Choosing a client installation method



There are three major decisions you have to make in installing a client node using LUI:
  • pxe install versus etherboot

    If your nodes can do a pxe install, which means their BIOS supports the pxe (Preboot eXecution Environment) from Intel, this is the recommended method of install, because you don't have to create and manage boot diskettes. To find out if your node supports pxe install, you might try powering it up, and setting the node bootlist to just network (disabling cd-rom, diskette, and harddrive). If the node starts to broadcast its MAC address looking for a server, it's probably pxe ready and probably does not need a boot diskette. If your node does not broadcast, or your ethernet adapter doesn't cooperate, then you need to follow the bootp method. Start the bootp service and go download the etherboot package from the etherboot home page, compile it, and create boot diskettes for your adapters. This procedure is explained in the etherboot documentation, as well as the LUI README.

    Note that with LUI 1.4 or later, you no longer need the pxe rpm, the pxe.conf file, or to start the pxe daemon. Instead, you will use the syslinux package, which is much cleaner and more expandable (it supports loader options).

  • tarball install versus rpm install

    tarball installation is when you create archives of the file systems on the server workstation, and install them on the client workstations. rpm install is when you create and allocate an rpm resource to an installing node, and have it install from RPMs. The disadvantages of tarball install are that it takes up a lot of space on the server, and that it's hard to trade tarballs with your friends -- they're big! Also, you don't necessarily want your client machines to look like your server. The biggest disadvantage in rpm install are the shortcomings in the rpm command itself. There is a problem with RH 6.2, where you must install bash before libtermcap. Also, if you install an rpm that is released for several architectures, you have to specify the specific rpm filename in the rpm list. Reference the sample.rpmlist for examples of this -- grep for "i386".

  • bootp versus dhcp

    bootp and dhcp do basically the same function -- they assign IP information and a boot image to an installing node. dhcp is an improved version of bootp, since it supports dynamic IP address assignment. dhcp also handles PXE clients, which bootp does not. At this time, LUI does manage the /etc/bootptab file associated with bootp, but does not manage the /etc/dhcpd.conf file. Still, if you have a choice, use dhcp.