System package panels (generic)
To perform an unattended installation of an operating system, you must create a system package for each server configuration that you want to install.
A system package contains the following types of information:
- All of the instructions needed to install an operating system over the network — A system package type uses installation files for a specific operating system. Consequently, system packages for the various types of Windows, Linux, VMWare ESX and ESXi, Solaris, AIX, and HP-UX operating systems are not interchangeable. You must create separate system packages for servers running different operating systems.
- (Optional) Instructions for running jobs that install software and configure a machine for a particular purpose — You can create a different system package for each server configuration that you want to provision, rather than just creating one system package for each type of operating system. For example, you could create a system package for a web server running Windows 2008 and IIS, and then create another system package running Windows 2008 without the web server configuration.
Tip
A system package contains many settings. If you are creating multiple system packages with similar settings, you can use the console copy and paste features to create a new system package from an existing one, rename the copy, and adjust the settings in the copy, as necessary.
Before you begin
In the Depot, create one or more folders for your system packages.
To create a system package
- In the Depot, right-click the folder where you want to add a new system package. From the pop-up menu, choose New > System package.
- Provide information for the new system package, as described in the following sections:
- Click Finish. The system package opens in the content editor.
- Define settings in the system package using the tabs at the bottom of the content editor. Each OS type has a different set of tabs.
- For any type of supported Windows operating system, see Defining settings for Microsoft Windows servers.
- For supported Linux operating systems, see Defining settings for Red Hat Linux servers or Defining settings for SUSE Linux servers.
- For any type of supported ESX operating system, see Defining settings for ESX servers.
- For the ESXi operating system, see Defining settings for ESXi servers.
- For the Citrix XenServer operating system, Defining settings for Citrix XenServers.
- For any type of supported Solaris operating system, see Defining settings for Solaris servers.
- For any type of AIX operating system, see Defining settings for AIX servers.
For any type of supported HP-UX operating system, see Defining settings for HP-UX servers.
Tip
When defining a system package, note the presence of the Select Property icon
next to various input fields. This icon indicates that you can insert a parameter that refers to a local property to supply the value for the field. For information on inserting a parameter, see Inserting a parameter in a system package field and Inserting a script in a system package. For an example of how using parameters can streamline provisioning, see Assigning configuration values during device import.
- When you finish defining the system package, select File > Save.
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