Re: Stage 4 Gentoo Server Project ISO.

On Tuesday 22 July 2003 16:22, Kurt Lieber wrote:
> 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
> from source because I feel I get cleaner code that is optimized for my
> specific needs.  YMMV and all that. :)
Maybe deviding "deployment" into three steps is an option:

- Preparation (partitioning, filesystem creation, networking)
- Software install (either build or precompiled)
- Configuration

This way you can choose wether you want to use a (custom) stage-3 (stage4?) or 
build it from scratch by making the Software install part flexible.
>
> 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
> from 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.
I'm taking a slightly different approach. I let the server generate 
boot-floppies which contain the configuration information. Why am I taking 
this approach?

- I can generate the configuration floppy without the need to have physical 
access to the machine (to determine the MAC).
- I can have the dealer deliver the machines directly to the customer
- Using a floppy I can detect the removal of the floppy and automatically 
reboot. Using a boot CD would require someone to wait until the drive becomes 
unlocked to remove the CD.

To be honest I'm just starting with this so there's not much yet... :)
>
> 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.
My idea is more in the spirit of a stage-4 since I know in advance what 
software I'm going to deploy so it will save a lot of time compiling, but 
compiling from source has a lot of benefits as well. Depends on what you 
need.

IMHO both ways (compiling and dumping) can live peacefully side by side and 
benefit from the same infrastructure.

Who would like to but their heads together on this?

kind regards,

David Pavlotzky
>
> --kurt


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