Core: Unattended installation

[fraenki]

While this may not be the most-requested feature, I'd like to start this discussion early while OPNsense source code is still being refactored.

I'd like to see unattended installations of OPNsense. I've created a rather hackish proof-of-concept for pfSense some time ago, which integrates nicely with Foreman:

• https://github.com/fraenki/foreman-pfsense
• https://forum.pfsense.org/index.php?topic=81267.0
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqIR0pjkdRc

This is based on the approach Foreman takes to do unattended installations of FreeBSD (10.x):

• http://projects.theforeman.org/projects/foreman/wiki/FreeBSD

Of course, I'd love to see a native solution in OPNsense similar to kickstart (RedHat) or preseed (Debian). Maybe it's possible to use FreeBSD's native tools.

[jschellevis]

I like the idea, just need a bit of time to discuss this to see if and how this can fit into our roadmap. We still have a lot of work with refactoring/cleaning up old code and bringing back features like squid and ids/ips.. so stay tuned... and thanks for your input!

[fraenki]

Jos, thanks for considering this feature. From my experience with pfSense I've created a small list of features required to do proper unattended installations:

• configure destination disk device / automatically select first disk device
• do minimal configuration: initial password, timezone, ntp, hostname, domain, dns
• configure networking interfaces WAN and LAN (dhcp/static, ip, netmask, defaultGW)
• possible to install packages/addons/plugins
• support pre/post install scripts (to allow for customizations, configure packages, etc.)

[jschellevis]

Thanks, that list is very helpful!

[mmoll]

:+1:

[fichtner]

similar discussion on the FreeBSD mailing list for future reference: http://marc.info/?l=freebsd-current&m=142109070604845&w=2

[mschilt]

great. Looking for this feature for some time.
would be willing to test it on my ESX and with my pcengines boxes (ALIX/APU).

[jschellevis]

Discussed this feature request with the core team and we agree this should make it way to the roadmap. After 15.7 we will revised this and see what milestone should/can be attached.

[kai-h]

I'd also love to see a headless install (for example on Alix type hardware) and/or pre-built images suitable to flash to a CF/SD card and boot the system from (like our old friend, m0n0wall)

[fichtner]

I think we will focus on #1072 via SSH, adding a remote config import on top. Thoughts? :)

[mmoll]

I'm unsure... How "unattended" is that?

[fichtner]

Good question. It wouldn't be a full unattended installation per se. It would, however solve a few issues raised here to get somewhere with this feature request in the long run:

• preconfigured network access during install media boot
• a yet to be derived way to load remote custom configs prior to install
• run automated scripts over ssh

[AdSchellevis]

timeout

[mmoll]

uhm, sorry... this is still valid and unsolved, correct?

[AdSchellevis]

@mmoll are you planning to work on it?

[mmoll]

@AdSchellevis nope.

[AdSchellevis]

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