pablo legorreta william elvington brian tannous xenserver master class automated end-to-end...

Pablo LegorretaWilliam ElvingtonBrian Tannous

XenServer Master ClassAutomated End-to-End Deployment of XenServer

© 2013 Citrix | Confidential – Do Not Distribute

Cisco

• Size and timelineᵒ 1000+ XenServer Host Designᵒ Three weeks

• Cisco’s vision for UCS

• Created scripting cookbookᵒ Framework of scripts


Applied Materials

• Size and timelineᵒ 200+ XenServer w/HDX 3D Pro Design & Build ᵒ Three weeks

• Automated process needed

• Installed & configured servers in < 2 weeks!


Agenda

• Business Cases for Automation• Simple XenServer Deployment• Advanced XenServer Deployment• Automating XenServer Deployments• Demonstration

Business Cases for Automation


Manual Deployment Process

Host powered

on

Boot via installation

media

Configure initial

settings

Install hotfixes

Configure post-install

settings

XenServer deployed


Manual Installation Pain Points

• Prone to human error and inconsistencies• Increased installation times at scale• Increased patching and configuration times• Manual rollback of installation• Manual media management


Business Cases for Automated Installation

• Rapid deployment of XenServers ᵒ Scaling out productionᵒ Deploy sandbox environmentsᵒ Scaling disaster recovery sites

• Introducing new configurations and maintaining uniformity• Rolling back new configurations• Reduce human error

Simple XenServer Deployment


Installation Method: From CD

• Process:ᵒ Mount and boot to ISO ᵒ Configure initial settings via wizardᵒ Install hotfixes via consoleᵒ Configure post-install settings via console

• Pros:ᵒ Simplest method to implement

• Cons:ᵒ Prone to human error and inconsistenciesᵒ Slowest method to install at scale


Initial Settings

• Boot disk• Root password• DOM0 vCPU and memory• Hostname• Management IP and interface• DNS name• NTP server• Time zone


Post-installation: Host Configurations

• XenServer hotfixes• Driver updates• Networking• Storage• Virtual machines


Post-installation: Resource Pool Creation

• Requirementsᵒ Homogeneous serversᵒ Static IPᵒ NTP serverᵒ No running VMs

• Lengthy processᵒ Join servers seriallyᵒ Server reboot recommendedᵒ Members receive pool configuration

Advanced XenServer Deployment


Installation Method: From Network

• Process:ᵒ Boot from network: DHCP/PXE/TFTP/HTTPᵒ Configure initial settings ᵒ Install hotfixesᵒ Configure post-install settings

• Pros:ᵒ Centralized installation repositoryᵒ Positioned to automate installation process

• Cons:ᵒ Requires networking components


Installation From Network: Boot Requirements

• DHCP Serviceᵒ Provide IP configuration to hosts

• Boot Image Deployment:ᵒ DHCP option 66 and 67ᵒ PXE Service: Port 67,68, or 4011

• TFTP Service: Port 69ᵒ PXELINUX boot environment

• HTTP Service: Port 80 and 443ᵒ XenServer installation mediaᵒ unattend.xmlᵒ Automation scripts


Installation From Network: PXELINUX

• Used to network boot Linux: pxe + linux (Xen)• Boot file: pxelinux.0• XenServer PXELINUX

ᵒ Copy all to TFTP root directoryᵒ Location:

• XenServer Install Media\boot\pxelinux


Installation From Network: PXELINUX Configuration

• Configuration: pxelinux.cfg/defaultᵒ Create this directory and file in TFTP rootᵒ Provides initial installation configurations

• unattend.XML location (optional)• DOM0 configuration

- CPU- Memory

• Default installation configuration (console, boot file, install, etc.)

AutomatingXenServer Deployments


Automating XenServer Deployments

• Utilize network installation method

• Automation Opportunities:ᵒ Silent installᵒ XenServer updatesᵒ Driver updatesᵒ Create and configure virtual machinesᵒ XenServer resource pool creationᵒ Scaling outᵒ Server can be reimaged


Automated Deployment Process

Host powered on

Boot via network

installation

Silent install provided by

unattend.xml

Post install script

First boot script

XenServer deployed


Installation Automation: Unattend.XML

• Referenced via pxelinux.cfg/default• Configurations

ᵒ Primary diskᵒ Guest diskᵒ Keymapᵒ Root passwordᵒ Installation source locationᵒ Driver source locationᵒ Post installation scriptᵒ Admin network interfaceᵒ Time zoneᵒ Name serverᵒ Hostnameᵒ NTP server



Host powered on

Boot via network

installation


unattend.xml

Post install script


Installation Automation: Post Install Script

• Referenced via unattend.xml• Runs at end of installation before first reboot• Purpose

ᵒ Downloads first boot scriptᵒ Sets first boot script to execute on each boot



Host powered on

Boot via network

installation


unattend.xml

Post install script

First boot script


Post-Installation Automation: First Boot Script

• Referenced via post install script• Purpose

ᵒ Run during each bootᵒ Perform post-installation configuration via xe and shell commandsᵒ Clean up after itself

• Potential post installation configurationsᵒ Specify license and license serverᵒ Perform hotfixesᵒ Driver updatesᵒ Configure network settingsᵒ Import virtual machinesᵒ Configure resources poolsᵒ Anything that can be done via xe



Host powered on

Boot via network

installation


unattend.xml

Post install script

First boot script

XenServer deployed

XenServerAutomated Installation

Demonstration:Start Installation


Automated Install Process: Installation Process

Reboots

Download and runspost-script.sh

Installs XenServer using HTTP repository

Connects to TFTP server for PXELINUX and unattend.xml

Host Powers on and boots via network


Automated Install Process: first-boot-script.sh

Reboot

Download and runs hostname.shUses inventory CSV file: hostname, IP address, and pool master address

Configure license server and license edition

Download XenServer updates from HTTP server

Runs upon each XenServer reboot. Begins by checking if first run:Yes: first run


Automated Install Process: first-boot-script.sh

Cleanup

Create resource poolUsing inventory CSV file

Download, clone, and configure virtual machines

Install XenServer updates

Runs upon each XenServer reboot. Begins by checking if first run:No: second+ run


XenServer Deployed!


How to Get Started

• Download package to Windows Server: http://bit.ly/XSAIM

• Execute XSAIMunpack.exe

• Copy required files(details in appendix):ᵒ XenServer 6.1 installation mediaᵒ XenServer hotfixesᵒ Virtual machine template

• Configure environment specificsᵒ XSPools.csvᵒ Get creative!

SCAN THIS!

http://bit.ly/XSAIM

http://bit.ly/XSAIM

Questions

Work better. Live better.Work better. Live better.

Appendix


Documentation

• http://docs.vmd.citrix.com/XenServer/6.1.0/1.0/en_gb/

• http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX134586

http://docs.vmd.citrix.com/XenServer/6.1.0/1.0/en_gb/

http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX134586



PXE Setup/pxelinux Documentation

• http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/PXELINUX



http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/PXELINUX

http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php/PXELINUX






XSAIM Tool details: Directory template• Root directory

ᵒ NWA_PXE• XS61

- XenServer installation media copied here- boot

- pxelinux • mboot.c32• menu.c32• pxelinux.0• pxelinux.cfg

• default• XSScripts

- Scripts go here (First boot, post install, ect.)• XSTemplates

- VM template exported from XenServer goes here• XSUpdates

- xsupdate files go hereᵒ Serva.chmᵒ Serva.evcᵒ Serva.iniᵒ Serva32.exe


XSAIM Tool details: TFTP Server Directory

• The TFTP server root directory is configured to serve from the ROOT\NWA_PXE\XS61 directory. The TFTP server root directory contains a copy of the following files listed below:ᵒ XenServer 6.1 install image filesᵒ XenServer 6.1 install image\boot\pxelinux\pxelinux.cfgᵒ XenServer 6.1 install image\boot\pxelinux\mboot.c32ᵒ XenServer 6.1 install image\boot\pxelinux\menu.c32ᵒ XenServer 6.1 install image\boot\pxelinux\pxelinux.0


XSAIM Tool details: HTTP Server Directory

• XS61. The contents of this directory are described in the TFTP Server section above.

• XSScripts. This directory contains the scripts required for the XenServer automated installation. These files are as follows:ᵒ first-boot-script.sh ᵒ hostname.shᵒ post-script.shᵒ XSPool.csv

• XSTemplates. This directory contains the virtual machine template required for virtual machine creation.

• XSUpdates. This directory contains the XenServer update files, which are applied in alphabetical order.

• unattend.xml. Used for unattended installation configuration


XSAIM Tool details: XSScripts details

• default file. The XenServer default is a configuration file that allows for an unattended installation of XenServer. The pxe boot configuration as well as a location to the unattend.xml file.

• unattend.xml answer file. The XenServer unattend.xml is a configuration file that allows for an unattended installation of XenServer. This file contains the keymap settings, local storage configuration, root password, installation media and post-installation locations, as well as network time configurations. A full list of the unattended.xml configurations can be found at: CTX130421.

• post-script.sh. The post-script.sh script runs at the very end of the XenServer installation. This script is only used to download and configure the first-boot-script.sh to run at startup of the XenServer host. Note: This file must be saved using UNIX format line endings (LF).



XSAIM Tool details: XSScripts details• first-boot-script.sh. The first-boot-script.sh script runs after the newly imaged

XenServer’s first boot. This script is used to automatically configure a newly imaged XenServer host. Firstly, the XenServer host will download XenServer update files from the HTTP server, assign a license, and set the hostname. After a reboot, the host will continue by patching itself using updates downloaded in the previous step in order by file name. If a given update requires a reboot or a XAPI restart the required action will be preformed and the host will continue where it left off. After patched, the host will then download a virtual machine template from the HTTP server, clone two virtual machines from the template, and assign the appropriate networks to these virtual machines. Next, the XenServer host will join its pool by using the information assigned within the XSPools.csv inventory file. Finally, the host will preform a cleanup of the installation method. Note: This file must be saved using UNIX format line endings (LF).


XSAIM Tool details: XSScripts details

• hostname.sh. The hostname.sh script downloads the XSPools.csv inventory file and searches for the host’s hostname. If the host’s management IP address matches a machine in the inventory, the hostname and name-label of the XenServer host will be configured as per the inventory file. Note: This file must be saved using UNIX format line endings (LF).

• XSPools.csv. The XSPools.csv inventory file is a list of XenServer hostnames, management IP addresses, and it’s pool master’s IP addresses. Note: This file must be saved using UNIX format line endings (LF).

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