Angel Martin Alganza wrote:
>
> David Douthitt wrote:
>
> > Why not compile the network support into the kernel, remove the modules,
> > and use the kernel's embedded DHCP/BOOTP support? I can't remember if
> > this was in 2.2 or not, but it's an interesting idea. Only problem is,
> > to reclaim the space, a new kernel with the proper network support is
> > needed instead of adding a module. Adding a module could be done, but
> > that won't reclaim the extra space taken up by the kernel.
>
> Yes, this could do as well... but then you loose the possibillity of
> having only one (type of) floppy for all clientes, if they have different
> hardware (net cards at least), I think.
True, though you can include multiple network modules in the kernel.
What I was thinking of was removing all of the network modules now in
/lib/modules/boot (in development versions) and putting them into the
kernel.
Of course, that leads to the problem mentioned before. Basically, if
someone has an unsupported network module, or wants to use the kernel
for some other configuration (VPN/IPsec for example, or Bridging for
another) then this network boot capability is lost.
Most importantly, if a person with a supported network card replaces
this (super-)kernel with a new modular kernel, they will find that their
networking no longer works, and will have to search for a module.
I'm not sure about the solution to this one... documentation? more
images? create "super-kernel" as add-on for those who want it?
> The nice thing about net booting is that all the configuration is
> done in a single place, the server, while the clients simply get (via
> always the same floppy) whatever the server ends them over.
That is a very nice and appealing feature. I forget now though - how
does the server determine which set of files to use? I thought it was
based on IP or MAC address - which becomes a bit difficult if you never
know what MAC address you're going to have.
It also makes your configuration client-dependent (or PC-dependent)
rather than "user-choice-dependent"; that's what I had in mind for some
of the more powerful configuration options. So I can go to a computer,
boot the disk, and select a particular "configuration" based on a FTP
server somewhere, perhaps with a set of packages for "ftp_server" or
"ssh_server" or "web_server" or "net_test" or other things...
Thus the "set" is not the computer or the network card, but rather the
functions desired by the user at the time.
Almost sounds as if my network loading is more powerful than this more
traditional network boot.
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