SA Provisioning

SA Provisioning provides the ability to install (or provision) pre-configured operating system baselines onto bare metal and virtual servers quickly, consistently, and with minimal manual intervention. Bare metal and virtual server SA Provisioning is a key part of the overall process of getting a server into production.

SA Provisioning ensures that each server in your facility has a standardized, default operating system configuration that you control. For detailed information about SA Provisioning, see the SA 10.51 Administer section.

Benefits of SA Provisioning include:

• Integration with other SA functionality

  Because SA Provisioning is integrated with the suite of SA automation capabilities, including patch management, software management, and distributed script execution, hand-offs between IT groups are seamless. SA ensures that all IT groups are working with a shared understanding of the current state of the environment, which is an essential element of delivering high-quality operations and reliable change management.

• Update server baselines without re-imaging Unlike many other provisioning solutions, systems provisioned with can be easily changed after provisioning to adapt to new requirements. The key to this benefit is the use of templates and an installation-based approach to provisioning.
• Flexible architecture designed to work in many environments Provisioning supports many different types of servers, networks, security architectures, and operational processes. works well in CD (Linux provisioning) or network-boot environments (both DHCP and non-DHCP environments), with scheduled or on-demand workflows, and across a large variety of hardware models. This flexibility ensures that you can provision operating systems to suit your organization’s needs.

You can perform SA Provisioning functions from the SA Client. SA automates the entire process of provisioning a comprehensive server baseline, which typically consists of the following tasks:

• Preparing the hardware for OS installation using an OS installation profile (required only for OS Sequences).
• Defining OS Build Plans which are a list of tasks to be performed on a server before and after operating system installation. OS Build Plans are more powerful than and can be used in place of OS Sequences.
• Defining OS Sequences which are a list of tasks to be performed on a server during installation. OS Sequences can include application, patch, and remediation policies. SA recommends that you use the more flexible OS Build Plans.
• Installing a base operating system and default OS configuration using an OS Build Plan or OS Sequence.
• Applying the latest set of OS patches. The exact list depends on the applications running on the server.
• Executing pre-installation or post-installation scripts that configure the system with values such as a root password.
• Installing system agents and utilities such as SSH, PC Anywhere, backup agents, monitoring agents, or anti-virus software.
• Installing widely shared system software such as Java Virtual Machines.

SA Provisioning supports:

• Windows, Solaris, and Linux.
• Network or CD/DVD-based installations.
• Separation of duties between data center staff and systems administrators.
• A model-based approach — in which you create a standard build in SA which can then be installed on many systems.

SA Provisioning integrates with your operating system vendors’ native installation technology, specifically:

• Windows setup answer files: unattend.xml, sysprep.inf
• Red Hat Kickstart
• SuSE YaST (Yet another Setup Tool)
• Solaris Jumpstart
• WINPE/WIN-BCOM/UNDI

You can provision an operating system on:

• A server in SA’s agentless server pool that does not have an operating system installed (bare metal server)
• A virtual server
• A server in SA’s unmanaged server pool with an installed operating system
• A server in SA’s managed server pool with an installed operating system (reprovisioning)