Ubuntu Wiki

• Launchpad Entry: https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+spec/xdeltas

• Created: Date(2006-05-19T19:24:15Z) by StephenReiach

• Contributors: StephenReiach

• Packages affected:

Summary

A Spec defineing the procedure for imaging (cloneing) workstations in an Edubuntu enviroment.

Rationale

A procedure is needed to have clear means of imaging a complete workstation and being able to distribute that image to other computers in a lab. A clear Edubuntu method of imaging will produce effective support from the Edubuntu community for those installing and maintaining Edubuntu lab enviroments.

Use cases

1. A quick and straight forward for a tech to setup and clone a whole lab of computers with the same image.
2. Easily reimage a workstation who's installation have become corrupted or unusable.
3. Image a new machine or a workstation with a new harddrive.

Scope

The GRUB configuration would have to be amended to include a block for booting with Etherboot-PXE.

The [http://http://clonezilla.sourceforge.net/ Clonezilla] package (a combination of [http://www.partimage.org/Main_Page partimage], [http://udpcast.linux.lu/ udpcast] and [http://drbl.sourceforge.net/ DRBL]) should be installed if the an "Imaging Package" is selected during server installation.

Design

Each workstation would have an extra boot option in their grub menu which PXE boots the machine. The workstation would then receive a new image from a preconfigured server.

This design provides and advantage over the old [http://www.linux.com/howtos/Clone-HOWTO/index.shtml Linux Cloning Howto] because it provides Multicasting, control from the server, can be reconfigured without visiting every workstation.

Implementation

Once the [http://http://clonezilla.sourceforge.net/ Clonezilla] package is installed the administrator will have the option of creating and image from a workstation, imaging a single computer, imaging a whole lab using multicast, provides a complete solution and unified straight forward interface.

Code

See [http://drbl.sourceforge.net/ DRBL Documentation].

1. Copy the file "/tftpboot/etherboot-5.4.2/etherboot-net.zlilo" to client's directory "/boot/" in its harddisk.
2. Append one block in the client's /boot/grub/menu.lst or /boot/grub/grub.conf (depends on your distribution) like this:
   • title Etherboot-PXE
     • kernel /boot/etherboot-net.zlilo

Outstanding issues

BoF agenda and discussion

CategorySpec