[Server-devel] new package: xs-activation

[John Watlington]

On Sep 3, 2008, at 8:07 AM, Greg Smith wrote:

> Hi Douglas,
>
> Thanks a lot for the write up. Just scanning through the recent  
> activity
> on this list I see that you have been making an impressive impact  
> since
> you started! It's making a big difference, keep it up.
ditto!

> Can you put this feature on the roadmap:
> http://wiki.laptop.org/go/XS_Roadmap
>
> link to it or put it wherever it belongs in terms of the target  
> release
> with this functionality.
>
> Can you explain the user experience on the XO for this feature?  
> That is,
> user (or someone prepping XOs before distribution to the field?) opens
> XO and turns it on. Is that all they have to do or do they need to  
> click
> the "register" menu option?

Activation != Registration

> How do they know when the registration is successful from the XO side?

If activation is successful, the laptop boots.
If not, it will show the "Needs activation" message.

> Who is the lead customer for this feature? I can help socialize it and
> see who is interested if you don't have a first target customer yet. I
> think it will be useful but I want to figure out who we should run the
> design by for verification.

Interesting question.   I've heard lots of requests for this, but
all trials use pre-activated laptops.   Uruguay activates laptops as
part of the software installation process, as does Peru.

> What versions of SW on the XO is required? Maybe it works with 656,  
> 703,
> 708, 711 and 8.2?
>
> You may want to just add those details to the Readme and post that to
> the wiki for the record.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Greg S
>
>
> **********************
> http://dev.laptop.org/git?p=users/dbagnall/xs-activation.git
>
> I've attached the README below.
>
>
> Douglas
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> XS Activation Server
> ====================
>
> This package allows the school server to activate laptops over the
> network, and to import activation keys via USB.
>
> Initially the server will not know any activation keys, so you need to
> have a USB stick containing OLPC activation leases before this is much
> use.
>
> Activation Server
> -----------------
>
> The server listens on port 191 of the 172.18.0.1 interface.  The
> laptops, during boot up know to look there.  Each laptop sends its 11
> character serial number.  If the server has the activation lease for
> that laptop, it sends it in reply.
>
> With XS 0.4, special steps are necessary to get this working properly
> (see below).
>
> Importing leases from a USB stick
> ---------------------------------
>
> The leases should be in a file called 'lease.sig' in the root
> directory of the USB stick.  The format and location of this file is
> exactly what you would use to activate a laptop directly via USB.
>
> Plug the USB stick into the server and wait a few seconds.  With XS
> 0.4 the only clue as to the progress of the transfer is written to
> /var/log/user.log.  With later systems, if the server beeps when the
> USB stick is inserted, it will beep again when the transfer is
> complete.
>
> XS 0.4 caveats and special instructions
> ---------------------------------------
>
> The activation server will not work on XS 0.4 until the network has
> been reconfigured slightly.  The steps to take are:
>
> #1. Copy ifcfg-br0:0 (in this directory) to
> /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-br0:0
>
>    mv ifcfg-br0:0 /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/
>
> #2. Restart the bridge.
>
>    ifdown br0; ifup br0
>
> #3. Test it with:
>
>    ping 172.18.16.1
>
> If the ping works, so should the activation server.  To test the
> network from a laptop, ping 172.18.0.1.
>
> With 0.4, you will also not hear beeps when the USB transfer starts
> and finishes.  The workarounds are to read /var/log/user.log, or to
> wait a long time.
>
> Other problems
> --------------
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