2.5 YaST Installation Screens

This section provides an overview of the YaST installation utility that you will use to install the Novell Linux Point of Service software on your servers.

This section is intended as a reference only. The specific step-by-step procedures for installing each type of server are found in the following sections:

IMPORTANT:The procedure for installing updates of Novell Linux Point of Service 9 might require additional steps that are not documented in this manual. For the latest information, refer to the Readme file and installation instructions that are included with the software for new releases of Novell Linux Point of Service 9.

For additional information about the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9 installation process, refer to the SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server Administration and Installation Guide.

The following sections show the screens you will encounter as you go through the installation, along with an explanation of the various options you can select.

2.5.1 Starting the YaST Utility

To start the YaST installation program for Novell Linux Point of Service, you insert Novell Linux Point of Service 9 CD 1 into the drive and then reboot the computer.

SuSE Boot Screen

Figure 2-1 shows the SuSE Linux boot screen. In most cases, you select the Installation option to proceed in normal installation mode with all standard hardware functions enabled.

Figure 2-1 SuSE Linux boot screen

SuSE boot screen

Following is a brief explanation of the other options in the boot screen:

  • Boot from Hard Disk boots the system on the hard disk (the system normally booted when the machine is started).
  • Installation - ACPI Disabled installs without the Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI). If the normal installation fails, your system hardware might not support ACPI, in which case you can use this option to install without ACPI support.
  • Installation - Safe Settings boots the system with Direct Memory Access (DMA) mode and any interfering power management functions disabled. DMA is used for CD drives. Experts can also use the command line to enter or change kernel parameters.
  • Manual Installation allows you to manually load drivers during the installation. By default, drivers are loaded automatically during the installation. If this appears to cause problems, you can use this option to load drivers manually. (This does not work if you use a USB keyboard on your machine.)
  • Rescue System starts a minimal Linux system without a graphical user interface that allows experts to access disk partitions to troubleshoot and repair an installed system. Less-experienced users can use the system repair tool supplied with YaST.
  • Memory Test tests your system RAM using repeated read and write cycles. This process is repeated in an endless loop because memory corruption often shows up very sporadically and many read and write cycles might be necessary to detect it. If you suspect that your RAM might be defective, start this test and let it run for several hours. If no errors are detected after a long time period, you can assume that the memory is intact. Terminate the test by rebooting.

You can use these function keys to further manipulate the installation:

  • Press F1 to access help for the currently active screen element of the boot screen.
  • Press F2 to select the installation’s graphical display mode. You can also select text mode, which is useful if graphical mode causes problems with the installation.
  • Press F3 to designates the installation media. Normally, the installation is run from the inserted installation disk. However, in some cases, you might want to select another source, such as FTP or NFS.
  • Press F4 to define the display language for the installation.
  • Press F5 to define the mode for displaying Linux kernel diagnostic messages. By default, Linux kernel diagnostic messages are not displayed during system start-up. You only see a progress bar. To display these messages, select Native. For a maximum of information, select Verbose.
  • Press F6 to tell the system you have an optional disk with a driver update for SuSE Linux. You will be asked to insert the update disk at the appropriate point in the installation process.

After you select the Installation option, the utility loads a minimal Linux system to run the installation. If you enable Native or Verbose diagnostic mode, a number of messages and copyright notices appear. At the end of the loading process, the YaST installation program starts.

Software License Agreement

YaST displays the Novell Software License Agreement for you to read and agree to.

Language Selection

Figure 2-2 shows the language selection screen. Your selection here determines the operating system langauge and the default keyboard layout. YaST also uses this language setting to guess a time zone for the system clock.

Figure 2-2 Language selection screen

Language selection menu

Currently, Novell Linux Point of Service is available only in English. The language selection affects only the SLES operating system and keyboard layout; it does not affect the Novell Linux Point of Service scripts or utilities.

Installation Mode

Figure 2-3 shows the installation mode screen, which allows you to specify what type of installation procedure you want to perform. This screen appears only if data exists on the server’s hard disk.

Figure 2-3 Installation mode screen

Installation Mode menu

IMPORTANT:To install Novell Linux Point of Service, you must select New Installation. This option install SUSE Linux and Novell Linux Point of Service on a new system.

Following is a brief explanation of the other options in the Installation Mode screen:

  • Update an Existing System updates the currently installed SUSE Linux system with the system on CD. This option is relevant only if SUSE Linux is already installed on the system.
  • Repair Installed System attempts to repair the currently installed Linux system with the system on CD. This option is an alternative to the advanced Rescue System option in the boot screen. You can select this option if the installed SUSE Linux system fails to boot. This option is relevant only if SUSE Linux is already installed on the system.
  • Boot Installed System boots the currently installed Linux system. This option is relevant only if SUSE Linux is already installed on the system.
  • Abort Installation terminates the installation program.

2.5.2 The Installation Settings Screen

The Installation Settings screen shown in Figure 2-4 provides information about the recognized hardware and proposes a number of installation and partitioning options. Click an option headline or click Change to configure the associated system parameters.

Figure 2-4 Installation Settings screen

Installation Settings menu

Following is a brief explanation of the options in the Installation Settings screen, with references to sections that provide additional information:

  • The System option shows the detected computer type, processor, and main memory. Click this option to perform any of the following tasks:
    • View additional information about the detected hardware components.
    • Save the detected hardware list to file or floppy disk.
    • Add a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) ID to a device driver.

    For more information, see Detected Hardware Screen.

  • The Mode option is identical to the screen explained in Installation Mode.
  • The Keyboard Layout option shows the default keyboard layout that YaST selected based on the language you selected in the Language screen. Click this option to change the default keyboard layout.

    For more information, see Keyboard Configuration Screen.

  • The Mouse option shows the default mouse that YaST selected based on the system’s detected hardware. Click this option to change the default mouse type.

    For more information, see Mouse Configuration Screen.

  • The Partitioning option provides a suggested partitioning scheme for the system’s hard disks. Click this option to modify the suggested partition formats or to create a custom partition setup.

    For more information on how to partition the system for Novell Linux Point of Service, see Partitioning Screen.

  • The Software option lists the software packages to be installed on the current system. Click this option to select additional software packages you want to install.

    For more information, see Software Selection Screen.

  • The Booting option displays the Boot Loader Setup. Click this option to change the boot loader setup.

    For more information, see Boot Loader Setup Screen.

  • The Time Zone option shows the default time zone that YaST selected based on the language you selected in Language Selection. Click this option to set the system clock and time zone configuration.

    For more information, see Clock and Time Zone Configuration Screen.

  • The Language option lets you to select the operating system language, similar to the Language Selection. Click this option to change the system language, set the Locale Settings for the user root, and choose UTF-8 encoding.

    For more information, see Language Selection Screen.

  • The Default Runlevel option displays the current runlevel. Click this option to set a different default runlevel (level 2 or 3).

    For more information, see Default Runlevel Screen.

Detected Hardware Screen

Clicking the System option in the Installation Settings screen opens the Detected Hardware screen shown in Figure 2-5, which provides a detailed listing of your system’s detected hardware.

Figure 2-5 Detected Hardware screen

Detected Hardware menu

You have the following options in this screen:

  • Click PCI ID to add a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) ID to a device driver.
  • Click Details to view additional information about any hardware component.
  • Click Save to File to save the hardware list to a file or floppy disk.

    NOTE:The floppy drive must be mounted before you can save the file to floppy disk.

Keyboard Configuration Screen

The Keyboard Configuration screen shown in Figure 2-6 allows you to select which keyboard layout (language) you want to use. By default, the layout corresponds to the language selected during installation (see Language Selection).

Figure 2-6 Keyboard Configuration screen

Keyboard Configuration menu

When you select a keyboard layout, you can type Y, Z, and special characters in the Keyboard Test field to verify the keyboard selection is correct.

Click Expert Settings to define the following:

  • Repeat Rate
  • Delay before Repetition Starts
  • Start-up States for Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock
  • Devices on which the values for Num Lock, Caps Lock, and Scroll Lock should be set
  • Disable Caps Lock

Mouse Configuration Screen

Figure 2-7 shows the Mouse Configuration screen which allows you to select a mouse type.

Figure 2-7 Mouse Configuration screen

Mouse Configuration menu

If YaST failed to detect your mouse:

  1. In the Installation Settings screen, press Tab until Mouse is selected.

  2. Press the Spacebar to open the mouse type list.

  3. Use Up-arrow and Down-arrow to select a mouse type.

  4. After selecting a mouse type, press Alt+T to test whether the device works correctly.

    If the mouse does not behave as expected, use the keyboard to select another type and test again.

  5. When the correct mouse is selected, click Accept to apply the setting and return to the Installation Settings screen.

Partitioning Screen

The Partitioning screen provides suggested partition formats. In most cases, YaST proposes a reasonable partitioning scheme that can be accepted without change. However, you can also modify the suggested partition formats or create a custom partition setup.

When you click Partitioning, you can choose one of the following actions:

  • Accept proposal as-is
  • Base partition setup on this proposal
  • Create custom partition setup (this option is recommended only for experienced administrators)

NOTE:YaST cannot select pre-existing partitions for deletion.

For Novell Linux Point of Service servers, all partitions should be formatted with a journaling file system (ext3) with the exception of the swap partition, where swap should be selected. Table 2-2 provides a base guideline of the size requirements for the Novell Linux Point of Service directories.

Table 2-2 Size guidelines for Novell Linux Point of Service directories

Server

Partition

Directory

Size

Administration Server

 

 

/

512 MB+

 

 

/usr

2.5 GB+

 

 

/var

2 GB+ *

 

 

/tmp

1 GB+

 

 

/var/log

2 GB+ *

 

 

/opt/SLES/POS

2 GB+ *

 

 

/opt/SLES/POS/rsync

5 GB+ *

 

swap

 

2x size of RAM, > 0.5 GB

Dedicated Image Building Server

 

 

/opt/SLES/dist

5 GB+ * (depends on if you put the image source files in this directory)

 

 

/opt/SLES/POS/image/

5 GB+ * (varies depending on the size of your images)

Branch Server

 

 

 

 

 

/tftpboot/

5 GB+ (varies depending on the size of your images)

High Availability Branch Server

 

drbd

 

5 GB+ (accommodates all your images plus several configuration files, so the size will vary depending on the size of your images)

* These directories will grow during production and should be as large as possible.

For more detailed information about partitioning, refer to “Expert Partitioning with YaST” in Chapter 1 of the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide.

Software Selection Screen

Figure 2-8 shows the Software Selection screen, which lets you select the software packages to be installed on the server.

Figure 2-8 Software Selection screen

Software Selection menu

The Minimum system includes the core operating system with various services but without any graphical user interface. The machine can only be operated using ASCII consoles. This system type is especially suitable for server scenarios that require little direct user interaction.

The Minimuim graphical system (without KDE) includes The X Window System* and a basic window manager. It lets you run programs that have their own graphical user interface. This option is for those who do not want the KDE desktop or for machines with insufficient disk space for a desktop environment.

Depending on what type of Novell Linux Point of Service server you are installing, you will select one of these two options:

  • NLPOS Image Server (with KDE) includes the Novell Linux Point of Service image building utility (ImageBuilder) and the image templates. It also includes all the packages required to run the Administration and Branch Servers along with the KDE desktop, most of the KDE programs, and the CUPS print server.
  • NLPOS Admin/Branch Server (with KDE) includes all the packages required to run the Administration and Branch Servers. It does not include ImageBuilder or the image templates.

Table 2-3 identifies the software selection options you should select to create each server.

Table 2-3 Software selections for Novell Linux Point of Service servers

Server Type

Software Selection Option

Administration Server with Image Building Tools

NLPOS Image Server

Administration Server without Image Building Tools

NLPOS Admin/Branch Server (with KDE)

Dedicated Image Building Server

NLPOS Image Server

Admin/Branch Server Combination

NLPOS Image Server

Branch Server

NLPOS Admin/Branch Server (with KDE)

High Availability Branch Server

NLPOS Admin/Branch Server (with KDE) plus High-Availability packages

NOTE:You must select the High Availability packages under the Software Selection Details.

To add or remove individual packages from one of the default software selections:

  1. Select one of the default software selections as a starting point for your software selection.

  2. Click Detailed Selection.

    The YaST Package Manager screen appears, as shown in Figure 2-9.

    Figure 2-9 YaST Package Manager.

    The YaST Package Manager screen

    The Filter box is located at the top left under the menu bar. The default filter is Selections, which groups program packages by function, such as Image Building System or Administration and Branch Server. The Package window lists the individual packages included in each package group. The package groups and individual packages that are included in the current software selection are preselected.

    Table 2-4 lists the package groups you see when installing Novell Linux Point of Service software.

    Table 2-4 Software package groups for Novell Linux Point of Service

    Software Selection

    Description

    NLPOS Admin Server Image Building System

    Installs the ImageBuilder scripts (scr and xscr) and the image templates.

    NLPOS Branch and Admin Server Minimum System

    Installs the services and scripts required to run the Administration and Branch Servers.

    Basis Runtime System

    Installs base components necessary for the Linux operating system.

    YaST

    Installs the YaST2 configuration modules. This option is recommended because it provides an easy-to-use configuration program and online update services.

    Graphical Base System

    Installs the minimal system with X11.

    Linux Tools

    Installs the Linux operating system tools.

    KDE Desktop Environment

    Installs the KDE graphical desktop environment.

    Help & Support Documentation

    Installs the SLES Administration Guide and SUSE Help System.

    C/C++ Compiler and Tools

    Installs the C/C++ Compiler and tools.

    Basis Sound Libraries and Tools

    Adds the Advanced Linux Sound Library (ALSA) which provides audio and MIDI functionality.

    GNOME system

    Installs the GNOME* graphical desktop environment.

    File Server (NFS, Samba)

    Installs NFS and Samba file services.

    High-Availability

    Installs drbd and heartbeat services for two-node clustering.

  3. Click the check boxes to select or deselect the packages you want to install on the server, then click Accept.

    Section A.0, Installation RPM Lists lists the RPMs that are installed on the Administration and Branch Servers by default.

  4. Click Check Dependencies to verify that you have selected all the packages required to run the selected options.

    IMPORTANT:If you selected Minimum System instead of Minimum Graphical System as the base system, you are asked to resolve a dependency for the GL graphics subsystem when you add the NLPOS Branch and Admin Server Minimum System package. We recommend that you select the MesaSoft package.

  5. Click Accept to add the selected packages to the installation.

    YaST informs you of packages that it has automatically added to the software selection to resolve dependences.

  6. Click Continue to return to the Installation Settings screen.

Boot Loader Setup Screen

Figure 2-10 shows the Boot Loader Setup screen, which provides a suggested boot configuration for your system. In most cases, you can leave these settings unchanged. However, if you need a custom setup, you can modify the proposal for your system.

Figure 2-10 Boot Loader Setup screen

Boot Loader Setup menu

One possibility is to configure the boot mechanism to rely on a special boot floppy. Although this has the disadvantage that it requires the floppy to be in the drive when booting, it leaves an existing boot mechanism untouched. Normally this should not be necessary because YaST can configure the boot loader to boot existing operating systems as well. Another possibility with the configuration is to change the location of the boot mechanism on the hard disk.

For detailed information about creating a custom boot configuration, see “Configuring the Boot Loader with YaST” in Chapter 8 of the SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide.

Clock and Time Zone Configuration Screen

The Clock and Time Zone Configuration screen shown in Figure 2-11 allows you to set the clock and time zone for the server.

Figure 2-11 Clock and Time Zone Configuration screen

Clock and Time Zone Configuration menu

YaST guesses the default time zone based on the language selected during the installation (see Language Selection). To change the time zone, select the desired region and time zone from the lists provided.

To change the system time and date, click Change Time or Date, make the desired setting, and then click Apply.

To set the hardware clock to UTC or local time, click the Hardware clock set to drop-down menu. In general, you can choose UTC (Universal Time Coordinated) for servers that have only Linux installed. UTC corresponds to GMT (Greenwich Mean Time) and allows Linux to switch from standard time to daylight saving time and back automatically. Choose Local Time for servers that have other operating systems installed. When finished, click Accept.

Language Selection Screen

The Language Selection screen shown in Figure 2-12 allows you to change the language on the current system. The language selected in YaST applies to the entire system, including YaST and the desktop environment (KDE or GNOME). You can also slick Details to set the locale setting for the root user and to specify whether or not to use UTF-8 encoding.

NOTE:Currently, Novell Linux Point of Service is available only in English; therefore, the language selection does not affect the Novell Linux Point of Service scripts or utilities.

Figure 2-12 Language Selection screen.

Language menu

IMPORTANT:If you change the Language setting after installing Novell Linux Point of Service, you must copy over the RPMs required to support the desktop (KDE or GNOME) you are running on the Administration or Branch Server and modify the system language file. For more information, see Section B.1, Changing the Language Selection.

Click Details to view the Language Details screen shown in Figure 2-13.

Figure 2-13 Language Details screen

Language Details menu

Click the Locale Settings for User root drop-down menu to select the desired setting.

NOTE:The value of the LC_CTYPE variable in the /etc/sysconfig/language file is adopted for the user root. This variable sets the localization for language-specific function calls. If the value is set to Yes, the user root has the same language settings as the local user. If the value is set to No, the language settings for the user root are not affected by the language selection.

Click the Use UTF-8 Encoding option if you want this server to use UTF-8 encoding for multi-national language support.

When finished, click OK.

Default Runlevel Screen

Figure 2-14 shows the Set Default Runlevel screen, which lets you set the runlevel to be used when the server is booted.

Figure 2-14 Set Default Runlevel screen

Set Default Runlevel menu

Usually you select the standard runlevel 5, which offers multiuser mode, network access, and the graphical user interface (X Window System). If you encounter problems with a particular service (X or network), you can boot the system to a lower runlevel to repair the service. You can select from the following options:

  • 2: Local multiuser without remote network
  • 3: Full multiuser with network

WARNING:Incorrect settings for runlevels and system services can render your system useless. To retain the operability of your system, consider the possible consequences before modifying any of these settings.

Click OK to apply your setting.

2.5.3 The YaST Configuration Phase

After you have accepted your selections in the Installation Settings screen, YaST proceeds with the Base Installation which includes partitioning the hard drive, setting the system language, applying the installation settings, and copying the files from the NLPOS and SLES 9 CDs to disk.

The system then reboots and YaST starts again for the Configuration portion of the installation.

Root Password Screen

The Root Password screen shown in Figure 2-15 prompts you to enter the password for the root user. For verification purposes, the password must be entered twice.

WARNING:After the root password is entered, it cannot be retrieved. Therefore, we recommend you make a record of the root password and store it in a secure location.

Figure 2-15 Root Password screen

Root Password menu

The name of the superuser, or administrator of the system, is root. Unlike regular users, which may or may not have permission to do certain things on the system, root has unlimited power to do anything: change the system configuration, install programs, and set up new hardware. If users forget their passwords or have other problems with the system, root can help. The root account should only be used for system administration, maintenance, and repair. Logging in as root for daily work is not recommended because a single mistake could lead to the irretrievable loss of many system files.

Network Configuration Screen

Figure 2-16 shows the Network Configuration screen where you can click the headlines to configure your network settings.

Figure 2-16 Network Configuration screen

Network Configuration menu

Following is a brief explanation of each option in the Network Configuration screen:

  • Click Network Interfaces to configure the Network Interface Cards (NICs).

    For more information, see Network Interfaces.

  • Click DSL Connections to configure a DSL connection if this server uses one to connect to other servers in your Point of Service network.

    For detailed information on this procedure, see “DSL” in Chapter 21 of the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide.

  • Click ISDN Adapters to configure an ISDN connection if this server uses one to connect to other servers in your Point of Service network.

    For detailed information on this procedure, see “ISDN” in Chapter 21 of the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide

  • The Modems option is not applicable to Novell Linux Point of Service servers.
  • Click Proxy if your system uses an Internet connection with a Proxy server to connect to other servers in your Point of Service network.

    For more information, see Proxy.

  • Click VNC Remote Administrator if you want to have remote administrative access to the current server.

    For more information, see VNC Remote Administration.

Network Interfaces

In most instances, YaST correctly detects the server NICs. However, if it does not detect a NIC, or if you want to modify a NIC configuration, you can manually add and configure server NICs.

NOTE:Branch Servers require a minimum of two NICs, and in the case of High Availability Branch Servers, you will need four NICs. For more information, see Section 6.0, Setting Up a Branch Server and Section 7.0, Setting Up High Availability Branch Servers.

To manually configure a NIC:

  1. Click Network Interfaces in the Network Configuration screen.

    The Network Cards Configuration screen (Figure 2-17) displays the currently configured devices.

    Figure 2-17 Network Cards Configuration screen

    Network Cards Configuration menu
  2. Click Change to manually configure a NIC.

  3. In the Network Card Configuration Overview screen (Figure 2-18), click Add to create a new NIC configuration.

    Figure 2-18 Network Card Configuration Overview screen

    Network Card Configuration Overview menu
  4. In the Manual Network Card Configuration screen (Figure 2-19), configure the network card.

    Figure 2-19 Manual Network Card Configuration screen

    Manual Network Card Configuration menu

    Following is a brief description of each option in the Manual Network Card Configuration screen. The network card configuration values are written to /etc/modprove.conf.

    • Device Type is the type of NIC you are configuring. Available device types include the following:
      • ARCnet
      • Dummy
      • Ethernet
      • FDDI
      • Myrinet
      • Token Ring
      • USB
      • Wireless
    • Configuration Name is the number to be appended to the default name for the current network card (for example, eth for Ethernet cards). Standard convention dictates that numbering starts with zero (0).
    • Hardware Configuration Name is a user-defined name for the current configuration profile.
    • Module Name is the network card driver. If two cards are configured with the same module name, options are merged while saving.
    • Options is where you specify the network card driver options. Options should be written in the format option=value. Each entry should be space separated. For example, io=0x300 irq=5.
    • Select PCMCIA if the NIC is a PCMCIA card. The PCMCIA card configuration database file, /etc/pcmcia/config, is created during installation.
    • Select USB if the NIC is a USB card. The required USB drivers are installed during installation.
    • Click Wireless Settings to configure the settings for a wireless network card.
    • Click Select from List to get a list of available network cards.

    When finished, click Next.

  5. The Network Address Setup screen (Figure 2-20) displays the configuration name of the card you are configuring (for example, eth0).

    Figure 2-20 Network Address Setup screen

    Network Address Setup menu

    Choose the setup method for the IP address:

    • Select Automatic Address Setup (via DHCP) if you have a DHCP server running on your local network and you want the IP address to be automatically obtained from the DHCP server.
    • Select Static Address Setup if you have a valid static IP address for the network card. Specify the address and the subnet mask (such as 255.255.255.0) in the appropriate fields.
  6. Click Host Name and Name Server in the Detailed Settings section to define the host and domain names for the server.

    Figure 2-21 shows the Host Name and Name Server Configuration screen.

    Figure 2-21 Host Name and Name Server Configuration screen

    Host Name and Name Server Configuration menu
    1. Specify the hostname; for example, admnsrv for the Administration Server and bs1 for a Branch Server.

      IMPORTANT:The hostname defined for a Branch Server during installation must match the Common Name (cn) assigned to the corresponding scBranchServer object in the LDAP directory. For example, if you enter the hostname of bs1 when installing a Branch Server, make sure you specify bs1 as the --cn attribute for the Branch Server’s object in LDAP. For more information on creating Branch Server objects in LDAP, see Section 6.2.4, Adding an scBranchServer Object.

    2. Deselect Change host name via DHCP and specify the domain name, such as mycorp.com.

      Use a domain name that fits within your organization’s DNS naming system. The server’s DNS name is formed by adding the domain name to the host name; for example, bs1.mycorp.com.

    3. (Optional) Specify the DNS name servers and domain search lists.

    4. When finished, click OK.

  7. Click Routing in the Detailed Settings section to define the default gateway.

    Figure 2-22 shows the Routing Configuration screen.

    Figure 2-22 Routing Configuration screen

    Routing Configuration menu
    1. Select the Default Gateway from the drop-down list or type the IP address of a known gateway.

    2. Select Expert Configuration to manually define the routing table.

      The route’s destination is in the first column. This column can contain the IP address of a network or host or, in the case of reachable name servers, the fully qualified network or hostname.

      The second column contains the default gateway or a gateway through which a host or a network can be accessed.

      The third column contains the netmask for networks or hosts behind a gateway. For example, the mask is 255.255.255.255 for a host behind a gateway.

      The last column is only relevant for networks connected to the local host such as loopback, ethernet, ISDN, PPP, and dummy device. The device name must be entered here.

      NOTE:The routing table is set up in Linux using the configuration files /etc/sysconfig/network/routes and /etc/sysconfig/network/ifroute-*. All the static routes required by the various system tasks are located in the routes file; that is, routes to a host, routes to a host via a gateway, and routes to a network.

    3. Select Enable IP Forwarding if the system is a router.

    4. When finished, click OK.

  8. (Optional) Click Advanced in the Network Address Setup screen to define Hardware Details (NIC configuration), DHCP Client Options, Detailed Settings (Maximum Transfer Unit and Device Activation), and Virtual Aliases. When you have finished defining these options, click OK.

  9. After you have completed the NIC configuration in the Network Address Setup screen, click Next then Finish to return to the Network Configuration screen.

Proxy

If your system uses an Internet connection with a proxy server to connect to Branch Servers in your Point of Service network, click Proxy in the Network Configuration screen to define your Internet proxy settings.

Figure 2-23 shows the Proxy Configuration screen.

Figure 2-23 Proxy Configuration screen

Proxy Configuration menu

To define your Internet proxy settings:

  1. In the Proxy Configuration screen, select Enable Proxy.

  2. Configure the proxy settings as follows:

    • HTTP Proxy URL is the name of the proxy server you use to access the World Wide Web. For example, http://proxy.provider.com:3128/.
    • FTP Proxy URL is the name of the proxy server you use to access file transfer services (FTP).
    • No Proxy Domains is a list of domains for which requests should be directly processed without caching.
    • If you are using a proxy server with authorization, fill in Proxy User Name and Proxy Password.
  3. When finished, click Finish to return to the Network Configuration screen.

For more information on proxy server configuration, see “Internet” in the SUSE LINUX Enterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide.

VNC Remote Administration

VNC (virtual network computing) is a client/server solution that allows a remote X server to be managed via a slim and easy-to-use client.

To enable remote VNC administrative access on the server:

  1. Click VNC Remote Administrator in the Network Configuration screen.

  2. Select Allow Remote Administration.

    This installs the VNC server on the server.

  3. Click Finish to return to the Network Configuration screen.

User Authentication Method Screen

Figure 2-24 shows the User Authentication Method screen, where you select an authentication method for users.

Figure 2-24 User Authentication Method screen

User Authentication Method menu

The options for user authentication method are:

  • NIS. User account data is managed centrally by a Network Information Service (NIS) server. For information on managing user accounts through NIS, see “Configuring the Host as a NIS Client” in the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide
  • LDAP. User account data is centrally managed by an LDAP server. For more information on managing user accounts through LDAP, see “LDAP-A Directory Service” in the SUSE LinuxEnterprise Server Installation and Administration Guide
  • Local. This default setup permits users to log in without a network connection. All data related to local user accounts (name, login, password, etc.) are stored and managed on the server using the /etc/passwd file. This authentication method does not support users logging in from remote locations.

    If you select this method, continue with Creating Local User Accounts.

Creating Local User Accounts

If you selected the Local user authentication method, YaST displays the Add a New Local User screen (Figure 2-25) for you to create local user accounts on the server.

Figure 2-25 Add a New Local User screen

Add a New Local User menu

It is recommended that you do not use the root user account to manage the server. Therefore, you should create a local user with root rights.

If you do not want to create a local administrative user account at this time, click Next. When warned that the user options are blank, answer Yes to continue the installation. Skip to SUSE Linux Release Notes.

Enter the user data according to these guidelines:

  • Full User Name is the user’s first and last name.
  • User Login is the name the user will use to log in. Click Suggestion for the system to automatically generate a user login name.
  • You are required to enter the user’s password twice for confirmation.

    To provide effective security, a password should be between five and eight characters long. The maximum length for a password is 128 characters. However, if no special security modules are loaded, only the first eight characters are used to discern the password. Passwords are case-sensitive. Special characters like umlauts are not allowed. Other special characters (7-bit ASCII) and the digits 0 to 9 are allowed.

  • Select Receive System Mail if you want the user to receive messages created by the system services.

    By default, system messages are sent to user root. This option allows other administrative accounts to receive system messages.

  • Select Auto Login to automatically log the current user into the system when it starts. This is useful if the computer is operated by only one user. For the automatic login to work, the option must be explicitly enabled. (This option is available only if KDE is used as the default desktop environment.)

    WARNING:With the automatic login enabled, the system boots straight into your desktop with no authentication. Therefore, if you store sensitive data on your system, you should not enable this option if the computer can be accessed by other users.

  • Select Password Settings to configure the user’s password expiration settings.
  • Select Details to define user profile options such as the user ID, home directory, login shell, and default group.
  • Select User Management to select the User and Group Administration console. From this screen you can add, modify, or delete users and groups, set filters, and configure expert options such as Defaults for New Users, Password Encryption, Authentication and User Sources, Login Settings, and filter options.

SUSE Linux Release Notes

Read the Release Notes for the version of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server you have installed, then click Next.

Hardware Configuration Screen

Figure 2-26 shows the Hardware Configuration screen, which provides configuration information about the server’s graphics cards, printers, and sound configuration. For the most part, YaST automatically detects and configures these hardware devices. However, you can click a headline to review or modify a device configuration.

Figure 2-26 Hardware Configuration screen

Hardware Configuration menu

Following is a brief explanation of the options in the Installation Settings screen, with references to more complete documentation: