Deployment Guide
About This Guide
Installations of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server are possible in many different ways. It is impossible to cover all combinations of boot, or installation server, automated installations or deploying images. This manual should help with selecting the appropriate method of deployment for your installation.
- Part I, “Installation Preparation”
The standard deployment instructions differ depending on the architecture used. For differences and requirements regarding the architecture, see this part.
- Part II, “The Installation Workflow”
Most tasks that are needed during installations are described here. This includes the manual setup of your computer and installation of additional software.
- Part III, “Setting up an Installation Server”
SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server can be installed in different ways. Apart from the usual media installation, you can choose from various network-based approaches. This part describes setting up an installation server and how to prepare the boot of the target system for installation.
- Part IV, “Remote Installation”
This part introduces the most common installation scenarios for remote installations. While some still require user interaction or some degree of physical access to the target system, others are completely automated and hands-off. Learn which approach is best for your scenario.
- Part V, “Initial System Configuration”
Learn how to configure your system after installation. This part covers common tasks like setting up hardware components, installing or removing software, managing users, or changing settings with YaST.
- Part VI, “Updating and Upgrading SUSE Linux Enterprise”
This part will give you some background information on terminology, SUSE product lifecycles and Service Pack releases, and recommended upgrade policies.
Many chapters in this manual contain links to additional documentation resources, including additional documentation that is available on the system and documentation available on the Internet.
For an overview of the documentation available for your product and the latest documentation updates, refer to http://www.suse.com/documentation/ or to the following section.
1 Required Background #
To keep the scope of these guidelines manageable, certain technical assumptions have been made:
You have some computer experience and are familiar with common technical terms.
You are familiar with the documentation for your system and the network on which it runs.
You have a basic understanding of Linux systems.
2 Available Documentation #
We provide HTML and PDF versions of our books in different languages. The following manuals for users and administrators are available for this product:
- Installation Quick Start
Lists the system requirements and guides you step-by-step through the installation of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server from DVD, or from an ISO image.
- Deployment Guide
Shows how to install single or multiple systems and how to exploit the product inherent capabilities for a deployment infrastructure. Choose from various approaches, ranging from a local installation or a network installation server to a mass deployment using a remote-controlled, highly-customized, and automated installation technique.
- Administration Guide
Covers system administration tasks like maintaining, monitoring and customizing an initially installed system.
- Virtualization Guide
Describes virtualization technology in general, and introduces libvirt—the unified interface to virtualization—and detailed information on specific hypervisors.
- Storage Administration Guide
Provides information about how to manage storage devices on a SUSE Linux Enterprise Server.
- AutoYaST
AutoYaST is a system for installing one or more SUSE Linux Enterprise Server systems automatically and without user intervention, using an AutoYaST profile that contains installation and configuration data. The manual guides you through the basic steps of auto-installation: preparation, installation, and configuration.
- Security Guide
Introduces basic concepts of system security, covering both local and network security aspects. Shows how to use the product inherent security software like AppArmor or the auditing system that reliably collects information about any security-relevant events.
- Security and Hardening Guide
Deals with the particulars of installing and setting up a secure SUSE Linux Enterprise Server, and additional post-installation processes required to further secure and harden that installation. Supports the administrator with security-related choices and decisions.
- System Analysis and Tuning Guide
An administrator's guide for problem detection, resolution and optimization. Find how to inspect and optimize your system by means of monitoring tools and how to efficiently manage resources. Also contains an overview of common problems and solutions and of additional help and documentation resources.
- SMT Guide
An administrator's guide to Subscription Management Tool—a proxy system for SUSE Customer Center with repository and registration targets. Learn how to install and configure a local SMT server, how to mirror and manage repositories, how to manage client machines, and how to configure clients to use SMT.
- GNOME User Guide
Introduces the GNOME desktop of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server. It guides you through using and configuring the desktop and helps you perform key tasks. It is intended mainly for end users who want to make efficient use of GNOME as their default desktop.
Find HTML versions of most product manuals in your installed system under
/usr/share/doc/manual. The latest documentation updates
are available at
http://www.suse.com/documentation/
where you can download the documentation for your product in various formats.
3 Feedback #
Several feedback channels are available:
- Bugs and Enhancement Requests
For services and support options available for your product, refer to http://www.suse.com/support/.
To report bugs for a product component, go to https://scc.suse.com/support/requests, log in, and click .
- User Comments
We want to hear your comments about and suggestions for this manual and the other documentation included with this product. Use the User Comments feature at the bottom of each page in the online documentation or go to http://www.suse.com/documentation/feedback.html and enter your comments there.
For feedback on the documentation of this product, you can also send a mail to
doc-team@suse.com. Make sure to include the document title, the product version and the publication date of the documentation. To report errors or suggest enhancements, provide a concise description of the problem and refer to the respective section number and page (or URL).
4 Documentation Conventions #
The following notices and typographical conventions are used in this documentation:
/etc/passwd: directory names and file namesPLACEHOLDER: replace PLACEHOLDER with the actual value
PATH: the environment variable PATHls,--help: commands, options, and parametersuser: users or groupspackage name : name of a package
Alt, Alt–F1: a key to press or a key combination; keys are shown in uppercase as on a keyboard
, › : menu items, buttons
x86_64 This paragraph is only relevant for the AMD64/Intel 64 architecture. The arrows mark the beginning and the end of the text block.
System z, POWER This paragraph is only relevant for the architectures
z SystemsandPOWER. The arrows mark the beginning and the end of the text block.Dancing Penguins (Chapter Penguins, ↑Another Manual): This is a reference to a chapter in another manual.
Commands that must be run with
rootprivileges. Often you can also prefix these commands with thesudocommand to run them.root #commandCommands that can be run by non-privileged users.
tux >commandNotices
Warning: Warning Notice
Vital information you must be aware of before proceeding. Warns you about security issues, potential loss of data, damage to hardware, or physical hazards.
Important: Important Notice
Important information you should be aware of before proceeding.
Note: Note Notice
Additional information, for example about differences in software versions.
Tip: Tip Notice
Helpful information, like a guideline or a piece of practical advice.