[arch-releng] Make archiso PXE & NBD friendly (server and client mode)

[Dieter Plaetinck]

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:39:20 -0300
Gerardo Exequiel Pozzi <vmlinuz386 at yahoo.com.ar> wrote:

> Hello
> 
> I recently done some changes for archiso, to make it booteable via
> PXE (Preboot eXecution Environment) and using NBD (Network Block
> Device). Also a minimal server script can be launched to act as
> server ;)

cool.
i always wanted support for pxe.
is there a specific reason to choose nbd over nfs?


> If booted from network, there is a [nbd] hook, (based on [net]), that 
> configures an IP address, then setup a /dev/nbd0 (via nbd-client).
> (and /dev/archiso will point to this device), all the rest is done by
> current archiso hook :) (copytoram option can be used)
> If booted normally, [nbd] hook does nothing. Inside the /root, there
> is a simple script that launches dnsmasq enabling tftp and dhcp
> server, finally start the nbd-server that serve the iso file via
> network.

i'm confused, this whole thing is meant for clients, right?
what does the tftp/dhcp server has to do with the client?

also, do you think we could just merge this in archiso and always use
the nbd hook? (knowing that it won't do anything in 99% of the cases,
when people do a regular boot)

Dieter