Mac support
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Great news folks!
Today Michael Brown finished the changes to iPXE to support Apple’s EFI implementation with the SNP (generic) network driver.
This makes at least 3 hurdles that iPXE has cleared so that those of us who have to support Apple hardware will be able to use FOG for imaging. 1) Switch into text mode so we can see menus; 2) Get the linux kernel fixed so it doesn’t write to memory it doesn’t own; 3) Generic networking (important for iMacs in the last couple of years.).
Kudos to Michael and the rest of the iPXE team!
If you’re interested in being an alpha tester, follow this thread. In a few days we expect to need a variety of Apple hardware to finish testing the iPXE fixes (only tested on iMacs mid-2011, late-2012 so far), and begin testing the FOG features. We’ll make an additional post when ready.
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OK so I have extensively tested out mac support for Fog. So far so good. Macbook Airs over WiFi no go though. Obviously… ipxe works but the kernel and ram disk do not have support for wifi support, maybe someday…:). The funcs.sh file still needs the Apple Mac OS added to the determine os function for the current fog init file to work, but that aside, everything works!!
I finished the multicast patches I spoke of earlier and once I find the correct forum I will upload the diff files and link it back here.
I did want to talk about the Fog service for Mac support. In my current profession I have written scripts that do what I can tell the Windows Fog service does, but for OS X. They are primarily bash scripts that can easily be piped from a C or another language. My question to everyone here is this:
What language do we want the service built on???
The obvious answer would be Obj-C, Apple’s native IDE platform. At the same time an argument could be for straight up C. My experience working for schools and businesses that I feel are closely related to the people of Fog, is that the device OS’s are all over the place, Windows XP, 7, Vista, 8, 8.1, OSX and linux thus requiring a new app project for each platform. I know that I find it a real pain writing for a half dozen os versions.
Please forgive me as I say this next statement. Some people will want to shoot me on the spot but…what about a cross platform language like Java??? (Please do not hurt me;)) Please entertain an example.
I wrote a bit of software for our devices that is written in Java called “iInstall.” This software calls out to my php server probing for a task, if it finds one it will download and install the software. The users can also authenticate against LDAP and install software provided to their group. We piloted this on Macs. It was written on Obj-C at first. Worked awesome, I was instructed to rewrite it for windows and nix. I looked at the actual tasks and thought “really the only change between os versions is the commands, not the logic. So why do I have to write the same logic 3 or 4 times?” I decided to rewrite the app in java. I used calls to get the os version and then adjust the commands for the verious versions. ( I sorry, I do not want to be known as the long email guy)
So as we are looking at expanding fog to support Macs and in need for a Service to support OS X what do we do? I am happy to write in Obj-C or Java. It doesn’t matter to me, I just wanted to point my past experience in writing apps for the cross platform world.
Thanks for the time,
TS
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[quote=“fractal13, post: 34774, member: 24300”]Great news folks!
Today Michael Brown finished the changes to iPXE to support Apple’s EFI implementation with the SNP (generic) network driver.
This makes at least 3 hurdles that iPXE has cleared so that those of us who have to support Apple hardware will be able to use FOG for imaging. 1) Switch into text mode so we can see menus; 2) Get the linux kernel fixed so it doesn’t write to memory it doesn’t own; 3) Generic networking (important for iMacs in the last couple of years.).
Kudos to Michael and the rest of the iPXE team!
If you’re interested in being an alpha tester, follow this thread. In a few days we expect to need a variety of Apple hardware to finish testing the iPXE fixes (only tested on iMacs mid-2011, late-2012 so far), and begin testing the FOG features. We’ll make an additional post when ready.[/quote]
I can supply you with the list of the macs I have confirmed working. Later this month as we finish up imaging our several thousand macs -
@Tom S, you can post the diff’s right here.
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So here are the changes made from 2124. I have been told in the past to omit comments in my diffs in other projects I have contributed to. Please let me know if you need more comments.
So this is a serious hack. Most of the SQL calls do not use the fog api rather they use the php mysql commands. The Fog api kept denying my request to create tasks because of invalid MAC address issues. Also the main post function includes some sql “Alter” structure commands in order to edit the tables to fit the needs of the script.
I am not proud of the overall structure of the patch files so if someone knows how to do it with the fog api…awesome.
Please let me know if you have questions.
Thank you,
TS
[url=“/_imported_xf_attachments/1/1254_diff.zip?:”]diff.zip[/url]
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Hey Tom,
I’ve taken a look at these, and some have been relatively simple to add, but there’s a lot of confusion in the files.
For example, When I look at the diff file for fog.checkin here’s what I see:
[code]— new/SubMenu.class.php2014-08-04 10:10:50.000000000 -0400
+++ old/SubMenu.class.php2014-07-10 18:11:12.000000000 -0400
@@ -192,7 +192,6 @@
$this->subMenu[$this->node][‘search’] = $this->foglang[‘NewSearch’];
$this->subMenu[$this->node][‘list’] = sprintf($this->foglang[‘ListAll’],$this->foglang[‘Images’]);
$this->subMenu[$this->node][‘add’] = sprintf($this->foglang[‘CreateNew’],$this->foglang[‘Image’]);
-$this->subMenu[$this->node][‘Multicast’] = sprintf($this->foglang[‘Multicast’],$this->foglang[‘Image’]);
if ($_REQUEST[‘id’])
{
$this->subMenu[$this->node][‘id’][$linkformat.‘#image-gen’] = $this->foglang[‘General’];
[/code]
fog.download:
[code]— new/fog.checkin2014-08-05 18:11:58.000000000 -0400
+++ old/fog.checkin2014-07-24 14:32:42.000000000 -0400
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@
mkdir /images 2>/dev/null;
mount -o nolock,proto=tcp,rsize=32768,wsize=32768,intr,noatime $storage /images;
echo “Done”;
-elif [ “$type” == “down” ] && [ “$capone” != “1” ] && [ “$joinmc” != “1” ]; then
+elif [ “$type” == “down” ] && [ “$capone” != “1” ]; then
mac64=ifconfig | grep HWaddr | head -n1 | base64;
dots “Attempting to send inventory”;
doInventory 2>/dev/null;
@@ -153,81 +153,6 @@
debugPause;
fi
done
-elif [ “$joinmc” == “1” ] && [ “$mc” == “yes” ]; then
-echo “”;
-echo " #############################################################################“;
-echo " # #”;
-echo " # Joining Multicast Session! #“;
-echo " # #”;
-echo " #############################################################################";
-echo “”;
-canGo=“no”;
-while [ “$mSession” != “exit” ] && [ “$canGo” != “yes” ]; do
-echo -n “Enter in Session Name:[Type “exit” to quit]”;
-echo “”;
-read mSession;
-multicastValues=wget -O - "http://${web}service/mcTask.php?task=join&mSession=$mSession" 2>/dev/null
-if [ “$multicastValues” != “” ]; then
-arr=$(echo $multicastValues | tr “;” “\n”);
-i=0;
-for x in $arr
-do- array[i]=$x;
-i=$i+1;
-done
-img=${array[0]};
-imgTypeId=${array[1]};
-osid=${array[2]};
-port=${array[3]};
-storageip=${array[4]};
-sessionPwd=${array[5]};
-if [ “$imgTypeId” = “0” ]; then
-imgType=“n”;
-fi
-if [ “$imgTypeId” = “2” ]; then
-imgType=“mps”;
-fi
-if [ “$imgTypeId” = “3” ]; then
-imgType=“mpa”;
-fi
-if [ “$sessionPwd” != “” ]; then
-echo “”;
-echo -n " This Session Requires A Password To Join,";
-didAuth=“0”;
-for I in 1 2 3;do
-echo “Please enter in password:”;
-read password;
-if [ “$password” == “$sessionPwd” ]; then
-echo “Password Accepted!!”;
-didAuth=“1”;
-break;
-else
-echo “Incorrect Password, Try again”;
-fi
-done
-if [ “$didAuth” != “1” ]; then
-echo “Incorrect password. To many attempts made, now rebooting”;
-exit 0;
-fi
-fi
-determineOS $osid;
-canGo=“yes”; -
echo -n "Multicast Configuration Complete"; -
echo ""; -
echo "Joining Session: $mSession
-Using Image: $img
-OS: $osname
-Image Type: $imgType
-Session Port: $port";
-dots “Mounting File System”;
-mkdir /images $debugstring 2>/dev/null;
-mount -o nolock,proto=tcp,rsize=32768,intr,noatime $storage /images 2>/tmp/mntfail;
-echo “Done”;
-else
-echo -n “No mulicast sesion with that name was found!! Try again.\n”;
-fi
-doneelse
echo “Done”;
dots “Mounting File System”;[/code]
fog.mcupdate:
[code]#!/bin/sh
IFS=’
';
web=$1;
mSession=$2;
sleep 3;
while true; do
fle=“/tmp/status.fog”
status=tail -n 2 $fle 2>/dev/null | head -n 1 2>/dev/null
cat /dev/null > $fle 2>/dev/nullstatus=
echo $status | base64;
res=wget -T 3 -O - --post-data="status=${status}" "http://${web}service/mcTask.php?task=progress&mSession=${mSession}" 2>/dev/null;
sleep 3;
done[/code]
ImageManagementPage.class.php:
[code]<?php@error_reporting(0);
require(‘…/commons/base.inc.php’);$conn = @mysql_connect( DATABASE_HOST, DATABASE_USERNAME, DATABASE_PASSWORD);
if ( $conn ){
if ( ! @mysql_select_db( DATABASE_NAME, $conn ) ) die( mysql_error() );if( isset($_GET[‘task’]) && isset($_GET[‘mSession’])){
$task = $_GET[‘task’];
$mSession = $_GET[“mSession”];if($task==“join”){
$sql = “select max(msID) as msID from multicastSessions where msName = ‘$mSession’”;
$res = mysql_query( $sql, $conn ) or die( mysql_error() );
while( $ar = mysql_fetch_array( $res ) ){
$msID = $ar[“msID”];
}
$storageNodeID=“”;
$storageNodeIP=“”;
$sql = “select * from multicastSessions where msID = ‘$msID’”;
$res = mysql_query( $sql, $conn ) or die( mysql_error() );
if($res !=“”){
while( $ar = mysql_fetch_array( $res ) ){
$msImage = $ar[“msImage”];
$msIsDD = $ar[“msIsDD”];
$port = $ar[“msBasePort”];
$sessionPwd = $ar[“sessionPwd”];
$storageNodeID=$ar[‘msNFSGroupID’];
}
$imageType=“”;
$sql = “select * from images where imageID = ‘$msImage’”;
$res = mysql_query( $sql, $conn ) or die( mysql_error() );
while( $ar = mysql_fetch_array( $res ) ){
$hostOS = $ar[“imageOSID”];
$imageType = $ar[‘imageTypeID’];
$msImage = $ar[‘imageName’];}
$sql = “select * from nfsGroupMembers where ngmID = ‘$storageNodeID’”;
$res = mysql_query( $sql, $conn ) or die( mysql_error() );
while( $ar = mysql_fetch_array( $res ) ){
$storageNodeIP = $ar[“ngmHostname”];}
echo “$msImage”.“;”.“$imageType”.“;”.“$hostOS”.“;”.“$port”.“;”.“$storageNodeIP”.“;”.“$sessionPwd”;
}
}else if($task==“progress”){
$str = explode(‘@’,base64_decode($_REQUEST[‘status’]));
$percent=trim($str[5]);
mysql_query("UPDATE multicastSessions set msPercent=‘$percent’,msState=‘3’ WHERE msName=‘$mSession’ ");
}else if($task==“finish”){
$sql = “select * from multicastSessions where msName = ‘$mSession’”;
$res = mysql_query( $sql, $conn ) or die( mysql_error() );
$clientCount=0;
while( $ar = mysql_fetch_array( $res ) ){
$clientCount = $ar[“msClients”];
}
if($clientCount>1){
$clientCount–;
mysql_query("UPDATE multicastSessions set msClients=‘$clientCount’ WHERE msName=‘$mSession’ ");
}else{
mysql_query("DELETE FROM tasks WHERE taskName=‘$mSession’ ");
mysql_query("DELETE FROM hosts WHERE hostName=‘$mSession’ ");
$sql = “SELECT * FROM multicastSessions WHERE msName=‘$mSession’ “;
$res = mysql_query( $sql, $conn );
$thisMSID=””;
while( $row = mysql_fetch_array( $res ) ){
$thisMSID= $row[‘msID’];
}
mysql_query("DELETE FROM multicastSessions WHERE msName=‘$mSession’ ");
mysql_query("DELETE FROM multicastSessionsAssoc WHERE msID=‘$mSession’ ");
}
echo “##”;
}}else{
echo “invalid syntax”;
}}else{
echo “connecting to DB”;
}
?>
[/code]
mcTask.php appears to be a binary file.
MulticastTask.class.php:
[code]— new/funcs.sh2014-08-02 23:36:10.000000000 -0400
+++ old/funcs.sh2014-07-15 17:16:38.000000000 -0400
@@ -508,9 +508,6 @@
osname=“Windows 8.1”;
mbrfile=“/usr/share/fog/mbr/win8.mbr”;
defaultpart2start=“368050176B”;
-elif [ “$1” = “8” ]; then
-osname=“Apple Mac OS”;
-mbrfile=“”;
elif [ “$1” = “50” ]; then
osname=“Linux”;
mbrfile=“”[/code]
fog.checkin is the diff for SubMenu.class.php, fog.download is the diff for fog.checkin, fog.mcupdate might be correct? ImageManagementPage.class.php is supposed to be mcTask.php? mcTask appears to be a binary file. MulticastTask.class.php appears to be funcs.sh.It also is backwards in the diff, It’s using the old files as yours and new files as the ones from svn.
I imagine, you could also make this a single diff with:
[code]diff -rupN <originalTrunk> <yourEditedTrunk> > mychanged.diff[/code]This will give a single file and give all the changes compared to what mine looks like.
- array[i]=$x;
-
Sorry Tom. I did diff -u on my Mac. Maybe that’s the issue. I will reupload tonight
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[quote=“Tom S, post: 34775, member: 25305”]
I did want to talk about the Fog service for Mac support. In my current profession I have written scripts that do what I can tell the Windows Fog service does, but for OS X. They are primarily bash scripts that can easily be piped from a C or another language. My question to everyone here is this:
What language do we want the service built on???
TS[/quote]
TS: The FOG service for Windows is under active development in C#. So, we won’t be using that code for OS X/Linux. I would encourage you to consider C. That will be at least a portable as Java, if we static compile it. It will be easy to write a simple service like you’re talking about being a wrapper for shell scripts. I could give you some boiler-plate networking code and give advice on invoking shell scripts from within, if you want it. This is something I’ve done in previous projects many times.
Thanks for all of your help.
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I’ve begun work on this and added the necessary GUI elements already.
I can create the session and cancel the session. There is no need for the storage group or the os parameters in scheduling this as the group and os are stored with the image.
I’m not going to create the fog.mcupdate or mcTask.php file as I can do all of this from the ipxe menu.
This is just a checklist for me to follow, the multicast stuff is not operational from a name joining setup yet.
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Ok so here is the requested diff file. I had to zip it in order to upload the file. So I hope this helps. I look forward in seeing the final product!!
[url=“/_imported_xf_attachments/1/1260_joinMC.diff.zip?:”]joinMC.diff.zip[/url]
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[quote=“fractal13, post: 34855, member: 24300”]TS: The FOG service for Windows is under active development in C#. So, we won’t be using that code for OS X/Linux. I would encourage you to consider C. That will be at least a portable as Java, if we static compile it. It will be easy to write a simple service like you’re talking about being a wrapper for shell scripts. I could give you some boiler-plate networking code and give advice on invoking shell scripts from within, if you want it. This is something I’ve done in previous projects many times.
Thanks for all of your help.[/quote]
Fractal13
I get what you are saying about using C. My only point was if I where to write it in java and got a working app, adding the windows version would a piece of cake and then fog would have a single executable for all os types one Maven or eclipse file rather than a VS project and an xcode project and a another for the various flavors of nix. I know a lot of people are not very happy with java so thats why I asked.Nonetheless I can write it in C and keep you all informed. Is an xCode project acceptable for submittal?
I feel this forum proves why open source Rocks!!!
Thanks,
TS -
ONly problem I see with using the java approach is it would assume all users always have a version of java installed. Issue I foresee, beyond windows admins who don’t allow java because of security concerns, is what about linux non-gui installs? How would the app function then? Couldn’t the linux/mac service just be a series of scripts that are controlled through at or crontab?
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I’ve now got it to a workable state where you can join existing sessions based on the session name. You can delete the task from the link, and added db updates to add the session password and maxwait fields where appropriate.
I haven’t added, yet, checking on the session password as I just want to make sure the menu system is working.
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@Tom Elliot
Your Java statements are 100% correct and valid. One thing Mac does well is supplying a shell acceptable way to manipulate almost every aspect of the machine’s configuration. Since the arrival of ARD, you can find scripts for almost everything. As far as using cron jobs for the fog service on os x and nix, I would steer more toward daemons. In os x, there are 4 levels of daemon. Ones that run when machine boots (via launchd) and ones that run at user login (launchctl). The naming, binding, and other administrative tasks would run as root in a daemon. The gui would run at user login.Would wget with https work for communication between server and client? If not, apple does supply some safari based C libraries.
Printers. Since both nix and os x use cups, this should be pretty straight forward. I would suggest users supply a package file with the drivers or the actual ppd/gz file through the web gui. Install package or use wget to download ppd to printer/ppd folder and then run script to install printer.
So if you all are ok with a bash daemon that periodically probes the fog server cool, I can start adapting my scripts to work with your current service pages on fog.
Side note… same kind of service could install software too. Just sayin
TS
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If you’d be willing TS, Can you try svn of fog?
Test it out. There are a few bugs I’m aware of right now, such as the FOG Service stuff. Also, session password setting doesn’t work either. I’m still working that out. WHen I get it working all should be well.
But give it a go. Most of my implementations have been based solely on adding the ability to join multicast sessions. This joining is only relevant from the session generated from the Image Management Page. You can only add hosts, right now, from the ipxe menu. There is a login required to get to the Multicast Join field to add some layer of security, but hopefully this will be okay. I don’t think we need the session password, necessarily, if we have the login parameter in effect. What do you think?
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[quote=“Tom Elliott, post: 34911, member: 7271”]If you’d be willing TS, Can you try svn of fog?
Test it out. There are a few bugs I’m aware of right now, such as the FOG Service stuff. Also, session password setting doesn’t work either. I’m still working that out. WHen I get it working all should be well.
But give it a go. Most of my implementations have been based solely on adding the ability to join multicast sessions. This joining is only relevant from the session generated from the Image Management Page. You can only add hosts, right now, from the ipxe menu. There is a login required to get to the Multicast Join field to add some layer of security, but hopefully this will be okay. I don’t think we need the session password, necessarily, if we have the login parameter in effect. What do you think?[/quote]
@Tom Elliott
I agree with using the hide menu function in ipxe (username and password) if someone wants to password protect it. The name in a way is a password if you think about it.I will definitely check out the svn a little later. Does the current code allow for non-registered clients to join?
Thanks,
TS -
No it doesn’t though I suppose I could add that feature.
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For right now it’s only registered hosts. I have to think of the logic to get the non-registered hosts to join the task as I have to falsify a tasking much the same way capone falsify’s a tasking.
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Before I go adding support for “non-registered” hosts.
I’m going to first add a field to allow groups or host to join previously created sessions so you can schedule registered hosts from the gui. Don’t know why you’d want to do this method of multicast, but if this is worth doing, it’s worth overdoing (mythbusters is my favorite).
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A caveat to all of this information.
Right now, although it’s only enabled for registered hosts, it does not need any modification to the init files. Though I will probably need to add support for the OS type of Mac OS, if you just need to get it working, you can test with windows or linux. Hopefully, soon, I can remove even the need for the OSID as all it’s used for is to determine partition layout on the Resizable image, and even then, it’s only specific to Windows Partitioning layout. It’s not used for MPS,MPA, or Raw image types.
So if you have a Mac OS image, partclone already is aware of the file type. The OSID has no impact on how the system will run if it’s MultiPart single/all disk, So you can essentially assign linux os to mac os image and all should work properly. We create a copy of the GPT/MBR information which is what get’s restored to the hdd on download. So things should all work properly anyway.
