How SystemImager Works

SystemImager allows you to retrieve an entire system image from a golden client, which is a manually installed, customized machine, to an image server, which is the machine that will hold and distribute system images. You can deploy the images to any number of client systems from the image server.

After initial image deployment, you can update the client systems by syncing them to an updated image on the image server. Updates are fast and efficient because only the modified parts of files are pulled to the client.

Supported Distributions

SystemImager uses SystemConfigurator to custom configure autoinstall clients for specific distributions. Through SystemConfigurator, SystemImager supports all major GNU/Linux distributions and most others, including custom or in-house distributions. Using "footprints", SystemConfigurator works with distributions based on their system configuration style rather than needing to know the name of the distribution. To determine a system's footprint, SystemConfigurator identifies the configuration files in use and associates that footprint with a configuration style. It then correctly makes settings, such as hostname or IP address, without needing to know the name of the distribution.

Therefore, SystemImager is distribution agnostic in nearly all areas. With few exceptions, all distribution specific knowledge exists within the SystemConfigurator tool, which supports a very large range of distributions. If you find a distribution that does not work with SystemImager, please file a bug report.

System Requirements