Consistent installation of Debian in several machines

[Javier Fdz-Sanguino Pen~a <jfs@ieeesb.etsit.upm.es>]

	I have this question running on my head for some time... how can one
actually ensure two different machines with Debian GNU/Linux installed are
consistent, i.e. the same packages are installed in both.
	I remember recently reading about multi-machine setups as a goal for
slink. IIRC this was about being able to select only once the packages to
have and propagate this information to several machines.

	I have volunteered (grin) to keep a lab of Debian machines
up-to-date and correctly installed, there are currently only 3 of them but
will grow to over 5, a tool like this would be most useful (so as to not go
throught the SAME package-selection process in all of them)

	One of the ideas I had is to propagate the /var/lib/dpkg/status to
the machines and do and update inmediately, but I don't know how will dpkg
react if there is a package that he thinks is installed but isn't.. will it
"upgrade" it?

	Suggestions? Ideas??

	Thanks

	Javi


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