml configuration file''' (preferably to USB key) using '''virsh''' shell command to add VM to virtual machine manager list (in the event that the HOST machine is "wiped" and re-installed, but VM images and xml configuration files have been backed up external storage).</li></ol><br />Taking the time to backup the image of the Operating System's file system allows the user to return to a '''"restoration point"''' using the '''gunzip''' command in case something bad occurs to the OS during a lab.<br />Failure to take the time to make and confirm backups can result in loss of lab work for the student!|}}

# Make a compressed backup of the <code>fedora3centos3.img</code> file to your home directory with this command: <code>'''gzip < fedora3centos3.img > ~YourUserId/fedora3centos3.img.backup.gz'''</code><br />('''Note: Make certain to use the redirection signs "<" and ">" properly in the command!'''){{Admon/caution| Make sure the backup is successful!|If there are any error messages, '''DO NOT''' proceed past this point. You're going to destroy your fedora3 centos3 virtual machine and restore it using the backup you have created -- if there are any problems with the backup, you will not have a working virtual machine, and will have to re-install it.}}

<li>Start the '''''fedora3centos3''''' VM.</li> <li>'''Make certain that you are in your fedora VM and <u>not</u> in your Fedora main system!'''</li> <li>Wreck <u>only</u> your fedora 3 centos3 system! Try this command inside the fedora3 centos3 virtual machine: <code>'''rm -rf /*'''</code></li> <li>Shut down the VM. If you tried to start the Fedora3 centos3 VM, it would not boot since all system files have been removed!</li> <li>Restore the original image from the backup in your home directory by typing this command: <code>'''gunzip < ~YourUserId/fedora3centos3.img.backup.gz > fedora3centos3.img'''</code></li>

<li value="12">You should make a copy of the xml configuration file in case you "wipe" and re-install the host machine, and want to add a restored VM backups to the virtual machine manager list. We will demonstrate using the fedora 3 centos3 xml configuration file, and prove that a "clone" can be added to your list.Please perform the following step:<ol type="a"><li>Verify that you are in the directory: <code>/var/lib/libvirt/images/</code>.</li> <li>Execute the following command: <code>virsh dumpxml fedora3 centos3 >fedora3centos3.xml</code></li> <li>Examine the file <code>fedora3centos3.xml</code>. What does it contain? What format is it in?</li> <li>Make a copy of <code>fedora3centos3.xml</code> called <code>fedora3acentos3a.xml</code>.</li> <li>Edit the file <code>fedora3acentos3a.xml</code>, making the following changes:</li>

::* Change the name (in the file, not the file name) to <code>fedora3acentos3a</code>

<li value="6">Issue this command: <code>virsh define fedora3acentos3a.xml</code>

<li>Issue the command: <code>virsh undefine fedora3acentos3a</code>

{{Admon/tip|SSHD and Firewall|If you have restarted your virtual machine ''fedora1'', the sshd server you started in investigation 1 (step 15) will no longer be running. In addition, the firewall will have reverted to its original state. In order to use '''scp''', below, you will need to restart ssh and adjust the firewall again.<br /><br />If students cannot backup their kickstart files using the '''scp''' command, they can use a web-browser to access their Seneca e-mail with attachment (copy kickstart file to their home directory first!). For the text-based Linux system "fedora3", students can use the '''mail''' command (refer to the man command to learn how to send e-mail attachments). }} When Even when you perform a non-Kickstart installation, the installation program creates a Kickstart file in the <code>/root</code> directory for reference.

# Obtain the kickstart files for all four of your installations (your disk pack ''f17hostc6host'', plus the ''fedora1centos1'', ''fedora2centos2'', and ''fedora3centos3'' virtual machines).# To prevent confusion, copy your kickstart files to kickstart filenames that describe their purpose (eg. kickstart_host, kickstart_fedora1kickstart_centos1, kickstart_fedora2kickstart_centos2, etc...)# Copy them all to your f17host c6host system (tip: use <code>scp</code>), webmail, or use the hint in the tip box above to send via ecommand-line mail. Refer to the manpages for help).

# All virtual machines backed upto a usb stick.

# What is the name of the Fedora CentOS installation program?

# The kickstart installation (fedora3centos3) was a network installation. Can a kickstart file be used with a DVD installation?# The kickstart installation (fedora3centos3) was fairly fast. Why? Under what circumstances would it take a long time, even on a fast network?