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List:       openbsd-tech
Subject:    Working on PXE automated installation
From:       Loïc BLOT <loic.blot () unix-experience ! fr>
Date:       2013-08-26 18:59:26
Message-ID: 1377543566.1140.19.camel () Nerz-PC
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Hello @tech.
I want to share you my work to make OpenBSD automated installation
possible.

My approach is to load a configuration file based on DHCP option 225
(thanks to Nick's work). If this file is present and available (HTTP,FTP
and TFTP are currently supported) the parser load variables to
installation environment (pxe_*).
If an error occurs at this time, installer comes back to normal mode.

The configuration file designed variables on this patern:
define_aiv pxe_myvar=value

or (for multiple values):
define_aiv pxe_mymultivar="value1 value2"

(AIV is for automated installation value)

Then, the installation process begins.

To answers all questions i have added an extra argument to (_)ask*()
functions which is the automated variables. It's the better approach for
minimal changes.

At this time i don't answers all questions, but all "classic" questions
for an automated install by ethernet are answered. (for example if
didn't have answers to WiFi or VLAN questions, but this is possible by
adding a variable name !

Instead of Nick's work i don't patch the kernel itself because netboot
interface is tagged and i can get it with regexp.

The only thing is missing to get choice between a PXE automated install
or a PXE manual install is, maybe, a boot.conf variable to set
installation in an automatic mode. In my case automated install is
forced by launching "install pxe" in the dot.profile.

You'll find my patch here (based on 5.3)
http://www.unix-experience.fr/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/OpenBSD-PXE-automatedinstall-0826131920GMT.diff

A working configuration:
http://www.unix-experience.fr/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/OpenBSD-PXE-autoinstall.conf

And here is the PoC via a Youtube Video (5min30, sorry my Internet
connection is slow):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdcdcHhWtVQ

Comments and review are welcome !

-- 
Best regards,
Loïc BLOT, 
UNIX systems, security and network expert
http://www.unix-experience.fr



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