Chapter 1. Steps to Get You Started
The installation process assumes basic familarity with the IBM S/390 and IBM eServer zSeries platform and makes reference to the IBM Linux for S/390 Redbook (SG24-4987-00 and SG24-6264-00) guide (refer to http://www.redbooks.ibm.com/ for more information). In general, this section assumes that you have reviewed the Redbook and are familiar with setting up logical partitions (LPARs) and virtual machines (VMs) on an S/390 system.
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For the most current IBM resources, visit http://www.ibm.com/eserver/zseries/. |
Before you install Red Hat Enterprise Linux, you must to perform the following steps:
Allocate sufficient DASD[1] partitions to provide suitable disk space (for example, 2 GB is sufficient for server installations, while 5 GB is minimally required to install all packages).
Acquire a minimum of 256 MB RAM (512 MB is strongly recommended) to designate for the Linux virtual machine.
Determine if you need swap space and if so how much. While it is possible (and recommended) to assign enough memory to the VM and let the VM do the necessary swapping, there may be cases where the amount of required RAM is not predictable. Such instances should be examined on a case-by-case basis.
Decide what environment under which to run the Red Hat Enterprise Linux operating system (on an LPAR or as a guest operating system on one or more virtual machines).
Finally, it is important to review sections 3.3 through 3.8, and Chapters 5 and 6 of the IBM Linux for S/390 Redbook, as it explains the different configurations and install scenarios available on the S/390 platform as well as how to setup an initial LPAR or Linux virtual machine (VM).
1.1. Additional S/390 Hardware Preparation for Installation Notes
The network configuration must be determined beforehand. Red Hat Enterprise Linux for S/390 supports multiple network devices including CTC, IUCV, LCS, and QDIO-enabled devices. For the purposes of this installation, it is recommended that two 2 GB DASD partitions be allocated for the installation process. All DASD disk allocations should be completed prior to the install process. After the installation, more DASD disk partitions may be added or deleted as necessary.