Multiple TFTP servers

2011-07-15T05:46:11Z

Danielcssl: crontab scheduling - needs RV (at least on my servers) to actually update tftpboot properly on the nodes

== Including multiple TFTP servers ==

This section was added based on [https://sourceforge.net/projects/freeghost/forums/forum/730844/topic/3622667 this forum thread] with credit going to [https://sourceforge.net/users/jhoff484/ Jordan Hoff] who describes how to provide the necessary services to allow FOG to span across isolated network segments. A traditional 'Master Storage Node' as described [[Managing_FOG#Storage_Manangement|here]] only provides File Storage services to increase unicast throughput within a single network. The steps below describe how to modify a Storage Node to also provide PXE and TFTP services for a separate network segment.

==== Ubuntu Server LTS 10.04 using fog_0.29 ====
[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudo <tt>sudo</tt>] is assumed unless specified.
 
===== Changes on the Master Server =====
On the master server, edit the <tt>/etc/exports</tt> file, and append the following line: <pre>/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg *(ro,sync,no_wdelay,no_root_squash,insecure,no_subtree_check)</pre> While you're in there, append <tt>no_subtree_check</tt> to the other entries to prevent warnings in the next step. Then, enable the newly configured exports by executing the following command: <pre>exportfs -a</pre>

Now, we need to setup [https://help.ubuntu.com/community/rsync#Rsync%20Daemon rsyncd]: 
Edit /etc/default/rsync to change <tt>RSYNC_ENABLE=false</tt> to:
<pre>RSYNC_ENABLE=inetd</pre>
Install xinetd:
<pre>sudo apt-get -y install xinetd</pre>
Create or edit <tt>/etc/xinetd.d/rsync</tt> file to launch rsync (if it already exists just change <tt>RSYNC_ENABLE=false</tt> to:<tt>RSYNC_ENABLE=true</tt>):
<pre>service rsync
{
disable = no
socket_type = stream
wait = no
user = root
server = /usr/bin/rsync
server_args = --daemon
log_on_failure += USERID
flags = IPv6
}</pre>

Now create or edit a /etc/rsyncd.conf file with the following:
<pre>max connections = 2
motd file = /etc/rsyncd.motd
log file = /var/log/rsyncd.log
pid file = /var/run/rsyncd.pid
lock file = /var/run/rsync.lock
timeout = 300

[tftpboot]
path = /tftpboot
comment = Fog tftpboot share
read only = true
exclude = *pxelinux.cfg/*
</pre>
 And start the rsyncd daemon:<pre>rsync --daemon</pre>
Restart xinetd:<pre>service xinetd restart</pre>
Now, our master server is ready to share everything it needs for another PXE server to operate. Lets go and setup a new server!
 
----
===== Setting up the remote Storage Node =====
Setup your secondary server as you normally would, before installing fog. (In this example, I use Ubuntu, so you will have to modify this process if you are using anything else) 
After the network is configured and updates are applied, download and extract fog_0.29 following the basic [http://www.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php?title=Ubuntu_10.04#Setting_up_FOG_on_Ubuntu instructions]. 
Before executing the setup script, there are two files to modify:
 
Edit the main <tt>/opt/fog-setup/fog_0.29/bin/installfog.sh</tt> script. Locate the section titled:<tt># Storage Node installation</tt>
Insert the following line after <tt>configureFTP;</tt> and save the script:
<pre>configureTFTPandPXE;</pre>

Edit the <tt>/opt/fog-setup/fog_0.29/lib/ubuntu/config.sh</tt> script:
Locate the line beginning with <tt>storageNodePackages</tt> (on line #24) and add these two packages within the quotes:
<pre>tftpd-hpa tftp-hpa</pre>
 
 
Then, just install the fog storage node as usual. The modifications above will install and configure TFTP / PXE services for us. Then, all we have to do is tie it back to the main server.
 
 
First, remove everything in the /tftpboot folder on the secondary node:
<pre>rm -rf /tftpboot/*</pre>

Now initiate rsync for the <tt>/tftpboot</tt> folder:
<pre>rsync -rv mainserver.yourcompany.com::tftpboot/ /tftpboot</pre>

Now, we setup the crontab to run every hour(at the 15 minute mark of each, or modify to your liking)
<pre>crontab -e (you may be asked to select an editor)
15 * * * * rsync -rv mainserver.yourcompany.com::tftpboot /tftpboot</pre>

Then, all that is left is to setup our NFS share for the pxelinux.cfg folder. Modify <tt>/etc/fstab</tt> and add the following:
<pre>mainserver.yourcompany.com:/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg nfs nolock 0 0</pre>
Save and close, then we mount this folder one time (the fstab entry above ensures that it will re-mount automatically at reboot):
<pre>mount /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg</pre>

===== Add the Storage Node to your main server =====
See: [[#Adding_the_Node_to_the_Management_Portal|Adding the Node to the Management Portal]] 
And that's it! Go ahead and test out your fancy new PXE server. 
===Exceptions===
<ul><LI>Note that in testing the above solution did NOT automatically sync the /images folder. I manually run the following command for each image I want ''from the Storage Node'':
<pre>sudo scp -r root@mainFOGserver:/images/nameOfImage /images/</pre></li>
<li>Another very useful addition is [https://sourceforge.net/projects/freeghost/forums/forum/716419/topic/4006688 this patch] which provides clients the intelligence to use the closest node.</li>
<li>This also does NOT provide WOL packets to be sent via the local Storage Nodes.</li>
</ul>

FOG Project - User contributions [en]

Multiple TFTP servers