Re: [idea] debian auto-configuration (like sysprep)
hi there gunnar, hi there wouter, thanks for responding.
the focus / intent of adding some sort of auto-debconf option
is to a) initially install but more importantly b) remote-manage
or simply-manage debian systems.
the idea of being able to have backups of configuration options
saved and selected i find very appealing.
e.g. have a base set of packages plus the OEM configuration options
but then you can do a diff of that against what the user ACTUALLY
selected and then save that off-site.
it's basically a fledgling "remote debconf" that isn't using ssh.
l.
On Wed, Apr 21, 2004 at 12:45:20PM +0000, Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton wrote:
> i have an idea which i would like to share with you, in the hope
> that either it already exists (and someone will kindly tell me where)
> or that it will be considered, implemented, or someone says "oh
> that's easy, go away and add code here here and here, and send me
> the patch".
>
> the idea is based around the configuration text file which is used
> by sysprep.exe.
>
> background of sysprep.exe: it's an NT tool used by OEMs and sysadmins
> to roll out [nearly identical hardware] multiple machines.
>
> what you do is you set up a machine, you run sysprep with a config.txt
> file, and then you shut down the machine.
>
> you then make an image of the hard drive, copy it onto [one or more]
> other machines - the size of the hard drive is irrelevant, it just
> must be bigger - with identical hardware (hard drive being the exception
> to that rule).
>
> and on a boot of these clones, you will get a machine as if you had
> just bought it and switched it on for the first time (now you know
> what tool OEMS use to do that :)
>
> now the config.txt file can contain ANY NUMBER of special configuration
> options, including the License Key, the username, password, domain name,
> host name, IP address, DHCP settings, etc. etc. the list goes on.
>
>
> what i figured would be EXTREMELY useful in debconf (dpkg?) would be
> to have a similar feature in debian.
>
> the basic user-interface would be to have an "auto" option added
> to the list of debconf "front-ends".
>
> this "auto" option should read a file /etc/debconf.auto or something
> (where that file itself should itself be a debconf controlled option).
>
> the format of the file should be very obvious: it should contain
> debconf package names, the option required, and the value it should
> be set to.
>
>
> now here comes the good bit. i believe it would be EXTREMELY useful
> to have an option [in dpkg-reconfigure?] which allows the "auto"
> option to select _a URL_ as its "auto-configuration" file.
>
> i.e.
> http://mydebconfbackedupoptions.com/config?user=lkcl&passwd=foo&config=highfield.sid.20apr2004
>
> in other words, i may run a web site that looks after the configuration
> options for my machine.
>
> i may make a business out of helping other people to manage their
> debian systems.
>
> they can contact me for support, they can ask some questions, i can
> modify or create a configuration for them and then tell them to run
> the "debian autoconfig" tool [click] and their system will automatically
> get reconfigured to solve their problem [hopefully].
>
> obviously, at some point, the ability to specify debian package commands
> (add, remove, update) would also be very useful, but the ability to
> auto-configure installed packages is the kicker.
>
> comments, anyone?
>
> l.
>
> --
> --
> expecting email to be received and understood is a bit like
> picking up the telephone and immediately dialing without
> checking for a dial-tone; speaking immediately without listening
> for either an answer or ring-tone; hanging up immediately and
> believing that you have actually started a conversation.
> --
> <a href="http://lkcl.net";> lkcl.net </a> <br />
> <a href="mailto:lkcl@lkcl.net";> lkcl@lkcl.net </a> <br />
>
--
--
expecting email to be received and understood is a bit like
picking up the telephone and immediately dialing without
checking for a dial-tone; speaking immediately without listening
for either an answer or ring-tone; hanging up immediately and
believing that you have actually started a conversation.
--
<a href="http://lkcl.net";> lkcl.net </a> <br />
<a href="mailto:lkcl@lkcl.net";> lkcl@lkcl.net </a> <br />
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