Diskless netboot

Diskless server / workstation using netboot

NFS is a technology that allow you to share some files and folders over the network. So:

• All the clients will share the installation, configuration files and so on.
• Each client will run a dedicated instance of the operating system
• Logs will be centralized on the common NFS server - so we don't loose data on each reboot.

You must have a working DHCP server + NetBoot before starting this part.

Requirements:

• DHCP server
• NetBoot server

Aim

In order to be super effective:

• Each client distribution will have its own kernel support (vmlinuz + initrd.img files)
• All the distributions will be under the same root
• Both NFS and TFTP will share the same root folder
• The user will be able to choose the O.S to use using a PXE menu

Target folder tree:

/pxe-boot/                                 # TFTP + NFS root
/pxe-boot/pxelinux.0                       # Initial boot file - only use to load the PXE NetBoot manager
/pxe-boot/{menu.c32 || vesamenu.c32}       # PXE interactive menu managers (text or graphical)

/pxe-boot/images/                          # This is where the distributions will be. 
                                           # Each distribution [configuration] will be in a dedicated folder.

/pxe-boot/images/trusty/                   # Ubuntu 14.04 [Trusty] distribution - ready to be used


/pxe-boot/images/trusty/vmlinuz            # specific kernel for ubuntu 14.04 distrubution
/pxe-boot/images/trusty/initrd.img         # specific initrd for ubuntu 14.04 distribution

Installation

NFS support

apt-get install nfs-kernel-server nfs-common

Debootstrap (manage netboot image)

apt-get install debootstrap

Initramfs (to manage "virtual disks")

apt-get install initramfs-tools

NFS server setup

Preparation

You have to create a dedicated folder on your server where you will host the client image.

mkdir -p /pxe-boot/images
chmod -R 777 /pxe-boot

Configuration

The NFS configuration is done in the /etc/exports file

vim /etc/exports

Add something like that:

  /pxe-boot      192.168.2.0/24(ro,no_root_squash,no_subtree_check,async,insecure)

Adjust "192.168.2.0/24" to your own network address

• rw : Allow clients to read as well as write access
• ro : Read only access
• insecure : Tells the NFS server to use unpriveledged ports (ports > 1024).
• no_subtree_check : If the entire volume (/users) is exported, disabling this check will speed up transfers.
• async : async will speed up transfers.
• no_root_squash: This phrase allows root to connect to the designated directory.

- NOTE -

It's always a good idea to use Read-Only if you plan to share this disk.

That will avoid user to mess with your image!

Security

Like TFTP, this part is insecure !

You must restrict the access to your NFS server by a firewall script and filtering BEFORE reaching the LAN !

NFS is using dynamic ports numbers because it runs over rpcbind. Making NFS using specifics port is a pain in the ass !! :(

So, instead of that you should allow your LAN communication.

    IPTABLES=`which iptables`
    LAN_ADDRESS="192.168.2.0/24"

    # Allow LAN communication
    $IPTABLES -A INPUT -s $LAN_ADDRESS -d $LAN_ADDRESS -m state ! --state INVALID -j ACCEPT
    $IPTABLES -A OUTPUT -s $LAN_ADDRESS -d $LAN_ADDRESS -m state ! --state INVALID -j ACCEPT

Management

service nfs-kernel-server {status|start|stop|restart}

Test the server

Install the NFS v4 client:

apt-get install nfs-common

To mount the default path:

mount -t nfs nfs-server:/ /mnt

You'll see: "/mnt/pxe-boot"

It's better to do:

mount -t nfs nfs-server:/pxe-boot /mnt

NFS client image

There are different way to setup a NFS client image.

The main ones are:

• debootstrap
• copying the install from your server
• Manual install on a client, then, when the system is ready, copy everything to the NFS share

Debootstrap: setup client distribution

Setup distribution folder

You have to create one target for each distribution you want to serve:

mkdir -p /pxe-boot/images/trusty
chmod -R 777 /pxe-boot/images/trusty

- NOTES -

• The folder name should match your NetBoot settings. Folder name = a LABEL in the NetBoot config.
• The folder name should match a Linux (Debian like) distribution name

Populate the content

cd /pxe-boot/images/trusty
debootstrap trusty /pxe-boot/images/trusty

Configure client distribution

Access distribution

# "mount" the system
chroot /pxe-boot/images/trusty/

From here you can perform operation as if you were on a separate machine.

Only the current distribution (= the client one) will be affected.

Adjust default login/password

First of all, you have to create / adjust the default user.

# Add new user
adduser <username>
# Add user to sudoers group
usermod -a -G sudo <username>

Now you can use that user:

su <username>
sudo -s

You can check that you really are in the "Virtual machine" by checking "/srv/". It should be empty !

Update sources.list and install key packages

Your client need to have some key packages in order to work. Without these package even the NetBoot will fail !!

First of all: edit your sources.list

apt-get install vim
vim /etc/apt/sources.list

Put the following:

### Custom repositories list
#
# May 2014 - Guillaume Diaz
# This is an ajdustement of the default "debootstrap" sources.list
# This is required to provided update, security and advanced tools to all our clients
#

# Official repositories
deb http://se.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://se.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security main restricted universe multiverse

# Official updates 
deb http://se.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse

# Canonical partners
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner

# Community partners
deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main

Update your package list:

apt-get update && apt-get upgrade

Now, you can install the basic programs:

# NFS client. This is ABSOLUTELY MANDATORY ! That's the only way to mount the /root
apt-get install nfs-common
apt-get install initramfs-tools

# NFS is a bit low, and if you're using many client it might result in time faults. 
# You must install NTP to overcome this !!
apt-get install ntp ntpdate

# Basic set of utilities
apt-get install unzip zip
apt-get install make autoconf automake cpp gcc build-essential
apt-get install htop
apt-get install python3

# Advanced APT manager (require to add repository from command line)
apt-get install software-properties-common python-software-properties


# JAVA (that is required for my application)
# Depending on your target usage you might not need it.
add-apt-repository ppa:webupd8team/java 
apt-get update && apt-get upgrade
apt-get install oracle-java7-installer oracle-jdk7-installer

Adjust bash and vim configuration

Edit your VIM configuration:

vim /etc/vim/vimrc

Enable dark background, set nu, set ruler

Edit your bash configuration files to adjust the alias and enable auto-completion:

vim /etc/bash.bashrc
vim /home/<username>/.bashrc
vim /root/.bashrc

Install a local kernel

To install a local kernel, you have to:

• mount /proc
• unpack linux-headers-generic
• unpack linux-image-generic

mount /proc
apt-get install -y linux-headers-generic
apt-get install -y linux-image-generic

Check that you have some symlinks in /, either create them:

ln -s /boot/vmlinuz-3.5.0-21-generic /vmlinuz         
ln -s /boot/initrd.img-3.5.0-21-generic /initrd.img

!! Don't forget to adjust the number to your actual version !!

Edit mount points (/etc/fstab)

You must edit the mount points to get the client working!

vim /etc/fstab

/proc    /proc    proc    defaults   0 0
/sys     /sys     sysfs   defaults   0 0
/dev/nfs /        nfs     defaults   1 1

Adjust network configuration

Up to this point the client will already have got a DHCP address through the NetBoot process.

Therefore, you should prevent users / services from changing that automatic configuration.

Edit the config file:

vim /etc/network/interfaces

Put:

## Manual override of the debootstrap shipped configuration
#
# Version 1.0 - May 2014 - Guillaume Diaz
#

# Loopback
auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

# Keep the NetBoot configuration
iface eth0 inet manual

# Intel NUC trick - as the NUC uses "em1" instead of "eth0"
iface em1 inet manual

Custom NetBoot configuration

Basic configuration

You can setup your own netboot configuration.

To do so, you can re-use one of the syslinux templates:

# Create folders
mkdir /var/lib/tftpboot/custom
mkdir /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/pxelinux.cfg

# Create configuration files
cp /usr/lib/syslinux/pxelinux.0 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom

The pxelinux.cfg folder is mandatory. Inside you can provide:

• configuration for a specific IP @ or hostname
• configuration for a group
• default configuration (required)

Create the default configuration file:

vim /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/pxelinux.cfg/default

Put the following:

# Ubuntu 14.04
LABEL TRUSTY
    kernel trusty/vmlinuz
    initrd trusty/initrd.img
    # Set NFS share as default root 
    append root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=192.168.2.2:/srv/nfsroot/trusty


# Prompt user for selection
PROMPT 0

TIMEOUT 30

• Each LABEL is a specific configuration that will displayed on the NetBoot menu.
• PROMPT 1 = enable user prompt so you can choose the configuration
• TIMEOUT 30 = timeout (in seconds) before the default option is choosen

Note that I used a reference to "trusty/", that's a folder I need to create later on.

Create boot files

mkdir /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty
# Copy current boot files
cp /boot/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-amd64 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty/
cp /boot/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-amd64 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty/
# Create symlinks
ln -s /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty/vmlinuz-3.2.0-4-amd64 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty/vmlinuz
ln -s /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty/initrd.img-3.2.0-4-amd64 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/trusty/initrd.img

- NOTES -

• Adjust the 3.2.0-4 kernel number to the version you are using
• Do NOT use symlinks !! It won't work !!
• Don't forget to set all the rights ("chmod 777"). See the Security section below.

Advanced menu

Install menu manager

Text menu:

cp /usr/lib/syslinux/menu.c32 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/

Graphic menu:

cp /usr/lib/syslinux/vesamenu.c32 /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/
cp /mySuperPicture/logo.png /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/pxelinux.cfg/

The associate picture must be a PNG 800x600 picture and MUST be named logo.png.

Configure boot options

Then edit the PXE boot file:

vim /var/lib/tftpboot/custom/pxelinux.cfg/default

Put:

#### GENERIC OPTIONS #####
# Enable text menu
#DEFAULT menu.c32
# Enable graphical menu
DEFAULT vesamenu.c32
# Prompt for user input? (0 = choose from menu, 1 = you can type anything)
PROMPT 0
# Allow or not the user to left the menu (1 = user is locked to the menu)
NOESCAPE 1
# Time before using default option
TIMEOUT 50


#### Menu settings #####
MENU TITLE my super netboot menu
MENU BACKGROUND pxelinux.cfg/logo.png
MENU WIDTH 80
MENU ROWS 14
MENU MARGIN 10


#### Distributions #####
# Ubuntu 14.04
LABEL trusty
    MENU LABEL Ubuntu 14.04 (trusty)
    MENU DEFAULT
    # Kernel and boot files
    KERNEL trusty/vmlinuz
    initrd trusty/initrd.img
    ### Boot options
    # Set NFS share as default root 
    APPEND root=/dev/nfs nfsroot=192.168.2.2:/srv/nfsroot/trusty

# Installation disk
    MENU LABEL rescue disk
    # Kernel and boot files
    KERNEL trusty/vmlinuz
    initrd rescue/amd64/initrd.img

Note all the "MENU" commands + PROMPT 0

Security notes

in order to work you must adjust the rights of your "/var/lib/tftpboot/".

chmod -R 777 /var/lib/tftpboot

References

Ubuntu diskless how-to: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/DisklessUbuntuHowto Super video tutorials:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js9imsrqAMk
• http://www.stepladder-it.com/bivblog/14/ to /16/