====== Diskless Linux Workstation ======

We need a server with DHCP and TFTP.

===== TFTP =====

In Debian Etch we have at least three DHCP server: **tftpd**, **tftpd-hpa** and **atftpd**. The first one is not suitable because PXELINUX requires that the TFTP server supports the "tsize" TFTP option. The second has a //BSD with advertising clause// license. So we went with **atftpd**, which is also the preferred TFTPD at  [[http://popcon.debian.org/|Debian Popularity Contest]].

We changed the home directory for TFTPD, choosing ''**/boot/tftp**''. See the command line in ''**/etc/inetd.conf**''.

===== DHCP =====

===== Kernel =====

<code>
-> Device Drivers -> Network device support -> Ethernet (1000 Mbit)
New SysKonnect GigaEthernet support
CONFIG_SKGE

-> Networking -> Networking support (NET [=y]) -> Networking options -> TCP/IP networking (INET [=y])

IP: kernel level autoconfiguration
CONFIG_IP_PNP

IP: DHCP support
CONFIG_IP_PNP_DHCP

IP: BOOTP support
CONFIG_IP_PNP_BOOTP

-> File systems -> Network File Systems

NFS file system support
CONFIG_NFS_FS

Root file system on NFS
CONFIG_ROOT_NFS

-> File systems
Kernel automounter version 4 support (also supports v3)
CONFIG_AUTOFS4_FS
</code>

===== Riferimenti web =====

  * http://julian.coccia.com/blog/index.php?m=200502&more=1
  * http://syslinux.zytor.com/pxe.php
  * http://www.math.ucdavis.edu/~zjohnson/howto/diskless_ubuntu.html
  * http://www.wlug.org.nz/NFSRoot

===== Confronto HD/NFS =====

**Client**

  * Celeron 2.4 GHz
  * 500 Mb RAM
  * RAID1 on two 80 Gb Samsung IDE disks

**NFS server**

  * Celeron 700 MHz
  * 256 Mb RAM
  * RAID1 volume on two 60 Gb Maxtor IDE disks

**Environment**

  * Debian GNU/Linux Etch
  * KDM as display manager
  * KDE as desktop environment
  * Kopete, KWeather, KMix
  * 7 icons on the panel
  * 25 icons on the Desktop, 1280x1024 wallpaper

^               ^  Startup time            ^^  NFS server trafic                ^^
^               ^  HD         ^  NFS        ^  RX bytes       ^  TX bytes        ^
^ KDM login     |         48" |      1' 14" |       7.241.290 |       75.199.395 |
^ Desktop ready |         12" |         27" |       4.353.668 |       36.226.306 |
^ Total         |  **1' 00"** |  **1' 41"** |  **11.594.958** |  **111.425.701** |
^ OpenOffice    |         13" |         28" |                 |                  |