These instructions enable RedHat 6.1 Linux on IBM Network Station models 2800 and 2200, booting from a Linux server. The instructions will outline the process of creating a Linux boot image on the server, modifying the boot image specifically for the Network Station, and booting the Network Station. In the future, we will enable other servers, like NT, AIX, etc.

Prerequisites:

• PC installed with some Linux distribution - this will also be your boot server for the Network Station clients. Please note we have tested the instructions using RedHat PC Linux servers only.
• Approximately 300 MB of available disk space - based on RPMs installed and possible future client applications (like Netscape) that may need to be installed.
• Network Station boot monitor that supports booting Linux (dated 3/10/00 or later) - downloadable via Web site.
• nstation_rh61_from_rpm.tar - downloadable package containing the necessary files and scripts to create the Network Station Linux RedHat 6.1 client boot image.
• RedHat 6.1 CD

Help Files:
• rh61_setup_from_rpm.html: this document
• rh61_tips.html: provides solutions to common problems

Configuration Files (located in the CONFIG directory):

• rc.sysinit.IBM_NS.sboot: new configuration file added in /etc/rc.d directory
• kernel.2.2.14_config_S2800: NS2800 kernel 2.2.14 configuration file to build the kernel
• kernel.2.2.14_config_S2200: NS2200 kernel 2.2.14 configuration file to build the kernel
• XF86Config.FBDev.2800: Frame Buffer X Server configuration file for model 2800
• XF86Config.FBDev.2200: Frame Buffer X Server configuration file for model 2200
• IBM_Patch_2.2.14_S2200: NS2200 kernel level 2.2.14 patch file
• IBM_Patch_2.2.14_S2800: NS2800 kernel level 2.2.14 patch file - needed, if you want to use an NFS enabled non-Linux OS as a boot server. The instructions to enable NT, AIX, etc. as a boot server will be added in the future.
  • Source file modified: /usr/src/linux/init/main.c

Installation Programs:

• AWKS/cmdline_awk: awk program to parse command line file (/proc/commandline) to get network address information
• AWKS/gethostname_awk: awk program to parse host command to get hostname
• AWKS/inittab_awk: awk script to modify /etc/inittab
• rh61_create_bootdir_from_rpm.sh: script to create the Network Station Linux client boot directory
• rh61_rpm.list: List of RPMs to be installed for the client boot image
• SAMPLES/dhcpd.conf.SAMPLE - sample Linux dhcpd.conf (dhcp daemon configuration) file

IBM Setup Utility Files (located in the IBM directory):

• TCL/wish/shell script files: IBMSetup, Shutdown, RunIBM, RunIBMInit
• volume source code and executable to control sound volume
• GIF files: IBMIMAGE.GIF, IBMWIZARD.GIF, SYSTEM.GIF
• NetworkAddresses.sample: Sample of the NetworkAddresses file created/modified by the IBM Setup Utility

Modified Base RedHat 6.1 Files:

• /etc/inittab: Modified to use rc.sysinit.IBM_NS, instead of rc.sysinit.
• /etc/fstab: Modified to remove entries for hard drive, and add an entry for the root NFS mount point.
• /etc/X11/XF86Config: X-server configuration file, replaced by one supplied with this package. This configuration file uses frame buffer.
• Disable some services in the /etc/rc.d/init.d directory by renaming them with a ".sav" suffix:
  • apmd, atd, crond, kudzu, network, sendmail

At this point you should have a Linux server installed with appropriate software (see Prerequisites above). You should have downloaded the nstation_rh61_from_rpm.tar file to the /tmp directory on your Linux server.

Server Setup of Client Code

Create client boot directory:

• Mount the RedHat 6.1 CD over /mnt/cdrom on the Linux server.
• cd /tmp
• Untar nstation_rh61_from_rpm.tar
  • tar -xvf nstation_rh61_from_rpm.tar
• cd nstation_rh61_from_rpm
• Execute rh61_create_bootdir_from_rpm.sh script. This will create a directory <BOOT_DIR> (default is "/nstation/linux") that will be used as the Network Station client boot directory. The command will also create the install log file, as install.log. After executing the script, check the log file, to ensure all RPMs are installed (Note: Ignore error associated with MAKEDEV* rpm)
  • ./rh61_create_bootdir_from_rpm.sh <server-ip address> <BOOT_DIR>   2>&1   |   tee   install.log

    <server-ip address>	(Required) Network Station boot server IP address
    <BOOT_DIR>	(Optional) Network Station Linux boot directory

    
    If for some reason, logging does not work in the above command, simply use:
    ./rh61_create_bootdir_from_rpm.sh <server-ip address> <BOOT_DIR>

Export the client boot directory:

• You will now need to export the directory <BOOT_DIR> using linuxconf or by adding it to your /etc/exports file.
  If using linuxconf to export the directory, turn ON the following options:
  • May write
  • Root privileges
  • Request access from secure port
  If modifying /etc/exports, here's an example of what the entry looks like:
  /nstation/linux           *(rw,no_root_squash)
• Restart NFS to export the new file system:
  /etc/rc.d/init.d/nfs stop
  /etc/rc.d/init.d/nfs start
• Verify the file system is exported by issuing the following command:
  showmount -e

Create Linux kernels for Network Station models 2800 and/or 2200:

Due to specific devices used by the IBM Network Stations, you will have to rebuild the kernel on your Linux server, using the configuration file supplied with this package. The process of building the kernel is shown below:

For Model 2800:
Kernel source level: 2.2.14

Download the kernel level 2.2.14 source (linux-2.2.14.tar.gz) into the /usr/src directory on the server from the Linux kernel distribution site (http://www.kernel.org)

• Change directory to /usr/src:
  • cd /usr/src
• If there is presently a linux link to the current source, remove the link:
  • rm linux
• Make a new source directory:
  • mkdir /usr/src/linux-2.2.14
• Make a new link to the new source directory:
  • ln -sf linux-2.2.14 linux
• Extract the source, obtained from download:
  • tar -xvzf linux-2.2.14.tar.gz
• Use the .config_S2800 file included with these instructions. Copy the file to the /usr/src/linux directory:
  • cp /tmp/nstation_rh61_from_rpm/CONFIG/kernel.2.2.14_config_S2800 /usr/src/linux/.config
• Apply patches:
  • In the future, we will have a small patch to enable booting from NFS enabled non-Linux servers. The patch is provided with these instructions, but has not been fully tested.
• Enter the following commands:
  • cd /usr/src/linux
  • make xconfig or make menuconfig
    This will display the kernel configuration window. Select "Save and Exit", then ok
  • make clean
  • make dep
  • make bzImage - if make bzImage fails, enter command again until it completes
  • cp vmlinux <BOOT_DIR>/kernel.2800
    NOTE: Please make sure you copy vmlinux (this is the UNCOMPRESSED kernel) and NOT bzImage, which is the compressed kernel.

For Model 2200:

Kernel source level: 2.2.14

Download the kernel level 2.2.14 source (linux-2.2.14.tar.gz) into the /usr/src directory on the server from the Linux kernel distribution site (http://www.kernel.org)

Download the Linux v2.2 USB drivers backport for version 2.3.50-1 to version 2.2.14 located at http://www.suse.cz/development/usb-backport/ into the /usr/src directory on the Linux server

• Change directory to /usr/src:
  • cd /usr/src
• If there is presently a linux link to the current source, remove the link:
  • rm linux
• Make a new source directory:
  • mkdir /usr/src/linux-2.2.14
• Make a new link to the new source directory:
  • ln -sf linux-2.2.14 linux
• Extract the source, obtained from download:
  • tar -xvzf linux-2.2.14.tar.gz
• Use the .config_S2200 file included with these instructions. Copy the file to the /usr/src/linux directory:
  • cp /tmp/nstation_rh61_from_rpm/CONFIG/kernel.2.2.14_config_S2200 /usr/src/linux/.config
• Apply patches:
  • cd linux
  • patch -p1 < ../usb-2.3.50-1-for-2.2.14.diff
    • Note: Depending on how you downloaded this patch file, you may need to decompress the file first using the command gzip -dc usb-2.3.50-1-for-2.2.14.diff.gz > usb-2.3.50-1-for-2.2.14.diff
  • patch -p1 < /tmp/nstation_rh61_from_rpm/CONFIG/IBM_Patch_2.2.14_S2200
• Enter the following commands:
  • cd /usr/src/linux
  • make xconfig or make menuconfig
    This will display the kernel configuration window. Select "Save and Exit", then ok
  • make clean
  • make dep
  • make bzImage - if make bzImage fails, enter command again until it completes
  • cp vmlinux <BOOT_DIR>/kernel.2200
    NOTE: Please make sure you copy vmlinux (this is the UNCOMPRESSED kernel) and NOT bzImage, which is the compressed kernel.

Booting the Network Station from the Server:

Update the Network Station boot monitor to a level that supports booting Linux (see Prerequisites). Boot the Network Station in NSBoot mode and modify the settings as follows:

• For Linux Boot, the following parameters in the boot menus should be modified:
  • Display settings
  • Network settings
    • Set "Network priority" to use NVRAM or DHCP, disabling all other options.
    • Set "Boot file source" to Network
    • If NVRAM,
      • Set IBM Network Station IP address, Domain name server IP address, Gateway IP address, Subnet mask
    • If DHCP, make sure a server responds to DHCP requests
      • A sample Linux DHCP config file (/etc/dhcpd.conf) is included in this package in SAMPLE/dhcpd.conf.SAMPLE
  • Boot file server settings
    • Boot file server IP address
    • Boot file server directory and file name (<BOOT_DIR>/kernel.2800 for model 2800 or <BOOT_DIR>/kernel.2200 for model 2200 - replace <BOOT_DIR> by the real boot directory)
    • Boot file server protocol
      • TFTP - Disabled
      • NFS - First choice

Once Linux is running on the IBM Network Station:

Now that you have the client boot image created, and the Network Station boot parameters all set, its time to run Linux on the Network Station.

Initial login user id:

Login as "root" on your Network Station. The pre-set password is "ibmncd". Please change the password immediately, using the passwd command.

Start GUI login:

The default set-up is for command line login, rather than xdm or GUI login. If you want to change to GUI login, edit the file <BOOT_DIR>/etc/inittab on the boot server as follows:
Change line id:3:initdefault: to id:5:initdefault:
This will call xdm (GUI login) as part of the initial start routines.

Start X from command line login:

If you are logging in via command line prompt, you can start Xwindows, using the startx command. This will start your default window manager (GNOME or KDE) based on your setup. Note: GUI login will give you the option to select your window manager.

Adding users:

Use "useradd" or the linuxconf tool to add more users for the Network Station client. All users added will be saved in the client image on the server. The server has no knowledge about the new users, except for the additional home directories, and files created.

Installing and updating applications:

All the changes done while running on the Network Station will ONLY change the settings on the client boot image. The server settings will not be disturbed. Management of all client code can now be done via the Network Station. If an application is added to the client image via the Network Station, all other Network Station clients booting from that server will have access to the new application.

From the Network Station:
Login as "root" on the Network Station and use one of the following methods to access the installation files:

• Use internet or ftp to get the application package. Once the package is downloaded, proceed with the installation steps for the applications (untar, rpm, etc.).
• Use the server cdrom, to access applications available on CDs. You will need to export the cdrom mount point on the server and mount the exported directory on the client.
  • On the server, add an entry to /etc/exports, as follows: /mnt/cdrom (ro)
  • On the Network Station mount the cdrom directory from the server: mount <Server IP-address>:/mnt/cdrom /mnt/cdrom
• Use RPMs to install packages (on the server, place the RPM file in <BOOT_DIR> so that the Network Station has access to the file), login as "root" on the Network Station and execute "rpm -i <RPM-file-name>". The client boot directory maintains the RPM list of the installed packages (in the /rpm directory, as seen from the client).

From the server:
• Use RPMs to install packages. Use the command:
  rpm -i -root <BOOT_DIR> <RPM-file-name>
  where <BOOT_DIR> is the Network Station client boot directory (default: /nstation/linux)

• X server: We are currently using X Frame buffers, which are slower than other commercial X servers. We are working to fix this limitation.

• Options to install different packages during creation of the client boot image. Currently, it installs GNOME and KDE.
• Add instructions (or pointers) to assist in the installation of FVWM95 (window manager with look and feel of Windows95). FVWM95 has a smaller foot print than GNOME or KDE, however, it contains less utilities.
• Provide XF86_SVGA for models 2800 and 2200 for improved Xserver performance, compared to XF86_FBDev (frame buffer).
• Enhance instructions to enable booting from NT server. Current instructions are limited to booting from a Linux server, for simplicity and limiting the scope during the first phase.

Go to hints for additional hints and tips. This section will be expanded with additional information, based on input from users.

Feedback:

Note: Before submitting anything to IBM via this Web site, please read the terms and conditions regarding information and material you give us.

Send comments and suggestions regarding these instructions to the Network Station Linux Team (nclinux@us.ibm.com). IBM may not respond to all correspondence received.

History:

• 04/20/00
  • Updated IBMSetup to do error checking
  • Made rpm install list more general and less version specific
  • Added localhost entry in /etc/hosts file
• 03/15/00
  • Initial release

The information provided within these instructions, web site and related communications are provided on an "AS-IS" basis.