For this tutorial, we assume we wish to automate the installation of a CentOS Server using the Kickstart

Step 1: Setup of CentOS Server and looking at Anaconda Config File

1. Just follow the typical setup of a Clean CentOS Server. Just insert the DVD in, follow the easy to  follow steps to install.
2. Once you have completed, you will notice that the Anaconda, the Red Hat Installation system saves a copy of the installation setup config  file  that was created by your installation choices to /root/ks-anaconda.cfg
3. You can use this file /root/ks-anaconda.cfg to create another identical machine
4. You can also use it to restore a machine to the original OS and then port the backup on top back.

Step 2: Setting up a On Demand Kickstart Server

1. Create a folder “kickstart” on the root of the web server (/var/www/html/kickstarts)
2. Copy /root/ks-anaconda.cfg to /var/www/html/kickstarts
3. Rename the ks-anaconda.cfg to base.cfg (or any name you wish)
4. Change the permission so that it can be read by the web server

   # chmod 744 base.cfg

5. Tweak the base.cfg
6. Edit base.cfg….. Uncomment out the lines

   clearpart --linux --drives=sda
   part /boot --fstype ext3 --size=100 --ondisk=sda
   part pv.3 --size=0 --grow --ondisk=sda
   volgroup VolGroup00 --pesize=32768 pv.3
   logvol / --fstype ext3 --name=LogVol00 --vgname=VolGroup00 --size=1024 --grow
   logvol swap --fstype swap --name=LogVol01 --vgname=VolGroup00 --size=1000 --grow --maxsize=5952

7. Edit base.cfg . If you are using Static IP Addresses

   network --device eth0 --bootproto static
   --ip 192.168.1.2 --netmask 255.255.255.0
   --gateway 192.168.1.1
   --nameserver 192.168.1.100,192.168.101
   --hostname mylinux.homelinux.org

8. Change the Installation Method.
   On the 2nd line of base.cfg, change the original “cdrom” to the web install

   url --url=http://url-to-web-install-server/CentOS-6.8
   ....
   ....
   ....
   repo --name="CentOS" --baseurl="http://url-to-web-install-server/CentOS-6.8"

9. If you wish to disable selinux especially if you are setting up a cluster

   selinux --disabled

10. See Basic Kickstart on CentOS 5 (Part 2) for the the rest of the tutorial….