Re: Automating FreeBSD Installation(s)...
I put together a setup for work a while back that make OS installs a breeze and avoids the problem of install differences (we used to do manual installs by the way of step by step documentation). Basically what it consists of is a stripped down kernel that supports whatever hardware we may have, kern and mfsroot images for the distribution in question, and an install.cfg sysinstall config. The scripts either build floppy images for a new machine install that doesn't require user input; or a FreeBSD package that you apply, reboot, and when you log in again the system has a fresh FreeBSD install. The latter comes in handy when reinstalling machines 4000 miles away without any remote hands. :) The sysinstall config lets you specify what type of install you want (kernel source install, X install, etc) or you can build your own. You can also add individual packages. The setup has worked very well for us, a typical install/reinstall takes about 5 minutes. Atle - Flying Crocodile Inc, Unix Systems Administrator On Sun, 19 Sep 2004 [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Message: 16 Date: Sat, 18 Sep 2004 16:11:06 -0400 From: Forrest Aldrich [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Automating FreeBSD Installation(s)... To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Message-ID: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed I've read several articles out there that address different means to automate (or standardize, for internal purposes) FreeBSD installations. One article (which was older) spoke of scripting sysinstall via an install.cfg with some custom pkg modules to do edits. The other, exploiting the PXE capability of the newer (Intel) NICs. I'm interested in what people are doing now - what has had the better success rate, etc.I realize this is all dependent upon one's environment - mine will be more ISP-related, but will require some flexibility for different servers. I've also heard of people utilizing GNU CFEngine for this type of procedure, which I find interesting - it's a complex package, but seems to be very functional if you have time/patience to apply it. Thanks... ___ [EMAIL PROTECTED] mailing list http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions To unsubscribe, send any mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Re: Automating FreeBSD Installation(s)...
On Sat, Sep 18, 2004 at 04:11:06PM -0400, Forrest Aldrich wrote: I've read several articles out there that address different means to automate (or standardize, for internal purposes) FreeBSD installations. One article (which was older) spoke of scripting sysinstall via an install.cfg with some custom pkg modules to do edits. The other, exploiting the PXE capability of the newer (Intel) NICs. Actually these two aren't necessarily exclusive. PXE allows you to build a mechanism like Solaris Jumpstart -- where systems will automatically install and configure themselves from a network server. One of the ways to work PXE is to combine it with the scripted install capabilities of sysinstall(8). I'm interested in what people are doing now - what has had the better success rate, etc.I realize this is all dependent upon one's environment - mine will be more ISP-related, but will require some flexibility for different servers. PXE is pretty good, but it depends on having appropriate support supplied via your hardware. Another good system is to build your own customised install CDs (maybe even going to the lengths of building a separate install CD for each server) -- you can include various extra packages as part of your standard install, and you can create a package of your own to install config files in /etc and similar places[1]. Get it right, and installing a system can be automated right down to slapping a CD Rom in the drive and telling the system to boot from it. I've also heard of people utilizing GNU CFEngine for this type of procedure, which I find interesting - it's a complex package, but seems to be very functional if you have time/patience to apply it. CFEngine is more to do with port-install configuration: managing a whole machine room full of servers from a centralised configuration database. Cheers, Matthew [1] You can even use a FreeSBIE disk -- your OS lives on the (unwritable) CD Rom, and the disk newfs'es and mounts and populates the filesystems using the systems' hard drive as necessary. Very easy to recover from system compromise in that case: just reboot. -- Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. 26 The Paddocks Savill Way PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Marlow Tel: +44 1628 476614 Bucks., SL7 1TH UK pgpy9HJfZAB7Q.pgp Description: PGP signature
