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• 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 environment.

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, as part of an Imaging Package, during a 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