Adding custom task to Fog Server

[Wayne Workman]

@csa Looking at what you’re putting in the task type, I think what you need instead is a new boot menu entry… fog configuration -> iPXE new menu entry.

Parameters is your iPXE code, boot options are kernel arguments.

Maybe those two labels can be better labeled @Tom-Elliott ?

[csa]

Wayne Workman
I already had the new “boot menu entry”. Which works like a champ but I have to manually go to the console and select the option. Instead I want to add this to the task and get it assigned to host like other tasks.

When booting a server/pc I have to manually go to the console and scroll down to my “trusty” menu. Which is not idle for a remote management environment.

Thank you
Chakri

[Wayne Workman]

@csa Ah, that makes sense. We just need to wait to hear back from Tom.

[csa]

Wayne,

Again thank you for leading us to the correct path.

Thank you
Chakri

[Tom Elliott]

@csa Can you paste the code of your menu entry as text?

The parameters should not need the :fog.trusty as you have as it automatically creates the function caller for you.

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott
First of all thank you for your time. I added “:fog.trusty” just like you suggested both in Kernel or Kernel Arguments field one at a time. Snap shot as shown

Neither of the settings worked. It says “Fatal Error Unknown request type : Null”

Any ideas?

Thank you
Chakri

[Tom Elliott]

@csa I stated the :fog.trusty does NOT need to be apart of the arguments OR parameters.

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott

Sorry I misread your response. So if I understand correct

Q. Can you paste the code of your menu entry as text?

Here is the text from parameters section in the menu entry. I removed “:fog.trusty” in the beginning like you suggested.

set path /fog/OS_IMAGES/ubuntu-14.04.3-DVD
set nfs_path /images/OS_IMAGES/ubuntu-14.04.3-DVD
kernel http://fogsrv/fog/OS_IMAGES/ubuntu-14.04.3-DVD/install/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64/linux || read void
initrd http://fogsrv/fog/OS_IMAGES/ubuntu-14.04.3-DVD/install/netboot/ubuntu-installer/amd64/initrd.gz || read void
imgargs linux root=/dev/nfs boot=casper live-installer/net-image=http://fogsrv/fog/OS_IMAGES/ubuntu-14.04.3-DVD/install/filesystem.squashfs ks=http://fogsrv/fog/OS_IMAGES/kickstarts/precise_ks.cfg ip=dhcp splash quiet – || read void 
boot || read void
goto start

Q. The parameters should not need the :fog.trusty as you have as it automatically creates the function caller for you.

Removed “fog.trusty” from the menu entry

Q. In the "New Task " how do I call this menu or should directly past the code in the Kernel or kernel parameters. If so can use the same from the “menu entry”

Thank you
Chakri

[Tom Elliott]

I need a full layout of what it is you’re trying to do.

is the “trusty” supposed to load into the FOS System, or is trusty it’s own environment?

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott

Here is what I am trying to do.

1. As shown in the menu path. Loaded the trusty ISO contents and created kickstart files. Verified calling via http://fogsrv/OS_IMAGES/ubuntu-14.04.3-DVD/

2. Created a new menu entry, like below

3. Registered a client host and pxe booted. From the boot menu, I was able to see the new menu fog entry that I created. Manually selected “Trusty”

4. My client host got successfully got kickstart trusty installed and rebooted as per my kickstart instructions.

Now the issue that I have is.

a. I don’t want to scroll down and select my custom menu on every client host. I want to make this a custom task and assign to any registered host when I want to install trusty.

b. With the help of plugins, I came to know that I can create custom tasks.

c. Now the question is how can I call my menu or direct code of my trusty install through this custom task.

Please let me know if you have any more questions.

Thank you
Chakri

[Tom Elliott]

@csa So this is going to take a bit more time as you’re trying to adjust the tasking elements themselves. But your tasking is intended NOT to load into the FOG system, correct? You want the tasking to load into a whole different environment?

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott

Yes I think that is correct.

Thank you
Chakri

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott

Re-thinking about the question. When I was able to call the kickstart installation via my custom entry. Which is presented by fog menu. Not sure if that is called as a separate environment. Shouldn’t this be like any other “memtest” or diskcleanup task which already there?

Thank you
Chakri

[Tom Elliott]

I know of a way to get this working, it’s just a bit more involved initially.

Because you want it as a tasking, I need to see if there’s a hook available to operate against the tasking functions.

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott
Thank you so much for your time. Please let me know. Again loving this product so much and its a great invention.

Thank you
Chakri

[Sebastian Roth]

@csa For automated installs you might want to check out FAI as well. Does PXE boot as well. I am running FOG and FAI alongside on my dev notebook sharing all the common services (NFS, DHCP, PXE, TFTP, …). I am not saying you shouldn’t do this with FOG. It’s probably doable and you’d have it all together in one solution. Just saying that FOG is made for cloning and FAI is made for automated installs.

Looking forward to see if you can make it work within FOG!

[csa]

@Sebastian-Roth
Yes kickstart works like a champ on fog. I want to use cloning and installation on one server. All I need to do is now to be able to create a task, so i can assign to a host. Tom Elliott is checking on some hooks.

Thank you
Chakri

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott
Just wondering if you have any updates. If not can you give me some guide lines on where and how to create the hooks.

Thank you
Chakri

[Tom Elliott]

@csa Can you provide an exact diagram of what needs to happen?

Using the system you have now, it seems to try to do what you’re wanting to do via the FOS systems, but you really have your own environment.

I can probably help much better if I know exactly what you’re trying to accomplish (and even attempt to replicate so I can test and give a more suitable answer.)

[csa]

@Tom-Elliott
All I wanted to do is to call the custom menu that I created via custom task.

Thank you
Chakri