How can I install the distro on a remote xen server without benefit of a cd or usb bootstrap? I have a successful Vbox install but now need to migrate or re-install to the remote server.
Hi!
ks file for Citrix XenServer as an example: http://109.104.109.131/freepbxforumiso_ks.cfg
Just choose Install from url: http://yum.freepbxdistro.org/centos/5/os/i386
And add to Advanced OS boot parameters ks=http://xx.xx.xx.xx/ks_xen.cfg
Some remarks about what could be changed: http://onnet.su/index.php?option=com_kb&task=article&article=33
Regards
To be a bit more clear I am wanting to install on a domU and have no access to dom0.
I took the first step to try and walk through the ks file manually. As you mentioned one of the major issues is the dahdi stuff is compiled depending on a non-xen kernel. The suggesting to “remove binding to non xen kernel” seems to be the first order. I am not yet deep enough to know what that requires.
Plodding along as I have I am able to start asterisk but have no amportal and no web access to the admin panel. And of course, I have disabled the dahdi install temporarily.
Certainly any help would be great. Maybe the modified ks file would give me a leg up even if not the same version.
Can you mount an .iso file to the CD drive? I know you can in VMware, but am not familiar with the ins and outs of Xen.
The iso could be mounted as a loop device. The issue is what is necessary or available to control the install without attempting to destroy the filesystem and reformat. There are of course other considerations but that is a starter.
Hi
Extract kickstart file
change it for your particular needs (for ex. remove binding to non xen kernel and wanpipe drivers and so on …)
Set this file somewhere on the net and run installation process
Sincerely,
Kirill
If you need some precise instructions, just let me know. I use Citrix XenServer to run Hosted PBXes. If you also use XenServer 5.6 I can provide you with example of kickstart file
Tremendous! The kickstart file really fills in the gaps. If I am reduced to trying to install it manually the information is priceless.
Is there any way to use the kickstart from within a minimum centos domu? All the research shows using a kickstart to create a guest from dom0. I can’t find how to start from an existing guest in effect upgrading the existing centos minimum to the kickstart install configuration. I tried adding the kickstart as a boot option on the existing kernel boot line. It seemed to simply ignore that.
Don’t understand why you need that.
Just install FreePBX manually if you already have running VPS
The goal of this distro is to set up reliable PBX from scratch.
About kickstart file:
- packages from packages section could be installed by yum
- post section is mostly the shell commands
So you need to rewrite ks file to shell commands where it isn’t but this is already another story (not the Distro)
iam,
thank you for posting the install method for a PV freepbx domU. I’ve been running asterisk as a HVM for a few years because I couldn’t figure out how to install it as a PVM.
You said that you host PBXs using this approach. What limitations have you found? I’ve read a lot in the past about how virtualization doesn’t offer a good enough clock to do conferences.
I’m interested in hosting virtual PBXes for my small customers (equipment on their site). They have between 5 and 30 phone users.
Thanks in advance for any insight you can offer.
Cheers
Hi!
About possible issues…
We are already hosting vPBXes more than two years and I don’t see any problems.
As you mentioned there could be some issues with timing, and it could affect conference voice quality. But in fact I don’t even heard that our small customers was interested in this feature at all. So I don’t actually think that it could overweight all the benefits that virtualization of hosted PBXes brings.
In the other words running over 100 vPBXes during a couple of years
doesn’t brought any negative experience. Our vPBXes are mostly running on
XenServer 5.6 and now (for about 5 months) we starting use OnApp.com (xensource 3.2)
as Cloud infrastructure and install all new ones over there without any problems too.
So virtualized VOIP isn’t too scaring. :))
Absolutely another impression when it goes about “Cloud” (mysterious word). You need to be much more careful. When you run vPBXes among other instances, which could be much more resource aggressive, different instabilities could appear from time to time.
We trying to use commodity hardware to build Cloud and for us, at the moment, the worst bottle-neck is Data Stores. One faulty VM could load iSCSI or NFS Data Store very hard and it could affect all the infrastructure. So we are forced to segment services again at least from storage systems point of view.
To be honest I think that Hosted PBX is the only way for SOHO in the future and locally installed asterisk PCs are already looks like dinosaurs :)))
Best regards,
Kirill
Do you have a current link for the kickstart file as the IP address link above no longer works.
Thanks
Thank you Kirill. I doubt we will have a need for conferences either since there are plenty of free teleconference services out there.
Have you needed to deploy any special hardware on the customer site to manage QoS? We use a linux based firewall/router that has QoS capabilities and so far so good.
Cheers,
david.
Hi marioja!
I refreshed it in the notes over here (because of the comment of Caleb):
http://onnet.su/index.php?option=com_kb&task=article&article=33
Actualy the link is:
http://onnet.su/media/freepbxforumiso_ks.cfg
Anyway it is realy old file and I think it could be usefull only as an example.
There was also a question about xensource installation. This kickstart file could be also easily transformed into shell script to perform an installation on newly installed CentOS server.
If anybody needs that I can also upload an example. But again, it is not the right way, because every time an upgrade released, you need to modify these files and it is boring.
As far as I remember, there was an announce, that yum installation will be available, wich is much more convenient, but it is not ready yet.
I think FreePBX Distro chef installation cookbook could be also very interesting way, but its worth only for management of big amount of installations … Are you ready to get your hands dirty with it? :)))
If there will be no yum installation possibility or I wouldn’t make a progress with chef, I will edit 64bit Distro ks file after its release and will let you know…
Best regards,
Kirill
Hi dmkoscinski!
Actualy I believe that there would be no problem with small conferences on virtual machine. If you will make tests, please let us know. :)))
About QoS. I do not believe in it at all. VoIP saves a lot of money for customer and I think it worth to pay a bit for a better internet conection to get bigger telephony savings and cool functionality
Cheap customer risks on its own. :)))
Best regards
Does anyone still have the kickstart file? All the links in this seem to be outdated.
Thanks!