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Setup Util Programmer's Guide |
Chapter 7 Silent Installation
This chapter gives an overview of silent installation and explains how to set it up using the Setup Util. It contains the following sections:
Understanding Silent Installation
Understanding Silent Installation
Silent installation allows a user to install one or more servers of the same type using a predefined answer script. The Common Install Shell and pre-installation program both read this script and then perform setup operations based on its contents.
A silent installation answer script is in the same format as an installation cache. A user installs a server once and then modifies the installation cache to install identically configured servers in different locations.
Requirements for Silent Installation
When performing a silent installation, keep the following in mind:
You must write installation results to a log file
A silent installation cannot be interactive. If an error occurs, display an alert, log the problem, and abort the installation
Using Installation Scripts
An installation script is a modified version of an installation cache. Since every product stores different information in the cache, these scripts are not uniform. Nonetheless, there are some directives that appear in many caches. These are listed in Table 7-1.
Any product-specific directives will appear in a different section of the cache file. If your product supports silent installation, make sure you write instructions for the customer describing how to modify both common and specialized directives.
Sample Installation Script
When you install the Setup Util, a sample installation script called silent.inf is copied into the bin directory. Even though a real world product would probably use an installation cache rather than a predefined installation script, silent.inf provides a good way to explore the different directives used during silent installation.
# Setup Util Sample Silent Installation Script for UNIX/NT # # The suggested way to perform a silent installation is to first # conduct a standard installation and then, when prompted at the # end of installation, save the "install.inf" cache file. # # After slightly modifying the "install.inf" cache file, you can # use it for silent installation since it contains the basic # information needed for installation on hosts in your domain. # # The purpose of this file, "silent.inf," is to provide a brief # explanation of the directives and data required for silent # installation. You can compare its contents to your # "install.inf" cache file if you do not understand how to use a # specific directive. # # This file is not intended for use during silent installation. # It is only provided as an example. All servers # have different installation modes and data requirements. # Before performing a silent installation, it is strongly # recommended that you conduct a trial run, saving, modifying, # and then using the "install.inf" cache file. # To perform a silent installation: # # run: setup.exe -s -f install.inf # # -s = silent install # -f = cache file # ############################################################### # Common portion variables ############################################################### [General] # # List of servers to install. # Specify one or more of the following, separated by commas. # Each component will most likely require its own section in the # script. For examples of these sections, see "base" and "admin" # below. If you add a server to the Components list, make sure to # add a corresponding section. # # - base Base package # - admin Administration Server # - slapd Directory Server # - msg Messaging Server # - httpd Enterprise Server # - Calendar Calendar Server # - Certificate Certificate Management System Components = svrcore,base,admin # # Installation location # ServerRoot = /opt/serverrootname/servers # # Fully qualified domain name of the host on which you are # installing the components. If you want the Common # Install Shell to query the machine for its hostname during # silent installation, delete the line containing the # "FullMachineName" directive. # FullMachineName = yourmachine.yourdomain.com # # Specify the user ID and group of the UNIX user to run all # associated Servers as. This directive is applicable to UNIX # systems only. # SuiteSpotUserID = nobody SuiteSpotGroup = nobody # Specify the non-secure LDAP URL of the Configuration Directory # Server. This can be an existing server or a new one that you # want to install. Use the following format: # # ldap://<machine name>:<port>/<base dinstinguished name> # ConfigDirectoryLdapURL = ldap://host.domain.com:389/o=domain.com # Specify the name of the Administration Domain that the # installed servers will belong to. If you are not installing a # Configuration Directory Server, the entry for this domain must # already exist in the Configuration Directory specified above. # AdminDomain = yourdomain.com # Specify the User ID and password of the administrator # who has permission to access the Configuration Directory and # Administration Domain. # ConfigDirectoryAdminID = admin ConfigDirectoryAdminPwd= admin # # If at least one server in this installation requires write # access to User Directory, include these directives. # You can find out whether a server requires write access # by checking its package information file for the following # line: # # UserDirectoryAuth = True # UserDirectoryLdapURL = ldap://host.domain.com:389/o=domain.com UserDirectoryAdminID = admin UserDirectoryAdminPwd = admin ############################################################### # Information pertaining to individual servers or products ############################################################### ############################################################### # Base package variables # - Nothing at this time. Can be removed or left empty ############################################################### [base] # # the base subcomponent and the base-client subcomponents will be # installed # Components=base,base-client ############################################################### # Administration Server variables ############################################################### [admin] # # the admin subcomponent and the admin-client subcomponents will # be installed # Components = admin,admin-client # # The UNIX user to run the Admin server as (default = root) # SysUser = root # # Administration Server Port # Port = 8900 # # The Server Administrator ID - used to access the Admin Server # ServerAdminID = admin ServerAdminPwd = admin # # The IP address of the host on which to install the server. # ServerIpAddress = Delete ServerIpAddress from the file, to use the default ip that the the installation will query from the workstation your installing to. Otherwise ensure you enter a correct ip for the workstaion your installing on. ############################################################### # Other server/products ############################################################### "> Code Example 7-1 A sample installation script, silent.inf, is included with the Setup Util.
Performing a Silent Installation
Silent installation involves the following four steps:
This section shows you how to perform these tasks.
Running a Standard Installation
A user should run a standard installation before performing a silent one. This allows him to enter configuration settings and store them in an installation cache. This cache is later used for silent installation.
To Run a Standard Installation
Perform an Express, Typical, or Custom installation by running the Common Install Shell. For instructions, see Chapter 2 "Quick Start."
Saving the Installation Cache
Any values that the user enters during pre-installation are stored in an installation cache. If you want to give your users the ability to perform a silent installation, the final pre-installation dialog should ask if they would like to save the cache to a file.
If the answer is yes, write the cache to a file called install.inf. This file is typically stored in a directory called setup that is located beneath the server root.
Modifying the Installation Cache
After installing a server and saving the installation cache, the user should modify install.inf to meet his silent installation needs. What this modification entails depends on the directives stored in the installation cache. Typically, the user must modify at least the FullMachineName and ServerRoot directives.
Your documentation should provide detailed instructions on how to modify your product's install.inf file. The modified file is called an installation script.
Performing a Silent Installation
Once the user finishes modifying install.inf, he is ready to perform a silent installation.
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Last Updated September 21, 2001