Profile based installation (not based on MAC address or hostname)

[Thomas Neumann]

hiya

Peter Bittner schrieb:
> (Sorry in advance if this question is completely basic and I should have
> found out myself... I didn't find a solution in the documentation.)
>
> I need to set up a FAI server that provides a - what I believe - rather
> flexible installation service based on profiles, not on host names, or
> MAC addresses.
>
>   1. The system administrator should plug in a virgin PC an let it boot
> from the network;
>   2. While the PC broadcasts its MAC address the administrator would
> open a web interface on the FAI server which lists the MAC address of
> the PC requesting installation;
>   3. The administrator selects the MAC address, and specifies what to
> install on this PC: an installation profile (e.g. "DEVELOPMENT",
> "TERMINAL", "CALCNODE", etc.), an IP address, a hostname.

I think that's doable, but you're operating in a limited timeframe. So far
i haven't seen a pxe-bootclient that doesn't timeout.

Somebody on this list implemented a python tftp-server which does some
rewriting. Maybe that's a better solution. Defaultboot every
netboot-client into tftp and let the server decide what to do - e.g. boot
from local disc or wait for administrator interaction via webgui. (I'm not
sure if there's another timeout.)

If you've got that far, then the rest is easy. Just let the tftpserver
supply an additional parameter (like "FAI_PROFILE=DESKTOP") and use this
parameter in a class/ script
to define the according classes.


I guessed the point is to have no interaction with the installclient
except from pushing the power-button. Else other options are available.

tschüß
thomas