Available Stable release SKUF 25 (Suckless Kexec Using Fileshare) is now out. SKUF is a set of tools designed for the ARCH Linux network, enabling network loading from a Samba network without the need for PXE. Built on the foundation of mkinitcpio, SKUF allows users to configure the environment for booting the arch Linux distribution with SPARSE systems using a file system like Ext4 located on a Samba server. The loading process occurs in two stages, giving users the ability to modify the Samba/Root FS mounting parameters in the first stage, and then booting a new kernel using Kexec in the second stage. DHCPCD is used to obtain IP addresses in both stages.
Furthermore, the project is working on update_remote_systems in the project repository, enabling the sequential updating of multiple Arch Linux systems.
These tools can be beneficial for educational institutions and enterprises where setting up a DHCP/PXE server may be challenging, and access to a Samba server is available. In situations where it is not feasible to coordinate with a system administrator, students can independently configure the environment for launching without dealing with server configurations. For the initial boot, a minimum 150 MB USB-Flash drive or CD/DVD can be used, or in the case of EFI, a FAT32 partition with the kernel and its own Initramfs.
In addition to eliminating the need for a DHCP/PXE server, another useful feature of KEXEC is the ability to load a new OS kernel without physically rebooting the equipment. This allows for the use of different kernels on a single machine without the need to update bootloader configurations when utilizing the traditional PXE method.
Other functions of SKUF 25 include:
- Support for the graphic boot screen Plymouth.
- Support for connecting a SW