FAI-CD

FAI-CD is an open source, fast and scalable Linux kernel-based operating system, a unique project designed from the offset as a automated unattended installation tool for lazy system administrators who want to deploy different Linux distribution remotely using network installations.

It’s distributed as a 64-bit installable-only ISO image

The distribution can be downloaded from its official homepage or via Softoware as an installable-only CD ISO image that contains software packages optimized only for the 64-bit (x86_64) instruction set architecture. This means that it boots and installs only 64-bit operating systems.

Default boot options

Default boot options include the ability to start the FAI (Fully Automatic Installation) system in demo mode or in graphical mode with the Xfce desktop environment, start a server or rescue system, boot an existing operating system from the local drive, as well as to run a memory test. Please note the username and password that are displayed in front of each entry, as you will need them to start the installation.

It installs Debian GNU/Linux with Xfce

By default, the FAI-CD ISO image will install the Debian GNU/Linux operating system with the Xfce desktop environment without asking any questions, fully automatic. At the login prompt use the “root” username and the “fai” password (without quotes) to log into the Xfce-powered graphical interface, which can use a traditional, single-panel layout or a default layout comprised of a panel and a dock (application launcher).

Offers a minimal set of open-source applications

Only a minimal set of open-source applications has been included in the FAI-CD operating systems. Among some of the most important apps, we can mention the IceWeasel web browser, Ristretto image viewer, Xfburn CD/DVD burning software, Mousepad text editor, Thunar file manager, Xfce Terminal and XTerm terminal emulators, as well as Bulk Rename batch file renaming utility.

What is new in this release:

• major update and rewrite of the FAI guide
• new autodiscover function, the client is scanning the network for a FAI server
• FAI profiles extend the FAI class concept
• FAI shows a curses based menu for selecting a profile on demand
• ready-to-go setup of the FAI server using the FAI CD or USB stick
• ready-to-go FAI profile for CentOS 7 and Ubuntu 14.04
• Cloning machines using an image (hook debconf.IMAGE)
• new command fai-kvm for starting a virtual machine
• new command fai-mk-network for setting up different test networks
• action sysinfo now also mounts lvm and RAID devices
• use httpredir.debian.org as default
• fai-cd now uses dracut instead of live-boot, use of squashfs creates smaller CD images, fai-cd replaces fai-nfsroot2image
• files *.source are renamed to .sh
• dnf support for rpm based distributions
• improved btrfs support
• fai-cd: no networking for the rescue boot entry by default