Build To Order Server

From CobaltFAQs

The Build to Order Server, or BTOS, was used on the factory floor to configure all Cobalt appliances. The BTOS is like a server version of the OS Restore CD, but with some more capabilities.

It contains all the info needed to build any version of any product, from Qube 2700 through RaQ 550, as well as adding custom payloads for third parties who OEM the Cobalt platform. One BTOS could build several products at once. The cool part was that it could build other BTOS as well, so as production needs ramped up, "plain" RaQs could be turned into BTOS to help build more appliances, then they could be rebuilt with their "regular" payload later if needed.

There was also an integrated database that would grab serial and config info from the servers as they were built, and would report the info back to a central system used by support and others. That's how they would know what your system configuration was supposed to be when you called Tech Support for help.

A few BTOS were given/loaned to some ISPs and others with large RaQ deployments, but it was mainly an internal tool.

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Random Notes

BTOS does an NFS export. What will be the root filesystem of the client is what's exported. See the OS Restore notes page for more details on the process.

Hardware: RaQ 4i, max RAM. 2nd interface is export.

Use null modem cable to client console port

Build initialization script: 

 1. /home/nfsroot-x86/bto-sync/scripts/exp_build = menus, calls installer

    In above path,

     bto-sync   = main-script
     scripts    = BTO scripts
     exp_build  = array to list post-install PKGs

 2. call "build_release" (product dependent)

 3. product build dirs:

   /installer  : releasespec (RPM list, partition info, etc), build_release (script)
   /packages   :
   /RPMS       : all RPMS
   /scripts    : pre- and post-install scripts (also in release_spec)

BTOS:

  • production post installs PKGS
  • filename/etc is in MySQL on BTOS
  • PKGS are actually in /packages directory

synch is in startup; disable (rsync over SSH of btos-synch dir)

Boot single user, add SSH public key under root user, or manually set passwords for telnet

OSRCD: put under experimental, same as product dir

Card drivers = TBD

1. Copy NFSROOT to RaQ (export in /etc/exportfs) 2. Under NFSROOT, main_script = symlink (relink to expbuild under NFSROOT) 3. Set up DHCP on eth1

NFS issues; 6-8 machines max on Alpine hardware

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BTOS Build

After installer finishes, these run: 

 btosetup
 tag_release
 redhatdir
 crackdict
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