[Tech] Fwd: Partimus / PXE unattended install solution

[Elizabeth K. Joseph]

Hi everyone,

As you may know, we're working to get one of ours schools set up with a PXE
boot system and perhaps custom ISOs. This is something we could really use
1) more documentation around 2) more volunteers having a look at.

Tai Kedzierski has generously taken the time to kick off the proposal with
some great comments and deliverables defined, forwarding with his
permission for broader discussion on this list.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tai Kedzierski <dch.tai at gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Mar 20, 2015 at 11:34 AM
Subject: Partimus / PXE unattended install solution
To: Christian Einfeldt <einfeldt at gmail.com>


Dear Christian, All,

Hello :-)


I'd like to get the ball rolling first by outlining what we're actually
trying to do. I've added my notes to the shared document, and below.

*@Christian,* please let me know if I've gotten carried away. As you
haven't yet given a wishlist, I have dreamt one up....!


At this point in time, the outline points are educated guesses on my part -
I've looked into PXE and unattended installs in the past, and worked with
some pre-setup ones in past positions, but not yet had a project goal to
work to myself - hence I am taking this opportunity :-).

It may be full of holes.

Please do poke those holes and suggest/add any improvements/changes!


If anybody has a burning desire to look into any one Task in particular,
maybe let the group know/put your name next to it so we're not doubling
effort - and of course, add sub/tasks as you see necessary :-)



I look forward to working on this with you all!



Cheers

Tai


/============

Following from my earlier notes, I would like to suggest attaining the
goals outlined below, to wit:

## Goal workflow for workstation install:

        * teacher inserts CD into machine and reboots it from said CD
        * teacher needs to only click a couple of times to launch the
install process
        ---- this may also involve choosing a network name for the PC
        * teacher can remove the CD and walk away, whilst the PC does its
thing on the network


## Server install/maintenance

Installation of the server may need sending someone onsite, or we can
prepare an image that the teacher can install, with a post-install script
to finish the job.

The server should be able to just run headless and will probably be in
command line mode unless specified otherwise (who normally performs
maintenance?)

System updates may or may not be installed by a remote technician, or
automatically. From a break-prevention point of view I prefer the former
(or a technician at the school can be trained); for the school's
independence, the latter may be more relevant.

At any rate, since the server is to host a master image, I'd like to insist
that the machine /needs/ keeping up to date and secure from any
non-authorized users in the school, or super-savvy/curious students :-)


###

I propose the following deliverables:

        * An install image with the required software and
very-few-questions-asked
        * PXE server serving the image
        * Pre-seed file served from PXE server
        * PXE server install image itself (in case the server needs
resetting) and/or install procedure
        * Delivery on DVDs for archival and off-Internet purposes
        * Hopefully, a full build manual for future maintainers

###

Tasks to attain this, as far as I can see, are:

* Create custom "ISO" of target desktop setup (rather, dir structure for
serving over the web) from Ubuntu server
* Prepare the pre-seed file (which needs to include installation of Lubuntu
desktop) (this is the workaround I can imagine to get around Lubuntu's lack
of netboot)
* Prepare a PXE server setup
* Prepare an image of the PXE setup (which will include the contents of the
target ISO)

===

Resources I've found most relevant so far:


   - UnattendedInstall CD :
   https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/UnattendedCD
   - Custom CD incl pre-seed :
   https://help.ubuntu.com/community/InstallCDCustomization
   - PXE setup : https://help.ubuntu.com/community/PXEInstallServer


For Lubuntu, this may require using tasksel to install Lubuntu on top of a
server base, as the std Lubuntu CD does not have the requisite config files
( /netboot )

=============/




===
Tai Kedzierski

IT Services Specialist
http://helpuse.com
+44 (0) 7526 963 612 (portable GB)

  I use www.libreoffice.org

*"Open Source Free Software is a matter of liberty, not price."*
https://bitly.com/1gXkUcc

-- 
Elizabeth Krumbach Joseph || Lyz || pleia2
http://www.partimus.org
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