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MAC-Specific Provisioning, also called "Push Provisioning" is favored in data centers and environments where human hands rarely touch systems. MAC-Specific Provisioning uses a database to manage each system's attributes, including each system's MAC address, unique network settings, host name, time zone, password and the assigned Provisioning Role Template that directs what operating system and applications are to be installed. Also included in the database are "toggle" switches that give you control over if and when a system gets provisioned or repurposed.

MAC-Specific provisioning is a 2 step process. First, you create one or more Provisioning Role Templates that contain the name of the operating system and optionally applications and scripts. Second, you assign Provisioning Role Templates to individual systems.

  • The LinMin Provisioning Roles Dashboard displays important information on all your system
  • To get there, you need to first create Provisioning Role Templates:
    • Create a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create an MS Windows Server Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create a Fedora Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create a CentOS Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create a Debian Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create a Novell SLES Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create an MS Windows 7 or XP Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create an OpenSUSE Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
    • Create an Ubuntu Provisioning Role Template: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to create a Template.
  • So, now that we've created these Provisioning Role Templates, it's time to assign the templates to different systems. With LinMin, it's incredibly easy to provision a system with one OS, then re-provision it with an other OS when needs change: Windows Server this week, Red Hat Enterprise next week, and so on!
  • Now you can see (and modify) all your systems at once with the Provisioning Roles Dashboard!

MAC-Specific Provisioning Tutorial

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MAC-Independent Provisioning, also called "Pull Provisioning" lets the user selectsfrom a system's pre-OS screen what Operating system to "pull" from LinMin and install. You don't need to know the system's MAC address: just hit F12 to boot to the network and select your Provisioning Role specifying what OS and applications to install.

  • Boot the system you want to provision, hit F12 (if you haven't changed BIOS settings) to boot to the network and select what OS to install
  • How did the screen get built? Very easily, using the LinMin browser interface. Here the MAC-Independent Dashboard. We'll show you how to assemble it below.
    • Add a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add a Microsoft Windows Server Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add a Fedora Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add a CentOS Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add a Debian Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add a Novell SLES Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add a Microsoft Windows 7 or XP Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add an OpenSUSE Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
    • Add an Ubuntu Provisioning Role: Select it from the dropdown, and click "OK" to add it to the Dashboard.
  • Congratulations! You just assembled the MAC-Independent Dashboard!
  • Now when you power up a system and hit F12, Install the OS of your choice with a keystroke!

MAC-Independent Provisioning Tutorial

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Bare Metal Imaging is used to copy the entire contents of the disks of a Linux or Windows system, and store the contents on the network. Should the system get corrupted, you can restore the entire system to be exactly as it was when you captured the image (not just the applications and data, but the boot record, so the system is a fully working one). You can also quickly change what OS a system is running, and clone systems with the same hardware configuration.

Imaging Tutorial

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API - Application Programming Interface to add Automated Provisioning to your IT Application The LinMin API is used by customers to integrate LinMin's provisioning functionality into their applications(Control Panels, Orchestrators, etc.). Such applications include web hosting or dedicated server control panels, load balancing/system monitoring software, and other IT applications where systems need to be changed from one operating system to another, or where new systems need to be brought from a spare pool of servers into production without being touched by human hands. In fact, the end users of our customers' applications don't even know that LinMin is powering the application they're using. Perhaps you use LinMin today and don't realize it!

Application Programming Interface Tutorial

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Remote System Rescue is a very useful practice when a remote system is behaving unexpectedly and you can't physically go to the system to insert a rescue CD. LinMin Bare Metal Provisioning can easily deploy a RAM-based rescue system to enable an administrator to troubleshoot and remedy remote systems. The example below is for preparing and deploying a Red Hat Enterprise Linux or CentOS-based rescue system.

To prepare a provisioning role with a Rescue System, follow the same steps as you would to create a regular Red Hat or CentOS provisioning role, but simply enter a kernel parameter instead of leaving it blank: it's that simple! In the example below we are using CentOS 5.4 and the MAC-Specific provisioning mode.

LinMin also makes it possible to remotely deploy Live CDs.

Rescue Systems Tutorial

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Virtualization Support: click on the links below to see the provisioning of VMware Virtual Machines. In this case, we're using "MAC-Independent", meaning OS is selected from the client and pulled down.

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