From 36027b847ab3e4d1d97b0ca7430e5a08a8e75388 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Nico Schottelius Date: Sat, 2 Apr 2011 00:49:59 +0200 Subject: [PATCH] how to automatically install all unices Signed-off-by: Nico Schottelius --- blog/automated-unix-installations.mdwn | 54 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 54 insertions(+) create mode 100644 blog/automated-unix-installations.mdwn diff --git a/blog/automated-unix-installations.mdwn b/blog/automated-unix-installations.mdwn new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c3b9c3fe --- /dev/null +++ b/blog/automated-unix-installations.mdwn @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ +[[!meta title="Automated Unix Installations"]] + +From time to time I'm playing around with different Unices, +mostly free ones like *BSD and Linux and wonder how easy it is +to have an automatic installation. + +## Preample: There's only one way to do it + +My expererience as a sysadmin is that the only way to scale +out installations is via network install: USB sticks, cdroms +or floppies just require too much manual work. As most installations +need network connectivity anyway, there is no need to rely on these +old fashioned, non scalable methods. + +## Network install + +If an (unix) operating system supports network install, it should +require only a TFTP server. The reason for this is that for network +installations using PXE a TFTP server is required anyway. + +After the installer is running, it can definitely use the usual +methods to retrieve components like packages (i.e. HTTP, NFS, etc.), +but this not require me, as a sysadmin, to setup any additional +service. + +## The challenge + +Now I'm sitting in front of some computers and I'm wondering how +easy it can be to setup these boxes with different Unices +*automated*. + +## Current status + +I've started the [[cuni|software/cuni]] project some time ago to +learn about the unix installers and I'm aware of at least +Kickstart for Redhat/Fedora, Preseed for Debian/Ubuntu +and Fai for Debian. I guess there are many other out there and +I'm wondering how easy it is for every Unix to get into a +complete unattendet, autoamated installation. + +## Help appreciated, comments and critics welcome + +I'm aware that this is a bigger project, but at the end it would +be very useful for sysadmins maintaining small and large infrastructures +to be able to have *one way to rule them all*. + +So if you are an expert of $Unix and know how to automate the +installation of it via network, [[just drop me a mail|contact]]. + +I plan to extend [[cuni|software/cuni]] to be able to create automated +installation environments, as soon as I've collected the necessary +information on how to do so. + +[[!tag eth foss unix]]