Custom Boot CD

[ManagerJay]

I would like to be able to boot my FreeBSD servers from CD, using a custom kernel I have created. The main reason being, since all of the servers I maintain and configured identically (finally) when upgrades come out, or changes to software are made, I can simply burn a new CD, send it to the remote office, shutdown the server, have them put the CD in the drive, and then reboot the server.

The problem I have run into is that the more I am reading about this process, the more confused I am becoming. I'm not even sure I know enough yet, to know what questions to ask.

If possible, could someone start me in the right direction? I am running FreeBSD 5.3.


Thanks in advance for your assistance.


Jay

 

[Wishdiak]

ManagerJay,

If I understand you correctly, you want to be able to compile a custom kernel on one machine, and distribute it to many.

There is an article from 1999 at

http://www.freebsddiary.org/kernel.php

that describes doing this (by transferring the new kernel using FTP), but CD should work just as well.

If, on the other hand, you want to be able to run FreeBSD from a CD rather than from an installation on the local hard drive, that's another matter.

Wishdiak
A+, Network+, Security+, MCSA: Security 2003

http://www.wishdiak.com

 

[ManagerJay]

Wishdiak,

You are correct. I want to compile a custom kernel on a machione and then distribute it to others. But, I would like to boot from CD.

I'm trying to eliminate some travel time/expense.


Thanks,


Jay

 

[ManagerJay]

OK, I have figured out how to create a boot CD with a custom kernel. If anyone is interested, I would be happy to post the steps I followed.

On the CD, I do not want to include directories such as /etc, /var, /tmp, and /usr. I would like to have these reside on hard drive since I occassionally have to make changes to firewall rules, want to maintain log files in the event of a power failure, etc.

If I create the mount points on the CD, and mount them pointing to the hard drive, will they be writable? For example, if I run mount /dev/ad0s1b /var and var is located on the CD, will the directory be writeable?

And, where should I place the mount command?

I am running FreeBSD 5.3.

Thanks for your help.


Jay