Saturday 23 March 2013

Set up a Fog server for open source image deployments

Set up a Fog server for open source image deployments

Credit for the below should go to the Spiceworks user who posted this on the Spiceworks forum some while ago.  Its a great guide and I always turn back to it when setting up a Fog server.



Fog is an open source imaging solution which can be installed on top of many linux distros.  For ease of use I usually put it on Ubuntu: I have had success using version 11.10 and newer versions of Fog will no doubt work with updated distros.

 Install Ubuntu

I Wanted a GUI so I went with the desktop Ubuntu, you may want to go with Ubuntu server. So go to their website, download the workstation x86 ISO and burn it.

Install Ubuntu

Note that I installed it onto a rather ancient Dell D620 laptop (32 bit,  max 4Gb memory) and used that for over 2 years with no issues.  This is not something that needs high powered hardware.

Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvltHkAtW2A&fmt=18

1. English
2. Install Ubuntu
3. English
4. Select your Time Zone
5. Suggested Option
6. Use Entire Disk
7. Enter User Information and Computer information, I named mine 'foghat' with foguser
8. Install
9. Restart
10. Login  

Install FOG

   
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvltHkAtW2A&fmt=18

1. Open Firefox
2. Go to http://www.fogproject.org and download FOG.
3. Open Terminal Applications->Accessories->
Terminal
4. cd Desktop (Remember Linux is case sensitive)
5. tar -xvzf fog*
6. cd fog*
7. cd bin
8. sudo ./installfog.sh
9. Select opt 2 Enter
10. N Enter
11. Default IP Enter
12. You dont need to set up a router IP but I will in case I ever use the server for DHCP.
13. Set up a DNS IP, just accept the default.
14. No do not change the default network interface.(you may not get this prompt if you have 1 nic)
15. I will not be using FOG for DHCP. (will require changing my current DHCP server.)
16. Note your IP settings and continue.
17. Enter to Acknowledge.
18. (I like to notify the FOG group, they have made a great product and deserve my feedback, choice is yours here)
19. gksu gedit /var/www/fog/commons/config.php and put your mysql password you typed during install in "MYSQL_PASSWORD", "" save and close. It has been noted that you also should change the MYSQL password here while you are at it /opt/fog/service/etc/config.php.
20. Browse to http://localhost/fog/management
21. Click install!
22. Click to log in. You can now reach this webpage from anywhere on the network where your server is installed by using it's ip address. eg http://192.168.0.100/fog/management I would reccomend putting an A record in your DNS called FOGSERVER this will make things easier to remember.
    default: fog/password   
 

Set up DHCP (For Windows DHCP)

1. Log onto your Windows DHCP server
2. Open DHCP console.
3. Right Click Scope Options -> Configure Options
4. Scroll Down to number 66 check and give the hostname of FOGSERVER
5. Scroll down to number 67 check and give the value pxelinux.0
6. Apply and close. 
   

1. Log onto the PC
2. Browse to http://FOGSERVER/fog/client
3. Click to download
4. Open
5. Run Setup.exe in the Fogservice folder
6. Accept defaults (FOG does not like to be installed in locations other than default)
7. Enter the ip or preferrably the hostname if you created one. FOGSERVER
8. Save Changes, Done, Close.
9. Open services Start->Run->services.msc
10. Scroll down and start "Fog Service"
11. This would also be a good time to make sure that PXE is your primary boot option in BIOS, you might need to enable it.   

Create an image file.

1. Click on Image management.
2. New Image
3. Give it a name, description, default storage group, filename, and Image type (choose wisely). For dell computers with a utility partition you will HAVE to select multiple partition single disk.
4. Add.    
 

Assign Image to Host

Assign the Image to a host, this will be the image the host uses to restore and deploy from, You can assign this image to as many PCs as you want. Useful for group Deployment.

1. Click on Host management.
2. List all hosts.
3. Click Edit next to your machine.
4. In Host Image select the proper image that you created in the previous step from the dropdown.
    
 
1. From another machine log onto http://FOGSERVER/fog/management login with fog/password
2. Click on Tasks (The Star)
3. List all Hosts
4. Click Upload next to the PC.
5. Upload image.
6. Click on active Tasks, and either wait for the PC to check in and autoreboot or Reboot it manually.
   

Test Restore/Deploy

1. Click on Tasks (The Star)
2. Click Deploy next to your PC.
3. Click image All computers.
4. Verify image by booting computer and making sure everything works.   

Conclusion

This is more than worth the effort. Make sure you have enough storage for your images. This tutorial should have gotten you to the point where you can start to play with FOG yourself even if you have absolutely NO idea how to run Linux.
From here you can start creating groups to image, advanced tasks and start shaping things to your environment.

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