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Rxlinux 0.9.5 README

Rxlinux 0.9.5 README

What is rxlinux?

================

Rxlinux is a modular, self-contain, preconfigured and ready-to-eXecute Linux
distribution. It will boot from the CD and run entirely from a ramdisk. It
can also take advantage of a hard disk, if enough memory is not available.
If a floopy is present at boot time, it will be search for specific
configuration (ip, runlevel etc.)

Rxlinux is pre-loaded with a minimal RedHat-7.3 distribution. More RPMS
packages can be added on the iso depending of the usage. RPMS packages are
automatically deployed on startup.

A configuration file is read from the CD or from an optional floppy at boot
time. The machine can be configure to run from the cd, from ramdisk or from
hard disk if available. Here is the content of the rxlinux.conf:

#----------------------------

# start rxlinux.conf

#----------------------------

hostname=rxlinux

ip=dhcp

netmask=dhcp

gateway=dhcp

dns1=dhcp

dns2=dhcp

runlevel=3

#----------------------------

# possible destinations (DEST)

# - cd [BIN default]

# - hd

# - ram [DATA default]

# SIZE in Mbytes

#----------------------------

BINDEST=cd

DATADEST=ram

BINSIZE=125

DATASIZE=20

#----------------------------

# end rxlinux.conf

#----------------------------

The operating systems as been splited in two parts. Read-only stuff (BIN)
and read-write stuff (DATA). BIN include all binaries on the system (/bin,
/lib, /sbin and /usr). DATA include all logs, configs and data (/tmp, /var
and /etc). So when the machine boot, you have the choice where you are going
to store BIN and DATA. You have 3 choices here:

cd = run from cdrom

hd = run from hard disk

ram = run from ramdisk

If you choose "cd" the os will run from the pre-install, pre-configure
distribution on the cd. Files can't be modifyed.

If you choose "hd" files will be copied from the cd to the hard disk and run
from there.

If you choose "ram" files will be copied from the cd to ramdisk and run from
there.

The "cd" option is good only if you know that you will not have to modifiy
files at runtime. So if you build a custom rxlinux.iso, containing all the
software and configuration for a specific machine, you can run it directly
from the cd without the need of a hard disk and with a minimum of ram.

If you want to use the RPMS auto-deploy feature of rxlinux, then you will
have to choose eighter "hd" or "ram" for both BIN and DATA.

Note, if you choose the "hd" option for BIN, then all the binairies (/bin
/lib /sbin and /usr) will be overwriten on the hard disk at boot time, and
extra RPMS will be re-deployed. This is to make sure that you start with a
clean distribution.

However, if you choose the "hd" option for DATA, the "/var" and "/etc" on
hard disk will never be overwriten on reboot.

Obviously, if you choose the "ram" option for DATA or BIN, any changes to
files will be lost on reboot.



Why rxlinux?

============

1- For security reason. All the software are on the iso (read-only). If
suspect intrusion/rootkit, you just reboot and your back on-track.

2- For rapid deployments. All the software are ready-to-run. You create one
custom rxlinux.iso and distribut to multiple machines. You can create
specific floppies for each machines.

3- For diskless servers. Can run full feature Web servers from ramdisk.

4- For test and audit. Can be run from any PC witout disk partitionning.
Network security and audit software applications available.



Where do I get it ?

===================

It will be available as soon as I find a place to store the iso and
documentation on the Net.




Done so far

- iso distribution (rxlinux.iso)

- based on RedHat 7.3 (no modification, minimal installation)

- preconfigured, preinstall ready to run

- boot from CD

- no need for hardrive (optional vfat, ext2 or ext3)

- root partition in ramdisk

- BIN (/bin /sbin /lib /usr) on cd, hd or ramdisk

- DATA (/tmp /var /data)

- read config from floopy on boot.

- self configurable (can edit and build the rxlinux.iso).

- add /build on cdrom containing scripts to build rxlinux.iso

- add /RPMS on cdrom for RPMS auto-deploy on boot



Todo:

+ find why machine does'nt reboot on "init 6"

+ create a script to build rxlinux.iso from scratch (mkinitrd ...)

+ repaire the kudzu message: "cannot stat /dev/root"

+ add rxlinux.conf on cdrom containing specific config (ip, hostname ...)



Steps to edit/rebuild rxlinux.iso

You will need at least 1G of disk space in the working directory

1- cd to the working directory

2- run iso-open from the working directory (/mnt/cdrom-real/build/iso-open)

- this will create and mount the following directories:

- iso-rw : a copy of the rxlinux cd (build RPMS lnx.img root.ext2
rxlinux.conf)

- ext2-root : the root file system (/bin /lib /sbin /usr ...)

- ext2-boot : the boot image (ldlinux.sys linux root.bin syslinux.cfg)

- ext2-ram : the initial ramdisk (/bin /lib /sbin ...)

3- add/edit the files

4- run iso-close from the working directory

- this will unmount the directories and create the rxlinux.iso



tips: you can test your rxlinux.iso using Vmware instead or burning a cd

Have fun!

Jean Laganiere

[email protected]