READ ONLY FORUM: m23 :: makes software distribution easy

dleigh · Joined: 09 Aug 2013 Posts: 5

Your current m23 version:
m23 version and patch level: 13.2 rock (100669)

How did you install the m23 server? (Complete installation from CD or by the installation script on the CD)
I guess I don't understand the difference between these two. I downloaded the iso, burned the cd and put it in the machine and went through the installation steps.

Did you change anything on the system by hand? If yes: what?
I didn't want LDAP or DHCP to run (subject of another post I want to write). I don't remember how I answered any questions but I'm pretty sure they are not running. I've also installed mc and webmin.

Ok, my question:

I've read Using m23 with an external DHCP server and wanted to pass on my experience and see if I'm close to a solution.

I tried to work with the FOG computer deployment solution (http://www.fogproject.org/) and succeeded in making it work in our environment where DHCP is handled by a Smoothwall Express server (http://www.smoothwall.org/). FOG didn't meet my needs because it has poor capabilities for dealing with cloning Linux (it's mostly a Windows cloning solution running on Linux).

Anyway, I thought that since the pxe booting worked for FOG with our DHCP setup I'd simply try it for M23 as well. The only thing I changed was the file path location of pxelinux.0 Everything else was the same. The results I got were the following (from syslog on the M23 server):

Hauke · Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 1072

Hi,

one question in forehand: Where did you find the question with the installation script on the CD, you answered? This is a bit outdated Wink

dleigh · Joined: 09 Aug 2013 Posts: 5

MarenH · Posted: Wed Aug 28, 2013 17:30 Post subject:

Hi,

I can only give you answers to some of the questions you asked (the fully qualified answers to your other questions are better provided by Hauke, but he isn't available right now):

Q1:

Guest · Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:42 Post subject:

Maren, thanks for the detailed help.

My situation:

I'm trying to take Ubuntu 12.04 desktop (actually Xubuntu + Edubuntu packages), create a prototype system and then clone it into a school computer lab. School starts Monday, and I have my prototype system customized the way I want so I'm looking for a better cloning system than the REDO backup/recovery tool and a bunch of CDs - but at this point it may be too late.

So perhaps m23 is NOT that tool?

So when you talk about a "model client" being created in m23, the model is created by choosing which packages will be installed when the installation is run from the network - is that right? What does one do for specific configuration file issues, etc.? For instance we have a Samba server acting as a Primary Domain Controller and we want users to log onto a Linux machine just like they can log on to a Windows machine with their domain user. This means much customizing with Samba, Winbind, Pam, etc. I finally got it to work and I can't imagine making a model of that without simply cloning that installation via imaging. BUT, I'm no guru. Perhaps there is a better way?

Thanks for any counsel.
David

MarenH · Posted: Thu Aug 29, 2013 11:01 Post subject:

The good news is: imaging should work for you if you get that DHCP system running, because Ubuntu 12.04 is based on Debian, and m23 can do imaging for Debian-based systems. I'm sorry I cannot help you with DHCP, that is not my domain...

Did you install your preconfigured client using m23?
Or did you use the 'integration function' to familiarize it with the m23 server (and vice versa)? (did you follow the advice for Ubuntu, if you did an integration?)

There is no way m23 can create an image of a computer if it doesn't 'know' the client first (I guess you already know that, because if not you wouldn't have any button to click on, just to be sure Wink

).

To quote Hauke on imaging from another post:

dleigh · Joined: 09 Aug 2013 Posts: 5

Excellent info. I'm up to my neck at the moment but I'll be reflecting on the best way forward.

Thank you so much for your help!