-*- outline -*-

* PXE Manager

The idea is to build an automaton to control when to boot from the
local drives and when to boot from the network.

The systems can be used to run automated tests. You can also use this
system only to provision on demand systems.

The systems must be configured to always boot over PXE.

** Install

- edit the database and PXE config in the settings.py according to
  your local setup.

- you need python-django installed.

- run ./manage.py syncdb to create the needed sql tables.

- create the PXE profiles in pxelinux.cfg/profiles/ ending in
  .prof. The local.prof is mandatory and must point to a local boot
  config. The user running the scripts must have the right to write in
  pxelinux.cfg. I usually create a group and put it under control of
  the files under pxelinux.cfg.

- export these 2 environment variables:
  DJANGO_SETTINGS_MODULE=settings and PYTHONPATH=$PWD.

- run ./pxe/syncbootnames to add the names of the PXE profiles in the
  database.

- add the systems that you want to control by this system like this:
./pxe/addsystem <name> <mac address> [<mac address 2>...]

- set which profile you want your system to PXE boot:
./pxe/nextboot <name> <profile name>

- run ./manage.py runserver <ip addr>:<port> to have a web server
  waiting for requests to boot locally. You can also configure django
  to use apache instead of the little embedded server.

- then your PXE runs must access the following web page
  http://<ipaddr>:<port>/localboot/<mac addr>/ to request a local boot
  before rebooting else the PXE boot will continue to loop on the same
  install.