Difference between revisions of "Server Build Checklist"

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__NOTOC__
  
−
* Check the motherboard for blown caps,
+
==Preliminaries==
−
* Confirm that the battery (CMOS) is at least 3 volts,
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'''Check for blown caps''' - Examine all of the capacitors<br>
−
* Check that it boots without keyboard,
+
'''Check battery''' - Confirm that the CMOS battery is at least 3 volts<br>
−
* Check that it boots from CD,
+
'''Boot Process''' - Ensure that the server boots properly in the following ways:<br>
−
* Check that it automatically boots after power loss,
+
*'''Boots from CD''' - use an Ubuntu Live CD, leave Ubuntu running for next step<br>
−
* Boot to network and install Debian Squeeze to local disks,
+
*'''Boots automatically after power loss''' - while still in Ubuntu from the previous step, unplug all power cords (and the keyboard for the next step) from the server to simulate a sudden power loss. It should reboot automatically - if not, check BIOS settings.<br>
−
** TODO: RAID Tutorial
+
*'''Boots without keyboard''' - the server may report a "Keyboard failure" error - this is okay as long it boots successfully without human intervention, such as "press key X to continue..."<br>
−
** Debian Diagnostics?
 
−
* Confirm that the server can boot from the local disk(s),
 
−
* Test any USB ports (front and back),
 
−
* Test the video ports (front and back),
 
−
* Run printme:
 
−
** Boot from network,
 
−
** Select printme from the network boot menu,
 
−
** Log in as guest,
 
−
** Open a terminal (Shortcut: Ctrl + Alt + T),
 
−
** Run printme,
 
−
** Record whether it's Tower or Rackmount and its size (1U, 2U, 3U, etc.), and anything else noteworthy.
 
−
* Fill out the Server Specs sticker:
 
−
** Put System ID on server specs sticker,
 
−
** Number and type (DDR, DDR2) of RAM slots,
 
−
** Number, size (MB or GB), and type (i.e. PC2100 ECC Registered) of individual ram sticks,
 
−
** Total ram included (e.g. 6GB),
 
−
** Number of hard drive bays and types of hard drive ports (IDE, SATA, SCSI).
 
−
* Have your Instructor look over the printme,
 
−
* Hook the system up to the Server Build KVM and run Memtest.
 
  
−
<noshow>[[Category:Server_Build]]</noshow>
+
 
 +
==='''RAID & LVM Setup  (Build ONLY)'''===
 +
 
 +
'''Install Debian Wheezy''' - Boot to network and install Debian Wheezy to local disks, choose hostname, leave domain name as “fglan”
 +
 
 +
===='''Setup Software RAID'''====
 +
 
 +
'''Partition Disks:'''
 +
*Create small partition (400-500M) on each device
 +
**primary partition at the beginning of the drive
 +
**use as “physical volume for RAID”
 +
**set as bootable
 +
*Create large partition (all remaining space) on each device
 +
**primary, not bootable
 +
'''Setup RAID for small partitions:''' RAID1 (bootable) with the number of devices equal to number of disks<br>
 +
'''Setup RAID for large partitions:'''
 +
*'''For 2-3 disks:'''Setup RAID1, with number of devices equal to number of disks
 +
*'''For 4+ disks:'''Setup RAID6, with number of devices equal to number of disks
 +
<br>
 +
'''Configure LVM''' - configure larger RAID1 or RAID6 array as LVM volume
 +
*Create Logical Volume Group with same name as hostname
 +
*Select Large RAID array as LVM Volume
 +
**create volume (4G) named root (mounted at /, ext4 filesystem)
 +
**create volume (1G) named swap (use as swap)
 +
**create volume (remaining) named srv (mounted at /srv, ext4 filesystem)<br><br>
 +
*Debian Wiki Guide to Software RAIDs: http://wiki.debian.org/DebianInstaller/SoftwareRaidRoot
 +
*Wikipedia RAID article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAID
 +
 
 +
==Diagnostics & Databases==
 +
* '''Boot from local disk(s)'''
 +
* '''Test USB ports''' (front and back),
 +
* '''Test video ports''' (front and back),
 +
* '''Test network ports''' - at terminal: <code>'''ifconfig eth0 up'''</code>,  <code>'''ifconfig eth1 up'''</code>, then <code>'''tail -f /var/log/syslog'''</code>, and when you plug and unplug the ethernet cable, you should see reasonable printouts. Ctrl-C to stop the <code>'''tail'''</code> command.<br><br>
 +
**'''QC Only:''' Remove any SATA/SAS drives and give them to your Instructor<br><br>
 +
'''Run printme:'''
 +
*Boot from network
 +
** Select printme from the network boot menu
 +
** Log in as guest
 +
** Open a terminal
 +
** Run printme
 +
** Answer all questions and record anything else noteworthy in the notes section<br><br>
 +
'''Fill out the Server Specs sticker''' based on whether you are doing Build or QC:
 +
* '''For BUILD:'''
 +
** Put System ID on server specs sticker
 +
** Number of physical processors and number of cores ''per'' processor
 +
** Processor speed (''GHz'')
 +
** Circle processor type (''Xeon, Opteron, Core 2, Other'')
 +
** Total amount of included RAM
 +
** Total number of RAM slots on board
 +
** Number of included RAM sticks with their speed and size
 +
** Circle type of RAM (''DDR, DDR2, DDR3'')
 +
** Circle type of DIMM (''ECC, FB-DIMM, etc.'')
 +
** Number of hard drive bays
 +
** Circle hard drive bay type (''IDE, SCSI, SATA, SAS'')
 +
** Number and size of included hard drives
 +
** Record anything notable, like Hardware RAID support, in the notes section
 +
** '''Do ''not'' print!'''  Instead, put your Volunteer ID on a piece of tape on the system<br><br>
 +
* '''For QC:'''
 +
** Confirm the accuracy of information already on the Server Specs sticker
 +
** Number and size of included hard drives
 +
** Circle whether an OS is installed (''none if hard drives removed!'')
 +
** Write the '''System ID#''' on a Server Tag sticker (small labels marked '''S1, S2, etc.''') and stick it to the front of the chassis.
 +
** '''Print the printme''' - Write the number from the Server Tag in the upper right-hand corner of the printme, and give it to your instructor.<br><br>
 +
 
 +
* Move the system to the Server Build KVM and run Memtest, if it hasn't already been done.
 +
* Consult your Instructor for a new project!
 +
<noinclude>[[Category:Server_Build]]</noinclude>

Latest revision as of 11:30, 15 May 2013


Preliminaries

Check for blown caps - Examine all of the capacitors
Check battery - Confirm that the CMOS battery is at least 3 volts
Boot Process - Ensure that the server boots properly in the following ways:

  • Boots from CD - use an Ubuntu Live CD, leave Ubuntu running for next step
  • Boots automatically after power loss - while still in Ubuntu from the previous step, unplug all power cords (and the keyboard for the next step) from the server to simulate a sudden power loss. It should reboot automatically - if not, check BIOS settings.
  • Boots without keyboard - the server may report a "Keyboard failure" error - this is okay as long it boots successfully without human intervention, such as "press key X to continue..."


RAID & LVM Setup (Build ONLY)

Install Debian Wheezy - Boot to network and install Debian Wheezy to local disks, choose hostname, leave domain name as “fglan”

Setup Software RAID

Partition Disks:

  • Create small partition (400-500M) on each device
    • primary partition at the beginning of the drive
    • use as “physical volume for RAID”
    • set as bootable
  • Create large partition (all remaining space) on each device
    • primary, not bootable

Setup RAID for small partitions: RAID1 (bootable) with the number of devices equal to number of disks
Setup RAID for large partitions:

  • For 2-3 disks:Setup RAID1, with number of devices equal to number of disks
  • For 4+ disks:Setup RAID6, with number of devices equal to number of disks


Configure LVM - configure larger RAID1 or RAID6 array as LVM volume

Diagnostics & Databases

  • Boot from local disk(s)
  • Test USB ports (front and back),
  • Test video ports (front and back),
  • Test network ports - at terminal: ifconfig eth0 up, ifconfig eth1 up, then tail -f /var/log/syslog, and when you plug and unplug the ethernet cable, you should see reasonable printouts. Ctrl-C to stop the tail command.

    • QC Only: Remove any SATA/SAS drives and give them to your Instructor

Run printme:

  • Boot from network
    • Select printme from the network boot menu
    • Log in as guest
    • Open a terminal
    • Run printme
    • Answer all questions and record anything else noteworthy in the notes section

Fill out the Server Specs sticker based on whether you are doing Build or QC:

  • For BUILD:
    • Put System ID on server specs sticker
    • Number of physical processors and number of cores per processor
    • Processor speed (GHz)
    • Circle processor type (Xeon, Opteron, Core 2, Other)
    • Total amount of included RAM
    • Total number of RAM slots on board
    • Number of included RAM sticks with their speed and size
    • Circle type of RAM (DDR, DDR2, DDR3)
    • Circle type of DIMM (ECC, FB-DIMM, etc.)
    • Number of hard drive bays
    • Circle hard drive bay type (IDE, SCSI, SATA, SAS)
    • Number and size of included hard drives
    • Record anything notable, like Hardware RAID support, in the notes section
    • Do not print! Instead, put your Volunteer ID on a piece of tape on the system

  • For QC:
    • Confirm the accuracy of information already on the Server Specs sticker
    • Number and size of included hard drives
    • Circle whether an OS is installed (none if hard drives removed!)
    • Write the System ID# on a Server Tag sticker (small labels marked S1, S2, etc.) and stick it to the front of the chassis.
    • Print the printme - Write the number from the Server Tag in the upper right-hand corner of the printme, and give it to your instructor.

  • Move the system to the Server Build KVM and run Memtest, if it hasn't already been done.
  • Consult your Instructor for a new project!
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