[livemedia-discuss] Re: Using live tools to make a base OpenSolaris?

[Dave Miner]

Eric Boutilier wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Aug 2006, Dave Miner wrote:
>> Eric Boutilier wrote:
>>> [ Note: Cross-posting to livemedia-discuss and appliances-discuss ]
>>>
>>> On opensolaris-announce, Dave Miner wrote:
>>>> I'm pleased to announce that the Live Media project has at long last
>>>> opened.  If you're interested in building live CD/DVD versions of
>>>> OpenSolaris, come join us.  The project opening includes access to a
>>>> prototype kit for constructing your own live DVD from a Solaris Express
>>>> image.
>>>>
>>>> Project page:
>>>> http://www.opensolaris.org/os/project/livemedia/
>>>
>>> Based on what I've read about the Solaris Express and Belenix
>>> live kits, in theory (I think) one could do one of the
>>> following to create a small base "distro" suitable for
>>> layering CSW, spec-files-extra, or CCD server appliance
>>> packages on top of:
>>>
>>> - Perform the Belenix remastering procedure, omitting the
>>>     /usr/foss hierarchy. (I'm going to try this -- it sounds
>>>     fairly simple to do thanks to the tools/docs provided.)
>>>
>>> - Perform the OpenSolaris Live Media Kit procedure using a
>>>     netinstall image of one of the small server metaclusters
>>>     instead of the SX DVD image.
>>>
>>
>> I'm not sure what this would buy you beyond just installing the small
>> metacluster with the standard installer, since the construction process
>> in each case makes a number of mods oriented at running off of a
>> read-only root, but I'm probably not understanding exactly what you're
>> trying to do.
> 
> Mainly anything that a live CD is good for -- something like a security
> auditing is a good example[1]. But also any kind of distro really (IOW
> including ones aimed at hard drive installation) because having a LiveCD
> option is becoming a really popular thing in general. (Though the latter
> assumes that the live CD comes with an HD installer.)
> 

I must have been having a brain cramp when I read your original mail the 
other day, as I understand it very well on the second read ;-)

> [1]: 
> http://techrepublic.com.com/5254-6257-0.html?forumID=99&threadID=190959&messageID=2062993&id=4398493 
> 
> 
>> Anyway, you should be able to use a smaller metacluster with livekit and
>> the SX DVD image; just change the metacluster passed to proc_toc.pl to
>> the one you want.  The metacluster could easily be be moved to a
>> parameter in the config file.  Though this may have issues with getting
>> sufficient drivers installed.
> 
> Ah, thanks, that's definitely better for people who can easily
> download/acquire the SXCR DVD image.
> 
> For people who would prefer to download just CD 1 though, is it safe to
> assume the small metacluster netinstall image would work too?
> 

Most likely it would, but I haven't tried it.

Dave