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Date:      Tue, 24 Feb 1998 16:24:22 -0500 (EST)
From:      Robert Watson <robert@cyrus.watson.org>
To:        Joe McGuckin <joe@via.net>
Cc:        hackers@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject:   Re: A web-based FreeBSD configuration tool.
Message-ID:  <Pine.BSF.3.96.980224161629.17303B-100000@trojanhorse.pr.watson.org>
In-Reply-To: <199802242058.MAA24843@monk.via.net>

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On Tue, 24 Feb 1998, Joe McGuckin wrote:

> I think it would be neat if the install code had a www interface, so that I 
> didn't need to scrounge up a keyboard & monitor in install freebsd.

Sounds fun.

> You might say that you need a keyboard & monitor to set the IP address ?
> 
> Not really.
> 
>  - You could come up snooping the ethernet
>  - probe & find an unused IP address
>  - look for DNS query packets - looking for a 'magic name' (install.freebsd.org)
>  - if you see that, send a reply out the ethernet with your IP address.

... i.e., DHCP or IPV6 autoconfiguration ...

> So, I'd put the boot floppy in the machine, hit reset, go over to my web browser
> and type in http://install.freebsd.org. If the machine hadn't booted, I'd
> get a web page from FreeBSD stating that. Once the machine had booted,
> the next time a hit 'refresh' on the browser, I'd get the first page of the 
> install dialog.

This does not sound scalable.  Maybe the client could attempt to use DHCP
to grab an IP, then do something funky to announce itself to the install
machine; also, security is an issue here.  Presumably you would only want
to do this on a safe ethernet?  What happens if two hosts are ready to
install at the same time?  The use of DNS you suggest is certainly a bad
idea, though.  Using DHCP might be best; perhaps we would offer a
light-weight DHCP server as part of an installation package to have on
your master install machine -- you give it the ethernet addresses for new
machines to configure, the machines come up and do DHCP DISCOVER; the
lightweight server responds with DHCPOFFER and a vendor field
"freebsdinstall" set with its IP address, as well as the config
information.  The installing FreeBSD machine chooses this OFFER and
finishes config.  Then it connects to the install software on the master
install machine to get further information.

This allows multiple installs on a single submit, and has the installing
machine contact a master location for information, where you could have
your spiffy interface.  Also, you can have multiple master-installers
because they only do DHCPOFFER for hosts they know about ahead of time.

> I think Cisco does something similar to this for their 'out-of-the-box' 
> configuration.

I'm not familiar with the out-of-the-box-config, but have personally
always used a serial console to set up my ciscos.  I understand that they
have a web interface though.  I'm tempted to keep the web functionality on
a fully functioning existing machine rather than stick it on the install
floppy, though. :)

I think both approaches have their place -- a master installer requires,
of course, that one have an existing functioning machine, and that the
DHCP arrangement work.

I don't like the idea of sniffing to try and steal an IP, sniffing to find
DNS, etc.  Seems like a poor idea; the possibilities for conflicts are too
great, not to mention the ability to pick up incorrect information!

  Robert N Watson 

Carnegie Mellon University http://www.cmu.edu/
SafePort Network Services  http://www.safeport.com/
robert@fledge.watson.org   http://www.watson.org/~robert/


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