Chapter 8. Using network boot to provision hosts

1. You create a host and select a domain and subnet. Satellite requests an available IP address from the DHCP Capsule Server that is associated with the subnet or from the PostgreSQL database in Satellite. Satellite loads this IP address into the IP address field in the Create Host window. When you complete all the options for the new host, submit the new host request.

2. Depending on the configuration specifications of the host and its domain and subnet, Satellite creates the following settings:

   • A DHCP record on Capsule Server that is associated with the subnet.
   • A forward DNS record on Capsule Server that is associated with the domain.
   • A reverse DNS record on the DNS Capsule Server that is associated with the subnet.
   • PXELinux, Grub, Grub2, and iPXE configuration files for the host in the TFTP Capsule Server that is associated with the subnet.
   • A Puppet certificate on the associated Puppet server.
   • A realm on the associated identity server.
3. The host is configured to boot from the network as the first device and HDD as the second device.
4. The new host requests a DHCP reservation from the DHCP server.
5. The DHCP server responds to the reservation request and returns TFTP next-server and filename options.
6. The host requests the boot loader and menu from the TFTP server according to the PXELoader setting.
7. A boot loader is returned over TFTP.
8. The boot loader fetches configuration for the host through its provisioning interface MAC address.
9. The boot loader fetches the operating system installer kernel, init RAM disk, and boot parameters.
10. The installer requests the provisioning template from Satellite.
11. Satellite renders the provision template and returns the result to the host.

12. The installer performs installation of the operating system.

    • The installer registers the host to Satellite by using Subscription Manager.
    • The installer notifies Satellite of a successful build in the postinstall script.
13. The PXE configuration files revert to a local boot template.
14. The host reboots.
15. The new host requests a DHCP reservation from the DHCP server.
16. The DHCP server responds to the reservation request and returns TFTP next-server and filename options.
17. The host requests the boot loader and menu from the TFTP server according to the PXELoader setting.
18. A boot loader is returned over TFTP.
19. The boot loader fetches the configuration for the host through its provision interface MAC address.
20. The boot loader initiates boot from the local drive.
21. If you configured the host to use Puppet classes, the host uses the modules to configure itself.

1. The host is configured to boot from the network as the first device and HDD as the second device.
2. The new host requests a DHCP reservation from the DHCP server.
3. The DHCP server responds to the reservation request and returns TFTP next-server and filename options.
4. The host requests the boot loader and menu from the TFTP server according to the PXELoader setting.
5. A boot loader is returned over TFTP.
6. The boot loader fetches the configuration settings for the host through its provisioning interface MAC address.

7. For BIOS hosts:

   • The boot loader returns non-bootable device so BIOS skips to the next device (boot from HDD).

8. For EFI hosts:

   • The boot loader finds Grub2 on a ESP partition and chainboots it.
9. If the host is unknown to Satellite, a default boot loader configuration is provided. When Discovery service is enabled, it boots into discovery, otherwise it boots from HDD.

Procedure

1. Set the path for the shim and GRUB2 binaries for the operating system of your host:

   # BOOTLOADER_PATH="/var/lib/tftpboot/bootloader-universe/pxegrub2/redhat/default/x86_64"

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   If you require specific versions of the shim and GRUB2 binaries for the version of the operating system of your host, replace default with the Major and Minor version of the operating system separated by a dot. If no Minor version is set, replace default with the Major version.

   Red Hat recommends to not use version-specific shim and GRUB2 binaries unless it is really necessary.

2. Create the directory to store the shim and GRUB2 binaries for the operating system of your host:

   # install -o foreman-proxy -g foreman-proxy -d $BOOTLOADER_PATH

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3. Download the shim and GRUB2 packages for the operating system of your host. You can download the grub2-efi-x64 and shim-x64 packages from Package browser on the Red Hat Customer Portal.

4. Extract the shim and GRUB2 binaries:

   # rpm2cpio /tmp/grub2-efi-x64.rpm | cpio -idv --directory /tmp
   # rpm2cpio /tmp/shim-x64.rpm | cpio -idv --directory /tmp

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5. Make the shim and GRUB2 binaries available for host provisioning:

   # cp /tmp/boot/efi/EFI/redhat/grubx64.efi $BOOTLOADER_PATH/grubx64.efi
   # cp /tmp/boot/efi/EFI/redhat/shimx64.efi $BOOTLOADER_PATH/shimx64.efi
   # ln -sr $BOOTLOADER_PATH/grubx64.efi $BOOTLOADER_PATH/boot.efi
   # ln -sr $BOOTLOADER_PATH/shimx64.efi $BOOTLOADER_PATH/boot-sb.efi
   # chmod 644 $BOOTLOADER_PATH/grubx64.efi $BOOTLOADER_PATH/shimx64.efi

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Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Create Host.
2. In the Name field, enter a name for the host.
3. Optional: Click the Organization tab and change the organization context to match your requirement.
4. Optional: Click the Location tab and change the location context to match your requirement.
5. From the Host Group list, select a host group that you want to assign your host to. That host group will populate the form.
6. Click the Interfaces tab, and on the interface of the host, click Edit.

7. Verify that the fields are populated with values. Note in particular:

   • Satellite automatically assigns an IP address for the new host.
   • In the MAC address field, enter a MAC address of the provisioning interface of the host. This ensures the identification of the host during the PXE boot process.
   • The Name from the Host tab becomes the DNS name.
   • Ensure that Satellite automatically selects the Managed, Primary, and Provision options for the first interface on the host. If not, select them.

8. Click OK to save. To add another interface, click Add Interface. You can select only one interface for Provision and Primary.

   For more information about network interfaces, see Configuring network interfaces in Managing hosts.

9. Click the Operating System tab, and verify that all fields contain values. Confirm each aspect of the operating system.

10. Optional: Click Resolve in Provisioning template to check the new host can identify the right provisioning templates to use.

    For more information about provisioning templates, see Section 5.1, “Provisioning templates”.

11. On the Parameters tab, click Add parameter. Add a parameter named kt_activation_keys, select the string type, and enter the name of the activation key as the value. The activation key has to belong to the same organization as your host. You can also enter a comma-separated list of multiple activation keys.
12. Click Submit to save the host details.

CLI procedure

1. Create the host by using Hammer:

   $ hammer host create \
   --build true \
   --enabled true \
   --hostgroup "My_Host_Group" \
   --location "My_Location" \
   --mac "My_MAC_Address" \
   --managed true \
   --name "My_Host_Name" \
   --organization "My_Organization"

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2. Configure the network interface:

   $ hammer host interface update \
   --host "_My_Host_Name_" \
   --managed true \
   --primary true \
   --provision true

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Procedure

1. Ensure that Capsule is associated with the provisioning subnet. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Infrastructure > Subnets.
2. Click Edit Subnet > Capsules.
3. Select the Capsule for both TFTP and HTTPBoot options.
4. Click OK to save.

Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Create Host.
2. In the Name field, enter a name for the host.
3. Optional: Click the Organization tab and change the organization context to match your requirement.
4. Optional: Click the Location tab and change the location context to match your requirement.
5. From the Host Group list, select a host group that you want to assign your host to. That host group will populate the form.
6. Click the Interfaces tab, and on the interface of the host, click Edit.

7. Verify that the fields are populated with values. Note in particular:

   • Satellite automatically assigns an IP address for the new host.
   • In the MAC address field, enter a MAC address of the provisioning interface of the host. This ensures the identification of the host during the PXE boot process.
   • The Name from the Host tab becomes the DNS name.
   • Ensure that Satellite automatically selects the Managed, Primary, and Provision options for the first interface on the host. If not, select them.

8. Click OK to save. To add another interface, click Add Interface. You can select only one interface for Provision and Primary.

   For more information about network interfaces, see Configuring network interfaces in Managing hosts.

9. Click the Operating System tab, and verify that all fields contain values. Confirm each aspect of the operating system.
10. From the PXE Loader list, select Grub2 UEFI HTTP.

11. Optional: Click Resolve in Provisioning template to check the new host can identify the right provisioning templates to use.

    For more information about provisioning templates, see Section 5.1, “Provisioning templates”.

12. On the Parameters tab, click Add parameter. Add a parameter named kt_activation_keys, select the string type, and enter the name of the activation key as the value. The activation key has to belong to the same organization as your host. You can also enter a comma-separated list of multiple activation keys.
13. Click Submit to save the host details.

CLI procedure

1. Create the host by using Hammer:

   $ hammer host create \
   --build true \
   --enabled true \
   --hostgroup "My_Host_Group" \
   --location "My_Location" \
   --mac "My_MAC_Address" \
   --managed true \
   --name "My_Host_Name" \
   --organization "My_Organization" \
   --pxe-loader "Grub2 UEFI HTTP"

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2. Configure the network interface:

   $ hammer host interface update \
   --host "My_Host_Name" \
   --managed true \
   --primary true \
   --provision true

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Procedure

1. In the Satellite web UI, navigate to Hosts > Templates > Provisioning Templates.
2. Create a provisioning template, or clone and edit an existing template. For more information, see Section 5.3, “Creating provisioning templates”.
3. In the template, click the Template tab.

4. In the Template editor field, add the create_users snippet to the %post section:

   <%= snippet('create_users') %>

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5. Select the Default checkbox.
6. Click the Association tab.
7. From the Application Operating Systems list, select an operating system.
8. Click Submit to save the provisioning template.

9. Create a host that is associated with the provisioning template or rebuild a host using the operating system associated with the modified template. For more information, see Creating a Host in Managing hosts.

   The SSH keys of the Owned by user are added automatically when the create_users snippet is executed during the provisioning process. You can set Owned by to an individual user or a user group. If you set Owned by to a user group, the SSH keys of all users in the user group are added automatically.