Re: Designing a Linux lab.
On Wed, Aug 19, 1998 at 09:46:00AM -0300, Leandro Guimaraens Faria Corcete Dutra wrote:
> Liran Zvibel wrote:
> >
> > I have one question, though, NT has an option to be installed and
> > configured from the network (I don't mean installing via NFS, but
> > actually get all the installation profile form the network, including the
> > installed programs and conf. files (Of course the administrator has to
> > give the ip and host name)).
> >
> > Is there such an option for Linux? If there is it will be much easier to
> > convince my boss to make the systems dual boots.
> >
> > I can put a main /usr partition on our RAID, and just copy the /etc
> > directory. But even in this way I'll have to change the ip and hostname
> > manually for every computer.
> >
> > I want the students to be able to work locally on the Linux machines, and
> > might add a third boot option to run XDM, connect to our chooser and work
> > from the servers.
>
> I think there's a diskless mini-HOWTO at http://sunsite.unc.edu./LDP/
> and a xterminal tutorial at
> http://www.menet.umn.edu/~kaszeta/unix/xterminal/index.html or something
> like that
I don't think either of these are what he wants...
also as a note...I am myself working on a truely diskless XTerminal
"HOWTOish" doc. right now it is as people.delphi.com/sjc/xterm.txt
(that will change to a more permamnat web page RSN)
anyway....
I think the proper answer is that the real answer to the question is much
simpler...
All you need to do is have 1 server with home dirs and have each machine
mount /home from that via nfs.
Each user has a home dir and can store all their configs in there...that
way when a (l)user logs in they have all their configs.
As for IP and hostname...that doies need to be configured on a per machine
basis...unless you want each user to have an ip/hostname
so that whatever machin ethey log into is always the same IP?
I don't THINK thats what you mean so...(at least I hope not)
Anyway...you can configure linux systems via bootp or rarp...
That way one central sevrer can "dish out" the IPs and hostnames
(or you can use DHCP)
As for xdm....check out my XTerminal doc AND the one by Mr Kaszeta (URL above)
(he actually has been a bit helpfull with me writting mine)
My setup would allow you to boot a machine with a disk with nothing but
a kernel image on it (or this same image could be placed in lilo ;) )
and it will nfs mount its root and boot...right into X and give
a chooser.
Once it is setup adding a new host is as easy as editing /etc/bootptab
it doesn't (YET) cover hetrogeneous XTerminal labs (ie if ALL of the
machines are similar hardware it will work flawlessly)
I AM working on it however
-Steve
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