Re: Large-scale debian installation, request help
Ganesan Rajagopal wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I need to install Debian on about 50 intel machines with very different
> hardware configurations (386/8MB/40MB to pentium/32MB/1.2 GB, different
> network cards). All these machines need to have an identical
> configuration. I would like IP addresses to be assigned automatically using
> DHCP.
Interesting project.
> How do I proceed with this? Do I create a custom installation floppy which
> will automate most of this? Or should I use nfs root? I would like to hear
> suggestions/advice from people who have done such large installations. I am
> currently looking at the netboot package, but that seems to do only part of
> the work and requires a lot of setup (The Readme.Debian file seems to be out
> dated and talks about a nfsroot package which I cannot find). Therefore I
> would also like to hear about people using nfs-root installations using
> Debian. Thanks.
>
> Ganesan
>
> PS: When I have some spare time, I would like to have a look at the Coda
> file system instead of nfs root so that the local disk (if present) can be
> used a cache so that server/network is not unnecessarily loaded.
Hi Ganesan!
Since the main setup of each system is similar there are several approaches
(except for the network card.).
a) You could install the system as you want to have it on one machine
and tar/cpio/dd it into one single archive that you can retrieve and
unpack on the remaining 49 systems. This would include configuration
of the system.
Caveat: You need to check the hostname/ipnr/mail config/x11 config
afterwards
b) You could make one installation and store the list of selected packages
(dpkg --get-selections > selection). This list can be re-included
at installation stage for the remaining 49 systems. (before calling
dselect, e.g. when asking for pre-selection, log in as root on the 2nd
console and run "cat selection|dpkg --set-selections).
Caveat: This does not include configuration of packages so you'll
have to configure them later manually, i.e. you will be
queried for some 30 packages.
Regards,
Joey
--
VFS: no free i-nodes, contact Linus -- finlandia, Feb '94
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