pxe-bootserver/todo.md

To Do...

Modular Approach

Folder Structure

• main.sh
  • ./services
    • main
    • tftpd-hpa
      • plugin.sh
      • config.sh
      • ./templates
      • ./build
    • nfs
    • samba
    • iscsi / tgt
    • lighthttpd
  • ./menues
    • ./pxelinux
      • plugin.sh
      • config.sh
      • ./templates
      • ./build
    • ./ipxe
    • ./custom-made
  • ./plugins
    • Knoppix
      • plugin.sh
      • config.sh
      • ./templates
      • ./build
      • ./resources
      • ./downloads
      • ./temp
    • Rescuezilla
    • FreeDOS
    • Clonezilla

Structure

main.sh

• drives all actions:
  • init - bootstrap the bare minimum: debian packages, config files, etc.
  • build - build all enabled plugins: trigger downloads, file processing
  • build-all - build even disabled plugins
  • start / stop / restart - handle services
• points all plugins to source global variables from ./services/main (could be changed!)
• provides global variables:
  • IP / Hostname

./services

• make services modular
• plugin.sh
  • manages all actions: downloads, file processing, template parsing
• config.sh
  • holds plugin specific variables
• ./main
  • configure settings:
  • variables
    • tftp root dir
    • hook: pxelinux or ipxe menus? so plugins could provide matching menue entries
• ./tftp-hpa and other services:
  • templates for config files

./menues

• make modular menues
• branding
• which menue to use: menu.c32 or vesamenu.c32, even use iPXE menues (may be broken by plugins)
• create menu sections: (maybe a kind of hook for plugin-types?)
  • put plugins into sections
  • types: livesystem, rescue, tools, installer, etc.
  • priority: sort stanzas

./plugins

• plugin contains all needed files
• plugin.sh
  • manages all actions: downloads, file processing, template parsing
• config.sh
  • plugin name
  • enabled: y/n
  • type: rescue, os, installer (must be one of the menue hooks)
  • depends: nfs, samba, etc.
  • plugin specific variables and settings

Central config file approach

a main script with a conf.d/ directory. config files are sorted by numbers and special names: menu_20_pxelinux.conf, service_10_nfs.conf, plugin_30_knoppix.conf each .conf file contains the needed variables

the main script can select files by name (menu,service,plugin) and sort them by number for the desired lineup.

menu* files build the menu and processes all plugin* files to fill the menu

File structure

• main.sh
• ./conf.d/
  • menu_10_default.conf
  • service_10_tftp.conf
  • plugin_10_knoppix.conf
  • plugin_20_rescuezilla.conf

menu*.conf

• find all enabled plugins and read them in a sorted array

• Modular pxelinux menu:

• split menu in parts: Knoppix, Rescuezilla, Acronis, etc.

• use settings.sh as configuration file, e.g. MENU_KNOPPIX=YES or MENU_NON-FREE=NO

• create template files in ./resources: menu-knoppix.cfg, menu-rescuezilla.cfg

• use INCLUDE command if possible https://wiki.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Menu#INCLUDE

• read settings.sh and parse templates to fill in variables

• iSCSI Target:

  • apt install tgt
    • zless /usr/share/doc/tgt/README.iscsi.gz
    • tgtadm --lld iscsi --op new --mode target --tid 1 -T iqn.2020-11.tld.ostrach:target1
    • tgtadm --lld iscsi --op show --mode target
    • tgtadm --lld iscsi --op new --mode logicalunit --tid 1 --lun 1 -b /dev/hdc1
    • tgtadm --lld iscsi --op bind --mode target --tid 1 -I ALL

• https://www.server-world.info/en/note?os=Debian_11&p=iscsi&f=2

• http://etherboot.org/wiki/sanboot

• https://ipxe.org/howto/winpe

1. install tgt
2. parse settings.sh and create tgt config files to:
3. a Windows 10 DVD target (.iso under /srv/tftp/non-free/windows10.iso)

Remeber: Check if a iSCSI Tape-Target could be used to trick a Tape Backup Software to use HardDisks as Tapes