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a FAI quickstart (Re: let's etch a common way of using debtags for CDDs and beyond!



Hi, 

I'm currently pretty busy to really follow and participate as much in this 
discussion as I would like to. I'm happy that this discussion has evolved 
(and how) - IMHO it would be great to have summaries once in a while ;)

On Wednesday 18 May 2005 18:18, Sergio Talens-Oliag wrote:
>   I don't plan to use metapackages, my idea is to
>   use only one package that depends on the cddtool runtime and provides a
>   description of the CDD. That package only contains the data needed to
>   install the different tasks or flavours of the CDD, but it is not a
>   metapackage, so the dependency problems on the archive are avoided.
>
>   As I've said before, I'm not against debtags, but it's use for package
>   selection leaves a lot of things out:

I must admit, I haven't looked at cddtool as close as I have looked at 
debtags. What I propose can really as well be something more like: use 
debtags to assemble the data (which packages) what belongs to a CDD. Use 
debtags as input for a cdd config file creator. You understand & agree ? 

As I see it, debtags can+should be used as glue to connect parts^Wtools 
together. 

And CDDTool seems like in great tool in these processes. I will have a look at 
in more detail ASAP. (Which might take a few days... I'm pretty busy 
currently...)

> > The best organized and largest pool of configuration tweaking scripts to
> > use as common base is IMHO the one found in FAI - and hopefully soon
> > provided in a separate Debian package not depending on netbootable
> > kernel, NFS and other stuff required to setup a fullblown FAI
> > environment.
>   Are there any plans to have this package ready soon? Is somebody working
> on it?

It's available now and called fai, version 2.8.2 ;) 

2.8.3, which fixes a RC bug and provides a better quickstart guide (see 
#309556 or  
http://www.informatik.uni-koeln.de/fai/fai-guide.html/ch-instprocess.html#s-impatient 
for the 2.8.2 version of it...) is in the last steps before an upload.

The "only" thing which has to be done (with fai) now (=post-sarge) is to make 
it more modular and easier reusable for example with cddtool.

But FAI is perfectly usable (with d-i and) without PXE, NFS, BOOTP, DHCP 
(although you'll want the latter anyway) - see 
http://liw.iki.fi/lists/debconf5-team%40lists.debconf.org/msg00349.html for a 
short "howto use FAI's softupdate with d-i"  

"FAI softupdate" means updating running systems with FAI, it's a new feature 
since 2.8 and doesnt _need_ a server any more. So you can install the fai 
package on any system. (You still need access to a FAI_CONFIGDIR, either via 
nfs or cvs - svn will be possible soon.)


One of the reasons for my shortage on time to participate in this thread now 
is that I need "real soon now" to document this better and provide an easy 
howto and fai-configdir so that we, the debconf5 video and administration 
teams, can work on (=setup) the debconf5 infrastructure before debconf (at 
home / at work / whereever).

I will post links to more fai-documentation (from the debconf5 preparations) 
to this thread as soon as its written. But try FAI now, 2.8.2 has become a 
lot easier. 
(Warning: (upgrading) 2.8.2 breaks policy, see #309209 - 2.8.3 is ready for 
devel testing since 45min. and should be uploaded tomorrow...)


regards,
	Holger

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