package_config -> boolean operations possible?

[Thomas Neumann]

hiya

I'd like fai to decide which packages to install on a given host to be a 
bit more customizable. At least I think so. There may be a different 
way, which I'm to blind to see.

[Note: I'm using the same config-space for debian / ubuntu / 32bit / 
64bit. I'm using 4 different nfsroots for debian 32, debian 64, ubuntu 
32 and ubuntu64. By calling lsb_release in the nfsroot it's possible to 
figure out which OS is requested for installation. I'm currently 
pondering whether to use just a 32bit and a 64bit nfsroot and deliver 
the decision which OS to install via a kernel parameter. I'm booting the 
machines via PXE.]

Okay, I have played around a bit with classes and here's the following 
scenario:

If the installation client is supposed to be a debian 32 bit box, then 
the class "DEBIAN32" get's set. If it's 64bit, then DEBIAN64, same with 
UBUNTU32 and UBUNTU64. (Actually this is a kind of workaround already.) 
Additionally if the scripts identifies the machine it's running on as a 
virtual box then the class VIRTXEN or VIRTVMW gets set accordingly. (I 
also need this later on to install XenTools / VMwareTools.)

Now when it comes to choosing a kernel image i'd like to be able to do 
the following

if it's a physical debian 32bit -> install linux-image-686
if it's a physical debian 64bit -> install linux-image-amd64
if it's a physical ubuntu -> install linux-image-server
if it's a xen-virtualised debian 32bit -> install linux-image-xen-686
if it's a xen-virtualised debian 64bit -> install linux-image-xen-amd64
if it's a xen-virtualisted ubuntu -> install linux-image-xen
(treat vmware / VIRTVMW as a physical server)

the package_config/DEFAULT may possibly look something like this:

PACKAGES aptitude DEBIAN and I686
linux-image-686
memtest86+

PACKAGES aptitude DEBIAN and AMD64
linux-image-amd64
memtest86+
[...]
PACKAGES aptitude DEBIAN and I686 and VIRTXEN
linux-image-686-
linux-image-686-xen
[...]

Is this possible? Or is there a better / different way?

tschüß
thomas




appended for reference:
=== Detecting operating system ===
class/15-osdetect

#! /bin/bash

# Debian? Ubuntu?
if [ -x /usr/bin/lsb_release ] ; then
  FLAVOUR=$(lsb_release -i|cut -f2|tr a-z A-Z)

  # 32 or 64bit?
  ARCH=$(uname -m)

  case $ARCH in
# old style
    i686)
      echo ${FLAVOUR}32
      ;;
    amd64)
      echo ${FLAVOUR}64
      ;;

# new style
    x86_32)
      echo ${FLAVOUR}32
      ;;
    x86_64)
      echo ${FLAVOUR}64
      ;;
  esac

fi

exit 0


=== virtualization software ===
class/90-vmdetect

#! /bin/bash

# Physical? Virtualized?

# Xen?
# There are some ACPI messages
if [ x"$(dmesg|grep "ACPI.*Xen")" != x ] ; then
        echo VIRTXEN
fi

# VMware?
# The harddisk VendorID is quite telling
DISKVENDORID=`dmesg|grep "Vendor: "|cut -d" " -f4`

if [ x${DISKVENDORID} = xVMWARE ] ; then
        echo VIRTVMW
fi

exit 0