Installing multiple Debian based Linux servers manually from an iso or a network install is a laborius process. Fortunately this process can be automated. Through a combination of a PXEBoot process, and providing answers to prompts via a preseed file, the process can be automated from the initial boot all the way to the final login. By incorporating the salt-minion files into the build process, the post build/configuration can also be fully automated.
These instructions consist of three primary sections:
- build the pxeboot boot server based upon Debian Stretch (Testing)
- build a one-time-use server for obtaining an answer file
- use the boot server and answer file to build one or more target hosts
Note that some blog articles indicate that you need a web server for presenting the preseed file. That is no longer the case. At least with Stretch/Testing, it is possible to serve the preseed file with tftp. No web server is needed at any part of the process.
In addition, the package apt-cacher-ng is used for local caching of package files when building multiple machines.
Please follow the link for the full set of instructions. Continue reading "Using Debian PreSeed files and a PXEBoot Server..." »