Applies to SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3

2 Installation on AMD64 and Intel 64 #

This chapter describes the steps necessary to prepare for the installation of SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro on AMD64 and Intel 64 computers. It introduces the steps required to prepare for various installation methods. The list of hardware requirements provides an overview of systems supported by SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro. Find information about available installation methods and several commonly known problems. Also learn how to control the installation, provide installation media, and boot with regular methods.

2.1 Hardware requirements #

The SUSE® Linux Enterprise Micro operating system can be deployed on a wide range of hardware. It is impossible to list all the different combinations of hardware SUSE Linux Enterprise Server supports. However, to provide you with a guide to help you during the planning phase, the minimum requirements are presented here.

If you want to be sure that a given computer configuration will work, find out which platforms have been certified by SUSE. Find a list at https://www.suse.com/yessearch/.

The Intel 64 and AMD64 architectures support the simple migration of x86 software to 64 bits. Like the x86 architecture, they constitute a value-for-money alternative.

CPU: All CPUs available on the market to date are supported.
Maximum number of CPUs: The maximum number of CPUs supported by software design is 8192 for Intel 64 and AMD64. If you plan to use such a large system, verify with our hardware system certification Web page for supported devices, see https://www.suse.com/yessearch/.
Memory requirements: SLE Micro requires at least 1GB RAM. Bear in mind that this is a minimal value for the operating system, the actual memory size depends on the workload.
Hard disk requirements: The minimum hard disk space is 12GB. But the recommended value is 20GB of hard disk space. Adjust the value according to workloads of your containers.

2.2 Installation considerations #

This section encompasses many factors that need to be considered before installing SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro on AMD64 and Intel 64 hardware.

2.2.1 Installation on hardware or virtual machine #

SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro is normally installed as an independent operating system. With virtualization it is also possible to run multiple instances of SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro on the same hardware.

2.2.2 Installation target #

Most installations are to a local hard disk. Therefore, it is necessary for the hard disk controllers to be available to the installation system. If a special controller (like a RAID controller) needs an extra kernel module, provide a kernel module update disk to the installation system.

Other installation targets may be various types of block devices that provide sufficient disk space and speed to run an operating system. This includes network block devices like iSCSI or SAN. It is also possible to install on network file systems that offer the standard Unix permissions. However, it may be problematic to boot these, because they must be supported by the initramfs before the actual system can start. Such installations can be useful when you need to start the same system in different locations or you plan to use virtualization features like domain migration.

2.3 Controlling the installation #

Control the installation in one of several ways. Boot the setup with one of the options listed in Section 2.4, “Booting the installation system”. To enable the different control methods refer to Section 11.3.4, “Specifying remote access”. For information about how to use each remote control method, refer to Chapter 13, Remote installation.

A brief overview of the different methods:

Local with monitor and keyboard: This is the method most frequently used to install SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro. This also requires the smallest preparation effort but requires a lot of direct interaction.
Remote via SSH: You can control the installation via SSH either in text mode or use X-forwarding for a graphical installation. For details refer to Section 13.4, “Monitoring installation via SSH”.
Remote via serial console: For this installation method you need a second computer connected by a null modem cable to the computer on which to install SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro. The installation then proceeds in text mode. For details refer to Section 13.5, “Monitoring installation via serial console”.
Remote via VNC: Use this method if you want a graphical installation without direct access to the target machine. For details refer to Section 13.3, “Monitoring installation via VNC”.

2.4 Booting the installation system #

This section gives an overview of the steps required for the complete installation of SUSE® Linux Enterprise Micro.

In case of the manual installation, an overview of booting the installation system is provided by the following procedure:

Prepare the installation media.
USB Flash Drive
In case of the manual installation from an ISO, creating a bootable flash disk is the easiest way to start the installation. You need to copy the ISO to the device using the dd. The flash disk must not be mounted, and all data on the device will be erased.
# dd if=PATH_TO_ISO_IMAGE of=USB_STORAGE_DEVICE bs=4M
Network booting
If the target computer's firmware supports it, you can boot the computer from the network and install from a server. This booting method requires a boot server that provides the needed boot images over the network. The exact protocol depends on your hardware. Commonly you need several services, such as TFTP and DHCP or PXE boot.
It is possible to install from many common network protocols, such as NFS, HTTP, FTP, or SMB. For more information on how to perform such an installation, refer to Chapter 13, Remote installation.
Configure the target system firmware to boot the medium you chose. Refer to the documentation of your hardware vendor about how to configure the correct boot order.
Set the boot parameters required for your installation control method. An overview of the different methods is provided in Section 2.3, “Controlling the installation”. A list of boot parameters is available in Chapter 11, Boot parameters.
Perform the installation as described in Chapter 12, Installation steps. The system needs to restart after the installation is finished.
Optional: Change the boot order of the system to directly boot from the medium to which SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro has been installed. If the system boots from the installation medium, the first boot parameter will be to boot the installed system.

For the deployment of raw images, the procedure is the following:

Prepare the raw image, for details refer to Procedure 7.2, “Preparing the raw disk image”.
Prepare the configuration media, for details refer to Procedure 7.1, “Preparing the configuration device”.
Configure the target system firmware to boot the medium where you copied the raw image. Refer to the documentation of your hardware vendor about how to configure the correct boot order.
Perform the installation as described in Chapter 8, Deploying the raw image. The system needs to restart after the installation is finished.

2.5 Dealing with boot and installation problems #

Prior to delivery, SUSE® Linux Enterprise Micro is subjected to an extensive test program. Despite this, problems occasionally occur during boot or installation.

2.5.1 Problems booting #

Boot problems may prevent the YaST installer from starting on your system. Another symptom is when your system does not boot after the installation has been completed.

System does not boot from installation media: Change your computer's firmware or BIOS so that the boot sequence is correct. To do this, consult the manual for your hardware.
The computer hangs: Change the console on your computer so that the kernel outputs are visible. Be sure to check the last outputs. This is normally done by pressing Ctrl–Alt–F10. If you cannot resolve the problem, consult the SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro support staff. To log all system messages at boot time, use a serial connection as described in Section 2.3, “Controlling the installation”.
Boot disk: The boot disk is a useful interim solution if you have difficulties setting the other configurations or if you want to postpone the decision regarding the final boot mechanism.
Virus warning after installation: There are BIOS variants that check the structure of the boot sector (MBR) and erroneously display a virus warning after the installation of GRUB 2. Solve this problem by entering the BIOS and looking for corresponding adjustable settings. For example, switch off virus protection. You can switch this option back on again later. It is unnecessary, however, if Linux is the only operating system you use.

2.5.2 Problems installing #

If an unexpected problem occurs during installation, information is needed to determine the cause of the problem. Use the following directions to help with troubleshooting:

Check the outputs on the various consoles. You can switch consoles with the key combination Ctrl–Alt–Fn. For example, obtain a shell in which to execute various commands by pressing Ctrl–Alt–F2.
Try launching the installation with “Safe Settings” (press F5 on the installation screen and choose Safe Settings). If the installation works without problems in this case, there is an incompatibility that causes either ACPI or APIC to fail. In some cases, a BIOS or firmware update fixes this problem.
Check the system messages on a console in the installation system by entering the command dmesg -T.

2.5.3 Redirecting the boot source to the installation medium #

To simplify the installation process and avoid accidental installations, the default setting on the installation medium for SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro is that your system is booted from the first hard disk. At this point, an installed boot loader normally takes over control of the system. This means that the boot medium can stay in the drive during the installation. To start the installation, choose one of the installation possibilities in the boot menu of the media.