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====== Booting via iSCSI ======

This tutorial describes a simple three-step process for getting your first iSCSI-booting operating system up and running.  The three stages are:

  * [[#Preparing the operating system image]]
  * [[#Transferring the operating system image to an iSCSI target]]
  * [[#Booting the operating system from the iSCSI target]]

===== Preparing the operating system image =====

The first stage is to prepare the operating system image for iSCSI boot.  This generally involves installing an iSCSI initiator and adjusting a few configuration parameters.  Instructions are available for:

  * [[iscsibootprepfc5|Fedora Core 5]]

===== Transferring the operating system image to an iSCSI target =====

The second stage is to transfer the prepared operating system image to a remote iSCSI target.

If you do not have an iSCSI NAS box, you probably want to set up the Linux software iSCSI target.  You can find prepackaged versions at http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=177003; you need to download and install the ''iscsitarget'' and ''dkms-iscsi_trgt'' RPMs.

There are several possible ways to perform the transfer:

  * Physically move the disk containing the prepared operating system image into the iSCSI  target.
  * Copy the disk image containing the prepared operating system image to a file on the iSCSI target using ''dd'' and ''netcat''.
  * Create an empty filesystem on the iSCSI target and copy the contents across using ''rsync -ax''.  Note that this method will require you to manually reinstall the bootloader (LILO or grub) after the transfer; if you don't know how to do this then don't use this method.

The easiest way for a first-time user is probably to physically transfer the disk to the iSCSI target and then add this disk to the export list.  If you are using the Linux software iSCSI target, then you can do this by editing ''/etc/ietd.conf'' and adding an entry such as

  Target iqn.2006-09.com.example.myhost:storage
    Lun 0 Path=/dev/hdb

(assuming that the hostname of the iSCSI target is ''myhost.example.com'' and the newly attached disk is ''/dev/hdb'').  The target name should follow the format of the example above.

===== Booting the operating system from the iSCSI target =====

Trace: • iscsiboot • varnishmirror • srp_boot • relatedlinks • less1 • socideas • eb_imagetypes • iscsi_boot

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