Offline Jail Install

[Crackpotmark]

Is there any way to get the jail install files from another PC and then transfer them manually.
My NAS is on a closed network and so wont install Plugins or Jails and simply fails at 13%

 

[jgreco]

I think it is possible, but you'd probably need to spend some time inspecting the install scripts to figure out exactly how. I looked at the same issue a few months back and decided it wasn't worth the trouble.

 

[dlavigne]

Which version of FreeNAS?

 

[jgreco]

9.1RC1 in my case. The total lack of any meaningful error message annoyed me, but I knew the jail stuff was being worked-on so I decided to wait for 9.1R to see what happened.

For business use, FreeNAS is unlikely to be installed on a network that features Internet connectivity (whether direct or via NAT). In our case, I could allow the FreeNAS IP on the management net to have access to a Web proxy server (usually just needs the ftp_proxy or http_proxy env vars set if fetch/wget are the retrieval mechanism) but something was not right with that and I don't recall what anymore. But I'm sure that lots of environments out there would only allow an unprotected / unhardened appliance like FreeNAS to exist on an isolated network.

 

[William Grzybowski]

Thats not currently possible.

 

[William Grzybowski]

Thats not currently possible.

 

[jgreco]

You mean "supported," not "possible." Of course it is possible. You open up the scripts that set it up and replicate the steps, just substituting static copies of what would have been downloaded. It is not that difficult, but I wasn't sufficiently motivated to make it work.

It is curious that FreeNAS doesn't support downloading firmware updates directly off the Internet (a behaviour I generally approve of btw) but for jails it works in such a different manner, not only allowing but actually requiring Internet downloading capabilities - and just mysteriously failing if not available.

 

[William Grzybowski]

Sure, if you want to be pedantic, as usual.

 

[jgreco]

We're trying to help users here, William. There are going to be users who want to do those sorts of things. If it was a truly Herculean task, I'd be fine with writing it off as "not possible," but since it basically boils down to examining what the installer script does and then just duplicating those steps but with static files, a task requiring only moderate skills, it seemed better to give a hopeful answer rather than a discouraging one.

 

[William Grzybowski]

Do you know how warden and FreeNAS plugins jail works?
Do you want to give him false hope? Go ahead.

HINT: It is not as easy as copying one file to a folder and editing one line in a file.

 

[jgreco]

Stop putting words in my mouth, William. I never suggested it was as easy as copying one file to a folder and editing one line in a file.

 

[William Grzybowski]

Where did I say that you said it?

God, I don't even know why I keep wasting my time with you.

You are the "best" troll I've ever known.

 

[cyberjock]

Hey gents. We're on the same team here. In fact, I agree with both of you. I think William's wording is because he makes different realistic assumptions. There's a difference between possible(even a non-zero possibility) and impossible(no chance at all).

Impossible is something that has a limitation that cannot be overcome no matter how hard you try. A good example would be running x64 FreeNAS on an x86 CPU. It just isn't going to happen.

However, jgreco is right that if you have a dying need to make it work, i'd say that it is possible to accomplish what you intend to do. As we used to say when I was on a submarine, "With enough motivation, time, and financial resources we can accomplish anything."

The real difference is if its realistic to think that you can do it. I'd say if randomX user shows up asking for this, the answer of "if it is possible" is definitely a firm and solid "no". If it was, that person would probably have figured it out easily and we wouldn't have seen a thread about it. This is where William is.

jgreco on the other hand is simply saying that there is a non-zero probability that a user that is determined to figure it out could and should be able to. The real question is if randomX shows up and asks if its realistic. Probably not.

The only difference between the two of you is your definition of "possible". William has made the realization that the user almost certainly won't be able to do it on how own while jgreco says its possible because there's a non-zero probability that the user given enough "motivation, time, and financial resources" could accomplish it. Both are right, but what response is more realisitic? I think William's is. But neither person is wrong.. its dependent on your definition of "possible".

It's all about mathematical probability. So lets relax, have a cup of coffee/soda/beer, and let's continue to help users in the forum. :)

 

[jgreco]

Actually, it's not even that difficult. It's been 30 minutes. Just set up a 9.1R VM, log in, do minimal setup, try to "Add Jails". Spend 3 minutes figuring out wtf "aria2c" is (ok that's kinda cool). Note that it is being called from /usr/local/share/warden/scripts/backend/functions.sh, so go in there and install a local file cache hook. Then find it trying to call fetch on something else in another /usr/local/share/warden script. Again, install a local file cache hook. Basically this is a lather-rinse-repeat until all download files are identified and all scripts that are trying to download things are identified. It is junior sysadmin level work to do so, and when I have a little free time, since I'm such a "troll", I think I'll see if I can give the OP a solution to the asked question.

 

[cyberjock]

Publish a guide! Others may want to do this in the future too!

 

[Crackpotmark]

Wow, this is one conversation i didn't expect :) Thanks for the opinions. I will probably just survive without jails and plugins for the moment because I don't think the benefits are really worth the effort. Thanks