Non-interactive IBM Z LPAR autoinstall (s390x)¶
This non-interactive installation uses ‘autoinstall’, which can be considered the successor to the Debian installer (d-i) and preseed on Ubuntu. This is a detailed step-by-step guide, including output and logs (which are partially a bit shortened, as indicated by ‘…’, to limit the size of this document).
The example logical partition (LPAR) here uses zFCP storage and is connected to a VLAN network. For a DASD and a non-VLAN network example, please see the non-interactive IBM z/VM (s390x) autoinstallation guide.
Start with the preparation of the (FTP) install server (if it doesn’t already exist).
user@local:~$ ssh [email protected] admin@installserver:~$ mkdir -p /srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04 admin@installserver:~$ wget http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/focal/daily-live/current/focal-live-server-s390x.iso --directory-prefix=/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04 --2020-06-26 12:18:48-- http://cdimage.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-server/focal/daily-live/current/focal-live-server-s390x.iso Resolving cdimage.ubuntu.com (cdimage.ubuntu.com)... 2001:67c:1560:8001::1d, 2001:67c:1360:8001::28, 2001:67c:1360:8001::27, ... Connecting to cdimage.ubuntu.com (cdimage.ubuntu.com)|2001:67c:1560:8001::1d|:80... connected. HTTP request sent, awaiting response... 200 OK Length: 700952576 (668M) [application/x-iso9660-image] Saving to: ‘focal-live-server-s390x.iso’ focal-live-server-s 100%[===================>] 668.48M 2.73MB/s in 4m 54s 2020-06-26 12:23:42 (2.27 MB/s) - ‘focal-live-server-s390x.iso’ saved [700952576/700952576] admin@installserver:~$
The ISO image needs to be extracted now. Since files in its boot folder need to be modified, loopback mount is not an option here:
admin@installserver:~$ cd /srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04 admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ mkdir iso admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ sudo mount -o loop ./focal-live-server-s390x.iso ./iso [sudo] password for admin: mount: /home/user/iso-test/iso: WARNING: device write-protected, mounted read-only. admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ ls -l total 684530 -rw-rw-r-- 1 user user 700952576 Jun 26 10:12 focal-live-server-s390x.iso dr-xr-xr-x 10 root root 2048 Jun 26 10:12 iso admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ rsync -rtvz ./iso/ . && sync sending incremental file list skipping non-regular file "ubuntu" skipping non-regular file "ubuntu-ports" ./ README.diskdefines boot.catalog md5sum.txt ubuntu.ins skipping non-regular file "dists/stable" skipping non-regular file "dists/unstable" .disk/ .disk/base_installable .disk/casper-uuid-generic .disk/cd_type .disk/info boot/ boot/README.boot boot/initrd.off boot/initrd.siz boot/initrd.ubuntu boot/kernel.ubuntu boot/parmfile.ubuntu boot/ubuntu.exec boot/ubuntu.ikr boot/ubuntu.ins casper/ ... sent 681,509,758 bytes received 1,857 bytes 22,344,643.11 bytes/sec total size is 700,317,941 speedup is 1.03 admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ ls -l total 684578 dr-xr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:12 boot -r--r--r-- 1 user user 2048 Jun 26 10:12 boot.catalog dr-xr-xr-x 3 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:12 casper dr-xr-xr-x 3 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:11 dists -rw-rw-r-- 1 user user 700952576 Jun 26 10:12 focal-live-server-s390x.iso dr-xr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:11 install dr-xr-xr-x 10 root root 2048 Jun 26 10:12 iso -r--r--r-- 1 user user 4944 Jun 26 10:12 md5sum.txt dr-xr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:11 pics dr-xr-xr-x 3 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:11 pool dr-xr-xr-x 2 user user 4096 Jun 26 10:11 preseed -r--r--r-- 1 user user 236 Jun 26 10:11 README.diskdefines -r--r--r-- 1 user user 185 Jun 26 10:12 ubuntu.ins
Now create ins and parm files dedicated to the LPAR that will be installed (here
zlinlpar), based on the default ins and parm files that are shipped with the ISO image:admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ chmod -R +rw ./boot admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ cp ./boot/ubuntu.ins ./boot/ubuntu_zlinlpar.ins admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ cp ./boot/parmfile.ubuntu ./boot/parmfile.zlinlpar admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$
admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ vi ./boot/ubuntu_zlinlpar.ins admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ cat ./boot/ubuntu_zlinlpar.ins * Ubuntu for z Series (default kernel) kernel.ubuntu 0x00000000 initrd.off 0x0001040c initrd.siz 0x00010414 parmfile.zlinlpar 0x00010480 initrd.ubuntu 0x01000000 admin@installserver:~$
admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ vi ./boot/parmfile.zlinlpar admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ cat ./boot/parmfile.zlinlpar
ip=10.11.12.42::10.11.12.1:255.255.255.0:zlinlpar:encc000.4711:none:10.11.12.1 vlan=encc000.4711:encc000 url=http://installserver.local:80/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04/focal-live-server-s390x.iso autoinstall ds=nocloud-net;s=http://installserver.local:80/autoinstall/zlinlpar/ --- quiet
Now make sure an FTP server is running in the installserver with
/srv/ftpas ftp-server root (as used in this example).Now prepare an autoinstall (HTTP) server, which hosts the configuration data for the non-interactive installation.
admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ mkdir -p /srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar admin@installserver:/srv/ftp/ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04$ cd /srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar admin@installserver:/srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar$ admin@installserver:/srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar$ echo "instance-id: $(uuidgen || openssl rand -base64 8)" > meta-data admin@installserver:/srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar$ cat meta-data instance-id: 2c2215fb-6a38-417f-b72f-376b1cc44f01 admin@installserver:/srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar$
admin@installserver:/srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar$ vi user-data admin@installserver:/srv/www/autoinstall/zlinlpar$ cat user-data #cloud-config autoinstall: version: 1 refresh-installer: update: yes reporting: builtin: type: print apt: preserve_sources_list: false primary: - arches: [amd64, i386] uri: http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu - arches: [default] uri: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports keyboard: layout: en variant: us locale: en_US identity: hostname: zlinlpar password: "$6$ebJ1f8wxED22bTL4F46P0" username: ubuntu user-data: timezone: America/Boston users: - name: ubuntu password: "$6$KwuxED22bTL4F46P0" lock_passwd: false early-commands: - touch /tmp/lets_activate_the_s390x_devices - chzdev zfcp -e e000 - chzdev zfcp -e e100 - chzdev zfcp-lun -e --online - touch /tmp/s390x_devices_activation_done network: ethernets: encc000: {} version: 2 vlans: encc000.4711: addresses: [10.11.12.42/24] gateway4: 10.11.12.1 id: 4711 link: encc000 nameservers: addresses: [10.11.12.1] ssh: install-server: true allow-pw: true authorized-keys: ['ssh-rsa meQwtZ user@workstation # ssh-import-id lp:user'] admin@installserver:~$
For s390x installations the
early-commandssection is the interesting part:early-commands: - touch /tmp/lets_activate_the_s390x_devices - chzdev zfcp -e e000 - chzdev zfcp -e e100 - chzdev zfcp-lun -e --online - touch /tmp/s390x_devices_activation_done
The first and last
early-commandsare optional; they only frame and indicate the real s390x command activation.In this particular example, two zFCP hosts (host-bus-adapters) are enabled via their addresses e000 (
chzdev zfcp -e e000) and e100 (chzdev zfcp -e e000). These have certain logical unit numbers (LUNs) assigned that are all automatically discovered and activated bychzdev zfcp-lun -e --online.Activation of a direct-access storage device (DASD) would look like this:
chzdev dasd -e 1f00, and a qeth device activation looks like:chzdev qeth -e c000.
See also: For more details about the autoinstall config options, please have a look at the autoinstall reference and autoinstall schema pages.
Now make sure a HTTP server is running with
/srv/wwwas web-server root (in this particular example).Next steps need to be done at the hardware management console (HMC). First, connect to the HMC and proceed with the ‘Load From Removable Media and Server’ task.
Then, start the ‘Load from Removable Media or Server’ task under ‘Recovery’ –> ‘Load from Removable Media or Server’ on your specific LPAR that you are going to install, and fill out the following fields (the contents will be of course different on your system):
FTP Source Host computer: installserver.local User ID: ftpuser Password: ******** Account (optional): File location (optional): ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04/boot
Now confirm the entered data and click ‘OK’.
At the ‘Load from Removable Media or Server - Select Software to Install’ screen, choose the LPAR that is going to be installed, here:
ubuntu-daily-live-server-20.04/boot/ubuntu_zlinlpar.ins Ubuntu for z Series (default kernel)
Confirm again with ‘OK’.
And another confirmation about the ‘Load will cause jobs to be cancelled’.
Then, another ‘Yes’ – understanding that it’s a disruptive task:
Disruptive Task Confirmation : Load from Removable Media or Server
Now monitor the ‘Load from Removable media or Server Progress’ screen and confirm it once again when the status changes from ‘Please wait while the image is being loaded.’ to ‘Success’.
Then navigate to ‘Daily’ –> ‘Operating System Messages’ to monitor the initial program load (IPL) of the install system …
Message chzdev: Unknown device type or device ID format: c000.4711 Use 'chzdev --help' for more information QETH device 0.0.c000:0.0.c001:0.0.c002 configured IP-Config: encc000.4711 hardware address 1a:3c:99:55:2a:ef mtu 1500 IP-Config: encc000.4711 guessed broadcast address 10.11.12.255 IP-Config: encc000.4711 complete: address: 10.11.12.42 broadcast: 10.11.12.255 netmask: 255.255.255.0 gateway: 10.11.12.1 dns0 : 10.11.12.1 dns1 : 0.0.0.0 host : zlinlpar rootserver: 0.0.0.0 rootpath: filename : Connecting to installserver.local:80 (installserver.local:80) focal-live-server-s3 5% |* | 39.9M 0:00:15 ETA focal-live-server-s3 22% |******* | 147M 0:00:07 ETA focal-live-server-s3 38% |************ | 254M 0:00:04 ETA focal-live-server-s3 53% |***************** | 355M 0:00:03 ETA focal-live-server-s3 67% |********************* | 453M 0:00:02 ETA focal-live-server-s3 81% |************************** | 545M 0:00:01 ETA focal-live-server-s3 94% |***************************** | 633M 0:00:00 ETA focal-live-server-s3 100% |******************************| 668M 0:00:00 ETA mount: mounting /cow on /root/cow failed: No such file or directory Connecting to plymouth: Connection refused passwd: password expiry information changed. Using CD-ROM mount point /cdrom/ Identifying... [5d25356068b713167814807dd678c261-2] Scanning disc for index files... Found 2 package indexes, 0 source indexes, 0 translation indexes and 1 signature Found label 'Ubuntu-Server 20.04 LTS _Focal Fossa_ - Release s390x (20200616)' This disc is called: 'Ubuntu-Server 20.04 LTS _Focal Fossa_ - Release s390x (20200616)' ... [ 61.190916] cloud-init[2076]: Cloud-init v. 20.1-10-g71af48df-0ubuntu5 running 'modules:final' at Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:02:01 +0000. Up 61.09 seconds. [ 61.191002] cloud-init[2076]: ci-info: no authorized SSH keys fingerprints fo und for user installer. [ 61.191071] cloud-init[2076]: Cloud-init v. 20.1-10-g71af48df-0ubuntu5 finished at Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:02:01 +0000. Datasource DataSourceNoCloudNet [seed=cmdline, /var/lib/cloud/seed/nocloud, http://installserver.local:80/autoinstall/zlinlpar/] [dsmode=net]. Up 61.18 seconds [ 61.191136] cloud-init[2076]: Welcome to Ubuntu Server Installer! [ 61.191202] cloud-init[2076]: Above you will find SSH host keys and a random password set for the `installer` user. You can use these credentials to ssh-in and complete the installation. If you provided SSH keys in the cloud-init datasource, they were also provisioned to the installer user. [ 61.191273] cloud-init[2076]: If you have access to the graphical console, like TTY1 or HMC ASCII terminal you can complete the installation there too. It is possible to connect to the installer over the network, which might allow the use of a more capable terminal. To connect, SSH to [email protected]. The password you should use is ''i7UFdP8fhiVVMme3qqH8''. The host key fingerprints are: RSA SHA256:rBXLeUke3D4gKdsruKEajHjocxc9hr3PI ECDSA SHA256:KZZYFswtKxFXWQPuQS9QpOBUoS6RHswis ED25519 SHA256:s+5tZfagx0zffC6gYRGW3t1KcBH6f+Vt0 Ubuntu 20.04 LTS ubuntu-server sclp_line0
At short notice, you can even log in to the system with the user ‘installer’ and the temporary password that was given at the end of the boot-up process (see above) of the installation system:
user@workstation:~$ ssh installer@zlinlpar The authenticity of host 'zlinlpar (10.11.12.42)' can't be established. ECDSA key fingerprint is SHA256:O/dU/D8jJAEGQcbqKGE9La24IRxUPLpzzs5li9F6Vvk. Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes Warning: Permanently added 'zlinlpar,10.11.12.42' (ECDSA) to the list of known hosts. installer@zlinlpar's password: Welcome to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.4.0-37-generic s390x) * Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com * Management: https://landscape.canonical.com * Support: https://ubuntu.com/pro System information as of Fri Jun 26 11:08:18 UTC 2020 System load: 1.25 Memory usage: 4% Processes: 192 Usage of /home: unknown Swap usage: 0% Users logged in: 0 0 updates can be installed immediately. 0 of these updates are security updates. The list of available updates is more than a week old. To check for new updates run: sudo apt update The programs included with the Ubuntu system are free software; the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright. Ubuntu comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by applicable law. the installer running on /dev/tty1 will perform the autoinstall press enter to start a shell
Notice that it informs you about a currently-running autoinstall process:
the installer running on /dev/tty1 will perform the autoinstall
Nevertheless, we can quickly check some things – though only until the autoinstall process has finished and the post-install reboot has been triggered:
root@ubuntu-server:/# ls -l /tmp/lets_activate_the_s390x_devices -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Jun 26 11:08 /tmp/lets_activate_the_s390x_devices -rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Jun 26 11:09 /tmp/s390x_devices_activation_done root@ubuntu-server:/# lszdev | grep yes zfcp-host 0.0.e000 yes yes zfcp-host 0.0.e100 yes yes zfcp-lun 0.0.e000:0x50050763060b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sdb sg1 zfcp-lun 0.0.e000:0x50050763061b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sda sg0 zfcp-lun 0.0.e100:0x50050763060b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sdd sg3 zfcp-lun 0.0.e100:0x50050763061b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sdc sg2 qeth 0.0.c000:0.0.c001:0.0.c002 yes no encc000 root@ubuntu-server:/#
If you wait long enough you’ll see the remote session get closed:
root@ubuntu-server:/# Connection to zlinlpar closed by remote host. Connection to zlinlpar closed. user@workstation:~$
As well as at the console:
ubuntu-server login: [[0;1;31mFAILED[0m] Failed unmounting [0;1;39m/cdrom[0m. [ 169.161139] sd-umoun[15600]: Failed to unmount /oldroot: Device or resource busy [ 169.161550] sd-umoun[15601]: Failed to unmount /oldroot/cdrom: Device or resource busy [ 169.168118] shutdown[1]: Failed to finalize file systems, loop devices, ignoring Total: 282 Selected: 0 Command:
…and that the post-install reboot gets triggered:
Message Mounting [0;1;39mKernel Configuration File System[0m... Starting [0;1;39mApply Kernel Variables[0m... [[0;32m OK [0m] Finished [0;1;39mRemount Root and Kernel File Systems[0m. [[0;32m OK [0m] Finished [0;1;39mUncomplicated firewall[0m. [[0;32m OK [0m] Mounted [0;1;39mFUSE Control File System[0m. [[0;32m OK [0m] Mounted [0;1;39mKernel Configuration File System[0m. ... [ 35.378928] cloud-init[2565]: Cloud-init v. 20.1-10-g71af48df-0ubuntu5 runnin g 'modules:final' at Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:10:44 +0000. Up 35.29 seconds. [ 35.378978] cloud-init[2565]: Cloud-init v. 20.1-10-g71af48df-0ubuntu5 finish ed at Fri, 26 Jun 2020 11:10:44 +0000. Datasource DataSourceNone. Up 35.37 seconds [ 35.379008] cloud-init[2565]: 2020-06-26 11:10:44,359 - cc_final_message.py[W ARNING]: Used fallback datasource [[0;32m OK [0m] Finished [0;1;39mExecute cloud user/final scripts[0m. [[0;32m OK [0m] Reached target [0;1;39mCloud-init target[0m. zlinlpar login:
With the completion of the reboot, the autoinstall is finished and the LPAR is ready to use:
user@workstation:~$ ssh-keygen -f "/home/user/.ssh/known_hosts" -R "zlinlpar" # Host zlinlpar found: line 163 /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts updated. Original contents retained as /home/user/.ssh/known_hosts.old user@workstation:~$ ssh ubuntu@zlinlpar The authenticity of host 'zlinlpar (10.11.12.42)' can't be established. ECDSA key fingerprint is SHA256:iGtCArEg+ZnoZlgtOkvmyy0gPY8UEI+f7zoISOF+m/0. Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes Warning: Permanently added 'zlinlpar,10.11.12.42' (ECDSA) to the list of known hosts. Welcome to Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (GNU/Linux 5.4.0-39-generic s390x) * Documentation: https://help.ubuntu.com * Management: https://landscape.canonical.com * Support: https://ubuntu.com/pro System information as of Fri 26 Jun 2020 11:12:23 AM UTC System load: 0.21 Memory usage: 3% Processes: 189 Usage of /: 28.2% of 30.88GB Swap usage: 0% Users logged in: 0 10 updates can be installed immediately. 0 of these updates are security updates. To see these additional updates run: apt list --upgradable The programs included with the Ubuntu system are free software; the exact distribution terms for each program are described in the individual files in /usr/share/doc/*/copyright. Ubuntu comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by applicable law. To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>". See "man sudo_root" for details. ubuntu@zlinlpar:~$ uptime 11:12:35 up 2 min, 1 user, load average: 0.18, 0.17, 0.08 ubuntu@zlinlpar:~$ lsb_release -a No LSB modules are available. Distributor ID: Ubuntu Description: Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Release: 20.04 Codename: focal ubuntu@zlinlpar:~$ uname -a Linux zlinlpar 5.4.0-39-generic #43-Ubuntu SMP Fri Jun 19 10:27:17 UTC 2020 s390x s390x s390x GNU/Linux ubuntu@zlinlpar:~$ lszdev | grep yes zfcp-host 0.0.e000 yes yes zfcp-host 0.0.e100 yes yes zfcp-lun 0.0.e000:0x50050763060b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sdb sg1 zfcp-lun 0.0.e000:0x50050763061b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sda sg0 zfcp-lun 0.0.e100:0x50050763060b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sdc sg2 zfcp-lun 0.0.e100:0x50050763061b16b6:0x4026400200000000 yes yes sdd sg3 qeth 0.0.c000:0.0.c001:0.0.c002 yes yes encc000 ubuntu@zlinlpar:~$ exit logout Connection to zlinlpar closed. user@workstation:~$
Some closing notes¶
It’s always best to use the latest installer and autoinstall components. Be sure to update the installer to the most recent version, or just use a current daily live-server image.
The ISO image specified with the kernel parameters needs to fit in the boot folder. Its kernel and initrd are specified in the ‘Load from Removable Media and Server’ task at the hardware management console (HMC).
In addition to activating disk storage resources in
early-commands, other devices like OSA/qeth can be added and activated there, too. This is not needed for the basic network device, as specified in the kernel parameters used for the installation (that one is automatically handled).If everything is properly set up – FTP server for the image, HTTP server for the autoinstall config files – the installation can be as quick as 2 to 3 minutes. Of course this depends on the complexity of the autoinstall YAML file.
There is a simple way of generating a sample autoinstall YAML file; one can perform an interactive Subiquity installation, grab the file
/var/log/installer/autoinstall-user-data, and use it as an example – but beware that theearly-commandsentries to activate the s390x-specific devices need to be added manually!