2003-08-05

This is a brief description of the "linux terminal server project "
software that is set up on this computer.  The core of the software (the
parts that become the root file-system of terminals) are from the LTSP at
www.ltsp.org  .  Various servers and files have been added, and these
are described below for a Gentoo distribution on the server.



INSTALL DHCP SERVER

emerge dhcp

Edit /etc/dhcp/dhcpd.conf to give addresses to terminals (either by speicfying terminal ethernet card codes and hard-settings addresses and names, or by allowing a dynamic pool of addresses.)

Include the following lines for all such terminals:

	filename              "/lts/vmlinuz-2.4.9-ltsp-6";
        option root-path      "192.168.0.2:/opt/ltsp/i386";
        use-host-decl-names       on;
        option log-servers        192.168.0.2;
	
Make sure that the address used is that of the respective server, and that the path of filename is the path on the tftp server, and the path on root-path is an NFS mountable path to the root filesystem that is to be used for the terminals.


INSTALL NFS

Make sure NFS server is in kernel, and emerge nfs-utils.
Set up /etc/exports to include the lines:

	/opt/ltsp/i386 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(ro,no_root_squash,async)
	/var/opt/ltsp/swapfiles 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0(rw,no_root_squash,sync)

changing the host addresses to match those allocated by the DHCP server.


INSTALL TFTP 

The (gentoo) package netkit-tftp should be installed, and the file /etc/inetd.conf should be created or appended with th following line:

	tftp   dgram   udp  wait  nobody  /usr/sbin/tcpd /usr/sbin/in.tftpd  /opt/tftpboot

If xinetd is already installed, then allow it to do compatibility mode to start the inetd service:  insert the following line in  /etc/conf.d/xinetd  :


	XINETD_OPTS="-stayalive -reuse -inetd_compat"

Else, either install and  set up xinetd as above, or install plain old inetd.

It may be necessary to edit the /etc/xinetd.conf file to allow access from the addresses used by terminals.


MAKE DIRECTORIES

If NFS swap-space is to be used, do mkdir -p /var/opt/ltsp/swapfiles .
Then be sure to turn off the optoin in the lts.conf file and in the /etc/e
xports file.

The root directory of the terminals should be in /opt/ltsp/i386/ on the server, and the kernel in /opt/tftpboot/lts/


LOG SERVER

To allow the clients to use the server log files (in order not to lose logs that are stored just in RAM), enable the log daemon -- e.g., if using sysklogd, 
insert an "-r" switch in the /etc/conf.d/sysklogd file:

	SYSLOGD="-m 0 -r "
	

TELNET SERVER

If the clients are to be used in run-level 4 (text), a telnet server must be started.  Install for example telnet-bsd and edit /etc/xinetd.d/telnetd  to have disable = no  .  


XDM SERVER

In /etc/X11/xdm/xdm-config comment out the bottomline, that explains itself as being to do with remote access.  In /etc/X11/xdm/Xaccess, remove commenting from the star (on a line by itself).  If you want XDMCP (broadcast) then uncomment this too.
If using GDM, edit /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf to allow remote access.
If using KDM, edit /usr/kde/3.1/share/config/kdm/kdmrc (or subs. 3.1 for your version), to allow access.


CONFIGURE

When a terminal boots, the kernel and the init process/scripts identify hardware and use the details of the /etc/lts.conf (in terminal root, i.e. in /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/lts.conf on the server) file to set up files such as XF86Config, resolv.conf, hostname etc, in RAM in the terminal (the root file-system is mounted Read Only from the server, so that lots of clients can use it at once).

Modify the file, /opt/ltsp/i386/etc/lts.conf on the server, to give the server addresses that are to be used for various services, and to select such things as resolution, mouse-buttons, etc.


CHECK

Make sure all the above mentioned servers are started at boot.  Remember xinetd (or inetd) in case this was not used before -- this will start the tftp server.


CLIENTS

Equip each client either with a ROM chip on the ethernet card, or more easily with a boot floppy.  Use the site:

	http://rom-o-matic.net/5.0.11/

to download a floppy image for the client's network card.

Then, with the server(s) all running, stick the floppy in and start the client, network having been connected...  The booting messages should be quite helpful if there is a problem.  If you boot with NFS swap enabled, there will be a long time creating the swap file on the first boot, then it won't happen again.