Just a few thoughts on installing Debian on Networked systems. (I was
going to wait to introduce this topic until after the release, but people
are already discussing it so I'll put in my $.02 now.)
People have been talking about installing packages on Debian systems which
share certain partitions via NFS. Good idea, but we need to think in more
general terms. I think that we should consider networked systems as a class.
I would like an administrator to be able to install Debian on a network of
computers with a minimum of hassle. The scenario I envision might happen
as follows:
Administrator installs Debian using a boot/root disk set that
mounts a disk full of debian packages (1) and builds a minimal
system. (2) (3) Now she does this again for each computer
that will run Debian. As she installs each system she
configures it to allow remote installation. Now, she goes back
to her administration workstation and installs debian packages
as needed. The remote systems get the same packages installed
automatically. If any of the systems share NFS-mounted media,
this is handled automatically.
(1) Perhaps this is a CD-ROM, perhaps it is a NFS-mountable
drive sitting out on the Internet, perhaps something else.
(2) Perhaps at this stage, the administrator has a chance to
set the configuration parameters for all of the systems that
she will install, creating a custom installation root disk.
When installing the subsequent systems, she simply selects
the name for the system from a list and all of the other
information (IP address, domain name, name server addresses,
paper size, remote installation information, etc) is applied
automatically.
(3) Depending on the exact situation, the administrator might
want to fully install a local server from which all of the
subsequent installations get their debian packages.
Note that the emphasis is on ease of use.
In order to make this work, dpkg needs to be able to run as a server.
Obviously, we would need some kind of security mechanism so that this
feature does not become a security hole.
Another possible scenario:
A new Debian system is added to a pre-existing network of
Debian systems. Dpkg automatically installs all packages that
are installed on the network.
Other wrinkles to add to the flexibility of Debian:
Allow the specification of system types, where each type gets
a different list of software installed. A network could consist
of large shared servers and a bunch of Debian systems which are
only used as X-terminals. Or the division could be between
program development (or test) systems and production (users')
systems.
Manage Debian systems in sync regardless of the underlying
architecture. If an administrator installs ``cal'' on her
network, the correct binary should be installed on i386, 680x0
and whatever other systems that Linux & Debian have been ported
to.
If the network is set up to use multiple redundant /usr (or
whatever) partitions, then files need to be duplicated onto the
secondary partitions as they are installed.
--
David H. Silber [EMAIL PROTECTED] Project: Debian GNU/Linux (dbackup)
<http://www.access.digex.net/~dhs/> Wanted: Spare time.
Programmer for hire.
