[clug] Automated install and maintenance

Michael.James at csiro.au Michael.James at csiro.au
Tue Jun 5 01:21:05 GMT 2007


On Mon, 4 Jun 2007 08:08:44 pm you wrote:
> That sounds a lot like System Imager
> [http://wiki.systemimager.org/index.php/Main_Page]
> any reason you didn't use it?

I had a look at something like it
 but it looked a lot more static than real world situations need.

In their model of development I build the final master node,
 image it and build the rest of the cluster from that.

Then if I want to use systemimager to change configuration
 or update a package I have to re-build the image
 and re-boot everything from the boot CD. Hassle

In my system the master node IS the image,
 complete with all the changes I just did in vi.
If those changes are too widespread to be conveniently rsync-ed
 then I fire a general reboot across the cluster.
So I can use cloneboot to ensure uniformity.

There is nothing special about the master node,
 I can pick any node and un-enslave it
 just by changing a link in /tftpboot.
Then I can develop it, re-partition its drive, upgrade the OS,
 test and if all goes well; make it the new master.
Do a reboot of all but the old master and test again.
If there's a problem, just point the other nodes
 back to the old master and reboot back.
Yes, once I blow the old master away, it's lost.
But I don't do that till the new config has been working for a good while.

It looked as if systemimager didn't do the partitioning.
With my system I could commission 6 new blades in 20 minutes,
 that's from opening the crate to running with apps installed!

Cloneboot has been doing just what I want for 4 years now
 and it's a few K of shell. Systemimager is 650Meg.

michaelj

-- 
Michael James                         michael.james at csiro.au
System Administrator                    voice:  02 6246 5040
CSIRO Bioinformatics Facility             fax:  02 6246 5166

No matter how much you pay for software,
 you always get less than you hoped.
Unless you pay nothing, then you get more.


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