Feature/debian installer

[julsemaan]

Description

Adds tooling to create an ISO installer for PacketFence based on Debian 11.2

Impacts

Nothing, just adds tooling

Delete branch after merge

YES

Checklist

(REQUIRED) - [yes, no or n/a]

• Document the feature
• [N/A] Add unit tests
• Add acceptance tests (TestLink)

[julsemaan]

This still needs to be integrated in our release pipeline, I tested the ISO manually and I get through the configurator

[julsemaan]

This should be ready, @nqb, can you review?

You can download the ISO from here if you want to test:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/packetfence/files/PacketFence%20ISO/feature-debian-installer/

[nqb]

Minor changes but it looks good. I didn't test ZEN ISO.

General question: I compare preseed.cfg.tmpl with preseed.cfg used for ZEN. I see password is not set but I think it's to let user define it.

[julsemaan]

Minor changes but it looks good. I didn't test ZEN ISO.

General question: I compare preseed.cfg.tmpl with preseed.cfg used for ZEN. I see password is not set but I think it's to let user define it.

That is correct, since the install is interactive in this case, I'm letting users pick their own root password instead of having to change it post-install.

I addressed your comments and rebuilt the ISO and tested it in my lab and it works.
If you want to test it, its available on sourceforge

[nqb]

I tested ISO with success. I have one remaining comment: should we not disable predictable network names ?

It's the case in ZEN image but it's more to simplify provisioning. However, I'm thinking about cluster installation where you can have different network names and you will need to disable it anyways.

Option to add to preseed should be: 78f903e#diff-2e9669c2d68bf0daf463f91cf709f56da70b2ba792af71b0e5728f0f7ea7c670

[nqb]

We will need to update packetfence.org to mention new image and add a section in Installation guide.

[nqb]

Could you disable AppArmor (like in ZEN image) ? I think you just need to add apparmor=0 after d-i debian-installer/add-kernel-opts string

[julsemaan]

I noticed that the 'Graphical install' option ignores the preseed. I'm working on removing that option from the ISO too

[julsemaan]

I tested ISO with success. I have one remaining comment: should we not disable predictable network names ?

It's the case in ZEN image but it's more to simplify provisioning. However, I'm thinking about cluster installation where you can have different network names and you will need to disable it anyways.

Option to add to preseed should be: 78f903e#diff-2e9669c2d68bf0daf463f91cf709f56da70b2ba792af71b0e5728f0f7ea7c670

The downside with this is that all the network configuration you do during the installer is based on the 'non-predictable' interface name so when you boot into the OS, eth0 is down and not configured in /etc/network/interfaces.

[nqb]

This was the issue we had with ZEN image. In that case, we can:

• keep things as is
• pass options directly to the installer to start install with correct options

[julsemaan]

The installer accepts net.ifnames=0 and combined with it in the preseed kernel options we're all good. So the interfaces can be configured using the installer and will keep predictable names both in the installer and after the install

I retested an ISO and it works but haven't republished since I'd need to realter the .gitlab-ci file. I can provide an ISO to test if needed.

Once we're happy with this, I'll write the steps in our install guide to get this installed

[nqb]

Tested again, work as expected.
@julsemaan, I will let you adjust documentation.

[julsemaan]

Tested again, work as expected. @julsemaan, I will let you adjust documentation.

Just did the instructions, went pretty generic so that it survives over time

@extrafu, if you want to also check the instructions for verbiage and grammar

[extrafu]

Minor nits mentioned

[julsemaan]

@nqb, all yours for the final review and merge