[et-mgmt-tools] Cobbler and Ghost

[Michael DeHaan]

Seann Clark wrote:
> All,
>
>    I am new to the list, and have a working cobbler running perfectly 
> save for kickstarts (I have no clue where to begin with that, but that 
> is a different issue). 

system-config-kickstart is a great way to build them.

The other way is to install a system and look at /root/anaconda.ks that 
is left over after installation.

> What I am desiring to get going is the ability to set up  a ghost for 
> linux (G4L) image on cobbler to be able to netboot/ghost a drive to a 
> network location, and I am wondering if anyone else has done this 
> before, or if it would be advisable. 

I recently started a thread about exploring inclusion of imaging tools 
in Cobbler, so it can keep track of images and make that easier.

So far udpcast and systemimager came up.     I'm still looking into 
options as right now udpcast involves a bit of setup that I find a bit 
too involved for most users (including me) to get the target image 
working correctly.  G4L might be another one to look at, though I'm 
suprised they haven't been talked to about the name yet.

> I have a few systems that are laboriously configured that I would like 
> to be able to periodically ghost before, and after an upgrade (in case 
> something goes very wrong, like my last Fedora 7 --> Fedora 8 fun, 
> where my install lost the LVM from the previous install and I had to 
> fight it to get it to update, which isn't good at all).

This looks like a good time to pick up a config management tool 
(something like Puppet), plus a backup tool, so that you can express 
your configuration in terms of kickstarts, configurations, and so 
forth.  Imaging is a problem because you usually don't know what went 
into the image, so changing it can be kind of haphazard.    That's why 
we want to encourage kickstart + config management wherever possible.    
That's not to say imaging doesn't have it's case... for Windows, that's 
one of the better options.
>
>    I have successfully completed manual cobbler assisted installs, and 
> my install works pretty well, and I am looking at fleshing it out a 
> bit to other O/s's besides just Linux (namely Solaris if it is 
> supported, I haven't read into that too much) and am looking at a 
> Windows remote installer (Unattended looked to be the best so far).

Imaging windows seems to be the way to go to me.   That way other 
distributions are covered under the same proverbial umbrella.
>
>    If doing a network bootable Ghost system isn't feasible in Cobbler, 
> would there be anything else that isn't commercial (I know Nortan 
> Ghost does network ghosting with its server products) that I could use 
> for this?
>

Any of the above...