Ignite-UX Release Notes (769572-001, March 2014)

4 General features
Benefits:
Ignite-UX is intended to address the needs of customers performing system installations and
recoveries, often on a large scale. It provides the means for creating standard system configurations
for reuse. It provides the ability to capture an installed system into an image, and use that image
to quickly install standard systems. Ignite-UX also permits post-installation customizations, and is
capable of both interactive and unattended operating modes.
Features:
• The installation sessions for multiple targets can be controlled from a single server in a true
client/server model. A user interface is provided to run on the server and manage multiple
simultaneous installation sessions. Alternatively, a single installation session can be controlled
from the target machine if that is more convenient for the user. An installation server with the
C.* version of the product can itself be running any version of HP-UX B.11.*. For more
information, see the chapter on booting and installing clients from the server and the chapter
on booting and installing clients from the client in the Ignite-UX Administration Guide.
• The user interface has a tabbed dialog that presents configuration capabilities without
overwhelming the casual user. In addition, a wizard mode is available for the first-time user.
For more information, see the section on installation using the Ignite-UX GUI in the Ignite-UX
Administration Guide.
• Loads can occur from multiple software sources in a single installation session. For example,
you can install your base operating system from one SD depot, a set of patches from another
depot, and any applications you want from a third depot all in a single session. For more
information, see the section on using configuration files in the Ignite-UX Administration Guide.
• In addition to the continued support of SD software sources, Ignite-UX also supports tar and
cpio (and pax for B.11.23 and later) format archives. Tools are provided to help you create
a "golden system image" if you wish to install a common configuration. For more information,
see Ignite-UX Administration Guide.
• It is easy to create a system that is ready to go as soon as the installation session completes.
Many of the tasks which are typically performed as separate steps after an installation have
been incorporated into the installation process. Ignite-UX allows you to specify what kernel
parameters you want set and what user-supplied scripts you would like to run as part of the
session. Many different script hooks are provided so you can do your own customizations
during the installation or after the installation.
Also, the host and networking information which must normally be supplied at first boot can
be specified at installation-time. For more information on user-supplied scripts, see the section
regarding the Advanced Tab of the user interface, and the chapter on customizing your
installation in the Ignite-UX Administration Guide. For more information on setting kernel
tunables, see the section on using configuration files in the Ignite-UX Administration Guide.
• It is possible to create a common configuration for your particular needs, create an image of
it, and then quickly apply that configuration to multiple installation targets. For more information,
see Ignite-UX Administration Guide.
• Ignite-UX allows you to set up a configuration and then use it to install a target machine with
no further user interaction. This can be done in both the initial installation and the reinstallation
cases. For more information, see Ignite-UX Administration Guide.
• Ignite-UX provides a tool to scan a system and produce a report detailing what hardware is
present, how the disks are used, what kernel modifications have been made, and what software
has been installed. This report can be customized to meet your needs. For more information,
see print_manifest(1M).
18 General features