I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, perhaps through NFS. Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and with the server. Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs? === Al
Do some google searches for kickstart or look at http://www.centos.org/docs/4/html/rhel-sag-en-4/s1-kickstart2-options.html I have a webserver set up and I use that instead of NFS. I put the cd in, boot the system and at the linux prompt, I run something like: linux: linux ks=http://<kickstart server>/<config file for specific server> Then I walk away and wait for the heavy lifting to be done. With kickstart, you can script all the post-install configuration that you typically do -- deploying a system is now down to 15 minutes for me. I have stock configs for mail servers, name servers and webservers -- when I need a new one, it's as simple as provisioning the hardware (and even more simple when using virtualization). If you have a dhcp server, you can do it without a cd at all -- you can use the PXE boot images. On 12/2/06, Al Sparks <data345 at yahoo.com> wrote:> > I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, > perhaps through NFS. > > Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot > it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and > with the server. > > Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs? > === Al > > > _______________________________________________ > CentOS mailing list > CentOS at centos.org > http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos >-------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://lists.centos.org/pipermail/centos/attachments/20061202/f504826a/attachment-0001.html>
Do you want the root on nfs, or just grab the installation source off a network server? network boot + nfs root is well documented on google, there's nothing really specific to centos about it, that is, it works for almost any linux or bsd distro. in most cases you don't install to a network drive, you install to a local drive and then copy it to the network. another thought is to look at g4l (ghost for linux) ... install a centos base image, and then use g4l to load it to a room full of networked PCs. Gordon On 12/2/06, Al Sparks <data345 at yahoo.com> wrote:> I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, > perhaps through NFS. > > Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot > it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and > with the server. > > Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs? > === Al > > > _______________________________________________ > CentOS mailing list > CentOS at centos.org > http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos >
On Sat, 2006-12-02 at 21:02, Al Sparks wrote:> I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, > perhaps through NFS. > > Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot > it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and > with the server. > > Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs?If you download the iso images to an NFS exported directory you can burn only the first CD and boot it with 'linux askmethod' at the boot prompt, then select NFS as the install method and fill in the server and path info. Once it starts the install it will take care of all the loopback mounts for you so you don't have to wait around and swap CDs. You can automate even more with a kickstart file, but answering those first few questions doesn't take that long. -- Les Mikesell lesmikesell at gmail.com
Thanks. It looks like I've got something to work with. Another question. I'm also looking at virtual servers. What's the most popular free software for that? === Al ----- Original Message ---- From: Les Mikesell <lesmikesell at gmail.com> To: CentOS mailing list <centos at centos.org> Sent: Saturday, December 2, 2006 8:08:22 PM Subject: Re: [CentOS] Installing CentOS over LAN On Sat, 2006-12-02 at 21:02, Al Sparks wrote:> I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, > perhaps through NFS. > > Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot > it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and > with the server. > > Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs?If you download the iso images to an NFS exported directory you can burn only the first CD and boot it with 'linux askmethod' at the boot prompt, then select NFS as the install method and fill in the server and path info. Once it starts the install it will take care of all the loopback mounts for you so you don't have to wait around and swap CDs. You can automate even more with a kickstart file, but answering those first few questions doesn't take that long. -- Les Mikesell lesmikesell at gmail.com _______________________________________________ CentOS mailing list CentOS at centos.org http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos
le 03/12/2006 04:02, Al Sparks nous a dit:> I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, > perhaps through NFS. > > Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot > it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and > with the server. > > Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs? > === Al >I did a bootp + ftp install several months ago - The OS installed was Fedora 4, so doing the same with CentOS should not be a big difference... If you have questions, just ask ! ___________________________________________________________________________ D?couvrez une nouvelle fa?on d'obtenir des r?ponses ? toutes vos questions ! Profitez des connaissances, des opinions et des exp?riences des internautes sur Yahoo! Questions/R?ponses http://fr.answers.yahoo.com
On 12/3/06, Al Sparks <data345 at yahoo.com> wrote:> I want to set up a server that will do network installs of CentOS, > perhaps through NFS. > > Ideally, I'd put a CentOS in the CD of the target computer, I boot > it off of that CD, and then the rest is done over my network and > with the server. > > Has anyone done that and published it? Where can I find docs? > === AlCheck Dag's tool http://dag.wieers.com/home-made/mrepo/ It can server as an update repository too. -- Eduardo Grosclaude Universidad Nacional del Comahue Neuquen, Argentina
Al Sparks wrote:> Thanks. It looks like I've got something to work with. > > Another question. I'm also looking at virtual servers. > What's the most popular free software for that? > === Al >VMware Server! http://www.vmware.com Thanks! Mark Schoonover IS Manager American Geotechnical V: 858-450-4040 - F: 714-685-3909 - C: 858-472-3816 "Stop the Earth!! I want off!!"