In the past (z/VM 5.4) I setup XCAT to do LINUX provisioning .. it was a bit of a struggle to get it working but it was free and once I got it going it worked well enough for us. z/VM 6.4 is different .. I haven't done anything with it.
On Wed, Dec 11, 2019 at 11:04 AM Alan Altmark <alan_altm...@us.ibm.com> wrote: > On Wednesday, 12/11/2019 at 04:18 GMT, "Hamilton, Robert" > <rhamil...@cas.org> wrote: > > I'm interested in this too. I am following the read-only root > documentation, > > which is starting to show its age a little (RedPaper redp4322 is good, > but > > copyright 2008), but still has good stuff about gold instances, > maintenance and > > cloning. > > The other documents I have are the workbooks from some VM and Linux > > installation classes I've taken, but a lot of the preparation stuff is > skipped > > over. > > > > like, where and how to put an ISO. Nothing I've found in any cookbook > says how > > it was done, or what tools I can use to manage or unpack an ISO. BFS? > OMVS? RPI? > > > > I'm just interested in the latest doc. I'm trying to install ClefOS and > manage > > it as cleanly as possible. > > Mike and I are in agreement about read-only root: Don't do it. > Intellectually appealing, but impractical. It's good for a ysprog to play > around with such things to see what's *possible* with the available tech, > but just because a thing CAN be done doesn't mean it SHOULD be done. > > When we start to aggressively push process-changing Z tech into the Linux > admin world, it creates a rift. The x86 Linux admins wash their hands of > Z, leaving it to a sysprog who isn't part of the Linux admin team to do > Linux administration. And the sysprog is now left with another job and no > pay increase for doing it. You don't get invited to the Linux admin > parties and you're not part of strategy discussions. You get left behind > and sand gets kicked in your face. You get exasperated eyerolls and the > occasional "OK, Boomer." > > The real learning moment is when you simply ask your Linux admins, "How do > you install new Linux servers in your virtualized environments?" Based on > that answer, you figure out how Z can fit into that model. Just keep in > mind that better tech isn't always "best". By all means, ask them if > <some cool Z thing> would be of value to them, but be prepared to accept > "No" as an answer, no matter how much inherent mainframe coolness is > there. > > Alan Altmark > > Senior Managing z/VM and Linux Consultant > IBM Systems Lab Services > IBM Z Delivery Practice > ibm.com/systems/services/labservices > office: 607.429.3323 > mobile; 607.321.7556 > alan_altm...@us.ibm.com > IBM Endicott > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to lists...@vm.marist.edu with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or > visit > http://www2.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to lists...@vm.marist.edu with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www2.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390