koan
koan --server=hostname [--list=type] [--virt|--replace-self|--display] [--profile=name] [--system=name] [--image=name] [--add-reinstall-entry] [--virt-name=name] [--virt-path=path] [--virt-type=type] [--nogfx]
Koan stands for "kickstart-over-a-network" and is a client-side helper program for use with Cobbler. koan allows for both network provisioning of new virtualized guests (Xen, QEMU/KVM, VMware) and re-installation of an existing system.
When invoked, koan requests install information from a remote cobbler boot server, it then kicks off installations based on what is retrieved from cobbler and fed in on the koan command line. The examples below show the various use cases.
To browse remote objects on a cobbler server and see what you can install using koan, run one of the following commands:
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --list=profiles
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --list=systems
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --list=images
To learn more about what you are about to install, run one of the following commands:
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --display --profile=name
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --display --system=name
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --display --image=name
Using --replace-self will reinstall the existing system the next time you reboot.
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --replace-self --profile=name
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --replace-self --system=name
Additionally, adding the flag --add-reinstall-entry will make it add the entry to grub for reinstallation but will not make it automatically pick that option on the next boot.
Using --virt will install virtual machines as defined by Cobbler. There are various overrides you can use if not everything in cobbler is defined as you like it.
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --virt --profile=name
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --virt --system=name
koan --server=cobbler.example.org --virt --image=name
Some of the overrides that can be used with --virt are:
Flag Explanation Example
--virt-ram name of virtual machine to create testmachine
--virt-type forces usage of qemu/xen/vmware qemu
--virt-ram size in megabytes 1024
--virt-bridge name of bridge device virbr0
--virt-path overwrite this disk partition /dev/sda4
--virt-path use this directory /opt/myimages
--virt-path use this existing LVM volume VolGroup00
--no-gfx do not use VNC graphics (Xen only) (does not take options)
Nearly all of these variables can also be defined and centrally managed by the Cobbler server.
Reading the cobbler manpage and fedorahosted.org/cobbler is highly recommended.
The mailing list is cobbler@lists.fedorahosted.org.
Subscribe at https://fedorahosted.org/mailman/listinfo/cobbler
Michael DeHaan <mdehaan@redhat.com>