With SUSE's ALP stirring up discussions how Linux distribution may look like, we decided to try different approach how installer may work. Part of these installer try-outs is **Iguana** - installation initramfs where all heavy lifting is done in containers. Moving installers to the containers and by leveraging container infrastructure, we are trying to solve ever changing requirements or need to have security and other fixes in installer, which was always a bit of challenge for relatively static things like OS installers.

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Iguana
Using containers to install your system

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Who am I
●
SW engineer at SUSE
– Uyuni/SUSE Manager
– Iguana
●
Contact
– Ondrej Holecek ( oholecek@suse.com )
– aaannz ( https://github.com/aaannz )

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Why Iguana

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— Universal base OS
Installer conundrum
Why Iguana

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— Universal base OS
— Hardware types and limitations
Installer conundrum
Why Iguana

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— Universal base OS
— Hardware types and limitations
— Deployment methods
Installer conundrum
Why Iguana

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— Universal base OS
— Hardware types and limitations
— Deployment methods
— Installer security and bug fixes
Installer conundrum
Why Iguana

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What is Iguana

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— Minimal initramfs image
What is Iguana

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— Minimal initramfs image
— Container execution environment
What is Iguana

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— Minimal initramfs image
— Container execution environment
— Installation and system rescue containers interface
What is Iguana

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How is Iguana

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— Dracut module
— Workflow parser and executor
— Installation container bundles
Components
Iguana

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— Installing container runtime to the initramfs
— Preparing container environment
— Pass execution to Iguana workflow
— Mount sysroot and continue booting
Dracut module
Iguana

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— Dracut module
— Workflow parser and executor
— Installation container bundles
Components
Iguana

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— Pulls (and validates) images
— Runs service and job containers
— Controlled by Iguana workflow file
— Cleanup after individual jobs
Workflow
Iguana

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Workflow file
Iguana

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— Dracut module
— Workflow parser and executor
— Installation container bundles
Components
Iguana

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— Iguana workflow file
— Installation container
Installation container bundle
Iguana

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— Iguana workflow file
— Installation container
– OCI or docker container with some application
– Privileged with host networking
– Volumes and mounts from workflow file
– /iguana shared volume across all jobs and services
Installation container bundle
Iguana

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— Iguana workflow file
— Installation container
– Job container run is monitored
– /iguana/mountlist expected after last job is finished
Installation container bundle
Iguana

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How do I use Iguana?

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Where to get it
Usage
— Source
https://github.com/openSUSE/iguana
— Packages
obs://YaST:Head:Iguana

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— Install iguana package
– /usr/share/iguana
— Prepare PXE or VM direct kernel boot with iguana files
— rd.iguana.control_url=<URL to workflow file>
rd.iguana.control_url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/openSUSE/iguana/main/examples/
agama.yaml
— Boot the machine
Standalone Iguana usage
Usage

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— Install iguana-dracut and iguana-workflow packages
— Generate your initramfs with dracut ... --add iguana command
— Prepare PXE or VM direct kernel boot with iguana files
— rd.iguana.control_url=<URL to workflow file>
— Boot the machine
Enhance custom initramfs with Iguana
Usage

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— rd.iguana.debug
— rd.debug
— rd.iguana.containers
Debugging
Usage

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Questions?
Project: https://github.com/openSUSE/iguana
OBS: https://build.opensuse.org/repositories/YaST:Head:Iguana

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