pub-solar-os/doc/start/iso.md

# ISO

Making and writing an installable iso for `hosts/NixOS.nix` is as simple as:
```sh
flk iso NixOS

dd bs=4M if=result/iso/*.iso of=/dev/$your_installation_device \
  status=progress oflag=sync
```

This works for any file matching `hosts/*.nix` excluding `default.nix`.

## Remote access to the live installer

The iso live installer comes preconfigured with a network configuration
which announces it's hostname via [MulticastDNS][mDNS] as `hostname.local`, 
that is `NixOS.local` in the above example.

In the rare case that [MulticastDNS][mDNS] is not availabe or turned off
in your network, there is a static link-local IPv6 address configured to
`fe80::47`(mnemonic from the letter's position in the english alphabet:
`n=14 i=9 x=24; 47 = n+i+x`).

Provided that you have added your public key to the authorized keys of the
`nixos` user:

```nix
{ ... }:
{
  users.users.nixos.openssh.authorizedKeys.keyFiles = [
    ../secrets/path/to/key.pub
  ];
}
```

You can then ssh into the live installer through one of the 
following options:

```console
ssh nixos@NixOS.local

ssh nixos@fe80::47%eno1  # where eno1 is your network interface on which you are linked to the target
```

_Note: the [static link-local IPv6 address][staticLLA] and [MulticastDNS][mDNS] is only
configured on the live installer. If you wish to enable [MulticastDNS][mDNS]
for your environment, you ought to configure that in a regular [profile](../../profiles)._

## ISO image nix store & cache

The iso image holds the store to the live environment and _also_ acts as a binay cache
to the installer. To considerably speed up things, the image already includes all flake
`inputs` as well as the `devshell` closures.

While you _could_ provision any machine with a single stick, a bespoke iso maximises
those local cache hits.

For hosts that don't differ too much, a common usb stick might be ok, whereas when
there are bigger differences, a bespoke usb stick will be considerably faster.

## EUI-64 LLA & Host Identity

The iso's IPv6 Link Local Address (LLA) is configured with a static 64-bit Extended
Unique Identifiers (EUI-64) that is derived from the host interface's Message
Authentication Code (MAC) address.

After a little while (a few seconds), you can remotely disvover this unique and host
specific address over [NDP][NDP] for example with:

```console
ip -6 neigh show # also shows fe80::47
```

***This LLA is stable for the host, unless you need to swap that particular network card.*** 
Under this reservation, though, you may use this EUI-64 to wire up a specific
(cryptographic) host identity.

## Bootstrap Target Machine

_Note: nothing prevents you from remotely exceuting the boostrapping process._

Once your target host has booted into the live iso, you need to partion
and format your disk according to the [official manual][manual].

### Mount partitions

Then properly mount the formatted partitions at `/mnt`, so that you can
install your system to those new partitions.

Mount `nixos` partition to `/mnt` and — for UEFI — `boot` 
partition to `/mnt/boot`:

```console
$ mount /dev/disk/by-label/nixos /mnt
$ mkdir -p /mnt/boot && mount /dev/disk/by-label/boot /mnt/boot # UEFI only
$ swapon /dev/$your_swap_partition
```

### Install

Install using the `flk` wrapper baked into the iso off of a copy of devos 
from the time the iso was built:

```console
$ cd /iso/devos
$ nix develop
$ flk install NixOS --impure # use same host as above
```

<!-- TODO: find out why --impure is necesary / PRs welcome! -->

[manual]: https://nixos.org/manual/nixos/stable/index.html#sec-installation-partitioning
[mDNS]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multicast_DNS
[NDP]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighbor_Discovery_Protocol
[staticLLA]: https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc7404