Unable to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.3.0 with Infiniband network interfaces

Solution Verified - Updated

Environment

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.3.0
  • Infiniband Network Interfaces

Issue

  • With system interfaces in Infiniband mode, we are unable to install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.3.0. Changing the interfaces to Ethernet mode results in a successful installation.

Resolution

Workaround - Use the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2.0 installation media

The installation media for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2.0 utilizes the older legacy scripts for network initialization. In the event that the platform does not require updated installation media, the older media can be used to begin the installation process. In the event that the repositories used are fully up to date, then the resulting system would be up to date as well.

Workaround - Create new installation media including updated packages via the Lorax

The installation media is built using the Lorax tooling set. The system that is used to create the media must have access to updated Anaconda and NetworkManager packages. Specifically including the following two errata:

With the lorax and lorax-templates-rhel utility installed on the system, the following command can be used to build this media:

lorax '--product=Red Hat Enterprise Linux' --version=8.3 --release=8.3 \
    --source=<URL_TO_BASEOS> \
    --source=<URL_TO_APPSTREAM> \
    --source=<URL_TO_REPO_WITH_UPDATED_NM> \
    --source=<URL_TO_REPO_WITH_UPDATED_ANACONDA> \
    --nomacboot --buildarch=x86_64 '--volid=RHEL 8.3' <OUTPUT_DIRECTORY>

Additional Assistance

For further assistance, or to request media which includes the above errata to be provided. Please reach out to Red Hat Support:

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Root Cause

Prior to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.3.0, the pre-switchroot network initialization process was completed via a series of legacy scripts. The limitations associated with these scripts were quite numerous, and very difficult to address without risking large behavioral regressions.

With the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.3.0 release, the pre-switchroot network initialization process is handled by the NetworkManager component. However, a regression was encountered in the instance that systems were reliant on network initialization prior to the full root filesystem being available and are using Infiniband interfaces for connectivity. The most visible instance of this regression is found in systems that are installed via PXE boot and do not have Ethernet interfaces present.

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