RE: Cloning

[Preston Boyington <PBoyington@polyengineering.com>]

> Subject: Cloning
> 
> 
> Hello all!
> 
> I'm about to install Debian on 12 computers (i*86). They will use the
> same setup regarding software, but the hardware differs somewhat
> between them.
> 
> I would like to know if there is possible to, for example, install and
> configure one box and then somhow "copy" the install to the others. Or
> is the debian installer maybe scriptable?
> 
> Well, I have never done anything similar before- suggestions, anyone?
> 
> 
> Thanks,
> --ph
> 
 One of the best things about using Debian is the ability to make a list of
installed packages and have the computer install them on a system with a
simple command. This is great for loading a new computer. I use a dpkg
command to make a list of my installed packages which I archive. That way I
can install all my packages that I want on a system with just a few
keystrokes.

I use this sequence of commands (found on Debian Planet to my best
recollection)

Do this command on the source system to create a list of packages:

dpkg --get-selections > list.txt

Do this command on the target system to load the list of packages:

dpkg --set-selections < list.txt

Do this to install the packages:

dselect install

Also, you can name the list whatever you want and direct the output to
wherever you want. I just showed it as "list.txt" and have it going to my
"/" directory instead of "/home/foo/documents/list.txt"

you may also want to look into having the target systems "apt-get" from your
source machine's cache.  that way only one system is downloading from the
internet and the rest look to it for updates and such.

others may give better or more automated answers, but this is what i have
used in the past when we roll out a new workstation that has different/newer
hardware, but the same software.

preston