[oi-dev] Netboot on OpenIndiana

[Till Wegmüller]

Hello fellow Community

So i have been working with netboot today and would like to give you a 
rundown of what works/what not and would like to ask you how you see 
this project going forward.

So the basic idea was that Users new to OI could use the service 
netboot.xyz to easily launch the installer of OI and Install.

However it turns out that the boot_archive included in the Hipster Isos 
is not usable for netboot.

While investigating the boot process it also turns out that someone 
built many safeguards into the SMF Install scripts that would need to be 
changed.

Due to the fact that distro constructor takes 2+ hours to build an iso 
on every change and my need for some experimentation, I built some 
scripts based on alhazred's Firefly Recovery Image, Jimklimov's make 
firefly from root and Peter Tribbles minimal viable Illumos.

you can find the code here: https://github.com/Toasterson/firefly

The Script's are capable of making a boot_archive from your System. and 
a Bootable ISO from a boot_archive.

The mkfirefly.sh script has an -i switch where you can choose a root 
directory from where to take the files.

I tried this with a properly mounted Hipster ISO but that produces a 
unbootable Image.

Given the restrictions of the Installation process I will probably have 
to change some bits in that process in order to make netboot work. I yet 
don't know which.

Thus i would like to ask for some feedback from the Community.

I would like to know what you think about the scripts. How could I 
improve them? What would you use them for? Does that need some change to 
the script(e.g additional commandline option)?

I would also like to know what about the Installation Process would you 
like to see changed and how?

What's your opinion about AI (Automated Installer)?
Would you rather like Jumpstart as installer automation solution?


Looking forward for your feedback
Greetings
Till