MIME-Version: 1.0
From: Hokus Pokus <pawel.polawski@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, 4 May 2022 17:12:13 +0200
Message-ID: <CAE49SAjvDAjEsyGCVpsQHY-_t0yrG_rRZRut+Zus59eESfP3YA@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Custom Alpine Linux build
To: ~alpine/users@lists.alpinelinux.org
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Hi all,

I have a question related to custom OS based on Alpine Linux.

First let me describe the current state:
Hardware environment:
- Dell server (PowerEdge R630)
- 4 PCI Ethernet cards (QLogic 577xx/578xx 10Gb Ethernet BCM57800)
- 16G RAM
- 120G SSD
ISO image I use: alpine-extended-3.15.4-x86_64.iso
Everything is working fine, I am able to configure network cards,
communicate with the world, update system etc.
Those PCI network cards uses bnx2x modules and closed source
firmware blobs from /lib/firmware (bnx2x package) if I am correct.
It is working fine so far.

Now the target: I want to make this install even smaller.
The purpose of this new OS will be to:
1) Boot from hard drive
2) Load this new minimal "alpine based OS" rootfs
with only needed set of binaries / libraries
3) Replace the whole init and /etc/init.d with single script
which become new init process
4) This script-init will initialize all the hardware
5) This script-init will download encrypted disk image
6) This script-init will unpack encrypted disk image
7) This script-init will mount encrypted disk image
8) This script-init will chroot to encrypted disk image
and continue there after pivot will be completed.

So the new Alpine based OS I want to make will be sort of
bootstrap for another OS (linux) and as such needs only
minimum set of functions. I plan to remove all binaries and libraries
which are not needed as only purpose of this OS will be
to start hardware, get network working and download file
from remote server. From the same reason I would like to replace
the whole init and init.d scripts with single init.sh script called
by kernel after boot.

If someone has done something similar already and can point me which
part of the Alpine system are core for the system functionality?

Alpine is using mdev for device management. What else I need to have
for binary blobs drivers working with linux kernel? Just /etc/mdev.conf in
place
and call "mdev -s" in the init script? Or there is more complicated
hardware initialization procedure which I need to reproduce in my "init.sh"
script? Should I just copy-paste some of /etc/init.d scripts and put
them in one file in the right order?

If I can go even further - replace the kernel with it modules by the
monolithic
kernel which has all needed modules compiled inside? This way if I will
still
need mdev for loading external firmware blobs?

I was trying to find similar question on mailing lists and general forums
but I failed.

Best regards,
Pawel

--=20
Pozdrawiam

Pawe=C5=82 Po=C5=82awski

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div>Hi all,</div><div><br></div><div>I have a question re=
lated to custom OS based on Alpine Linux.</div><div><br></div><div>First le=
t me describe the current state:</div><div>Hardware environment:</div><div>=
- Dell server (PowerEdge R630)</div><div>- 4 PCI Ethernet cards (QLogic 577=
xx/578xx 10Gb Ethernet BCM57800)</div><div>- 16G RAM</div><div>- 120G SSD</=
div><div>ISO image I use: alpine-extended-3.15.4-x86_64.iso</div><div>Every=
thing is working fine, I am able to configure network cards,</div><div>comm=
unicate with the world, update system etc.</div><div>Those PCI network card=
s uses bnx2x modules and closed source</div><div>firmware blobs from /lib/f=
irmware (bnx2x package) if I am correct.</div><div>It is working fine so fa=
r.</div><div><br></div><div>Now the target: I want to make this install eve=
n smaller.</div><div>The purpose of this new OS will be to:</div><div>1) Bo=
ot from hard drive</div><div>2) Load this new minimal &quot;alpine based OS=
&quot; rootfs</div><div>with only needed set of binaries / libraries<br></d=
iv><div>3) Replace the whole init and /etc/init.d with single script</div><=
div>which become new init process<br></div><div>4) This script-init will in=
itialize all the hardware</div><div>5) This script-init will download encry=
pted disk image</div><div>6) This script-init will unpack encrypted disk im=
age</div><div>7) This script-init will mount encrypted disk image</div><div=
>8) This script-init will chroot to encrypted disk image</div><div>and cont=
inue there after pivot will be completed.</div><div><br></div><div>So the n=
ew Alpine based OS I want to make will be sort of</div><div>bootstrap for a=
nother OS (linux) and as such needs only</div><div>minimum set of functions=
. I plan to remove all binaries and libraries</div><div>which are not neede=
d as only purpose of this OS will be</div><div>to start hardware, get netwo=
rk working and download file</div><div>from remote server. From the same re=
ason I would like to replace</div><div>the whole init and init.d scripts wi=
th single init.sh script called</div><div>by kernel after boot.<br></div><d=
iv><br></div><div>If someone has done something similar already and can poi=
nt me which</div><div>part of the Alpine system are core for the system fun=
ctionality?</div><div><br></div><div>Alpine is using mdev for device manage=
ment. What else I need to have</div><div>for binary blobs drivers working w=
ith linux kernel? Just /etc/mdev.conf in place</div><div>and call &quot;mde=
v -s&quot; in the init script? Or there is more complicated</div><div>hardw=
are initialization procedure which I need to reproduce in my &quot;init.sh&=
quot;</div><div>script? Should I just copy-paste some of /etc/init.d script=
s and put</div><div>them in one file in the right order?</div><div><br></di=
v><div>If I can go even further - replace the kernel with it modules by the=
 monolithic</div><div>kernel which has all needed modules compiled inside? =
This way if I will still</div><div>need mdev for loading external firmware =
blobs?<br></div><div><br></div><div>I was trying to find similar question o=
n mailing lists and general forums</div><div>but I failed.<br></div><div><b=
r></div><div>Best regards,</div><div>Pawel<br></div><div><br></div><div><di=
v><div><div>-- <br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smartmai=
l=3D"gmail_signature">Pozdrawiam<br><br>Pawe=C5=82 Po=C5=82awski</div></div=
></div></div></div></div>

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