ZFS on root, serial console install

[Charles Sprickman]

Any hints on that one?

I finally got around to getting dhcp/tftp/nfs setup on an internal network 
to perform normal installs (and with some pxelinux hackery, the ability to 
boot a DOS disk or memtest86 disk images).

Sysinstall in general is kind of an unweildy beast over serial, but one 
thing I was not able to accomplish was to get a shell (no extra virtual 
consoles on serial) or attempt any mounting of fixit media.  From my last 
install that put ZFS on root, I had to do quite a bit of tapdancing since 
I had no DVD or bootable USB media - lots of switching from the install 
disk to fixit, which brought me to many chicken and egg moments.  I did it 
though...

But remotely, I'm not seeing a good way to do this.  If mfsroot were 
larger and had more tools, then I'd be in business.  This is probably the 
direction I need to get shoved in.

I've looked at some other options with pxelinux and perhaps booting the 
mini ISO, but I'm not sure that gets me anywhere.

Any tips?  This isn't a make or break situation, I live 15 minutes from 
the colo...  It's more of a quest. :)

Thanks,

Charles