Recent changes to Tips_and_Tricks

Tips_and_Tricks modified by Lissa Valletta

Lissa Valletta — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 15:38:27 -0000

--- v3
+++ v4
@@ -4,9 +4,17 @@

 ## Setting the Time Zone of a Diskless Image

-Try something like this (for RH system - should be similar for SuSE): 
-    
-    cat >/install/netboot/.......rootimg/etc/sysconfig/clock 
+~~~~
+
+

cat >/install/netboot/.......rootimg/etc/sysconfig/clock <<EOF +="" ZONE="US/Mountain" +="" UTC="true" +="" ARC="false" +="" EOF="" +="" +="" cp="" -f="" usr="" share="" zoneinfo="" MST7MDT="" install="" netboot="" .......rootimg="" etc="" localtime<="" pre="">
+
+~~~~

 The above will change the default to US/Mountain - MST7MDT time. 

@@ -16,7 +24,9 @@

 This tip comes from Shadd, off of the xcat mailing list: its a quick and dirty way to wipe the hard drives in the cluster. 

-psh all dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/hda && dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda 
+~~~~
+  psh all dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/hda && dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda 
+~~~~

 if you want to erase all drives on all nodes that should be enough just change hda to sda if it is scsi 

@@ -36,13 +46,13 @@

 ## Use lsdef to list node attributes

-All of the *def (object definition) commands know which tables all the attributes belong. And since they default to working with the node object type, **lsdef _nodename_** will list all the attributes that are set for this node in any table. 
+All of the *def (object definition) commands know which tables all the attributes belong. And since they default to working with the node object type, **lsdef nodename** will list all the attributes that are set for this node in any table. 

 * * *

 ## Database Documentation

-An overview of all the tables can be viewed by running **man xcatdb** or by going to the [xCAT Database Man Pages](http://xcat.sf.net/man5/xcatdb.5.html). A description of a specific table is available using **man _tablename_** . 
+An overview of all the tables can be viewed by running **man xcatdb** or by going to the [xCAT Database Man Pages](http://xcat.sf.net/man5/xcatdb.5.html). A description of a specific table is available using **man tablename** . 

@@ -72,6 +82,8 @@

 One way to work around this, in the pre-partitioned drive install case, is to add the following line to the kickstart install template: 

+~~~~
     clearpart --none
+~~~~

 * * *

Tips_and_Tricks modified by Andy Wray

Andy Wray — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:14:40 -0000

--- v2
+++ v3
@@ -62,3 +62,16 @@
 ## Install Server Notes

 [Here are notes to set up an install server with SLES10.1 ](InstallServer) 
+
+## What to do if RHELS 6.x install fails with "cleardisksel" error
+
+If RHELS 6.x fails to install using xCAT 2.7 or later, then the problem could due to the fact that xCAT now puts the "cmdline" argument on the kernel command line when installing RHELS 6.x on a node. Then if the RHELS 6.x kickstart install template does not include something defining the partitions (e.g., installing onto a pre-partitioned drive), then the following error will occur: 
+    
+    Examining storage devices
+    In interactive step cleardiskssel, can't continue
+
+One way to work around this, in the pre-partitioned drive install case, is to add the following line to the kickstart install template: 
+    
+    clearpart --none
+
+* * *

Tips_and_Tricks modified by Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:14:39 -0000

--- v1
+++ v2
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [TOC]

-# xCAT 2.0 User Tips
+# xCAT 2 User Tips and Tricks

 ## Setting the Time Zone of a Diskless Image

Tips_and_Tricks modified by Bruce

Bruce — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 16:14:38 -0000

xCAT 2.0 User Tips

xCAT 2.0 User Tips

Setting the Time Zone of a Diskless Image

Try something like this (for RH system - should be similar for SuSE):

cat &gt;/install/netboot/.......rootimg/etc/sysconfig/clock

The above will change the default to US/Mountain - MST7MDT time.

Wiping Node Hard Drives

This tip comes from Shadd, off of the xcat mailing list: its a quick and dirty way to wipe the hard drives in the cluster.

psh all dd if=/dev/urandom of=/dev/hda && dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/hda

if you want to erase all drives on all nodes that should be enough just change hda to sda if it is scsi

Use "nodeset <nr> shell" Instead of a Recovery CD

Why use a rescue CD when you can "nodeset <noderange> shell"? On the next boot, you should be able to psh, ssh, mount, vi, etc etc etc. The "nodeset <noderange> shell" command is like a builtin rescue CD for many nodes.

Use lsdef to list node attributes

All of the *def (object definition) commands know which tables all the attributes belong. And since they default to working with the node object type, lsdef nodename will list all the attributes that are set for this node in any table.

Database Documentation

An overview of all the tables can be viewed by running man xcatdb or by going to the xCAT Database Man Pages. A description of a specific table is available using man tablename .

Use Regular Expressions in Your Tables to Greatly Reduce the Size of the Tables

In all the node-related tables (except for the nodelist table), you can use regular expressions in a single row to represent many rows that would be only slightly different and conform to a pattern. See xCAT Database Man Pages for details and examples.

Install ESX 3.5

See here for tutorial

Install Server Notes

Here are notes to set up an install server with SLES10.1