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Implement automated RHEL installation workflow for IBM PowerVM
- Added LPAR existence check and conditional creation - Automated MAC address retrieval and formatting - Configured DHCP and TFTP services on PXE server - Generated kickstart file on repository server - Downloaded boot files and created GRUB configuration - Executed lpar_netboot for network-based OS installation - Included post-installation validation and cleanup steps Signed-off-by: Spoorthy <spoorthy@linux.ibm.com>
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‎playbooks/redhat_linux_install.yaml‎

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---
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- name: Install linux
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hosts: vm
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collections:
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- ibm.power_hmc
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gather_facts: false
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roles:
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- role: redhat_linux_install
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vars:
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distro: Rhel9.1le
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repo_dir: /rc-2.0/
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host_ip: 1.2.3.4
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host_gw: 1.2.3.1
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host_subnet: 1.2.3.0
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host_netmask: 255.255.255.0
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dns_ip: 1.0.0.1
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hostname: abc.hmc.com
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lpar_name: abc-02
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managed_system: abc-24
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network_name: test
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mem: 6144
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proc: 4
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disk_size: 28590
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host_password: "{{ hostvars[groups['vm'][0]].ansible_password }}"

‎plugins/modules/powervm_lpar_instance.py‎

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@@ -1697,7 +1697,7 @@ def install_aix_os(module, params):
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rmc_state, vm_property, ref_code = hmc.checkForOSToBootUpFully(system_name, vm_name, timeout)
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if rmc_state:
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changed = True
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elif ref_code in ['', '00']:
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elif ref_code in ['', '00', 'Linux ppc64le']:
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changed = True
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warn_msg = "AIX/Linux installation has been successfull but RMC didnt come up, please check the HMC firewall and security"
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elif vm_mac and "linux" in vm_property['os_version'].lower():

‎roles/redhat_linux_install/README.md‎

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Role Name
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=========
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This Ansible role "Red Hat Linux Installation for IBM PowerVM" automates the process of installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on IBM PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) using a **network-based installation via TFTP boot**.
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## Overview
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This Ansible role automates the installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on IBM PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) using a network-based TFTP boot method. It orchestrates the entire setup process including infrastructure configuration, VM provisioning, and OS deployment.
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The role is designed to handle both existing and non-existing LPAR scenarios:
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- If the LPAR already exists, the user can specify the `network_name` to attach the appropriate virtual network.
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- If the LPAR does not exist, the role will automatically create one. In this case, the user must provide values for `network_name`, `mem`, `proc` and `volume_size`. If these parameters are omitted, default values defined in the role's `vars` will be used.
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> ⚠️ **Note:** This role does not support idempotency. Re-running the playbook may result in duplicate or conflicting configurations. This role supports single LPAR installation in a playbook run.
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## Required Infrastructure
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To perform the installation, the following components must be configured:
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1. **HTTP (Repo) Server**
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Hosts the RHEL distribution files and serves them via HTTP. This can be a dedicated server with multiple distro builds or a simple HTTP server with the required build.
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2. **PXE Server**
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Runs both `tftpd` and `dhcpd` services. This role will configure these services if they are not already running.
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3. **LPAR (Logical Partition)**
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The target system where RHEL will be installed. If LPAR is not available, it will be created by using the given details
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## Role Workflow
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1. **LPAR Existence Check and Creation**
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- Checks if the LPAR already exists on the HMC.
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- If not found, creates a new LPAR with the specified network configuration and volume size.
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2. **MAC Address Retrieval and Formatting**
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- Retrieves the MAC address of the LPAR.
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- Converts the MAC address into colon and hyphen formats for use in DHCP and GRUB configurations.
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3. **DHCP and TFTP Service Setup**
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- Checks if DHCP and TFTP services are running on the PXE server.
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- Installs and configures these services if not already running.
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- Calculates DHCP range and generates configuration using templates.
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4. **Kickstart File Generation**
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- Creates a kickstart file on the repository server using a Jinja2 template.
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5. **Boot File Preparation and GRUB Configuration**
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- Downloads required boot files from the repository server to the PXE server.
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- Creates GRUB netboot directory and configuration files.
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- Copies GRUB configuration to appropriate boot paths.
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6. **DHCP Configuration Updates and Reversion**
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- Adds LPAR-specific DHCP entries to the PXE server configuration.
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- Restarts DHCP service to apply changes.
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- Reverts DHCP configuration after installation.
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7. **Network Boot Initiation**
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- Executes `lpar_netboot` from the HMC to initiate network boot on the LPAR.
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8. **Post-Installation Validation**
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- Waits for SSH availability on the LPAR.
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- Gathers system facts and prints OS distribution and version.
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Role Variables
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--------------
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1. distro:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Redhat distribution version in format Redhat9.3
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2. repo_dir:
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* type: str
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* required: optional
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* description: The path in which http server is hosting the redhat repository, can be in default path /var/www/html/ a directory "crtl". Specify in format "crtl", this is used in roles as http://abc.com/crtl/
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3. curr_hmc_auth:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Username and Password to login to HMC system, For security purposes, it is highly recommended to store this sensitive information in an encrypted secret vault file.
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4. host_ip/host_gw/host_subnet/host_netmask:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: lpar Network details in format 9.9.9.9
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5. dns_ip:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Nameserver IP details in format 9.1.1.1
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6. hostname:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: hostname of the lpar in format aaa.abc.com
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7. lpar_name:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* desription: name of lpar as in the HMC
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8. network_name:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Name of the Virtual Network to be attached to the lpar.
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9. managed_system:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: system name in HMC in which lpar is available
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10. disk_size:
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* type: int
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* required: true
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* description: Physical volume size in MB. Required while creating LPAR
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11. mem:
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* type: int
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* required: true
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* description: The value of dedicated memory value in megabytes to create a partition, Default value is '2048 MB'. Required while creating LPAR
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12. proc:
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* type: int
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* required: true
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* description: The number of dedicated processors to create a partition. Default value is '2'. This will not work during shared processor setting.
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Example Playbook
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----------------
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---
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- name: Redhat Install linux
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hosts: vm
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collections:
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- ibm.power_hmc
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gather_facts: false
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roles:
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- role: redhat_linux_install
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vars:
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host_ip: 9.9.9.9
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host_gw: 9.9.9.1
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host_subnet: 9.9.9.0
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host_netmask: 255.255.255.0
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dns_ip: 9.1.1.1
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hostname: aaa.abc.com
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lpar_name: name_in_hmc
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netowrk_name: test
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mem: 6144
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proc: 4
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disk_size: 28590
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managed_system: system_name_in_HMC
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Inventory file with detials of pxe server, repository server and HMC server is required while running the playbook
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---------
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For security purposes, it is highly recommended to store this sensitive information in an encrypted secret vault file.
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[repo]
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repo_server ansible_host=1.4.2.5 ansible_become_pass='abcd' ansible_user=hmc ansible_password=abcd
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[pxe]
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pxe_server ansible_host=1.4.2.9 ansible_become_pass='abcd' ansible_user=root ansible_password=abcd
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[hmcs]
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hmc_server ansible_host=1.4.2.2 ansible_become_pass='abcd' ansible_user=root ansible_password=abcd
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[vm]
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host_vm ansible_host=aaa.abc.com ansible_user=root ansible_password=abcd host_ip=9.9.9.9
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-----------
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License
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-------
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GPL-3.0-only
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Author Information
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------------------
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Spoorthy S

‎roles/redhat_linux_install/README.rst‎

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Role Name
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=========
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This Ansible role "Red Hat Linux Installation for IBM PowerVM" automates the process of installing Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on IBM PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) using a **network-based installation via TFTP boot**.
5+
6+
7+
## Overview
8+
9+
This Ansible role automates the installation of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) on IBM PowerVM logical partitions (LPARs) using a network-based TFTP boot method. It orchestrates the entire setup process including infrastructure configuration, VM provisioning, and OS deployment.
10+
11+
The role is designed to handle both existing and non-existing LPAR scenarios:
12+
13+
- If the LPAR already exists, the user can specify the `network_name` to attach the appropriate virtual network.
14+
- If the LPAR does not exist, the role will automatically create one. In this case, the user must provide values for `network_name`, `mem`, `proc` and `volume_size`. If these parameters are omitted, default values defined in the role's `vars` will be used.
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> ⚠️ **Note:** This role does not support idempotency. Re-running the playbook may result in duplicate or conflicting configurations.
17+
18+
19+
## Required Infrastructure
20+
21+
To perform the installation, the following components must be configured:
22+
23+
1. **HTTP (Repo) Server**
24+
Hosts the RHEL distribution files and serves them via HTTP. This can be a dedicated server with multiple distro builds or a simple HTTP server with the required build.
25+
26+
2. **PXE Server**
27+
Runs both `tftpd` and `dhcpd` services. This role will configure these services if they are not already running.
28+
29+
3. **LPAR (Logical Partition)**
30+
The target system where RHEL will be installed. If LPAR is not available, it will be created by using the given details
31+
32+
## Role Workflow
33+
34+
1. **LPAR Existence Check and Creation**
35+
- Checks if the LPAR already exists on the HMC.
36+
- If not found, creates a new LPAR with the specified network configuration and volume size.
37+
38+
2. **MAC Address Retrieval and Formatting**
39+
- Retrieves the MAC address of the LPAR.
40+
- Converts the MAC address into colon and hyphen formats for use in DHCP and GRUB configurations.
41+
42+
3. **DHCP and TFTP Service Setup**
43+
- Checks if DHCP and TFTP services are running on the PXE server.
44+
- Installs and configures these services if not already running.
45+
- Calculates DHCP range and generates configuration using templates.
46+
47+
4. **Kickstart File Generation**
48+
- Creates a kickstart file on the repository server using a Jinja2 template.
49+
50+
5. **Boot File Preparation and GRUB Configuration**
51+
- Downloads required boot files from the repository server to the PXE server.
52+
- Creates GRUB netboot directory and configuration files.
53+
- Copies GRUB configuration to appropriate boot paths.
54+
55+
6. **DHCP Configuration Updates and Reversion**
56+
- Adds LPAR-specific DHCP entries to the PXE server configuration.
57+
- Restarts DHCP service to apply changes.
58+
- Reverts DHCP configuration after installation.
59+
60+
7. **Network Boot Initiation**
61+
- Executes `lpar_netboot` from the HMC to initiate network boot on the LPAR.
62+
63+
8. **Post-Installation Validation**
64+
- Waits for SSH availability on the LPAR.
65+
- Gathers system facts and prints OS distribution and version.
66+
67+
Role Variables
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--------------
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1. distro:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Redhat distribution version in format Redhat9.3
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75+
2. repo_dir:
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* type: str
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* required: optional
78+
* description: The path in which http server is hosting the redhat repository, can be in default path /var/www/html/ a directory "crtl". Specify in format "crtl", this is used in roles as http://abc.com/crtl/
79+
80+
3. curr_hmc_auth:
81+
* type: str
82+
* required: true
83+
* description: Username and Password to login to HMC system, For security purposes, it is highly recommended to store this sensitive information in an encrypted secret vault file.
84+
85+
4. host_ip/host_gw/host_subnet/host_netmask:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: lpar Network details in format 9.9.9.9
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5. dns_ip:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Nameserver IP details in format 9.1.1.1
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6. hostname:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: hostname of the lpar in format aaa.abc.com
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7. lpar_name:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* desription: name of lpar as in the HMC
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8. network_name:
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* type: str
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* required: true
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* description: Name of the Virtual Network to be attached to the lpar.
109+
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9. managed_system:
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* type: str
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* required: true
113+
* description: system name in HMC in which lpar is available
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10. disk_size:
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* type: int
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* required: true
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* description: Physical volume size in MB. Required while creating LPAR
119+
120+
11. mem:
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* type: int
122+
* required: true
123+
* description: The value of dedicated memory value in megabytes to create a partition, Default value is '2048 MB'. Required while creating LPAR
124+
125+
12. proc:
126+
* type: int
127+
* required: true
128+
* description: The number of dedicated processors to create a partition. Default value is '2'. This will not work during shared processor setting.
129+
130+
131+
Example Playbook
132+
----------------
133+
---
134+
- name: Redhat Install linux
135+
hosts: vm
136+
collections:
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- ibm.power_hmc
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gather_facts: false
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roles:
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- role: redhat_linux_install
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vars:
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host_ip: 9.9.9.9
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host_gw: 9.9.9.1
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host_subnet: 9.9.9.0
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host_netmask: 255.255.255.0
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dns_ip: 9.1.1.1
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hostname: aaa.abc.com
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lpar_name: name_in_hmc
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netowrk_name: test
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mem: 6144
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proc: 4
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disk_size: 28590
153+
managed_system: system_name_in_HMC
154+
155+
Inventory file with detials of pxe server, repository server and HMC server is required while running the playbook
156+
---------
157+
For security purposes, it is highly recommended to store this sensitive information in an encrypted secret vault file.
158+
159+
160+
[repo]
161+
repo_server ansible_host=1.4.2.5 ansible_become_pass='abcd' ansible_user=hmc ansible_password=abcd
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[pxe]
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pxe_server ansible_host=1.4.2.9 ansible_become_pass='abcd' ansible_user=root ansible_password=abcd
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[hmcs]
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hmc_server ansible_host=1.4.2.2 ansible_become_pass='abcd' ansible_user=root ansible_password=abcd
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[vm]
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host_vm ansible_host=aaa.abc.com ansible_user=root ansible_password=abcd host_ip=9.9.9.9
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169+
-----------
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License
171+
-------
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173+
GPL-3.0-only
174+
175+
Author Information
176+
------------------
177+
178+
Spoorthy S

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