Re: FAI questions
On Mon, 2001-11-12 at 06:09, Thomas Lange wrote:
>
> > I'm trying to set up a cluster of identical workstations to be a
> > cluster. FAI seems waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay to crazy to set up right
> > now to me (especially after fighting through getting that nfs-root disk
> > built = 6 hours of manual script editing and debugging). Does anyone
>
> Can you describe the problems inb more detail ? Why didn't you contact
> me directly ??? 6 hours of debugging is to much !
Most of the 6 hours was spent just trying to figure out why when I tried
to do it the dbootstrap way nothing was happening. I tracked it down to
having to use "sid" instead of unstable, then I started to have
downloading problems, since the script starts fresh every time it was
wiping things and I changed that, which led to more isssues about
symlinks and other things later on.
Then I got into the config area and sort of just threw up my hands.
What I need to see is basically a decision and action flow chart that
FAI takes for configuration.
I plan to fully understand the FAI system ... it's just too much that is
unknown to me at the moment.
>
> I think you want to install a woody system with FAI. There were some
> problems with FAI 2.2.2 and woody but most of them are fixed in the
> new version in the CVS tree. But again, send an email to
> fai@informatik.uni-koeln.de and describe your problems.
>
>
> > Otherwise I'm just going to build a complete nfs-root system with
> > debootstrap on the master, boot nodes with rescue and root, nfs mount a
> .
> .
> > lilo to reboot. If anyone has tips or suggestions or horror stories I'd
> > also appreciate those.
>
> The fastest way to install machines is to fix the problem you have with
> FAI. Writing your own install script will surely not lead to a
> installed system in a short time.
>
> So please contact me.
What I am going to do at the moment is take the core of the FAI idea (at
least I think it's the core) and have systems mount the nfs-root that
will be the new system, partition with sfdisk from a file (they are all
identical so this is not an issue) make my raid drives, mount the target
and un-tar the sytem, changing the config files in just a few places.
It's really just a matter of what I can do the fastest at this moment.
Like I said initially, FAI seems to be what I want in the future, it's
just that the deadline came up too quickly and I'm more comfortable
working with something I understand completely.
For under 20 identical workstations once I have my shell script written
it should be mostly painless, though I still have to manually config
each box due to the network card issues so I'm already missing the put
in a floppy and go philosophy of FAI. I actually hope to contribute to
the project in the near future once I can fully grok it.
--mike
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