[NCLUG] clone installs

[Bob Proulx]

Jim Hutchinson wrote:
> I just saw this question on Answers and it reminded me of some of the
> discussion around the installfest. Didn't someone say they were bringing an
> image on a server to do net installs or something? Perhaps that is an answer
> for this guy (anyone wanting to put Linux on 1400 laptops deserves a helping
> hand :)).
> 
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/35717

Are you asking for yourself?  Or are you trying to drum up assistance
for person asking the question on launchpad?

There are many different ways to do this.  I have used SystemImager
previously and found it worked quite well for a large number of
installs.  For Debian/Ubuntu FAI (Fully Automated Install) I am told
works well.  If the disks are all identical then dd copying the disks
would probably be fastest.  Nortan Ghost?  Many other methods.

All of those suffer from one problem in the case of the launchpad
question.  Cameron says, "Please note there are only 5 of us working,
and we HAVE NEVER used Lunix before.  Please help us and be
descriptive as much as you can thank you".  Note the spelling, grammar
and punctuation are verbatim from the request.  That is going to be
difficult because I don't know of any solutions that are suitable for
a non-technical person to roll out on 1400 machines.

I personally would probably set up a pxe boot that then did a dd disk
copy from a network location.  Then it would be a matter of grinding
through booting 1400 laptops from the network.  Ugh.  Organize a crew
of student volunteers to help to make it go quicker.  Alternatively a
usb boot would be reasonable too.

An additional problem that wasn't asked will be who and how will a
small group of non-technical people support 1400 laptops when the
inevitable problems start to appear?  Even though everything starts
working fine I have confidence in human nature that when 1400 people
are involved that 1%-5% of them will be active participants in the
breaking of them.

Bob