Procedure to install CentOS 7.4 operating system 

in a Mistika Ultima system.

Introduction.


This procedure describes how to install the CentOS operating system by using the Mistika Ultima iso distribution. 


This procedure is supported for Hp z800, Hp Z820, Hp z840, and Z8 workstations.  Other models may work, but there is no warranty. 


This procedure is also supported for MDC servers provided by SGO in the past.


If you are installing a complete new system and not an upgrade from Suse you can skip the next point




Upgrades from Suse11 systems using  Stornext SAN filesystems.


IMPORTANT NOTE FOR CLIENTS WITH SUSE11 SYSTEMS USING STORNEXT S.A.N. STORAGE:  


Stornext 4.xxx versions (the ones used on Suse11)  do not work on CentOS 7.4.  Users who want to upgrade from Suse11 to  CentOS 7.4 with Stornext will need to upgrade to Stornext 5.3.2 during the process, which is a third party product and it is not a free upgrade.


If you have a dedicated  metadata controller server (MDC) running SUSE 11, then this is the first system that will need to be upgraded. Please contact SGO support if that is the case.  Once it is updated, it can support both CentOS 7,2 and Suse11 clients, so the next points do not apply..


But if you do not have a dedicated metadata server (a Mistika system is acting a client and server), then please read next points carefully.


Do not try to start the upgrade until having a Stornext 5.3.2 permanent license, as this process is not reversible,  and the filesystems will need to be converted to Stornext 5 (SN5) metadata during the upgrade process and this is not reversible.  Please also note that Stornext  “demo” licenses do not work with pre-existing filesystems. Obtaining the license is really the first step.



We strongly recommend to use a different hard disk for each OS, so you can go back if something goes wrong


As a result of the previous notes, if you use Stornext  you can only use dual boot Suse11 & CentOS 7.4 with stornext volume  if there is a dedicated MDC already running SN5 (which can provide filesystems server services to  both to Suse11 and CentOS 7.4 clients).  


On the contrary, a standalone Mistika system (which is both the MDC server and the client)  can not use this kind of dual boot,  because Suse11 will refuse to run as an SN5 server, and it will not be able to mount the disk array once that it has been updated to SN5.

Please note that SN5 upgrade is not free of cost.  Do not install CentOS 7.4 on Suse11SP3 systems running Stornext filesystem server service until having the SN5 license ready (or better said only to begin preparations in a second boot disk, but it will not be usable until the license is in place)




In any case, the recommended procedure is to prepare the upgrade having the chance to return at any moment to the previous SUSE configuration in case of problems.  For this reason this procedure will suppose that you will use a different system disk to install CentOS 7.4, so you can still boot with the old one if there is a problem.


Export settings file in mConfig


As a bonus point, if you are currently  using Suse11SP3 then there is a way to simplify the installation a lot:


  • On     Suse11SP3, Make sure that you are using Mistika 8.8 or later. Otherwise this method will not work properly.    

  • Execute mConfig->Import Export Setting File, selecting the System Reinstall mode.

  • It will create a backup file with all the typical configuration settings (presets, panel settings, ip, hosts, fstab, mount points,  stornext files, etc). At the end of the installation, you can simply import this file with the same mConfig tool (requires  Mistika 8.8. or later to re-import settings) , and all the selected settings will be recovered automatically. 

  • However, the network configuration may need manual setup, as network settings automatic import is not yet supported between different operating systems. So make sure to write down all network  details from the old system (mainly the ip of each interface ,the gateway and dns for internet access ) and make sure the network is already configured before reimporting the settings file


 


Preliminary preparation steps. 

  • Backup any user data existing in the system disk 

  • If you are doing an upgrade , buy or get a new hard disk (recommended: SATA disk, 3,5” or SSD drives, with at least 250 GB ). In general, the performance of the boot disk is irrelevant for Mistika Ultima (providing that  you have a realtime disk array), so better chose reliability than speed.

  • The CentOS installation needs to be done with the SGO iso distribution and NOT with a standard CentOS distribution. 

  • Contact SGO support to plan the collection of configuration data and to get the latest iso download for the new OS.

  • Create a USB pen drive with the new iso to use as installable device.


IMPORTANT NOTE:

CentOS 7.4  will need to be installed with the Mistika installation iso. Custom installations not using the official Mistika iso will not be supported (they would require a huge amount of additional packages and manual customisation that is not documented anywhere ).

Installation procedure.

  •  Get the new system disk. 

  • Confirm you have the Backup of Media, Projects and configuration.

  • Download  the new ISO from the FTP site (around 6GB).

  • Burn a DVD (double side) or a Pen Drive. See “Creating a bootable pen drive     with the ISO” below.

  • Power Off Mistika.

  • VERY IMPORTANT. Disconnect all external storage, all Fiber Channel cables, all internal and external disks.

  • Remove the current System Disk and labelled as SUSE or similar.

  • Insert and connect the new system disk.

  • Insert the Pen Drive or Installation DVD and power on the Workstation (choose to boot from DVS or USB as needed)

  • Follow the procedure below. “CentOS 7 Installation Procedure for Customers”

  • Once installed and internet access is configured, contact Support again to arrange for a remote installation appointment to make the final configuration. (meanwhile, you can power off the system, swap boot disks and reconnect all the storage, to continue using it with the old one until the appointment.

  • When the support appointment arrives:   

    • Power off and swap disks to boot with the new system disk. Also connect the OLD SYSTEM disk in other slot of the workstation or in a external dock, to provide access to old configuration settings to the support engineer.

    • Power On the system.

    • Open a remote session and give access to the SGO engineer to finish the configuration.

Creating a bootable pen drive with the ISO .


IMPORTANT NOTE: 

Always disconnect all the storage devices before installing the operating system. otherwise they will at high risk during the OS installation (mainly because the installer may want to use them as destination targets by default ).


If you need to install or reinstall the operating system, please contact support to get the latest iso.

Once you download the iso, you can burn it in a DVD (it must be a double side DVD because of the size ) or in a pen drive (recommended).


To install it in a pen drive, download the iso to the Mistika system and execute this:


 In a Linux system:


su

dd if=Path_To_ISO_file of=/dev/sdX bs=1048576


Where  X   is the device letter assigned to the pendrive (just one letter with no numbers at the end). If you are not sure execute this:


su

tail -f /var/log/messages


Now plug the pen drive, the assigned device will appear somewhere in the console output.  You have to use the device id without any partition number ( for example  /dev/sdc, not /dev/sdc1 )

Please only continue if you are sure about the pen drive device, otherwise please contact support.  This step is critical because choosing the wrong device you can destroy all data in your system disks or in the disk array.

For example, if you have downloaded an iso named MISTIKA_INSTALLATION_TOOL_NV352_CentOS72_20170420.iso and the pendrive has been assigned /dev/sdc, you have to execute something like this :


su

dd if=MISTIKA_INSTALLATION_TOOL_NV352_CentOS72_20170420.iso   of=/dev/sdc  bs=1048576


It will take several minutes (as a side note the “bs” parameter is just to make it faster, but you could ignore it) .


 Then, boot with the ne pendrive and follow instructions below.



In a windows system:


If you don’t have a linux system, you can create the bootable pen drive in a windows system by using  a bootable pen drive tool supporting “dd” mode. A well tested one is the “Rufus” tool, but please make sure that you select the “dd” mode.


CentOS Installation.    

  •    Confirm that you have followed all the previous considerations.

  • Important:     Check that the workstation firmware (BIOS or UEFI) is in the right  mode: 

    • Hp Z8 and posterior models from 2018:  BIOS legacy mode deactivated. It needs to be installed in “UEFI”         mode. Otherwise some modern HBAs  may fail to be recognized by the system.  

    • Hp Z800, Z820, Z840:  BIOS legacy mode activated. The “UEFI” mode is not supported in these systems, and it can lead to potential failures of the boot disk (even losing the partition table)

  • If you are doing a new Installation you should setup the BIOS to optimize for Mistika. (basically, activate hyper threading and deactivate energy saving options. This is covered in release notes ), and select to boot from usb first. 

  •    If you are doing an upgrade from SUSE all the BIOS setup was already     done, so no need to change anything on it.

  • Connect Pen Drive or insert the DVD in the Bay and power On the system. 

  • Confirm the system is booting from the new boot device.


If you are in BIOS legacy mode you should see a screen like this, then select the “Install a SGO system”:


Alternatively, if you are in UEFI mode (as required for Z8 workstations) then you should see a much more simple screen, with only the CentOS Installation and the Rescue lines. (Select the CentOS installation line)

  •    Install SGO System


  •    Select KEYBOARD.

  •    Select English or your prefered language according to your keyboard.

  •    Done.

   

  •    Select DATE & TIME.   

  •    Select your Region.

  •    Set Date and Time.

  •    Done


  • Select INSTALLATION DESTINATION.

  • Device Selection  >  Local Standard Disks  >  Select Destination Disk         


IMPORTANT NOTE: This is the most critical step. The checkmark on each hard disk icon represent which hard disks are going to be used for the installation, potentially reformatting them.  If for whatever reason you still have more than one disk, uncheck all hard disks except the new boot disk.

  •    Device selection

    •        Confirm Other Storage Options  >  Partitioning  >  I will         configure partitioning = Enabled

  •    Done

  •    New CentOS 7 Installation.

  •    Press +

  •    ADD A NEW MOUNT POINT Window

    •        Mount Point = swap

    •        Desired Capacity = 20 GiB

    •        Press Add mount point

  • Device Type = Standard Partition

  • File System = Swap

  • Label = swap

  • Update Settings

  • Press +

       

SYSTEMS IN UEFI MODE (not BIOS LEGACY MODE) will need an extra boot partition for /boot/efi:    In the Add a new mount point menu, select /boot/efi mount point and desired capacity 1G. Then press Add mount point.


For all systems (both BIOS and UEFI), add the following partitions:

  • ADD A NEW MOUNT POINT Window

    • Mount Point = /

    • Desired Capacity = 100 GiB

    • Press Add mount point

    • Device Type = Standard Partition

    • File System = ext4

    • Label = centos

    • Update Settings

  •    Take note of the Available Space to define the last Partition.         

    •        In our example: AVAILABLE SPACE = 112.88 GiB    

  • Press +

     

  • ADD A NEW     MOUNT POINT            

    • Mount Point = /home

    • Desired Capacity = 113 GiB

    • Press Add mount point

    • Device Type =     Standard Partition

    • File System =     ext4

    • Label = home

    • Update Settings


  •    Done

  •    Summary of changes show the different actions take it on the system     disk.

  •    Accept changes.


  •    Begin installation.     

  •    Installation start and a status bar show the progress.

  •    Installation Complete


  •    Reboot.

  •    Disconnect the Installation Pen Drive.

  •    Boot the system.

  • Select CentOS Linux marked in White.

  • Boot process start     

Mistika Installation.    

  • After it finishes, the CentOS Installation starts the Mistika Ultima program installation and at the end of that the Mistika Configuration program will start.     


Network Configuration. Internet Access.


CentOS default configuration is done using DHCP in all the ethernet ports. If the workstation is connected to a Local Area Network with DHCP Server it should get a right IP address and to be able to access Internet.


To confirm this configuration please follow this steps.

  • Connect a network cable from your Local Area Network to the upper ethernet connector of the Workstation.   

  • In the Taskbar you can see a RJ-45 connector icon showing the connection.


  • Select the icon.

  • Manage Connections.

  • Wired tab


  • Confirm the     State is connected and check that you have internet connection, for     example by using a web browser.

    • Start CentOS         Application Launcher  >  Internet  >  Google Chrome

  • Finally it is     strongly recommended to consolidate the ip address as a manual ip ,     not DHCP.  This will make a lot of services much more robust     (stornext, totem,  BatchManager, etc). However, the exact details     depend on each case and this is out of the scope of this document.