The paper describes how to allow a customized automated installation of Linux. This is possible both via CDRom or network using a special boot disk that describes the system that should be set up and either standard SuSE Linux CDs, customized install CDs or an appropriately configured installation server. A control file on the boot disk and additional (optional) control files on the install medium specify which settings should be used and which packages should be installed. This includes settings like language, key table, network setup, hard disk partitioning, packages to install, etc. After giving a quick overview of the syntax and capabilities of this installation method, considerations about how to plan the automated installation at larger sites are presented. This includes questions like the minimum default installation, criteria how to define classes of machines with identical additional setup and security concerns. Finally, an extension of this methodology that allows system backups and automated restore of such system backups (somewhat similar to the mksysb-feature present in IBM's AIX) is presented.

Thomas Fehr is a member of the Board of Directors of SuSE Linux AG. Besides this he works as a software developer for SuSE GmbH. Together with Michael Andres he developed the SuSE installation program YaST. Thomas is one of the four persons founding SuSE in 1992. He has been Managing Director of SuSE GmbH and CEO of SuSE Linux AG since the creation of these companies. In August 1999 he resigned from these positions and became member of the board of SuSE Linux AG. Thomas Fehr holds a Diploma in Computer Science from the Friedrich Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg. During his years as student at the university he worked as a freelance software developer for different software companies near Nürnberg. He lives in Erlangen, Germany.