[Tech] What status are we at?: Re: example PXE boot setup on Lubuntu
Christian Einfeldt
einfeldt at gmail.com
Mon Apr 13 17:37:27 PDT 2015
Marvelous! Working together, we are going to get this figured out!
Thanks!
On Mon, Apr 13, 2015 at 4:30 PM, P Ganthavorn <pganthavorn at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello Michael, Christian. I don't have much experience with PXE boot on
> Lubuntu but I am creating a testing environment at home to try it out.
> (Unfortunately, my schedule this week is tight but I will see what I can
> do.) I will also try to put together an old PC and turn it into a working
> ubuntu station.
>
> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 8:30 PM, Michael Paoli <
> Michael.Paoli at cal.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>
>> I don't think I'd be inclined to jump quite so far ahead.
>>
>> I think I'd be more inclined to presume, at least approximately, that if
>> Tai and other new invitee to this list (Peter Ganthavorn) hadn't already
>> worked out how to get a PXE boot server working on Lubuntu before I made
>> that posting to this list, that they likely will reasonably shortly
>> after reading it, and perhaps after some bit of testing/implementing it;
>> and for the latter of those two folks, presuming he was subscribed to
>> this list by the time that posting was sent out to the list (or might
>> pick it up from referenced inclusion on this posting, since DreamHost
>> list archiving continues to be relatively broken).
>>
>> There's lots more to do than *just* create (and/or "fix"/update) PXE
>> boot server. E.g., at least approximately, and for Partimus' particular
>> use scenario and for this school installation:
>> o aformentioned server also needs to serve as caching transparent proxy
>> server
>> o need to better work out the, as near as feasible, automated
>> configuration and installation to target host(s), notably specific
>> desired software and configurations, etc.
>> o custom bootable optical media - need to work out / validate that the
>> custom bootable optical media - that we have quite reproducible
>> process to create such media, and that it can be used to boot and at
>> least start the install process, quite like PXE boot, but without need
>> for client host computers to themselves do direct PXE boot from
>> BIOS/CMOS
>> o and probably some other bits that are desired, or even important, that
>> aren't immediately jumping to mind.
>>
>> Anyway, that's why I generally recommend well documenting the process,
>> steps, setup, etc. - so it will be quite reproducible, and most anyone
>> with reasonably sufficient skill set can jump in, understand what the
>> setup is, why it's set up as it is, how it's desired to be set up and
>> why, and can maintain, support, and improve it ... without having to
>> start again from close to ground zero on figuring out why things are
>> being done certain ways, and not others, and have to redo much of that
>> whole discovery process yet again.
>>
>> Also, and especially, if multiple folks are working on it - and/or
>> backing each other up for support, having the stuff well documented
>> makes it much more feasible to coordinate and work towards a common
>> goal, and help ensure we're all, at least approximately, "on the same
>> page".
>>
>> From: "Christian Einfeldt" <einfeldt at gmail.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [Tech] example PXE boot setup on Lubuntu
>>> Date: Sun, 12 Apr 2015 13:34:21 -0700
>>>
>>
>> Hi Michael,
>>>
>>> Thanks for this. What status are we at? Does Michael's work mean that
>>> we
>>> are now ready to go over to the Ascend school and configure a server?
>>> Thx.
>>>
>>> On Sun, Apr 12, 2015 at 9:21 AM, Michael Paoli <
>>> Michael.Paoli at cal.berkeley.edu> wrote:
>>>
>>> Creating Lubntu PXE boot server
>>>>
>>>> This doesn't cover all that may be desired of Partimus PXE boot, etc.
>>>> server, but should illustrate what's needed to at least get a
>>>> functioning PXE boot server built and configured on Lubuntu.
>>>> For a "real" installation, and for as desired by Partimus, we'd apply
>>>> the updates, set up server as transparent caching proxy server, etc. I
>>>> mostly just show the (non-default) steps to set up operational DHCP/PXE
>>>> Lubuntu boot server, and then also test installation to PXE client host.
>>>> For a "real" installation, of course also the relevant actual network
>>>> configuration details would be used, in the demonstration, I have and
>>>> used:
>>>> network is 192.168.155.0/24
>>>> network's router/gateway is 192.168.155.1 (NATed access to Internet)
>>>> network's DNS server is 192.168.155.1 (NATed to resolve Internet, etc.)
>>>> For a "real" installation, after more suitably setting up the
>>>> server, we'd make the client host more dependent upon that server,
>>>> notably also using it as gateway, DNS server, etc.
>>>> Initially the network already has a DHCP server, which we used to
>>>> initially build our PXE server, but after that has DHCP server
>>>> installed, we disable the DHCP server that was already on the network.
>>>>
>>>> In this example, I'm presently doing this on virtual machine (qemu-kvm
>>>> presently on
>>>> Debian GNU/Linux 7.8 (wheezy) x86_64
>>>> ), but should work quite as well on physical, or VirtualBox, etc.
>>>>
>>>> I specifically adjust my virtual machine configuration, notably:
>>>> going for relatively low-spec Partimus host:
>>>> i586 (Pentium)
>>>> 512 MiB RAM
>>>> 8 GiB hard drive
>>>> installing from CD ISO:
>>>> Lubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386 (20150218.1)
>>>> starting creation and install with:
>>>> # virt-install --name=lubuntupxesi386 \
>>>>
>>>> --cdrom=/var/tmp/ISOs/lubuntu-14.04.2-desktop-i386.iso \
>>>>> --disk=/var/tmp/lubuntu/lubuntupxesi386-sda \
>>>>> --network=network=pxenet,mac=52:54:00:7b:51:5d --ram=512 --wait=-1 \
>>>>> --os-type=linux --os-variant=debianwheezy --arch=i586 --virt-type kvm \
>>>>> --hvm
>>>>>
>>>>> Setting specific Ethernet MAC address wasn't necessary, but I did that
>>>> for my convenience so I could use same MAC address later when
>>>> reconfiguring Network Manager to use static IPv4 address.
>>>>
>>>> Installation ... non-default bits:
>>>> Mostly go just with defaults for simplicity ... non-defaults shown:
>>>>
>>>> English (before the timeout)
>>>> Install Lubuntu
>>>> Continue
>>>> Your name: Michael Paoli
>>>> Your computer's name: lubuntupxesi386
>>>> Your login name: michael
>>>> Choose a password: [not shown]
>>>> Confirm your password: [not shown]
>>>> Installation is complete. ... [Restart Now]
>>>> ... it hung on shutdown
>>>> (virtually) power cycled
>>>> (virtually) eject optical media
>>>> <<Control>-<Alt>-<F1>>
>>>> logged in
>>>> $ sudo su -
>>>> And for my convenience to also allow login via (virtual) serial:
>>>> # (cd /etc/init &&
>>>>
>>>> cp -p tty1.conf ttyS0.conf &&
>>>>> < tty1.conf > ttyS0.conf sed -e 's/tty1/ttyS0/g')
>>>>>
>>>>> # start ttyS0
>>>> # apt-get update
>>>>
>>>> And to keep vim and nano from generally annoying me:
>>>> # apt-get install nvi &&
>>>>
>>>> update-alternatives --set editor /usr/bin/nvi &&
>>>>> update-alternatives --set ex /usr/bin/nex &&
>>>>> update-alternatives --set vi /usr/bin/nvi &&
>>>>> update-alternatives --set view /usr/bin/nview
>>>>>
>>>>> #
>>>>
>>>> # apt-get install isc-dhcp-server tftpd-hpa
>>>> reconfigure Network Manager for static IPv4 address:
>>>> # stop network-manager
>>>> # ex /etc/NetworkManager/NetworkManager.conf
>>>> 4a
>>>> no-auto-default=52:54:00:7B:51:5D,
>>>>
>>>> .
>>>> w
>>>> q
>>>> # (
>>>>
>>>> umask 077 &&
>>>>> uuid="$(uuidgen -r)" &&
>>>>> timestamp="$(date +'%s')" &&
>>>>> > '/etc/NetworkManager/system-connections/Wired connection 1' \
>>>>> echo '[802-3-ethernet]
>>>>> duplex=full
>>>>> mac-address=52:54:00:7B:51:5D
>>>>>
>>>>> [connection]
>>>>> id=Wired connection 1
>>>>> uuid='"$uuid"'
>>>>> type=802-3-ethernet
>>>>> timestamp='"$timestamp"'
>>>>>
>>>>> [ipv6]
>>>>> method=auto
>>>>>
>>>>> [ipv4]
>>>>> method=manual
>>>>> dns=192.168.155.1;
>>>>> address1=192.168.155.2/24,192.168.155.1'
>>>>> )
>>>>>
>>>>> # start network-manager
>>>>
>>>> I then reconfigured the existing DHCP server on / forwarded via
>>>> 192.168.155.1 to not handle or respond to the 192.168.155/24
>>>> subnet/VLAN for DHCP/bootp requests, and then continued:
>>>> # ex /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf
>>>> %s/^option domain-name "/#&
>>>> %s/^\(option domain-name-servers \).*$/\1 192.168.155.1;/
>>>> $a
>>>> next-server 192.168.155.2;
>>>> subnet 192.168.155.0 netmask 255.255.255.0 {
>>>> range 192.168.155.100 192.168.155.200;
>>>> option routers 192.168.155.1;
>>>> filename "pxelinux.0";
>>>> }
>>>> .
>>>> w
>>>> q
>>>> (virtually) inserted optical media:
>>>> lubuntu-14.04.1-alternate-i386.iso
>>>> Lubuntu 14.04.1 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386 (20140722.2)
>>>> Ideally I'd use:
>>>> lubuntu-14.04.2-alternate-i386.iso
>>>> Lubuntu 14.04.2 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release i386
>>>> but that appears to not (yet) be available
>>>> From the GUI as mere mortal user michael, did:
>>>> Click Lubuntu icon in lower left, then:
>>>> Accessories
>>>> File Manager PCManFM
>>>> That then causes the CD-ROM to mount,
>>>> (for a "real" server, I'd copy the ISO on the host and loop mount it)
>>>> then ...
>>>> # mount -o bind,ro,nosuid,nodev \
>>>>
>>>> '/media/michael/Lubuntu 14.04.1 LTS i386'/install/netboot \
>>>>> /var/lib/tftpboot
>>>>>
>>>>> # restart tftpd-hpa
>>>> # start isc-dhcp-server
>>>> I then boot my PXE client
>>>> For virtual, I'm doing:
>>>> # virt-install --name=lubuntupxeci386 --pxe \
>>>>
>>>> --disk=/var/tmp/lubuntu/lubuntupxeci386-sda --network=network=pxenet \
>>>>> --ram=512 --wait=-1 --os-type=linux --os-variant=debianwheezy \
>>>>> --arch=i586 --virt-type kvm --hvm
>>>>>
>>>>> Again, similarly, I do that host as a low-spec Partimus machine:
>>>> i586 (Pentium)
>>>> 512 MiB RAM
>>>> 8 GiB hard drive
>>>> From our PXE client, again, just showing non-defaults, and generally
>>>> going with defaults for simplicity:
>>>> Hostname: lubuntupxeci386
>>>> Full name for the new user: Michael Paoli
>>>> Username for your account: michael
>>>> Choose a password for the new user: [not shown]
>>>> Re-enter password to verify: [not shown]
>>>> Write the changes to disks? <Yes>
>>>> Continue
>>>> ... and our PXE client installs successfully (did rather minimal
>>>> software
>>>> installation in this demo run, but could install more at installation
>>>> time
>>>> or after).
>>>>
>>>> And, ... just for informational purposes, since I did these as virtual
>>>> machines and with their virtual hard drives on filesystem that uses
>>>> deduplication and compression (and also did those files as sparse
>>>> files), the actual on-drive storage used is rather minimal:
>>>> $ (cd /var/tmp/lubuntu && ls -onsh lubuntupxe[cs]i386-sda)
>>>> 574M -rw------- 1 0 8.0G Apr 12 08:29 lubuntupxeci386-sda
>>>> 939M -rw------- 1 0 8.0G Apr 12 08:30 lubuntupxesi386-sda
>>>> $
>>>> # zfs get -o all all |
>>>>
>>>> egrep '^lubuntu/lubuntu .* (compress|dedup|mountpoint|used )'
>>>>>
>>>>> lubuntu/lubuntu used 1.48G -
>>>> -
>>>> lubuntu/lubuntu compressratio 2.94x -
>>>> -
>>>> lubuntu/lubuntu mountpoint /var/tmp/lubuntu -
>>>> local
>>>> lubuntu/lubuntu compression gzip-9 -
>>>> local
>>>> lubuntu/lubuntu dedup verify -
>>>> local
>>>> #
>>>>
>>>> From: "Michael Paoli" <Michael.Paoli at cal.berkeley.edu>
>>>>
>>>>> Subject: example PXE boot setup on Debian (Ubuntu/Lubuntu should be
>>>>> relatively similar)
>>>>> Date: Thu, 02 Apr 2015 03:58:33 -0700
>>>>>
>>>>> From: "Tai Kedzierski" <dch.tai at gmail.com>
>>>>>
>>>>>> Subject: Re: [Tech] Partimus (PXE?) (nearly?) unattended install
>>>>>> solution(s?)
>>>>>> Date: Thu, 2 Apr 2015 11:26:53 +0100
>>>>>>
>>>>>> * Yeah I'm still stuck on PXE - I've had some pointers from Rab in
>>>>>> EdLUG
>>>>>> (basically, first, don't test using VirtualBox!) and Charlie's notes
>>>>>> still
>>>>>> to review. And Michael's notes when he has a moment :-)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>> Shouldn't be too hard with virtual (e.g. qemu-kvm, virtualbox, etc.),
>>>>> but key bits to be aware of there: They typically give a NATed network
>>>>> by default and including a built-in provided DHCP server on that
>>>>> network.
>>>>> Such generally conflicts with doing PXE boot - so one typically wants
>>>>> to place the virtual host on a different network/subnet/VLAN, where
>>>>> there isn't some conflicting DHCP/bootp server/service. The only other
>>>>> slightly tricky bit with virtual and PXE - at least that I'm aware of
>>>>> so far, is that non-intuitive bit on VirtualBox - where some interface
>>>>> types don't support PXE boot (or need additional software or packages
>>>>> for such interfaces - that seemed to be implied from some of what I
>>>>> read about folks installing direct from Oracle rather than a linux
>>>>> distribution's packaging thereof ... probably proprietary and/or non-
>>>>> distribution restrictions on some extra bits for certain interface
>>>>> types
>>>>> to be able to PXE boot under VirtualBox - found no such issue with
>>>>> qemu-kvm).
>>>>>
>>>>> This is example I have on my
>>>>> Debian GNU/Linux 7.8 (wheezy) x86_64
>>>>> "server" <cough, cough> (laptop) at home.
>>>>> Looks like I mostly/initially based it upon:
>>>>> https://wiki.debian.org/PXEBootInstall
>>>>> (and probably from around 2012-03-11, as I made a few corrective edits
>>>>> to that wiki page around then).
>>>>>
>>>>> I was also interested in, as feasible, being
>>>>> able to PXE boot and then be able to select and install various
>>>>> distributions - so as I'd left it off, it could be used to PXE boot
>>>>> and install any of:
>>>>> Debian GNU/Linux 7.8 (wheezy) x86_64
>>>>> Debian GNU/Linux 7.8 (wheezy) i386
>>>>> Ubuntu-Server 14.04.1 LTS amd64
>>>>>
>>>>> From the wee bit of notes I made of it regarding my
>>>>> installation/configuration:
>>>>> $ cat /srv/tftp/NOTES
>>>>> http://http.debian.net/debian/dists/wheezy/main/installer-
>>>>> i386/current/images/netboot/netboot.tar.gz
>>>>> and:
>>>>> http://http.debian.net/debian/dists/wheezy/main/installer-
>>>>> amd64/current/images/netboot/netboot.tar.gz
>>>>> mostly extracted to:
>>>>> /srv/tftp
>>>>> except for the differing:
>>>>> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 35 2014-04-24 07:45:30.000000000 +0000
>>>>> pxelinux.cfg -> debian-installer/amd64/pxelinux.cfg
>>>>> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 34 2014-04-24 07:46:21.000000000 +0000
>>>>> pxelinux.cfg -> debian-installer/i386/pxelinux.cfg
>>>>> and also:
>>>>> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 33 2014-04-24 07:45:30.000000000 +0000
>>>>> pxelinux.0
>>>>> -> debian-installer/amd64/pxelinux.0
>>>>> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 32 2014-04-24 07:46:21.000000000 +0000
>>>>> pxelinux.0
>>>>> -> debian-installer/i386/pxelinux.0
>>>>> but in the case of pxelinux.0, the ordinary files are identical, so
>>>>> replaced the symbolic link with a hard link
>>>>>
>>>>> also from:
>>>>> Ubuntu-Server 14.04 LTS "Trusty Tahr" - Release amd64 (20140416.2)
>>>>> contents under:
>>>>> install/netboot
>>>>> mostly also placed here, except:
>>>>> renamed version.info to version.info.ubuntu
>>>>> renamed pxelinux.cfg to pxelinux.cfg:ubuntu-server:amd64
>>>>> and left out symbolic links: pxelinux.0
>>>>>
>>>>> And further examining what I'd left in place in terms of mounts and
>>>>> configuration files and such (other than or in addition to that noted
>>>>> above, and mostly covered on:
>>>>> https://wiki.debian.org/PXEBootInstall
>>>>> )
>>>>>
>>>>> The relevant bits of data I have in /etc/fstab:
>>>>> /dev/tigger/tftp /srv/tftp ext3 ro,nosuid,nodev,noatime 0 2
>>>>> /var/tmp/ISOs/ubuntu-14.04.1-server-amd64.iso
>>>>> /var/tmp/ISOs/ubuntu-14.04.1-server-amd64 iso9660
>>>>> loop,ro,nosuid,nodev 0
>>>>>
>>>>> /var/tmp/ISOs/ubuntu-14.04.1-server-amd64/install/netboot/
>>>>> ubuntu-installer
>>>>> /srv/tftp/ubuntu-installer none bind,ro,nosuid,nodev 0 0
>>>>> /var/tmp/ISOs/ubuntu-14.04.1-server-amd64/install/netboot/version.info
>>>>> /srv/tftp/version.info.ubuntu none bind,ro,nosuid,nodev 0 0
>>>>> Probably better to use location other than /var/tmp for things intended
>>>>> to be there "permanently" or more longer term, but in any case ...
>>>>> Also, those last two bind mounts shown above, next to last is directory
>>>>> bind mounted atop directory, and the last one file mounted atop (empty)
>>>>> file.
>>>>> My "NOTES" from above covers much of it, but in addition (not covered
>>>>> by
>>>>> that, and installed/configured under /srv/tftp/) we have:
>>>>> $ < /srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg/default expand
>>>>> serial 0 9600
>>>>> default debian-installer/i386/boot-screens/vesamenu.c32
>>>>> timeout 0
>>>>> label debian-i386
>>>>> menu label debian-i386
>>>>> config pxelinux.cfg:i386/default
>>>>> label debian-amd64
>>>>> menu label debian-amd64
>>>>> config pxelinux.cfg:amd64/default
>>>>> label ubuntu-server-amd64
>>>>> menu label ubuntu-server-amd64
>>>>> config pxelinux.cfg:ubuntu-server:amd64/default
>>>>> That works as my default PXE boot menu that comes up, allowing
>>>>> selections of:
>>>>> debian-i386
>>>>> debian-amd64
>>>>> ubuntu-server-amd64
>>>>> Each of which, when selected, then just chain loads the corresponding
>>>>> stock menu from that flavor's PXE boot menu.
>>>>> The
>>>>> serial 0 9600
>>>>> Allows that menu choice to also be made via the first (legacy) serial
>>>>> port (if present), so serial console may be used to launch/control the
>>>>> PXE boot and installation (can be quite handy for serial console
>>>>> install, virtual machines, IPMI, etc., and doesn't particularly hurt to
>>>>> include that, even if it's not being used).
>>>>>
>>>>> That's mostly it ... except the IP addresses and network configuration
>>>>> I
>>>>> have is different than the example given on the referenced wiki page.
>>>>>
>>>>> And, comparing what I earlier noted to actual files under /srv/tftp ...
>>>>> What doesn't seem to be quite covered in those earlier NOTES:
>>>>> $ ls -ld /srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg /srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg:[ai]*
>>>>> drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Apr 28 2014 /srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg
>>>>> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 35 Apr 27 2014 /srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg:amd64
>>>>> ->
>>>>> debian-installer/amd64/pxelinux.cfg
>>>>> lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 34 Apr 27 2014 /srv/tftp/pxelinux.cfg:i386 ->
>>>>> debian-installer/i386/pxelinux.cfg
>>>>> $
>>>>>
>>>>
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--
Christian Einfeldt
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