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/!\ Under Construction! Wheezy has not been released yet!

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 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). The approach is also described below. However, preparing the CD image is the simpler approach, well tested and recommended.

CD approach: Creating an iso image for installation

We assume you have an installation of Debian wheezy 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 3GB disk image is sufficient). On that system install fai-quickstart and git:

aptitude install fai-quickstart git

Replace the configuration space by the Debian-LAN configuration space:

rm -r /srv/fai/config
cd /tmp/
git clone git://git.debian.org/git/collab-maint/debian-lan
cp -r /tmp/debian-lan/fai/config /srv/fai/
cd -

Modify ROOTPW and (depending on your setup) other variables in /srv/fai/config/class/SERVER_A.var. Replace /etc/fai/grub.cfg and /etc/fai/NFSROOT by the Debian-LAN version:

cp /srv/fai/config/files/etc/fai/grub.cfg/SERVER_A /etc/fai/grub.cfg
cp /srv/fai/config/files/etc/fai/NFSROOT/FAISERVER /etc/fai/NFSROOT

Check /etc/fai/apt/sources.list; you might want to use only Debian's repositories:

sed -i "s/^deb.*fai-project/\#&/" /etc/fai/apt/sources.list

If you want to use diskless clients, take a look at Setup_A on how to add an extra partition for the chroot. Then run as root:

fai-make-nfsroot -v -l

/!\ As long as 682796 is an issue, you have to apply a patch in the nfs-root.

/!\ 681579: Fixed in Sid: Install live-* packages in the chroot and update initramfs.

Now create a partial Debian mirror with all packages needed for the mainserver (replace AMD64 by I386 if you use i386):

fai-mirror -v -c AMD64,GRUB_PC,DEBIAN,DHCPC,FAIBASE,FAISERVER,LOG_SERVER,PROXY,NTP_SERVER,DNS_SERVER,NFS_SERVER,MAIL_SERVER,LDAP_CLIENT,LDAP_SERVER,KERBEROS_CLIENT,KERBEROS_KDC,KDC_LDAP,DISKLESS_SERVER,SERVER_A /srv/debmirror/ | tee /var/log/fai/fai-mirror.log

The CD image is created by fai-cd:

fai-cd -m /srv/debmirror/ fai-cd.iso

Burn the CD image (~600M) or prepare an USB stick and install the mainserver.

Other issues related:

After boot follow the message displayed to create the mainserver's FAI-nfs-root.

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 gPXE 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.