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This page describes how to get started and install the faiserver. All other machines are deployed from the faiserver. Please report failures to the mailing list.

Installing the faiserver

The installation of the very first machine, the faiserver, is the most involved step when deploying a Debian-LAN. As soon as the faiserver has been set up, the installation of all other machines is only a matter of booting over the network.

We prepare a CD/USB hybrid image which is in turn used to install the mainserver of Setup_A from CD or USB stick. It is also possible to install the mainserver via network (PXE).

CD/USB approach: Creating an iso hybrid image for installation

  1. We assume you have an installation of Debian Jessie available. For example, install a minimal Debian system (no graphical desktop environment required) on a machine you plan to use later in the Debian-LAN or use a virtual machine (a 4GB disk image is sufficient).

    /!\ Workaround: A dependency is missing in FAI (769683): Make sure you have binutils installed and the command strings available.

  2. Install the package debian-lan-config. Follow the instructions provided in /usr/share/doc/debian-lan-config/README.Debian to create an iso hybrid image.

  3. Boot the mainserver from the prepared image to install. You need network access to download packages: Make sure the machine can access the internet via DHCP. After installation, connect the machine to the internal network (with no other DHCP server in the Debian-LAN network).

  4. After boot, create the mainserver's FAI-nfs-root and optionally the chroot for diskless clients with the command debian-lan-chroots. Reboot after that.

  5. You are now ready to install the other machines in the Debian-LAN from the mainserver. Take a look at the desktop package selection in /srv/fai/config/package_config/DESKTOP. Choose the prefered environment and add all packages you need. Boot the clients over network and PXE-install. If your machines cannot boot via PXE, take a look at iPXE and burn a CD.

For instructions on how to add users and machines to the Debian-LAN, see the corresponding setup page, for example Setup_A.

Disk sizes for VMs

The following disk sizes are sufficient for a test setup with virtual machines: