Eversurf Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 Ok here is the deal. I have a school project where I need to deploy a desktop to 3 machines with different hardware config. I think I will be using Red Hat or Mandrake because of their support and also because it was recommended in the Neowin guide. Which distro should I use and why Please base your answer on the fact that I don't know anything about linux. Now as far as deploying the desktops, what would be the name of the application to do so? And i will go from there Have fun!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shihchiun Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 red hat is no longer being supported, (the free version at least), so i think you would be better off using mandrake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwolfe Veteran Posted April 23, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 23, 2004 Use Fedora in place of RedHat. Fedora is the community version of RedHat. As for your task... Do you need to bootstrap these PCs, and have them install the OS over a network? Or just use a common (or individually-set) desktop served from a network? Or something different? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 23, 2004 Author Share Posted April 23, 2004 I will install over the network. What is the bootstrap thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwolfe Veteran Posted April 23, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 23, 2004 I will install over the network. What is the bootstrap thing? First: :whistle: This poster has never done this before! :whistle: Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, you can set each PC to boot from the NIC (if the BIOS supports it, and it must for a PC to boot from the network). A BOOTP protocol method is used. I cannot say anything more on this, as I have no significant knowledge of this. :pinch: You have to have a server to serve out the installation. The installation can be scripted, so all PCs are installed properly (whether all the same, or specific PCs with individual selections). Perhaps, instead of installing, try looking into Linux Terminal Server Project (TLSP). The preferred method may be to have PCs as "thin clients" (also called "diskless workstations"), and a server that stores the /home directories and hosts the rest of the file system, too. Google on that to see if this fits your situation better... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemical Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 get redhat, and get on a book on it, specifically pay attention to their Kickstart configuration schemes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kongit Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 get redhat, and get on a book on it, specifically pay attention to their Kickstart configuration schemes I agree redhat has a lot of documentation for stuff like this. Redhat 9 should do just fine for a school project. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemical Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 yea and kickstart is specifically designed for os deployment like you are mentioning, it will take a little tinkering but im sure you could get it to work over a small network Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemical Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 going through my daily sites and stumbled on this article, hope this helps http://servers.linux.com/article.pl?sid=03/11/26/039241 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordHatrus Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 THere used to be a very nice tool for debian, that did a very cool network install... Anyway, you want to configure ALL the computers, to boot from LAN, before booting from CD, Hard Disk ,etc.... This is also an easy way to deploy a cluster, but you don't want to do that, you want a 'desktop' on each computer instead of a little remote shell. (Which is what I do with my cluster, which most of the comps boot from LAN on) PLEASE realize it would be EASIER FOR YOU as an INEXPERIENCED USER, to not attempt a 'network install'. It would be much easier (in fact, foolproof-easy) for you to just take 3 CD roms, and do a normal install from CD-ROM, on each computer, seperately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 23, 2004 Author Share Posted April 23, 2004 PLEASE realize it would be EASIER FOR YOU as an INEXPERIENCED USER, to not attempt a 'network install'. It would be much easier (in fact, foolproof-easy) for you to just take 3 CD roms, and do a normal install from CD-ROM, on each computer, seperately. I understand that but the point of the exercise is to deploy desktop with as little effort as possible as if i was deploying 5 gazillion desktop. I cannot use Debian since another team has already used it. Terminal Server is an option, but i think I will deploy via network. All my pc support the PXE boot protocol. I have looked at the RED HAT kickstart Documentation and it seems pretty straight forward. I think this is how I will proceed. Another question comes up to my mind. Will I be able to slipstream other application using this method? For Example the Star Office suite or something similar? I will create a plan of action and let you guys take a peak at it. Thank you very much for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 23, 2004 Author Share Posted April 23, 2004 Here is an Update: 1. Clean installation of the OS 2. Pre-customized installtion of Star Office 3. Acrobat Reader or other standard add-on program 4. AntiVirus package. Which Anti-Virus should i use. I can use a demo cause my project is only for a few weeks Check these and let me know which one you prefere and why Vexira Antivirus Panda Antivirus F-prot Let me know if i forgot one that would be good to take a peak at P.S. I just typed Anti-Virus linux in google and picked the top 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kongit Posted April 23, 2004 Share Posted April 23, 2004 I have never used anti-virus with linux, but I run a single desktop not connected to windows machines. Oh and you could possibly do this with gentoo: http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/diskless-howto.xml :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 26, 2004 Author Share Posted April 26, 2004 I need to know how the updates and upgrades would work? If i need to update the OS itself thanx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwolfe Veteran Posted April 26, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 26, 2004 I need to know how the updates and upgrades would work?If i need to update the OS itself thanx With several PCs running, the best thing would be to have the main server download and store all the needed updates, and all the clients get updates from the designated internal server. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 27, 2004 Author Share Posted April 27, 2004 Is there a name for that service? In Red Hat cause that what's I will be using Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwolfe Veteran Posted April 27, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 27, 2004 Is there a name for that service? In Red Hat cause that what's I will be using RedHat/Fedora calls it up2date. You can point the clients to your internal RPM server, I am sure (though I don't know how). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 27, 2004 Author Share Posted April 27, 2004 Thanx man Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemical Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 yea just keep a repository of updated rpms that you want/need, and point your up2date to the internal server, or preconfigure all the machine with yum or apt, and set the internal server this way.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Derf Veteran Posted April 27, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 27, 2004 You are correct. The last time you posted you got flamed. That type of arrogance (from the flamers) is what gives Linux users a bad name. It's the holier-than-thou attitude. You'd think that if they actually had known what they were talking about they would have told you to simply use apt-get to get samba installed. I'm sorry but if you reread the thread, it is the flamers who seem like the morons. https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=116471&hl= Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemical Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 You are correct. The last time you posted you got flamed. That type of arrogance (from the flamers) is what gives Linux users a bad name. It's the holier-than-thou attitude.You'd think that if they actually had known what they were talking about they would have told you to simply use apt-get to get samba installed. I'm sorry but if you reread the thread, it is the flamers who seem like the morons. https://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=116471&hl= i dont think i fully understand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fred Derf Veteran Posted April 27, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 27, 2004 i dont think i fully understand Sorry, zivan56 did give him the correct information (apt-get install samba). I skipped over that post to get to the juicy flames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kemical Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 yea that was the first reply ;-p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eversurf Posted April 28, 2004 Author Share Posted April 28, 2004 Ok we have now decided to Install Linux Red Hat 9.0, roll out StarOffice and install Adobe Acrobat for third party application. We will use kickstart to deploy the software and up2date for the updates. I'm currently downloading Staroffice and RedHat 9.0 Here are my new questions? Where can I download Red Hat 9.0 from? I'm currently downloading from Red Hat themselves but i'm only getting 20k/sec and it's going to take forever and the link to disc 2 and 3 do not work. Do you guys know any other place? I have not done any research on this yet, but i figured i would ask anyway. What is the name of the service to create a Automated Installation of StarOffice. Thanx for the support Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markwolfe Veteran Posted April 28, 2004 Veteran Share Posted April 28, 2004 RedHat shows many mirrors on their website. I have had luck with the sites pointed to on linuxiso.org, as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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