Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 Administration Unleashed

56CHAPTER 1Installing Red Hat Enterprise LinuxAn upgrade is achieved by using the upgrade option to RPM as discussed in Chapter 5,“Working with RPM Software.” Refer to Chapter 5 to learn more about how configurationfiles are preserved if a package is upgraded.Red Hat Network ProvisioningRed Hat Enterprise Linux subscribers who have opted to set up a RHN Satellite Server canalso subscribe to the RHN Provisioning module, which allows clients to retrieve a kickstartfile from the Satellite Server.After setting up the Satellite Server, connect to its web interface from any system on thenetwork. From the top horizontal menu, select Systems, Kickstart, System Details,Provisioning to access the kickstart profile creation wizard.If the system to be installed has a NIC with PXE, you can use PXE booting to start theinstallation as described in the “Installing with PXE” section with the location of thekickstart file being on the satellite server using the HTTP protocol.SummaryAs you now know, installation can range from a simple sequence of questions to acomplex list of directives with optional preinstallation and post-installation scripts. It canalso be scheduled and automated with Red Hat Network. The Red Hat Enterprise Linuxinstallation program can be adapted to fit your needs as an administrator, depending onhow many systems you need to install and how often you install or reinstall.