docs(idrac-os): updated the docs to use the files from a webserver

Signed-off-by: sakethanne <asvn.saketh@gmail.com>

Documentation/Auto_install_ubuntu_iso.md

@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@ mkdir source-files
 wget https://releases.ubuntu.com/jammy/ubuntu-22.04.5-live-server-amd64.iso
 ```
 
-From here on stay in the iso_files directory for all the rest of the commands.
-
 ### Step 2: Extract the ISO contents
 
 Use 7z to unpack the ISO. It will extract MBR and EFI partition images automatically.
@@ -60,9 +58,11 @@ cd ..
 
 Open **source-files/boot/grub/grub.cfg** and add the following menu entry above the existing ones (it should be the first menuentry option).
 
-This option will be shown during the Booting process and be automatically selected in 30 seconds, if there is no input from the user.
+This option will be shown during the Booting process as **Autoinstall Ubuntu Server** and be automatically selected in 30 seconds, if there is no input from the user.
 ![Booting Menu](../images/os-install/dell/BootMenu.png)
 
+#### If the server configuration files (**user-data** and **meta-data**) needs to be local to the ISO, then use the below menuentry definition
+
 ```bash
 menuentry "Autoinstall Ubuntu Server" {
 set gfxpayload=keep
@@ -71,82 +71,78 @@ initrd  /casper/initrd
 }
 ```
 
-Now, your grub.cfg file should look like ![this](../images/os-install/dell/GrubFile.png)
+#### If the server configuration files (**user-data** and **meta-data**) are stored on a remote server, and be picked dynamically use the below menuentry definition, and make sure the web server is up and running and the files as accessible
+
+```bash
+menuentry "Autoinstall Ubuntu Server" {
+set gfxpayload=keep
+linux   /casper/vmlinuz quiet autoinstall ds=nocloud\;s=http://ip-address/path-to-server-folder/  ---
+initrd  /casper/initrd
+}
+```
+
+Where the **server** folder contains the **user-data** and the **meta-data** files.
 
 ### Step 5: Create a directory for auto-install configuration files
 
 This directory will hold the user-data and meta-data files required to build the auto-install iso
 
 ```bash
-mkdir source-files/server
+mkdir server
 ```
 
-### Step 6: Add an empty meta-data file (cloud-init requires its presence)
+### Step 6: Create a meta-data file (cloud-init requires its presence) under the server directory
 
 ```bash
-touch source-files/server/meta-data
+touch server/meta-data
 ```
 
-### Step 7: Create a user-data file
+You can find the sample **meta-data** file [here](../ansible/iso_files/server/meta-data)
+
+### Step 7: Create a user-data file in the server directory
 
 This file will contain the auto-install user configuration. You can add your own settings here.
 
-The below are the current settings(user-data) that we are using, you can refer to the Ubuntu Autoinstall documentation for more details.
+You can refer to the Ubuntu Autoinstall documentation for more details. You can find the sample **user-data** file [here](../ansible/iso_files/server/user-data).
+
+Under the Identity section, we need to provide a hashed password, which can be done using the following commands
 
 ```bash
-autoinstall:
-version: 1
-early-commands:
-    - ["cat", "/autoinstall.yaml"]
-refresh-installer:
-    update: yes
-apt:
-    preserve_sources_list: false
-    mirror-selection:
-    primary:
-        - country-mirror
-        - uri: "http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu"
-        arches: [i386, amd64]
-        - uri: "http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports"
-        arches: [s390x, arm64, armhf, powerpc, ppc64el, riscv64]
-    fallback: abort
-    geoip: true
-    sources:
-    git-ppa:
-        source: ppa:git-core/ppa
-identity:
-    hostname: opi
-    password: "hashedpassword"
-    realname: opi
-    username: opi
-keyboard:
-    layout: us
-    toggle: ""
-    variant: ""
-locale: en_US
-ssh:
-    allow-pw: true
-    authorized-keys: []
-    install-server: true
-storage:
-    layout:
-    name: lvm
-    match:
-        size: largest
-late-commands:
-    - 'echo ''APT::Install-Recommends "false";'' >/target/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/02InstallRecommends'
+openssl passwd -6
 ```
 
-Under the Identity section, we need to provide a hashed password, which can be done using the following commands
+This will prompt you to enter a password, which will be hashed and displayed. You can then update the **user-data**** file with the latest password using the below command
 
 ```bash
-openssl passwd -6
+sed -i 's/password: ".*"/password: "<<Password_from_above_openssl_command>>"/' ~/lab/ansible/iso_files/server/user-data
 ```
 
-This will prompt you to enter a password, which will be hashed and displayed. You can then copy it to the autoinstall user-data file above.
+**Note:** If the server configuration files need to be local to the ISO, then keep the **server** folder under the **source-files** directory. Else keep the **server** folder in the accessible remote server.
 
 ### Step 8: Generate the Custom Ubuntu 22.04 Autoinstall ISO
 
+Make sure this is the directory structure before you run the below commands
+
+```plaintext
+iso_files
+├── ubuntu-22.04.5-live-server-amd64.iso
+├── BOOT
+├── source-files
+│   ├── server
+│   │   ├── meta-data
+│   │   └── user-data
+│   ├── boot
+│   ├── └── grub
+│   ├────── └── grub.cfg
+│   ├── casper
+│   ├── dists
+│   ├── EFI
+│   ├── install
+│   ├── md5sum.txt
+│   ├── pool
+│   └── boot.catalog
+```
+
 To generate the custom Ubuntu 22.04 autoinstall ISO, you can use the following command
 
 ```bash
@@ -163,11 +159,19 @@ xorriso -as mkisofs -r \
 -iso_mbr_part_type a2a0d0ebe5b9334487c068b6b72699c7 \
 -c '/boot.catalog' \
 -b '/boot/grub/i386-pc/eltorito.img' \
-    -no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table --grub2-boot-info \
+-no-emul-boot -boot-load-size 4 -boot-info-table --grub2-boot-info \
 -eltorito-alt-boot \
 -e '--interval:appended_partition_2:::' \
 -no-emul-boot \
 .
 ```
 
 This will create a new autoinstall iso with the name: **ubuntu-22.04-autoinstall.iso**, that can be used for installation.
+
+### Subsequent Autoinstall ISO updates
+
+For updates to the Autoinstall ISO:
+
+If the server configuration files are local to the ISO, then update the configuration files (**user-data** and **meta-data** files) in Step 6 and Step 7, then run **xorriso** command in Step 8 to create an updated ISO.
+
+Else, if the server configuration files are stored on a remote server. All you need to do is just make the modifications to the **user-data** and the **meta-data** file in the remote server and re-install the OS using the same ISO. It will automatically pick the latest updates.

ansible/iso_files/server/meta-data

@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+local-hostname: dh1

ansible/iso_files/server/user-data

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+autoinstall:
+version: 1
+early-commands:
+    - ["cat", "/autoinstall.yaml"]
+refresh-installer:
+    update: yes
+apt:
+    preserve_sources_list: false
+    mirror-selection:
+    primary:
+        - country-mirror
+        - uri: "http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu"
+        arches: [i386, amd64]
+        - uri: "http://ports.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-ports"
+        arches: [s390x, arm64, armhf, powerpc, ppc64el, riscv64]
+    fallback: abort
+    geoip: true
+    sources:
+    git-ppa:
+        source: ppa:git-core/ppa
+identity:
+    hostname: opi
+    password: "hashedpassword"
+    realname: opi
+    username: opi
+keyboard:
+    layout: us
+    toggle: ""
+    variant: ""
+locale: en_US
+ssh:
+    allow-pw: true
+    authorized-keys: []
+    install-server: true
+storage:
+    layout:
+    name: lvm
+    match:
+        size: largest
+late-commands:
+    - 'echo ''APT::Install-Recommends "false";'' >/target/etc/apt/apt.conf.d/02InstallRecommends'