RE: Debian in Server Farm
>
> Not sure about "recommended", but cfengine is pretty good.
> You can go a long way with CVS + cvsup, too, but I think the
> best solution is to put configs in CVS/subversion, and use
> cfengine to handle deploying new versions of configs.
Like that suggestion a lot! - Thanks.
> > 3. Imaging of Servers - I have looked at SystemImager
> > http://www.systemimager.org/, and it looks to do exactly
> what I want
> > (i.e. be able to create a bootable CD from our SOE for
> deployment of
> > new serverfarm boxes, or quick recovery from failure) - Can anyone
> > provide feedback as to it's effectiveness?
>
> I love it. I've got a cluster of about 200 machines that I
> manage using systemimager. If you're installing onto newer
> hardware, you will almost certainly have to build a custom si
> kernel to add newer drivers for ethernet cards or RAID cards.
> It's not particular difficult, just a tad time consuming.
>
> Notes below are how to add a newer e1000 driver to the
> systemimager kernel; it may help.
>
> M
>
> mkdir ~/src/systemimager
> cd ~/src/systemimager
> apt-get source systemimager # ~ 45MB
> cd systemimager-3.0.1
> tar -xjf systemimager-3.0.1.tar.bz2
> cd systemimager-3.0.1
> make patched_kernel-stamp
>
> There is now a systemimager kernel source tree in src/linux-2.4.20
>
> Download the e1000 source from Intel:
> http://support.intel.com/support/network/sb/cs-006120-prd38.htm
>
> mkdir ~/src/e1000
> cd ~/src/e1000
> tar -xzf e1000.tar.gz
> cd e1000/src
> Edit Makefile:
> Set KSP =
> ~/src/systemimager/systemimager-3.0.1/systemimager-3.0.1/src/l
> inux-2.4.20
> make
> cp e1000.o
> ~/src/systemimager/systemimager-3.0.1/systemimager-3.0.1/initr
> d_source/my_modules
> cd
> ~/src/systemimager/systemimager-3.0.1/systemimager-3.0.1/initr
> d_source/my_modules
> Edit INSMOD_COMMAND
> Add nsmod ./e1000.o'
> cd ~/src/systemimager/systemimager-3.0.1
> Edit FLAVOR
> Change it to something else (like e1000) for testing.
> make binaries
> Go get lunch... this takes a _long_ time.
> sudo make install_binaries
> This puts the binaries into
> /usr/share/systemimager/boot/i386/e1000
>
> Now copy kernel, config, and initrd.img from e1000 to the
> master "standard"
> image, and to the master /tftpboot.
Thanks HEAPS for the info on systemimager! - Going to set it up on some
test servers today.
Regards,
MB
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