Rolling Out Linux

Distributing Linux via Imaging

DSM does not support the unattended installation of a Linux operating system because every Linux distribution has its own installation mechanism which is very often subject to change. However, you can create an image from a Linux operating system you installed manually and then distribute it to different computers.

If you want to use DSM to distribute Linux images you need a license for DSM 7 Imaging.

How to distribute a Linux image with DSM:

  1. Create a Linux image (capture with Drive Snapshot). Refer to the DSM OS Deployment Online Help for more details.
  2. Follow the wizard Create packages for an OS installation. Add the DSM UnixClient as Pre OS Action Package Component of the OS Installation Set.
  3. Specify a boot environment variable for the Linux clients where you want to deploy the operating system, if you have not already done so in the wizard.
  4. If required, add the OS Action Package for installing the Discovery Client Agent as a component to the OS Installation Set.
  5. Test the OS Installation Set.
  6. Release the OS Installation Set and all of the components before assigning it.

Extending the Linux OS Installation Set with Your Own Components

If you want to integrate more components to a Linux OS Installation Set, use the Post OS Action Packages.The package for installing the Discovery Client has also been implemented as Post OS Action Package.

Best Practice: To customize a Linux installation you can just as well create and roll out a Universal Script Package. We recommend using a Post OS Action Package if you want to integrate it in an OS Installation Set. You can even use Post OS Action Packages to customize Windows installations if the script contains a batch file and you want to integrate it in an OS Installation Set.