Cobbler is a Linux installation server that allows for the rapid deployment of systems through network booting. In this tutorial, we will walk you through the steps to install Cobbler on FreeBSD Latest.
First, update the FreeBSD system to ensure that all packages are up to date. Run the following command:
sudo pkg update && sudo pkg upgrade
Next, you'll need to install some packages required for the installation of Cobbler. Run the following command:
sudo pkg install cobbler py38-pip tftp-hpa wget dhcpd
Once the packages are installed, you'll need to configure Cobbler by editing the config file:
sudo vi /usr/local/etc/cobbler/settings
In the file, uncomment the following lines:
manage_dhcp: 1
manage_dns: 1
pxe_just_once: 1
next_server: 192.168.X.X
server: 192.168.X.X
Adjust the IP address of next_server and server to match your network configuration.
Save and exit the file.
Now, start and enable the required services:
sudo sysrc cobblerd_enable=YES
sudo sysrc tftp_enable=YES
sudo sysrc dhcpd_enable=YES
Start the services:
sudo service cobblerd start
sudo service tftp start
sudo service isc-dhcpd start
Cobbler requires the OS ISO images of the systems you want to deploy, so you'll need to download them. You can use the following command to download Ubuntu server ISO:
sudo wget http://releases.ubuntu.com/20.04/ubuntu-20.04.1-live-server-amd64.iso -P /var/www/cobbler/ks_mirror/ubuntu/latest
Now, add systems that you want to deploy with Cobbler. You can use the following command to add a system:
sudo cobbler system add --name=ubuntu-server --profile=ubuntu-server --interface=em0 --mac=11:22:33:44:55:66 --dns-name=ubuntu-server.example.com --ip-address=192.168.1.10
Adjust the values of name, profile, interface, mac, dns-name, and ip-address according to your environment.
Finally, restart the Cobbler services to apply the changes:
sudo service cobblerd restart
sudo service tftp restart
sudo service isc-dhcpd restart
That's it! Cobbler is now installed and ready to use. You can use the Cobbler web interface to manage your systems and deploy them over the network.
If you want to self-host in an easy, hands free way, need an external IP address, or simply want your data in your own hands, give IPv6.rs a try!
Alternatively, for the best virtual desktop, try Shells!
