ITEM: D9746L

Some Network install questions.

Question:

A system is configured as a network install server. When the customer
tries to install a system across the network, he gets the following
message: "must select a class or bos".

What does this message mean and what are class files?

Response:

When a system is installed (reloaded) across a network, a base operating
system image is the minimum required selection. This is a bos.obj image.
It can be either the bos.obj image from an install tape or it can be
a system backup image (mksysb). 

Class files are used to group different software configurations together
when reloading a system across the network.  Each class file must contain
only one bos image. It can contain multiple LPP images. The LPP images 
contained in a class file are not automatically installed on the install 
client. The install images are copied to the system where they must be 
installed locally.

It is best to create a common system install image. Install a system
from an install tape and install at least TCP/IP (bosnet.tcpip.obj) and 
NFS (bosnet.nfs.obj). Do not configure TCP/IP on this system. Additional
LPPs common to all systems should be installed as well. Once all the 
common LPPs have been loaded, create an image of that system using the 
mksysb backup utility. Copy the system image to the network install 
server. Install new systems across the network. If some systems
require additional LPPs to be installed, install them using NFS. 
This is much easier that creating different class files. You don't have 
to worry about which PTFs are prerequisites for the different LPPs.
Network install class files can still be used to add a text description 
to system (mksysb) images on the network install menu.

All class files file names must begin with "cl.", additional text should
be added after the "." for different class files. These files are created
in the directory "/u/netinst/db" and should be owned by the AIX user
"netinst".

Here is an example of a network install class file (cl.coder):

\#define _IMAGEDIR /usr/sys/inst.images

classname       value           Text Description to Appear on Menu
                
bos             filename        _IMAGEDIR/bos/bos.obj.324

lpp             filename        _IMAGEDIR/xlccmp.usr.1.2.1.0
-               filename        _IMAGEDIR/xlfcmp.usr.2.3.0.0
-               filename        _IMAGEDIR/xlfrte.usr.2.3.0.0

In the above file, "_IMAGEDIR" is used to define the directory where
the LPP images are located on the network install server. The third
column of the "classname" line is the text description that appears on 
the network install menu. The "bos" line points to the bos.obj image.
This can be either a bos.obj image from an install tape or it can be
a mksysb system image. The "bos" line is the only required line in the
class file. 
The "lpp" line(s) point to LPP install images to be copied to the network
install client. The LPP must installed locally after the system is 
initially loaded with the bos image. There can be multiple LPP images in
a class file. If there are multiple LPP images, only the first line 
begins with "lpp", all others will begin with the "-".



Support Line: Some Network install questions. ITEM: D9746L

Dated: November 1993 Category: N/A

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