Contents of /trunk/NEWS

New in FAI 2.4

    - Era Erikson did some great work on proofreading all manuals and
      script comments. Great work Era!
    - lots of updates in the fai guide
    - use the script fai-class for defining classes; scripts in class/
      must not have prefix S; the following command renames your
      existing scripts so they will work with the new command:
      rename 's/S(\d\d.+)(\.sh|\.pl)/$1/' S*
      the order of scripts executed has slightly changed; all classes
      from the file $HOSTNAME are defined after the scripts in class/
      are executed; the suffix .sh or .pl is not needed any more,
      fai-class has a manual page
    - kernel 2.4.20 is the default kernel during installation
    - USB keyboard support during installation
    - make-fai-bootfloppy creates a more generic boot floppy which
      uses grub or lilo as boot loader, it supports more than one boot
      protocol, more disk space is available on the floppy
    - the exit status of every hook and script is written to
      status.log
    - the hook faiend.LAST parses all log files for warnings and
      errors and writes them to error.log
    - variable.sh lists all variables defined after task defvar has finished
    - FAI_LOCATION is now defined in fai.conf, FAI_ACTION is defined
      in LAST.var, do not use T170 and T171 via a BOOTP or DHCP server
      ( but it;s still possible)
    - hooks can make their tasks to be skipped (as in fai 2.2)
    - templates scripts and config files has been rewritten and added
      ( eg. WWWKIOSK, a notebook with Windows and Linux)
    - a new default location for the Debian mirror (in mkdebmirror and
      fai.conf)
    - much of reorganizing the code, but this does not change the user
      visible behavior
    - some functions that were defined as shell subroutines are now
      separate scripts in /usr/lib/fai (fai-class, create_ramdisk,
      prepare_apt, fai-divert, fai-savelog, task_sysinfo, ...), they
      are not standalone script, most of them only work in the fai
      environment, this should solve the problems with a too big
      environment (when using xargs)
    - PATH always starts with /usr/local/{sbin,bin}
    - new FAI_FLAG syslogd starts log daemons (syslogd and klogd) only
      on demand
    - save log files to host $LOGSERVER if defined, otherwise use
      $SERVER
    - make-fai-nfsroot always does setup for dhcp and bootp, and uses
      following sources to create the file sources.list for the
      nfsroot: the variable $FAI_SOURCES_LIST or the files
      /etc/fai/sources.list or /etc/apt/sources.list
    - you can add a list of classes after the PACKAGE command in files
      in package_config, so the following packages will only be
      installed for this class (Please only use this in the file
      package_config/DEFAULT)
    - fcopy has new option -i and -B
    - the variable addpackages can contain a list of packages without
      their version number, therefore /fai/files/packages should be a
      simple repository
    - a lot of bug fixes

New in FAI 2.3.4

    - the default name for fai kernel-image package has changed to
      kernel-image-2.2.20_fai1_i386.deb, since the package fai-kernel
      >=1.4 contains install kernels which support both the BOOTP and
      DHCP protocol

New in FAI 2.3.3

    - important bug fix (wrong symlink for rcS_fai)
    - copy id_dsa* and id_rsa* files in make-fai-nfsroot
    - use strict enabled in perl scripts
    - add "append ip=dhcp" in pxelinux.cfg/default
    - minor changes in packages_config files
    - setup_harddisks default fs type changed from auto to ext2

New in FAI 2.3.2

    - minor bug fixes
    - minor changes in package_config files
    - use discover command for hardware detection and loading of scsi
      kernel modules in class/S03hwdetect.source
    - use swap partitions during installation if available

New in FAI 2.3.1

    - some minor bug fixes
    - add variable $addpackages to DEFAULT.var
    - $FAI_SUBDIR renamed to $FAI_SHAREDIR (fai.conf)
    - changes in package_config files
    - additional method to determine all ethernet devices
    - manual updates for woody
    - added a lot of comments into shell script
    - add option -m to make-fai-bootfloppy

New in FAI 2.3

    - all default configurations are for Debian 3.0 aka woody
    - /etc/fai.conf moved to /etc/fai/fai.conf
    - moved some variables from fai.conf to class/*.var
    - add FAI_DEBOOTSTRAP_OPTS to fai.conf
    - temporary files are stored to $LOGDIR (default to /tmp/fai/),
      can be set in fai.conf using mktemp if desired
    - log files for every new run are stored in a separate directory,
      last-$FAI_ACTION is pointing to the last log directory 
    - if a task is skipped, also all its hooks are skipped
    - uname -s in uppercase is also a default class
    - all class/S[0-9]*.source scripts are sourced
    - hooks that end in .source are sourced (formerly .sh), so they
      can define variables
    - new adddivert routine; make a diversion for a file and add it to
      the list of all diversions; you need not care about removing the
      diversion; the finish task will do this for you
    - class/*.mod files can now define variables
    - new examples class/S30menu.source (was hook/install.MENU)
    - /fai can be a different location using $FAI in fai.conf
    - /fai can be retrieved from a CVS repository: (see variables
      FAI_LOCATION, FAI_CVSROOT, FAI_CVSMODULE) and create a
      /etc/fai/.cvspass
    - /etc/apt/preferences will be copied to nfsroot
    - additional manual pages for fai-setup, make-fai-nfsroot,
      make-fai-bootfloppy, install_packages
    - setup_harddisks: called with option -d (DOS alignment)
      support for ext3 and disk controllers using /dev/ida/, /dev/rd/
      and /dev/cciss (Compaq SMART2 raid array and Mylex DAC960 PCI
      RAID controller)
    - make-fai-bootfloppy can write to a file, creates environment for
      DHCP using pxelinux, does not copy System.map to floppy (now
      more space left for the kernel image), new option -s
    - bootpc and dhcp request will use only active network devices
      ($netdevices_up determined by netdevice_info()) by default,
      which can be overwritten with $netdevices 
    - add a hint how to set up the kernel automounter for scratch
      partitions
    - fcopy skips CVS directories, executes postinst script if file
      was copied, new options -L and -P
    - added prtnetgr script which prints a flat list of all hosts
      belonging to a netgroup
    - execute all /fai/scripts/$class/S[0-9]* scripts if this
      directory exists, so it's possible to execute multiple scripts
      for one class; see examples in scripts/NETWORK/ and scripts/DEFAULT/
    - use shm (was tmpfs) for ramdisk if available
    - mkdebmirror uses passive ftp mode
    - task sysinfo calls kudzu
    - added THANKS file

New in FAI 2.2.3

    - woody support improved, but the default configuration is still
      for potato
    - added disk configuration for Beowulf nodes
    - Wake on LAN section added to FAI guide
    - reiserfs support in setup_harddisks (thanks to Diane Trout)
    - make-fai-nfsroot -v output can be redirected to a file
    - sysinfo also uses detect and discover to probe for hardware
    - utilities moved to /usr/share/fai/utils
    - install_packages checks all package names. If a package name is
      misspelled, it will be removed from the installation list
    - added class NOGETTY
    - package_config: new action "hold", PRELOAD can use a file: url

New in FAI 2.2.2

    - bug fix: getting dhcp information
    - added jmon to BEOWULF

New in FAI 2.2.1

    - FAI_FLAGS can be space or comma separated. They must be space
      separated in bootptab. Use a comma to separate them as
      additional kernel parameters.
    - bootp requests on multiple ethernet devices show device name
      (Thanks to Geert Stappers)
    - script all_hosts doesn't use hardcoded list of hosts any more;
      now it uses the netgroup allhosts

New in FAI 2.2

    - the fai guide has a new chapter about building a Beowulf cluster
    - new utilities for Beowulf cluster: all_hosts and rshall
    - new utility softupdate for updating packages on a running system
    - improved example for diskless hook
    - major reorganization of the rcS_fai code; most parts are moved
      to the subroutines file
    - source /fai/hooks/subroutines if file exists; here you can define
      your own subroutines or redefine FAIs subroutines
    - most tasks are now executed via task() and the name of the task
      as option. This subroutine looks for a hook with the given name
      and executes it. Hooks can skip the default task of FAI (called
      task_<name>) by using skiptask(). So, hooks can replace the
      default behavior, and not only add functions to the
      installation process
    - hooks can define classes by writing class names to
      /tmp/additional-classes and variable by writing line to
      /tmp/additional.var 
    - new hooks/tasks added
    - classes and variables are now defined in the very beginning
      before task_action is called and $FAI_ACTION is evaluated
    - FAI_ACTION can be any user defined value. FAI is looking for a
      command in /fai/hooks/$FAI_ACTION and executes it.
    - log file prepare-apt.log renamed to updatebase.log
    - debian-non-US in local mirror script (mkdebmirror) has new location
    - new type "PACKAGE taskinst" in package_config can install new
      task packages (for Debian 3.0 and later releases)
    - get_bootp_inf() and get_dhcp_info() support multiple ethernet
      devices via $netdevices
    - $netdevices can be set or automaticly determined to the list of
      ethernet devices
    - make-fai-bootfloppy: handle symlinks of lilo 21.5 and newer
    - tlink can show symlink of a host or all file in /boot/fai
    - new classes NOSECURETTY, BEOWULF, NOTCPD

New in FAI 2.1
    - NEWS file added (you found it already ;-), which contains the
      user visible changes; changelog file is for developers
    - woody support
    - define $FAI_DEBOOTSTRAP for using debootstrap
    - you can add your own functions using hooks (read the manual)
    - /fai/fai_config not used anymore, replaced by a hook
    - setup_harddisk does not complain when root partition is not in
      the first 8GB, do not complain if not a primary partition
    - no more problems when using other locales
    - support for diskless clients
    - grub support, new class LILO and GRUB
    - new flag createvt; add this to FAI_FLAGS to get two additional
      terminals and ctrl-c will interrupt the installation
      process. Otherwise ctrl-c will reboot and no terminals are
      available. In the past, this function was enabled by default.
      Add createvt to FAI_FLAGS to get the old behavior.
    - before any classes are defined using the scripts in /fai/class,
      the classes DEFAULT, $HOSTNAME and LAST are defined
    - new utility chkdebnames can check package names for a certain
      distribution
1	lange	1357	New in FAI 2.4
2
3	lange	1724	- Era Erikson did some great work on proofreading all manuals and
4	lange	1357	script comments. Great work Era!
5	lange	1707	- lots of updates in the fai guide
6	lange	1487	- use the script fai-class for defining classes; scripts in class/
7			must not have prefix S; the following command renames your
8			existing scripts so they will work with the new command:
9			rename 's/S(\d\d.+)(\.sh\|\.pl)/$1/' S*
10	lange	1394	the order of scripts executed has slightly changed; all classes
11			from the file $HOSTNAME are defined after the scripts in class/
12			are executed; the suffix .sh or .pl is not needed any more,
13	lange	1487	fai-class has a manual page
14	lange	1707	- kernel 2.4.20 is the default kernel during installation
15			- USB keyboard support during installation
16			- make-fai-bootfloppy creates a more generic boot floppy which
17			uses grub or lilo as boot loader, it supports more than one boot
18			protocol, more disk space is available on the floppy
19			- the exit status of every hook and script is written to
20			status.log
21			- the hook faiend.LAST parses all log files for warnings and
22			errors and writes them to error.log
23			- variable.sh lists all variables defined after task defvar has finished
24			- FAI_LOCATION is now defined in fai.conf, FAI_ACTION is defined
25			in LAST.var, do not use T170 and T171 via a BOOTP or DHCP server
26			( but it;s still possible)
27			- hooks can make their tasks to be skipped (as in fai 2.2)
28			- templates scripts and config files has been rewritten and added
29			( eg. WWWKIOSK, a notebook with Windows and Linux)
30	lange	1564	- a new default location for the Debian mirror (in mkdebmirror and
31			fai.conf)
32	lange	1724	- much of reorganizing the code, but this does not change the user
33			visible behavior
34	lange	1394	- some functions that were defined as shell subroutines are now
35	lange	1487	separate scripts in /usr/lib/fai (fai-class, create_ramdisk,
36			prepare_apt, fai-divert, fai-savelog, task_sysinfo, ...), they
37			are not standalone script, most of them only work in the fai
38			environment, this should solve the problems with a too big
39			environment (when using xargs)
40	lange	1357	- PATH always starts with /usr/local/{sbin,bin}
41			- new FAI_FLAG syslogd starts log daemons (syslogd and klogd) only
42			on demand
43	lange	1394	- save log files to host $LOGSERVER if defined, otherwise use
44			$SERVER
45	lange	1662	- make-fai-nfsroot always does setup for dhcp and bootp, and uses
46	lange	1394	following sources to create the file sources.list for the
47			nfsroot: the variable $FAI_SOURCES_LIST or the files
48			/etc/fai/sources.list or /etc/apt/sources.list
49	lange	1487	- you can add a list of classes after the PACKAGE command in files
50			in package_config, so the following packages will only be
51			installed for this class (Please only use this in the file
52			package_config/DEFAULT)
53	lange	1707	- fcopy has new option -i and -B
54	lange	1564	- the variable addpackages can contain a list of packages without
55	lange	1662	their version number, therefore /fai/files/packages should be a
56			simple repository
57	lange	1357	- a lot of bug fixes
58
59	lange	1267	New in FAI 2.3.4
60
61			- the default name for fai kernel-image package has changed to
62			kernel-image-2.2.20_fai1_i386.deb, since the package fai-kernel
63			>=1.4 contains install kernels which support both the BOOTP and
64			DHCP protocol
65
66	lange	1264	New in FAI 2.3.3
67
68	lange	1265	- important bug fix (wrong symlink for rcS_fai)
69	lange	1264	- copy id_dsa* and id_rsa* files in make-fai-nfsroot
70			- use strict enabled in perl scripts
71			- add "append ip=dhcp" in pxelinux.cfg/default
72			- minor changes in packages_config files
73			- setup_harddisks default fs type changed from auto to ext2
74
75	lange	1241	New in FAI 2.3.2
76
77			- minor bug fixes
78			- minor changes in package_config files
79			- use discover command for hardware detection and loading of scsi
80			kernel modules in class/S03hwdetect.source
81			- use swap partitions during installation if available
82
83	lange	1223	New in FAI 2.3.1
84
85			- some minor bug fixes
86			- add variable $addpackages to DEFAULT.var
87			- $FAI_SUBDIR renamed to $FAI_SHAREDIR (fai.conf)
88			- changes in package_config files
89			- additional method to determine all ethernet devices
90			- manual updates for woody
91			- added a lot of comments into shell script
92			- add option -m to make-fai-bootfloppy
93
94	lange	975	New in FAI 2.3
95	lange	942
96	lange	1168	- all default configurations are for Debian 3.0 aka woody
97	lange	942	- /etc/fai.conf moved to /etc/fai/fai.conf
98	lange	1021	- moved some variables from fai.conf to class/*.var
99	lange	1103	- add FAI_DEBOOTSTRAP_OPTS to fai.conf
100	lange	1149	- temporary files are stored to $LOGDIR (default to /tmp/fai/),
101	lange	1169	can be set in fai.conf using mktemp if desired
102			- log files for every new run are stored in a separate directory,
103			last-$FAI_ACTION is pointing to the last log directory
104	lange	1070	- if a task is skipped, also all its hooks are skipped
105	lange	1149	- uname -s in uppercase is also a default class
106	lange	1113	- all class/S[0-9]*.source scripts are sourced
107			- hooks that end in .source are sourced (formerly .sh), so they
108			can define variables
109			- new adddivert routine; make a diversion for a file and add it to
110	lange	1070	the list of all diversions; you need not care about removing the
111	lange	1113	diversion; the finish task will do this for you
112			- class/*.mod files can now define variables
113	lange	1062	- new examples class/S30menu.source (was hook/install.MENU)
114	lange	1021	- /fai can be a different location using $FAI in fai.conf
115	lange	1074	- /fai can be retrieved from a CVS repository: (see variables
116	lange	1021	FAI_LOCATION, FAI_CVSROOT, FAI_CVSMODULE) and create a
117			/etc/fai/.cvspass
118			- /etc/apt/preferences will be copied to nfsroot
119			- additional manual pages for fai-setup, make-fai-nfsroot,
120			make-fai-bootfloppy, install_packages
121			- setup_harddisks: called with option -d (DOS alignment)
122	lange	1113	support for ext3 and disk controllers using /dev/ida/, /dev/rd/
123			and /dev/cciss (Compaq SMART2 raid array and Mylex DAC960 PCI
124			RAID controller)
125	lange	1021	- make-fai-bootfloppy can write to a file, creates environment for
126	lange	1074	DHCP using pxelinux, does not copy System.map to floppy (now
127	lange	1149	more space left for the kernel image), new option -s
128	lange	1021	- bootpc and dhcp request will use only active network devices
129			($netdevices_up determined by netdevice_info()) by default,
130			which can be overwritten with $netdevices
131	lange	975	- add a hint how to set up the kernel automounter for scratch
132			partitions
133	lange	1062	- fcopy skips CVS directories, executes postinst script if file
134	lange	1074	was copied, new options -L and -P
135	lange	1021	- added prtnetgr script which prints a flat list of all hosts
136			belonging to a netgroup
137	lange	1074	- execute all /fai/scripts/$class/S[0-9]* scripts if this
138			directory exists, so it's possible to execute multiple scripts
139	lange	1113	for one class; see examples in scripts/NETWORK/ and scripts/DEFAULT/
140	lange	1149	- use shm (was tmpfs) for ramdisk if available
141	lange	1021	- mkdebmirror uses passive ftp mode
142	lange	1149	- task sysinfo calls kudzu
143	lange	1021	- added THANKS file
144	lange	942
145	lange	891	New in FAI 2.2.3
146
147	lange	921	- woody support improved, but the default configuration is still
148			for potato
149	lange	891	- added disk configuration for Beowulf nodes
150			- Wake on LAN section added to FAI guide
151			- reiserfs support in setup_harddisks (thanks to Diane Trout)
152			- make-fai-nfsroot -v output can be redirected to a file
153			- sysinfo also uses detect and discover to probe for hardware
154	lange	892	- utilities moved to /usr/share/fai/utils
155	lange	1357	- install_packages checks all package names. If a package name is
156			misspelled, it will be removed from the installation list
157	lange	921	- added class NOGETTY
158			- package_config: new action "hold", PRELOAD can use a file: url
159	lange	891
160	lange	861	New in FAI 2.2.2
161
162			- bug fix: getting dhcp information
163			- added jmon to BEOWULF
164
165	lange	856	New in FAI 2.2.1
166
167			- FAI_FLAGS can be space or comma separated. They must be space
168			separated in bootptab. Use a comma to separate them as
169			additional kernel parameters.
170			- bootp requests on multiple ethernet devices show device name
171			(Thanks to Geert Stappers)
172			- script all_hosts doesn't use hardcoded list of hosts any more;
173			now it uses the netgroup allhosts
174
175	lange	760	New in FAI 2.2
176
177	lange	831	- the fai guide has a new chapter about building a Beowulf cluster
178			- new utilities for Beowulf cluster: all_hosts and rshall
179	lange	835	- new utility softupdate for updating packages on a running system
180	lange	831	- improved example for diskless hook
181	lange	836	- major reorganization of the rcS_fai code; most parts are moved
182	lange	760	to the subroutines file
183	lange	831	- source /fai/hooks/subroutines if file exists; here you can define
184	lange	1394	your own subroutines or redefine FAIs subroutines
185	lange	760	- most tasks are now executed via task() and the name of the task
186			as option. This subroutine looks for a hook with the given name
187	lange	831	and executes it. Hooks can skip the default task of FAI (called
188	lange	836	task_<name>) by using skiptask(). So, hooks can replace the
189			default behavior, and not only add functions to the
190	lange	831	installation process
191			- hooks can define classes by writing class names to
192			/tmp/additional-classes and variable by writing line to
193			/tmp/additional.var
194	lange	769	- new hooks/tasks added
195	lange	831	- classes and variables are now defined in the very beginning
196			before task_action is called and $FAI_ACTION is evaluated
197	lange	760	- FAI_ACTION can be any user defined value. FAI is looking for a
198			command in /fai/hooks/$FAI_ACTION and executes it.
199			- log file prepare-apt.log renamed to updatebase.log
200			- debian-non-US in local mirror script (mkdebmirror) has new location
201			- new type "PACKAGE taskinst" in package_config can install new
202			task packages (for Debian 3.0 and later releases)
203	lange	766	- get_bootp_inf() and get_dhcp_info() support multiple ethernet
204			devices via $netdevices
205	lange	831	- $netdevices can be set or automaticly determined to the list of
206			ethernet devices
207	lange	766	- make-fai-bootfloppy: handle symlinks of lilo 21.5 and newer
208	lange	831	- tlink can show symlink of a host or all file in /boot/fai
209			- new classes NOSECURETTY, BEOWULF, NOTCPD
210	lange	760
211	lange	663	New in FAI 2.1
212	lange	722	- NEWS file added (you found it already ;-), which contains the
213			user visible changes; changelog file is for developers
214			- woody support
215			- define $FAI_DEBOOTSTRAP for using debootstrap
216			- you can add your own functions using hooks (read the manual)
217			- /fai/fai_config not used anymore, replaced by a hook
218	lange	663	- setup_harddisk does not complain when root partition is not in
219			the first 8GB, do not complain if not a primary partition
220			- no more problems when using other locales
221	lange	703	- support for diskless clients
222	lange	722	- grub support, new class LILO and GRUB
223	lange	703	- new flag createvt; add this to FAI_FLAGS to get two additional
224			terminals and ctrl-c will interrupt the installation
225			process. Otherwise ctrl-c will reboot and no terminals are
226			available. In the past, this function was enabled by default.
227	lange	722	Add createvt to FAI_FLAGS to get the old behavior.
228			- before any classes are defined using the scripts in /fai/class,
229			the classes DEFAULT, $HOSTNAME and LAST are defined
230	lange	723	- new utility chkdebnames can check package names for a certain
231			distribution