SuSE Linux netinstall from Solaris Server - How

Hi,

this should be easy, but apparently isn't:

* I've got a Solaris Server (NIS, NFS, you name it...)
* I've got several Solaris clients, which installed beautiefully from
the net (Ok, it would be even more beautifull if I could pacht the
software to install instead of the installing software --- meaning
if I wouldn't need to patch each installed system seperately after
install)
* I've got several Linux (SuSE 9.0) clients. Currently I use a CDROM
to boot the machine, a floppy to tell it what to install and where
from, and then install using NFS. Works.
But it would be sooo much cooler if I could simply do a netinstall
for Linux too. Now, of course I can simply name one of the
Linux-clients a netinstall-server and work from there, but I would
rather the Sun could serve this to. The way I see it I only need an
bootp/dhcp server, and a tftp server (already running), and the
right info to enter into the config-files.

Any ideas? The reverse, installing Solaris from a Linux-Server, seems
to be pretty straightforward, but installing Linux from a Solaris
Server?

Anyway, any help appreciated

Sven

PS: Solaris 8, SuSE Linux 9.0
--
_ __ The Cognitive Systems Group
| |/ /___ __ _ ___ University of Hamburg
| ' </ _ \/ _` (_-< phone: +49 (0)40 42883-2576 Vogt-Koelln-Strasse 30
|_|\_\___/\__, /__/ fax : +49 (0)40 42883-2572 D-22527 Hamburg
|___/ http://kogs-www.informatik.uni-hambu...tcke/home.html

On Mon, 3 May 2004, Sven Utcke wrote:

> * I've got several Solaris clients, which installed beautiefully from
> the net (Ok, it would be even more beautifull if I could pacht the
> software to install instead of the installing software --- meaning
> if I wouldn't need to patch each installed system seperately after
> install)

It is possible to patch an installation image, without having to
patch each client separately.

Sorry, I don't have any ideas how to answer your question though...

--
Rich Teer, SCNA, SCSA

President,
Rite Online Inc.

Voice: +1 (250) 979-1638
URL: http://www.rite-online.net

On Mon, 03 May 2004, Sven Utcke <utcke+(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> this should be easy, but apparently isn't:
>
> * I've got a Solaris Server (NIS, NFS, you name it...)
> * I've got several Solaris clients, which installed beautiefully from
> the net (Ok, it would be even more beautifull if I could pacht the
> software to install instead of the installing software --- meaning
> if I wouldn't need to patch each installed system seperately after
> install)
> * I've got several Linux (SuSE 9.0) clients. Currently I use a CDROM
> to boot the machine, a floppy to tell it what to install and where
> from, and then install using NFS. Works.
> But it would be sooo much cooler if I could simply do a netinstall
> for Linux too. Now, of course I can simply name one of the
> Linux-clients a netinstall-server and work from there, but I would
> rather the Sun could serve this to. The way I see it I only need an
> bootp/dhcp server, and a tftp server (already running), and the
> right info to enter into the config-files.
>
> Any ideas? The reverse, installing Solaris from a Linux-Server, seems
> to be pretty straightforward, but installing Linux from a Solaris
> Server?

I've done net boots using PXE. If that's what you're aiming for,
look for 'pxelinux' -- it is a boot image that allows your PXE
environment to load a kernel and ramdisk from a tftp location,
and also supply kernel options (useful for automated installs.)

You should be able to host this on Solaris without trouble,
as it uses dhcp to give out addresses and pxe directives,
then tftp to supply the pxe image, linux kernel and initrd.

Though I do recall the tftp server must be able to support
a certain tftp option -- find pxelinux and read.

Rich Teer <(E-Mail Removed)> writes:

> On Mon, 3 May 2004, Sven Utcke wrote:
>
> > * I've got several Solaris clients, which installed beautiefully from
> > the net (Ok, it would be even more beautifull if I could pacht the
> > software to install instead of the installing software --- meaning
> > if I wouldn't need to patch each installed system seperately after
> > install)
>
> It is possible to patch an installation image, without having to
> patch each client separately.

Well, I can path the installation-image which is used to _boot_ the
machines prior to installation, but _I_ can't patch the packages which
then get installed. Am I missing something?

Sven
--
_ __ The Cognitive Systems Group
| |/ /___ __ _ ___ University of Hamburg
| ' </ _ \/ _` (_-< phone: +49 (0)40 42883-2576 Vogt-Koelln-Strasse 30
|_|\_\___/\__, /__/ fax : +49 (0)40 42883-2572 D-22527 Hamburg
|___/ http://kogs-www.informatik.uni-hambu...tcke/home.html