FAI How to build a i386 and x86 64 compatible FAI server on Debian Etch x86 64: Difference between revisions

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Theses procedures have only been validated on Debian Etch with FAI 3.1.8. It can only be used for i386 and amd64 arch on an amd64 machine.
These procedures had been validated on Debian Etch with FAI 3.1.8,
and have been revalidated (and updated) for Lenny and FAI 3.2.16.


I was installing an installserver for my company and looking for a way to build and i386 NFSROOT on a amd64 Etch and then build arch specific FAI mirrors and CD images.
I was installing an installserver for my company and looking for a
Here's how I did it.
way to build and i386 NFSROOT on a amd64 Etch and then build arch
specific FAI mirrors and CD images. Here's how I did it.


Important note: this only works if your server runs a amd64 kernel and also only works with amd64 and i386. The reason is simply, because debootstrap installs the packages and then runs the postinst scripts, which in turn (sometimes) run arch-specific binaries, so this only works on amd64, because its possible to execute i386 binaries on amd64. If you want to serve other architecture combinations, you need to create the nfsroot on the target architecture and then copy it to your nfsserver, which can run any OS on any cpu-archtiture :-)
Important note: this only works if your server runs a amd64 kernel
and also only works with amd64 and i386. The reason is simply,
because debootstrap installs the packages and then runs the postinst
scripts, which in turn (sometimes) run arch-specific binaries, so
this only works on amd64, because its possible to execute i386
binaries on amd64. If you want to serve other architecture
combinations, you need to create the nfsroot on the target
architecture and then copy it to your nfsserver, which can run any
OS on any cpu-archtiture :-)


----
= FAI Configuration tuning =


== FAI Configuration tuning ==
All of the processes described below relies on tuning the FAI
 
configuration space. Normally, FAI configuration can be found under
All the process described below relies on tuning the FAI configuration space.
an unique directory <code>/etc/fai</code>. To make FAI work with
Normally, FAI configuration can be found under an unique directory <code>/etc/fai</code>.
multi architecture, you have to duplicate the configuration space
To make FAI work with multi architecture, you have to duplicate the configuration space for every architecture.
for every architecture. Here is an exemple of such an FAI setup :
Here is an exemple of such a FAI setup :


<pre>
<pre>
Line 20: Line 29:
</pre>
</pre>


To be precise, the directories don't have to be really duplicated, only the <code>make-fai-nfsroot.conf</code> file must. Hard link can be used for the other files or directories under the <code>/etc/fai</code> tree.
To be precise, the directories don't have to be entirely duplicated,
 
only the <code>make-fai-nfsroot.conf</code> file must. Links can
----
be used for the other files or directories under the
<code>/etc/fai</code> tree, although <code>apt/sources.list</code>
must be a hard link or copy; a soft link will not work.


== Cross-Architecture NFSROOT ==
= Cross-Architecture NFSROOT =
===Create Arch Specific FAI Configuration Direcories===
==Create Arch Specific FAI Configuration Direcories==


These are the directories that will be used for FAI in this
These are the directories that will be used for FAI in this
Line 47: Line 58:
</pre>
</pre>


===Build Per-Arch Apt Configs===
==Build Per-Arch Apt Configs==


We need to tell apt-get and frineds what's goin on, so we make a
We need to tell apt-get and frineds what's goin on, so we make a
Line 61: Line 72:
</pre>
</pre>


===Make Per-Arch make-fai-nfsroot.conf===
==Make Per-Arch make-fai-nfsroot.conf==


Add <code>--arch i386</code> or <code>--arch amd64</code> to
Add <code>--arch i386</code> or <code>--arch amd64</code> to
Line 74: Line 85:
<code>/etc/fai-amd64/apt_arch.conf</code>, as appropriate.
<code>/etc/fai-amd64/apt_arch.conf</code>, as appropriate.
 
 
===Build The Per-Arch NFSROOT===
==Build The Per-Arch NFSROOT==


Run:
Run:
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potentially less thorough, but should work.
potentially less thorough, but should work.


===Configure Network Installation===
==Configure Network Installation==


Run (something like) one of these, depending on what kind of host you are imaging:
Run (something like) one of these, depending on what kind of host you are imaging:
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* fai-chboot -k "initrd=$(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/initrd.img*amd64* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=$(host $(uname -n) | grep 'has address' | awk '{ print $4 }' | head -1):/srv/fai/nfsroot boot=live ip=dhcp FAI_FLAGS=verbose,sshd,createvt FAI_ACTION=install nfsroot=/srv/fai/nfsroot-amd64" $(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/vmlinuz*amd64* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') HOST
* fai-chboot -k "initrd=$(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/initrd.img*amd64* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=$(host $(uname -n) | grep 'has address' | awk '{ print $4 }' | head -1):/srv/fai/nfsroot boot=live ip=dhcp FAI_FLAGS=verbose,sshd,createvt FAI_ACTION=install nfsroot=/srv/fai/nfsroot-amd64" $(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/vmlinuz*amd64* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') HOST


== Per-Architecture FAI Mirrors ==
= Per-Architecture FAI Mirrors =


Here's how to make fai partial Debian mirrors for both architectures.
Here's how to make fai partial Debian mirrors for both architectures.

Revision as of 20:29, 14 February 2009

These procedures had been validated on Debian Etch with FAI 3.1.8, and have been revalidated (and updated) for Lenny and FAI 3.2.16.

I was installing an installserver for my company and looking for a way to build and i386 NFSROOT on a amd64 Etch and then build arch specific FAI mirrors and CD images. Here's how I did it.

Important note: this only works if your server runs a amd64 kernel and also only works with amd64 and i386. The reason is simply, because debootstrap installs the packages and then runs the postinst scripts, which in turn (sometimes) run arch-specific binaries, so this only works on amd64, because its possible to execute i386 binaries on amd64. If you want to serve other architecture combinations, you need to create the nfsroot on the target architecture and then copy it to your nfsserver, which can run any OS on any cpu-archtiture :-)

FAI Configuration tuning

All of the processes described below relies on tuning the FAI configuration space. Normally, FAI configuration can be found under an unique directory /etc/fai. To make FAI work with multi architecture, you have to duplicate the configuration space for every architecture. Here is an exemple of such an FAI setup :

/etc/fai-i386
/etc/fai-amd64

To be precise, the directories don't have to be entirely duplicated, only the make-fai-nfsroot.conf file must. Links can be used for the other files or directories under the /etc/fai tree, although apt/sources.list must be a hard link or copy; a soft link will not work.

Cross-Architecture NFSROOT

Create Arch Specific FAI Configuration Direcories

These are the directories that will be used for FAI in this setup. /etc/fai is still there, since several of the files do not change, but shouldn't actually be used directly.

  for dir in /etc/fai-i386 /etc/fai-amd64
  do
	mkdir $dir
	cd $dir
	ln -s /etc/fai/fai.conf
	ln -s /etc/fai/NFSROOT
        mkdir $dir/apt
	# A hard link will work here too, but not a soft link
	cp /etc/fai/apt/sources.list apt/
	ln -s /etc/fai/menu.lst
	cp /etc/fai/make-fai-nfsroot.conf .
  done

Build Per-Arch Apt Configs

We need to tell apt-get and frineds what's goin on, so we make a apt_arch.conf file inside /etc/fai-i386 and /etc/fai-amd64.

Simply add thoses lines to /etc/fai-i386/apt_arch.conf ( for /etc/fai-amd64/apt_arch.conf, replace i386 by amd64)

  APT {
	Architecture "i386";
  }

Make Per-Arch make-fai-nfsroot.conf

Add --arch i386 or --arch amd64 to FAI_DEBOOTSTRAP_OPTS.

Set NFSROOT to /srv/fai/nfsroot-i386 or /srv/fai/nfsroot-amd64, as appropriate.

Set APT_CONFIG to /etc/fai-i386/apt_arch.conf or /etc/fai-amd64/apt_arch.conf, as appropriate.

Build The Per-Arch NFSROOT

Run:

  • fai-setup -C /etc/fai-i386 -v
  • fai-setup -C /etc/fai-amd64 -v

You can also run make-fai-nfsroot instead of fai-setup; it's potentially less thorough, but should work.

Configure Network Installation

Run (something like) one of these, depending on what kind of host you are imaging:

  • fai-chboot -k "initrd=$(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/initrd.img*i386* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=$(host $(uname -n) | grep 'has address' | awk '{ print $4 }' | head -1):/srv/fai/nfsroot boot=live ip=dhcp FAI_FLAGS=verbose,sshd,createvt FAI_ACTION=install nfsroot=/srv/fai/nfsroot-i386" $(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/vmlinuz*i386* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') HOST
  • fai-chboot -k "initrd=$(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/initrd.img*amd64* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=$(host $(uname -n) | grep 'has address' | awk '{ print $4 }' | head -1):/srv/fai/nfsroot boot=live ip=dhcp FAI_FLAGS=verbose,sshd,createvt FAI_ACTION=install nfsroot=/srv/fai/nfsroot-amd64" $(ls -rt /srv/tftp/fai/vmlinuz*amd64* | tail -1 | sed 's;.*/;;') HOST

Per-Architecture FAI Mirrors

Here's how to make fai partial Debian mirrors for both architectures.

This relies on the NFSROOT changes described above.

for arch in i386 amd64 ; do	    
    export FAI_ETC_DIR=/etc/fai-$arch
    export APT_CONFIG=/etc/fai-$arch/apt_arch.conf
    apt-get update
    fai-mirror -v /srv/fai/mirror-$arch

    export -n APT_CONFIG
    apt-get update
done