From 14c59c8a1137253b796f7ada6369aed10e178c88 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: George T Kramer Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2017 03:29:14 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] First pass at cleanup --- source/bulk_provisioning.rst | 114 +++++++++++++++++------------------ 1 file changed, 55 insertions(+), 59 deletions(-) diff --git a/source/bulk_provisioning.rst b/source/bulk_provisioning.rst index 57948c3a..4a15cbaa 100644 --- a/source/bulk_provisioning.rst +++ b/source/bulk_provisioning.rst @@ -3,77 +3,39 @@ Bulk Provisioning ################# -Data centers have a need to install and configure new instances of operating -systems in bulk. When managing new computers or hardware upgrades in bulk, data -center administrators need tooling for making changes with minimal effort. +Clear Linux* Project for Intel® Architecture can be automatically provisioned in +bulk using a combination of `Ister`_ and the `Ister Cloud Init Service`_ (ICIS). -The bulk provisioning scenario is a continuation of the :ref:`network_boot` -scenario. After a network boot occurs, ``ister`` provides automation for this -task using `cloud-init`_ files by performing the following steps: +Configurations for a bulk provision are made by defining `cloud-init`_ files and +Ister configuration files and hosting them with ``ICIS`` so that ``Ister`` can +use them during the install process. Ister configuration files provide a way to +customize the install and cloud-init files provide a way to customize the +instance of the install. -#. Finding cloud-init files -#. Creating a `micro-config-drive`_ (ucf) to store the cloud-init files -#. Creating a systemd service which runs at first reboot to apply the - configurations defined by the cloud-init files -#. Reboots the machine to run the systemd service +The following diagram depics the flow of information between a PXE server and a +PXE client that needs to be set up to perform a bulk provision. -At this point, the machine has been rebooted twice, once to perform a network -boot and once again to apply cloud-init configurations. Afte the second reboot, -the machine can enter into a mode ready to be managed with Ansible. +.. figure:: _static/images/bulk-provision-flow.png + :alt: Bulk provision information flow -The ister cloud init service (`icis`_) is used by ister to host the cloud-init -configurations. Ister can be directed to look for cloud-init configurations -hosted by icis. + Figure 1: Bulk provision information flow -One nice attribute of this system is that once the iPXE bits are created, many -installer behaviors can be configured without having to regenerate the iPXE -bits. +This guide covers how to perform a bulk provision with ``Ister`` and ``ICIS``. Prerequisites ============= -Stand up an iPXE server as described in the :ref:`network_boot` -docs. Note that you will be generating your own artifacts to be served by -PXE in a later step. +Before performing a bulk provision, verify that you have a PXE server capable of +performing network boots of the latest release. Reference :ref:`network_boot` +for a guide on how to perform an iPXE boot using network address translation +(NAT). Configuration ============= -The following diagram illustrates the flow of information between the pxe -server and a host booting into the installer via pxe. This diagram is intended -to show the logical flow of information, and is not a literal depiction of the -protocol-level exchanges. - -.. figure:: _static/images/bulk-provision-flow.png - :alt: Bulk provisioning information flow - - Figure 1: Bulk provisioning information flow - -Application server, web server, dhcp server, tftp server are hosted on a -single machine, but can be hosted anywhere visible to PXE clients. - -#. Land `Ister Cloud Init Service `_ on the pxe server. The README in the ICIS github repo has - directions on how to install and configure. - -#. Generate the installer that will load and boot over PXE. Copy the relevant - files into the appropriate location on the iPXE server. - - A pxe installer is generated for every release of Clear Linux OS. It can be - found alongside the published images in - https://download.clearlinux.org/releases/XXXXX/clear/clear-XXXXX-pxe.tar.xz - - Alternatively, use the `create_pxe.sh - `_ script to - roll your own. Note this creates the pxe-installer from the "provisioning" - installer in Clear Linux. This is a touchless installer that takes all - installation information from a config file. You can get this image from a - given Clear Linux release by looking in - https://download.clearlinux.org/releases/XXXX/clear/ where XXXX is a Clear - Linux release number. Just download the image alongside the - ``create_pxe.sh`` script and name it ``provision.img``. +#. Install ``ICIS`` by following the getting started guide on GitHub. -#. Stage config files for ``ister`` that will govern Ister's behavior. This +#. Stage config files for ``Ister`` that will govern Ister's behavior. This includes modifying the script for ipxe boot, getting it to pass an additional parameter to the kernel. @@ -151,6 +113,40 @@ single machine, but can be hosted anywhere visible to PXE clients. #. Boot an iPXE client and watch Clear Linux install. -.. _icis: https://github.com/clearlinux/ister-cloud-init-svc -.. _cloud-init: https://cloudinit.readthedocs.io + +Data centers have a need to install and configure new instances of operating +systems in bulk. When managing new computers or hardware upgrades in bulk, data +center administrators need tooling for making changes with minimal effort. + +The bulk provisioning scenario is a continuation of the :ref:`network_boot` +scenario. After a network boot occurs, ``ister`` provides automation for this +task using `cloud-init`_ files by performing the following steps: + +#. Finding cloud-init files +#. Creating a `micro-config-drive`_ (ucf) to store the cloud-init files +#. Creating a systemd service which runs at first reboot to apply the + configurations defined by the cloud-init files +#. Reboots the machine to run the systemd service + +At this point, the machine has been rebooted twice, once to perform a network +boot and once again to apply cloud-init configurations. Afte the second reboot, +the machine can enter into a mode ready to be managed with Ansible. + +The ister cloud init service (`icis`_) is used by ister to host the cloud-init +configurations. Ister can be directed to look for cloud-init configurations +hosted by icis. + +One nice attribute of this system is that once the iPXE bits are created, many +installer behaviors can be configured without having to regenerate the iPXE +bits. + +.. _Ister: + https://github.com/bryteise/ister + +.. _Ister Cloud Init Service: + https://github.com/clearlinux/ister-cloud-init-svc + +.. _cloud-init: + https://cloud-init.io/ + .. _micro-config-drive: https://github.com/clearlinux/micro-config-drive