https://github.com/a0u/cwal

m4 macro library for generating OS provisioning scripts
https://github.com/a0u/cwal

ec2 freebsd gentoo

Last synced: about 1 month ago
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m4 macro library for generating OS provisioning scripts

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/a0u/cwal
• Owner: a0u
• Created: 2019-02-11T01:47:54.000Z (almost 6 years ago)
• Default Branch: master
• Last Pushed: 2022-05-11T06:51:41.000Z (over 2 years ago)
• Last Synced: 2024-11-01T02:42:40.561Z (3 months ago)
• Topics: ec2, freebsd, gentoo
• Language: M4
• Homepage:
• Size: 32.2 KB
• Stars: 0
• Watchers: 2
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 0
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md

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README

        
# CWAL

`cwal` is an `m4` macro library for generating shell scripts to automate

the low-level installation of BSD and GNU/Linux hosts.

Its name is a reference to the cheat code for instant unit production in

a particular RTS game, reflecting the desire to eliminate delays from

manual drudgery.

## Design

`cwal` handles the initial bootstrapping within a live CD/USB

environment to provision a self-sufficient base system.

The result is intended to be a fairly generic instance from a user

perspective, amenable to further specialization (configuration and

deployment of specific services) through a configuration management tool

such as Ansible.

Although similar in objective to Debian preseed and Red Hat kickstart,

shell-based execution enables finer-grained control than what is

normally possible with mainstream installers: custom partitioning

schemes, block device encryption, OS hardening, etc.

Particular emphasis is placed on _minimalism_:

* **Concise parameterization**:

  Machine-specific install scripts are expanded from terse declarative

  configurations.

  The macro DSL aims to enhance composability of different options while

  minimizing boilerplate and redundancy.

* **Standard infrastructure**:

  The shell scripts rely only on external utilities included with the

  stock live CD/USB installer images released by the distro maintainer;

  no additional packages are required.

* **Single file**:

  The output is a self-contained script to simplify deployment using

  command-line HTTP clients (`fetch(1)`).

For a local machine, the installation flow generally consists of several

distinct phases:

1. Volume partitioning

1. Filesystem formatting

1. Distribution download and extraction

1. Kernel and initramfs build (if applicable)

1. Bootloader configuration

## Requirements

* Build

  * POSIX.1-compliant `m4` (e.g., BSD and GNU `m4`)

  * GNU `make`

* Run

  * FreeBSD: [network install images](https://download.freebsd.org/ftp/releases/amd64/amd64/ISO-IMAGES/12.0/)

    (`*-bootonly.iso` or `*-mini-memstick.img`)

  * Gentoo: [minimal installation CD](https://www.gentoo.org/downloads/)

    (`install-amd64-minimal-*.iso`)

  * EC2: [AWS CLI](https://aws.amazon.com/cli/)

## Addendum

* Default root password: `can'twaitanylonger`