Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Administration Unleashed

30CHAPTER 1Installing Red Hat Enterprise LinuxFIGURE 1.20RAID ExampleInstalling with KickstartA kickstart installation is started from a kickstart file containing the answers to all thequestions in the installation program so that the administrator can start the install andthen walk away until it is finished. If the network card on the system supports PXE boot,the kickstart file can even be on a different server along with the installation files, allowingfor an easy, automated, and non-interactive installation.Although a CD installation is possible with a kickstart file, a network or hard drive installationis more convenient, otherwise the administrator will have to return to the systemto change CDs.To perform a kickstart installation, use the following steps:1. Create an installation tree for the network install and make it available to thesystems being installed. Refer to the “Creating the Installation Source” sectionearlier in this chapter for details.2. Create the kickstart file.3. Create a boot CD (unless you are using PXE).4. Copy the kickstart file to the boot CD or make it available over the network.5. Start the kickstart installation.