Ubuntu 20.04 autoinstall (casper/subiquity/curtin) to iPXE - work-in-progress (not fully working for iSCSI)

ubuntu-autoinstall.ipxe

:ubuntu-autoinstall
echo Starting Ubuntu ${ubuntu-version} ${archl} autoinstaller for ${initiator-iqn}
sanhook ${base-iscsi}:${hostname}.boot.ubuntu || sleep 1
#sanhook ${base-iscsi}:${hostname}.boot.ubuntu && set ubuntu-cc-iscsi storage: { layout: { name: lvm }, config: [{type: disk, path: ${base-iscsi}:${hostname}.boot.ubuntu }] } || sleep 1
#sanhook ${base-iscsi}:${hostname}.boot.ubuntu && set ubuntu-iscsi ISCSI_INITIATOR=${initiator-iqn} ISCSI_TARGET_NAME=${base-iqn}:${hostname}.boot.ubuntu ISCSI_TARGET_IP=${iscsi-server} ISCSI_TARGET_PORT=3260 || sleep 1
# https://medium.com/@tlhakhan/ubuntu-server-20-04-autoinstall-2e5f772b655a
# https://ubuntu.com/server/docs/install/autoinstall
# https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/blob/master/doc/examples/kernel-cmdline.txt
# https://matt.olan.me/raspberry-pi-iscsi-root-on-ubuntu-20-04/
# https://askubuntu.com/questions/1235723/automated-20-04-server-installation-using-pxe-and-live-server-image
# casper NFS config: nfsroot=[<server-ip>:]<root-dir>[,<nfs-options>]
set ubuntu-installer-base ubuntu-${ubuntu-version}-live-server-${archl}
set base-url ubuntu/${ubuntu-installer-base}/
kernel ${base-url}casper/vmlinuz
initrd ${base-url}casper/initrd
# h=${hostname};i=i-${uuid};
# , ${ubuntu-cc-iscsi}
# ${ubuntu-iscsi}
imgargs vmlinuz initrd=initrd \
 ip=dhcp \
 url=${sanboot-url}ubuntu/${ubuntu-installer-base}.iso \
 autoinstall \
 ds=nocloud-net;s=${sanboot-url}ubuntu/autoinstall-${ubuntu-installer-base}/ \
 cc: autoinstall: { identity: { hostname: ${hostname} } }
# disk-detect/ibft/enable=true partman-iscsi/iscsi_auto=true \
# netboot=nfs \
# nfsroot=${nfs-server}:${nfs-root}${base-url} \
# net.ifnames=0 \
# biosdevname=0 \
# ipv6.disable=1 \

boot || goto failed
goto start

user-data

#cloud-config
autoinstall:
  version: 1
  interactive-sections:
  - network
  - storage
  early-commands:
  - [/sbin/modprobe, iscsi_ibft]
  - |
    test ! -z /sys/firmware/ibft/initiator/initiator-name \
     && sed -ie "s/InitiatorName=.*/InitiatorName=$(cat /sys/firmware/ibft/initiator/initiator-name)/" /etc/iscsi/initiatorname.iscsi \
     && touch /etc/iscsi/iscsi.initramfs \
     && /usr/sbin/iscsistart -b \
     || /bin/true
  locale: en_US.UTF-8
  refresh-installer:
    update: no
  keyboard:
    layout: "no"
  apt:
    geoip: true
    preserve_sources_list: false
    primary:
    - arches:
      - amd64
      - i386
      uri: http://no.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
    - arches:
      - default
      uri: http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports
  storage:
    layout:
      name: lvm
  identity:
    #hostname: ubuntu-server # must be commented out for ipxe setting to win out
    password: $6$14qo8c1...z1rA4CWSi.
    realname: Robin Smidsrød
    username: robin
  ssh:
    install-server: true
    allow-pw: true
    authorized-keys:
    - "ssh-ed25519 AAAAC...mRBlzLtA robin...639 # ssh-import-id gh:robinsmidsrod"
  packages:
  - joe
  late-commands:
  # Sets iSCSI Initiator IQN from iBFT and enables iSCSI boot in initrd
  - |
    test ! -z /sys/firmware/ibft/initiator/initiator-name \
     && sed -ie "s/InitiatorName=.*/InitiatorName=$(cat /sys/firmware/ibft/initiator/initiator-name)/" /target/etc/iscsi/initiatorname.iscsi \
     && touch /target/etc/iscsi/iscsi.initramfs \
     && curtin in-target -- iscsiadm -m node --op=update -n node.startup -v automatic \
     && curtin in-target -- systemctl enable open-iscsi \
     && curtin in-target -- update-initramfs -v -k $(uname -r) -c \
     && curtin in-target -- update-grub2 \
     || /bin/true

Hi Robin,

I don't understand "cc: autoinstall: { identity: { hostname: ${hostname} } }" even it works for me.
I googled it but nothing found related with "cc: autoinstall:".
Could you explain a bit or share with me some reference pages?

Many thanks!

-Jerry

Just curious, do you happen to know if you can ipxe boot, a customized Ubuntu 20.04 squashfs image and run it in memory (For servers without hard disks)? I know there are cloud images here, but can't seem to ipxe boot them to run in memory: https://cloud-images.ubuntu.com/focal/current/

Here is an example I used to boot a live Ubuntu desktop 20.04.3 with iPXE. Not sure whether this is what you are looking for.

:ubuntu-live-2004
kerne vmlinuz
initrd initrd
imgargs vmlinuz initrd=initrd ip=dhcp url=http://1.2.3.4/ubuntu-20.04.3-desktop-amd64.iso

Thanks but I'm looking to boot a live Ubuntu server OS into memory. (Without running the installer) I already can boot the desktop too

Hi Robin,

I don't understand "cc: autoinstall: { identity: { hostname: ${hostname} } }" even it works for me.
I googled it but nothing found related with "cc: autoinstall:".
Could you explain a bit or share with me some reference pages?

Many thanks!

-Jerry

Just realized Robin had already put the reference link in the code. 👍
https://github.com/canonical/cloud-init/blob/master/doc/examples/kernel-cmdline.txt