diff --git a/Imaging-SUSE-Linux-With-tbku.txt b/Imaging-SUSE-Linux-With-tbku.txt index c03f707..490472a 100644 --- a/Imaging-SUSE-Linux-With-tbku.txt +++ b/Imaging-SUSE-Linux-With-tbku.txt @@ -1 +1,126 @@ -$Id: Imaging-SUSE-Linux-With-tbku.txt,v 1.101 2008/03/11 17:26:06 tundra Exp $ +How To Image SUSE Linux Systems Using ``tbku`` +============================================== + +This document describes how to use the TundraWare Inc. ``tbku`` +utility to "image" or "clone" SUSE Linux systems. + + .. Note:: + Most/Much of this will also be relevant to other Linux distributions, + though some of the fine points may be different. + + +Why Bother Imaging? +=================== + +Suppose we need to build a new instance of a ``SUSE Linux`` system. +Perhaps we need to replace one that just had a hard drive failure. +Maybe we want to build a new server that is based on our "standard" +system configuration. In other words, we want to go from "bare +metal" hardware to a fully running *and configured* system as quickly +as possible. + +There are a number of commercial and open source solutions to this +problem, but they all have one thing in common: We want to minimize +the amount of manual labor needed to install, configure, and otherwise +customize the final system. This is especially important in large +data centers where it is impractical to manually (re)install each and +every server, its applications, and its customization information. + +"Imaging" or "Cloning" allows us to keep a copy of the entire OS *as +configured* - that means with all its applications and configuration +options set up as desired. We then load a new hard drive with this +image and *voila'*, "instant" running system. + + +What Is ``tbku``? +================= + +``tbku`` is a shell script that makes it easy to create tarballs +of some of all of your filesystems. If you've never used it before, +take a moment to download it and read the documentation. You'll +find the latest copy at: + + http://www.tundraware.com/Software/tbku + +There is no fee for using ``tbku`` in any context, personal or +commercial. However, there are some licensing terms you have to abide +by to use it, so take a moment to read the license in the distribution +tarball. + + .. Note:: + You don't *have* to use ``tbku`` to create your backup image. + The description below should work fine so long as you have a + backup of all the relevant files that preserves all the + appropriate file information such as ownership and permissions. + ``tbku`` just makes it easy to automate the creation of such + backups. + + +The Big Picture +=============== + +Before diving into the details, it's good to get a sense of the +overall process. Imaging a system requires the following steps: + + +1) Create the "master" image + + - Create a baseline system configured as you want it. + - Take an "image" of it. (That's where ``tbku`` is helpful.) + - Save the image somewhere (DVD, USB drive, network drive ...). + you can get at when you need it to (re)install a system. + +2) Use the master image to (re)provision a machine + + - Prepare the target hard disk to receive the image. + - Dump the image onto the hard disk. + - Adjust the configuration if/as needed for the new hardware. + + +Creating The Master Image +========================= + +Unlike other approaches that make an image of *the disk*, ``tbku`` +creates an image of *files* on the disk. This means that your new +target disk does not have to be physically the same as the one on +which the master image (sometimes called a "snapshot") was made. You +can clone systems back and forth between SCSI, IDE, and SATA. You can +clone from smaller disks to larger ones or go the other way. + + .. Note:: + + The whole point of doing imaging is to avoid having to do custom + configuration for each new installation. However, some small + amount may be necessary when the target hardware is different + than the hardware on which the master image was created. This is + discussed a bit more below in the `Gotchas`_ section. + + + +Provisioning A Machine With The Master Image +============================================ + +Now that we have a "snapshot" or master image, we can use it +to (re)provision other machines. + + + +Gotchas +======= + +There are some circumstances where you cannot avoid doing some +small amount of configuration on the newly provisioned machine. + + +Author +====== + + Tim Daneliuk - tbku@tundraware.com + + Comments and/or improvements welcome! + + +Document Revision Information +============================= + +``$Id: Imaging-SUSE-Linux-With-tbku.txt,v 1.102 2008/03/11 23:09:34 tundra Exp $``