Serial line fbsd installation with no CD

[Bill Vermillion]

On Sat, Apr 12, 2003 at 16:37 , Jez Hancock moved his mouse, 
rebooted for the change to take effect, and then said:

> Hi Bill,

> On Sat, Apr 12, 2003 at 10:13:13AM -0400, Bill Vermillion wrote:
> > Subject: Re: Serial line fbsd installation with no CD

> > Earlier in the linear time track, approximately Sat, Apr 12, 2003 at 14:38 ,
> > &Jez Hancockdivulged this public information:


> > > I have two colocated servers in the US and I'm in the UK.
> > > I need to install FreeBSD 4.8 from scratch across a serial
> > > connection that exists between the two servers. The current OS
> > > are FreeBSD 4.6.2 and as such I am unable to adequately make
> > > world to the latest STABLE release.

> > > Further I do not have the option of installing from a CDROM
> > > installed on the server. Has anyone been in a similar situation
> > > and if so how did you resolve the problem?

> > What is ther problem with the makeworld you are having?

> The problem was with ipfw2 and in general it's just the fact
> this is currently not a production server and we'd rather have
> a fresh install of 4.8 (the NOC currently installs 4.6.2 for
> some reason and it might become the case that they'll start
> installing 4.8 by default when they answer us - negating the
> need for a solution to the subject question:).

Ah - so it's a company that does more than just put the server in
place and does install too.  I'm not used to that as about the only
help I'd get in the colo is a 'helping hands' if needed - but I'm
only 1/2 hour away.   It's basically a top-tier tranport provider
who provides facilities for anyting you'd want - but is not 
a colo of the 'we provide everything you need'.

We have our own racks and do all our own work - the only thing the
NOC does is give us connectivity.  Different perception on my part.

If I have a problem one of us [small company] goes and changes the
machines ourselves, or accompanies one our clients while they
change their own machine.  Security is strict so we have to arrange
for anyone else to get into the building.

> > I have several colocated servers and I perform OS upgrades
> > via a cvsup of the sources.   What are the problems with the
> > makeing the system.

> Sorry I should have mentioned one is production and one is dev
> (this is the one we're rebuilding and migrating to).

OK.

> > Since these are production servers I'd almost be
> > inclined to say to go with the 4.7 pathched release.

> > I've not moved any to the 4.8 RELEASE yet as it still is a bit
> > 'young' in my opinion.  I do have then on the 4.7's with the
> > lastest patch level

> My plan was to install a stock 4.8 system and immediately cvsup
> to STABLE. Perhaps as you mention it would be better to stay
> with 4.7-RELEASE until 4.8 is out of it's infancy.

I run stable on my personal machine and a backup machine but never
going beyond a patch-level release for production units.

> Hopefully the NOC support will get moving on providing at least a 4.7
> CD for installation.

With our totally local appoach we've pullled a couple of systems
from 'national' providers who just didn't understand small custom
individual attention.  I think we might actually qualify as one
of the smallest ISPs in existance :-)  We're small but we've seen
others in the same facility disappear. 

But having machine with connections not less that 100Mbs running
for a few hundred feet before it gets onto a global 10Gbs backbone
does have it's advantages.

Bill

-- 
Bill Vermillion - bv @ wjv . com