[nycbug-talk] PXE/TFTPd Sanity

[Isaac Levy]

On Dec 30, 2009, at 5:02 PM, N.J. Thomas wrote:

> * Isaac Levy <ike at lesmuug.org> [2009-12-30 14:33:48-0500]:
>> - Has any unified software/packaging come about for doing network
>> installs, or is it all still all just a matter of setting up TFTPD and
>> a DHCP server?
> 
> The thing I've seen done at most places is something similar to the
> following:
> 
>    - use PXE/DHCP/TFTP to have the box grab an IP and fetch
>      the OS install files
> 
>    - use sysinstall/cobbler/kickstart/jumpstart/FAI to install a 
>      minimal OS and the configuration management system
> 
>    - use the configuration management system (cfengine, puppet, bcfg2,
>      etc.) to install everything else 
> 
> The key here is to keep the first two steps as simple and as
> small/minimal as possible. I would strongly suggest that you avoid the
> temptation to have it do more than this. They all have capabilities that
> will do far more (Cobbler especially), but cfengine/puppet/bcfg2 are far
> better suited to handle this task, so you want to give that job to them.

Perfect!

> 
> The basic idea is you want to get to the point where your automated
> install is done when the configuration management system package/port is
> installed. Everything else is done by the latter.
> 
> Thomas

This is exactly the sentiment I was looking for- and as our aim is to continue to maintain very homogeneous groups of software servers, we may not even get into the cfengine/puppet/bcfg2 etc... apps for quite some time- our scripted installs and updates should hold us for at least the next year.

It's the boot and install parts we need to focus on- perhaps months from now I'll post back with notes on what we did.

Now it's up to us to go sort out the tools' options!

Thanks Thomas, and Dave!

Best,
.ike