CentOS - Apr 2014 - [OT] PXE Boot / image server for non-profit's computers

This is the best collection of minds I can think of on this topic, that's
why it
is on this list. I think it is too subjective for stackoverflow.

So here is the problem:

The community center has multiple computers for the children (and adult
students) to use. These computer are always donated and the hardware is all
different. Currently the systems are running Windows (but this may change). Most
days the systems are "hacked" by the kids and all is well, but
sometimes the
changes to the systems requires a reinstall. The staff are not presently
qualified to diagnose any problems.

Here is the draft idea:

1. Have a CentOS image / PXE server.

2. Make a (bootable) utility CD that:
* has a program to "save" the state of the computer to the image
server
* on boot gives an option to re-image the computer
* has a (boot-time or OS) diagnostic program to check network connectivity to
the image server

3. Make a single page instruction sheet on using the utility disc, including on
how to boot from CD

Implementation suggestions?

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- Jason Pyeron                      PD Inc. http://www.pdinc.us -
- Principal Consultant              10 West 24th Street #100    -
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This message is copyright PD Inc, subject to license 20080407P00.

Jason Pyeron wrote:
> This is the best collection of minds I can think of on this topic,
that's
> why it is on this list. I think it is too subjective for stackoverflow.
>
> So here is the problem:
>
> The community center has multiple computers for the children (and adult
> students) to use. These computer are always donated and the hardware is
> all different. Currently the systems are running Windows (but this may
> change). Most days the systems are "hacked" by the kids and all
is well,
but sometimes
> the changes to the systems requires a reinstall. The staff are not
presently
> qualified to diagnose any problems.
>
> Here is the draft idea:
>
> 1. Have a CentOS image / PXE server.
This works *really* well - it's how I build/rebuild new servers and
workstations. We've got a cgi script that creates a ks file, and we get it
started, choose what we're building, and walk away. In somewhere between a
dozen and 30 min, it's up, knowing its name, etc.
>
> 2. Make a (bootable) utility CD that:
> * has a program to "save" the state of the computer to the image
server
You *really* might want to do that before pxeboot rebuilding it... for
legal reasons.
<snip>
          mark

On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 12:08 PM, Jason Pyeron <jpyeron at pdinc.us>
wrote:
> This is the best collection of minds I can think of on this topic,
that's why it
> is on this list. I think it is too subjective for stackoverflow.
>
> So here is the problem:
>
> The community center has multiple computers for the children (and adult
> students) to use. These computer are always donated and the hardware is all
> different. Currently the systems are running Windows (but this may change).
Most
> days the systems are "hacked" by the kids and all is well, but
sometimes the
> changes to the systems requires a reinstall. The staff are not presently
> qualified to diagnose any problems.
>
> Here is the draft idea:
>
> 1. Have a CentOS image / PXE server.
>
> 2. Make a (bootable) utility CD that:
> * has a program to "save" the state of the computer to the image
server
> * on boot gives an option to re-image the computer
> * has a (boot-time or OS) diagnostic program to check network connectivity
to
> the image server
>
> 3. Make a single page instruction sheet on using the utility disc,
including on
> how to boot from CD
>
> Implementation suggestions?
Don't re-invent the wheel. DRBL/Clonezilla already has everything you need.

On Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 2:08 PM, Jason Pyeron <jpyeron at pdinc.us>
wrote:
> This is the best collection of minds I can think of on this topic,
that's why it
> is on this list. I think it is too subjective for stackoverflow.
>
> So here is the problem:
>
> The community center has multiple computers for the children (and adult
> students) to use. These computer are always donated and the hardware is all
> different. Currently the systems are running Windows (but this may change).
Most
> days the systems are "hacked" by the kids and all is well, but
sometimes the
> changes to the systems requires a reinstall. The staff are not presently
> qualified to diagnose any problems.
>
> Here is the draft idea:
>
> 1. Have a CentOS image / PXE server.
>
> 2. Make a (bootable) utility CD that:
> * has a program to "save" the state of the computer to the image
server
> * on boot gives an option to re-image the computer
> * has a (boot-time or OS) diagnostic program to check network connectivity
to
> the image server
>
> 3. Make a single page instruction sheet on using the utility disc,
including on
> how to boot from CD
>
> Implementation suggestions?
Follow the yum install instructions here:
http://drbl.org/installation/

You will get a pxe-booting system that can boot into clonezilla (a
menu driven image copy cloning system) that you can use if you want to
save or install images, or that can pxe-boot a live linux system so
you don't have to have anything installed on the clients at all -
they'll just pxe-boot and nfs-mount the server.   You can also
download a clonezilla-live bootable iso to save/restore images where
pxe booting isn't practical.  Clonezilla will deal with either windows
or linux systems and knows enough about filesystems to just save the
used blocks. Highly recommended - the only down side is that the
target disk in a restore has to be at least as large as the source.

-- 
  Les Mikesell
     lesmikesell at gmail.com