Wild and crazy times for the development tree

[Hans Kristian Rosbach]

On Tue, 2006-03-21 at 12:50 +0100, Rudolf Kastl wrote:

> do you go to every server in your rack and pop in an install cd/dvd? :)
> 
> you serious?

Since we install about 1-3 servers per week, yes.
(And I don't have to do any of the carrying)

1. Server arrives at workshop desk
2. Hardware is installed/upgraded/dusted off
3. Bioses/firmwares updates
4. Memtest86+ overnight
5. OS Install (type depending on customers or our needs)
6. Server placed into rack

This lets us spot failing hardware such as capacitors or
hear noisy disks/fans. And with the KVM extender to my
office I can administrate the install remotely when I come
into my office after the overnight memtest anyways.

It might possibly be a bit more work than booting off PXE
but then we would have the added administration of PXE image
servers on each physical net. And just generally a cdrom is
a whole lot easier to debug if something fails. 

Installing minimal images over PXE would of course save
more time, but I would still have to make and maintain
all of them.

(Another benefit is that the firewall in that room is set
 up such that windows servers don't get viruses on them
 before windows update has run.)

-HK