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Date: Tue, 24 Apr 2007 15:48:13 -0700
From: Andrew Sharp <andy.sharp@onstor.com>
To: dl-designreview
Subject: [Zonda] Network initial config via WebUI -- system component
Message-ID: <20070424154813.653bd7a6@ripper.onstor.net>
Organization: Onstor
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I've heard that we are going to try and have a WebUI initial (install)
config thing for Zonda release, so I thought I would write up how I
think we should make the system level network part of that equation
happen.  This what I planned to do for Linux regardless of how the
config was done, rather than use a serial port.

I'm asking for RFC at this time.  If there are no objections or
questions, I'll schedule a meeting if people think it's necessary.

Cheers,

a

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                 First Install/Config Design Specification
				 =========================================

Problem
-------

Doing initial install configurations is physically awkward and
inconvenient due to the serial port requirement.  Most laptops built
in the last several years have no serial port.

Furthermore, the text-based config system is aesthetically unappealing
compared to our competitors, and also clumsy and slow.

Overall ease-of-use rating is very low.

Custmer impression: this thing is not slick.  These folks are not
brilliant.

Solution
--------

Network based install with Web UI configuration.

Scope
-----

Web UI based install configurator already on the schedule for 3.1 (Zonda)

Network component scope: minimal (1 week) Zonda deliverable

Design
------

The network method has been thought to be solved by having the
filer boot up with a default static IP address, and require the user to
configure their laptop to conform with that.  The user would have to
configure the laptop by hand to set the IP address, the netmask, the
DNS server, etc.

That design is deficient in 2 ease-of-use categories: it requires the
user successfully configure the laptop with a fixed IP address,
which is possibly beyond the capabilities of all potential customers;
and it's difficult to diagnose what is wrong if the user has configured
the laptop incorrectly.

Instead, the filer will boot up in initial install mode with a DHCP server
listening on a management port.  The user plugs the laptop ethernet into
the management interface of the filer, boots the laptop, and fires up
the web browser to http://onstor/ and Eureka!, there is the Web UI ready
to start the initial config.

The way this all works is that the DHCP server on the filer assigns the
laptop an IP address, and of course the filer already has an IP address.
The filer also serves the DNS request for 'onstor' to the laptop so the
browser connects appropriately.

Virtually all laptops are configured to get their IP address from DHCP
already, so this should work with any laptop, so long as it has an
ethernet port, which is already required.

During the config process, the user will set the IP address for the
management interfaces as per usual.  At the end of the config process, the
DHCP server is disabled, the filer is rebooted, the laptop disconnected,
and the filer connected to the switch or hub as per normal.  Finito.

As a backup safety net, the static laptop IP config method would still work.


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