Re: Automated building of OpenBSD servers

["Robert Schwartz" <robert@newdigitalparadigm.com>]

This works for me:
http://www.deadly.org/article.php3?sid=20000621021736

Then for making it bootable and portable (shippable)

http://sage.uniforum.org.nz/bootable.html

All you need is a CD-Rom writer and a list of the answers to the basic
boot install.  The passwords, network configs, etc are all set in the
first part, so the guy on the other end that types in the answers to the
install questions doesn't have to know anything but how to type:

> a
> a
enter
enter
enter

blahblahblah.

Very simple.



> -----Original Message-----
> From: Allan Lyons [mailto:lyonsa@calcgw.wycliffe.ca]
> Sent: Thursday, March 28, 2002 3:53 PM
> To: misc@openbsd.org
> Subject: Automated building of OpenBSD servers
> 
> Hi,
> 
> As much as I don't like some things about RedHat, one thing that I do
> like is its "Kickstart" disk method of installation as it allows one
to
> easily rebuild servers.
> 
> Now I realize that there are those who might say that OpenBSD
> servers don't require re-building, but they do need to be installed
the
> first time around.
> 
> I am in the situation where I may have to install and configure a box
> completely remotely (ie in a different country).  Building the box
here
> and shipping it there is not an option.  What I would like would be
able
> to easily script the installation so that all I would have to do is to
> mail a
> floppy (or email the image of a floppy) to someone at the other end
> and all they would have to do would be to stick it in a machine and
turn
> it on.  The machine would then boot and a base install would be
> completed without any further user intervention.  At that point, the
box
> would be in a state where I could then log in (SSH) and finish setting
> everything up.
> 
> From what I could find, the installation of OpenBSD requires someone
> to be sitting at the console in order to install.  Could someone
please
> prove me wrong!
> 
> If you've done this please let me know.  If the answer to my question
is
> RTFM, please include the page number as I must have missed what I
> was looking for when I read things through.
> 
> Thanks for your help,
> 
> Allan.