Open-source server OS image management software

Question

For a home-built datacenter, I am searching for a software which handles creating, installing & updating OS images.

It should have the following features;

• web interface (command line client ist also acceptable)
• send different OS images to servers
• initiate update process (install new image & reboot)
• create different group of servers (e.g. "web" "database") and push new images to a specific group
• different update strategies (e.g. only one server at a time)
• create OS images (taking code from git and installing it; OPTIONAL)

It should run on Ubuntu Server. A combination of software may also be possible: One software which handles updating the hardware servers from images which are created by another piece of software. If possible, the software should not be bloated and contain a bunch of other features, but instead be specific for this task.

Note: Bonus point if the application provides an HTTP API.

Answer 1

I think Fog Project may hit more of your requirements than Clonezilla but does not meet them all. It's centralised and will push images over the wire but you've to update the master images yourself.

Answer 2

Check out Clonezilla Server Edition and its core networking part DRBL. It can

• create images
• install new images
• supports different images going to different servers
• using images diskless (without disks on clients)
• many more

It does not:

• have a web interface