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Hi all -- |
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I just got back from LWE, and there was some discussion about needing an |
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automated installer for lots of machines running the same configuration. For |
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lack of a better subject line, I'm calling this "Enterprise Installer" ... but |
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feel free to smack me with a wet fish if that's not a good name. ;) |
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I had lots of people come up to me and ask about features such as: |
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- Automated setup and install (a la Solaris' Jumpstart). This involves several |
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aspects, such as the creation of a custom profile, precompiling binaries, |
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automatic partitioning/formatting, automatic configuration, tying into |
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Catalyst to create an appropriate boot CD to run the install, ... |
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- Configuration management across many machines ... how can one easily handle |
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changes to files in /etc, and propagate them to clients? |
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- Allow users to create and maintain a custom Portage tree (derived from our own |
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base tree) which they can use to administer their other machines. |
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- Probably something else I forgot. ;) |
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While most of these are possible with shell scripts and the like, there are no |
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official Gentoo tools to do this. I think it would be great for Gentoo to |
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create some, because I think this is one area in which we can really shine. |
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I should re-emphasize that there is quite a lot of demand for this, especially |
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in mid to larger companies which have hundreds or thousands of machines that |
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they'd like to put Gentoo on, but can't because the setup process is so |
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involved. I don't remember exactly how many people asked me about it at |
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LinuxWorld, but enough did to make me remember. :) |
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So ... what are your thoughts on this? |
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On a related note, avenj did mention the Installer project to me, and gave me a |
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link to their CVS, but it hasn't been touched in a few months. Anyone know what |
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their status is, and what specifically they're trying to accomplish? |
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-- Josh |
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----------------------------------------- |
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Joshua J. Berry |
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"I haven't lost my mind -- it's backed up on tape somewhere." |
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-- /usr/games/fortune |
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NOTE: Please do not submit this email address to any mailing |
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lists or websites without prior permission. Thank you. |
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