Re: cluster install (was Re: Welcome to tech-cluster)

["Perry E. Metzger" <perry%piermont.com@localhost>]

mlh%goathill.org@localhost (MLH) writes:
> > Even nicer, I'd think, would be to stick the MAC addresses of the new
> > machines into an appropriate database and just let the machines netboot,
> > wouldn't it? Most machines these days do PIX. And some machines these
> > days don't even include floppies.
> 
> Sounds good. Do you know of a way to obtain a MAC address without
> hooking up a keyboard and monitor or opening the box? The boxes
> are sealed by M&A and the warranty is voided if we open them.

If you do structured wiring "right", you can extract the MAC addresses
automatically via SNMPing the switches you attach them to. Just ask
the switch to tell you which MAC addresses are on which lines going
out. Assuming you had the port-to-shelf mapping fixed, you know which
box is which automatically. You can do a low-labor solution like
having the machines beep in sequence to confirm that they're in the
right places post install.

I'm a big believer in schemes like this -- it works best when all you
have to do is uncrate a machine, put it on the shelf and PXE boot it,
with as little shoe leather involved as possible.

-- 
Perry E. Metzger                perry%piermont.com@localhost