Re: Stage 4 Gentoo Server Project ISO.

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On Tue, Jul 22, 2003 at 11:30:25PM +1000 or thereabouts, Wade Mealing wrote:
> I'd like to hear thoughts on this matter, positive critism please.

I spoke to Wade about this on irc and he asked me to post my thoughts here
as well.  I find the idea of a stage 4 ISO interesting, but after talking
to Wade, it is not something I would likely use myself because it uses
precompiled binaries.  Personally speaking, I prefer things to be compiled
=66rom source because I feel I get cleaner code that is optimized for my
specific needs.  YMMV and all that. :)

However, Wade and I both agree that we'd like an easy way to install Gentoo
on servers -- ideally one that is completely hands-off.  An idea that I
floated in irc was that of having a "master" installation server.  This
server would have "machine profiles" (thanks for that name, Wade) which
would contain things like:

* CFLAGS
* USE variables
* list of packages required for that server or server type
* /etc/ config files for that server type
* kernel .config file

and other configuration information that is necessary to build a server
=66rom bare-metal to functioning production server.  These profiles could be
categorized by machine or by function.  So, you could have a profile for
server A or you could have a profile for a "web server"

You would then tell the master server that "this new machine with MAC
address XXXXXXXX" is supposed to be a file server.  Then, you turn that
machine on and, through the magic of PXE boot, it contacts the master
server who proceeds to feed it the necessary information so it can build
itself, based on the machine profiles.

The idea is that you can start an installation before you go home simply by
turning the machine on and telling the master install server what to do
with it.  You come in the next day to find a fully configured web server
ready for production.

Anyway, this is an idea that I had, but unfortunately, I don't also have
the time to implement it.  If you're interested in taking up the charge,
feel free to do so.  This is something that I would certainly support as an
official project.

--kurt

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