debirf is a system that will create diskless, all-in-ram images
(kernel and initramfs) that boot entirely into ram and leaves the user
in a fully functional Debian system.

debirf has a module architecture that allows users to easily customize
the images that they build, using simple shell scripts, to do
basically anything the Debian can do.  Some included examples
"profiles" are:

minimal: very minimal system with no extras

rescue: includes a full complement of system repair utilities,
        including mdadm, lvm2, testdisk, foremost, etc

xkiosk: run a simple clean GUI interface for public-access web
	browsing (pass it the "browse=URL" boot parameter to specify
	a startup URL)

These profiles are are included with debirf in
/usr/share/doc/debirf/example-profiles/.  Each of these profiles
includes a debirf.conf, and a modules directory that includes links to
the various modules that the profile uses.  Start by unpacking one of
the example profiles, e.g.:

$ cd /path/to
$ tar xzf /usr/share/doc/debirf/example-profiles/<profile>.tgz

Before building, you can modify the debirf.conf as desired to specify
alternate build locations (in the profile directory my default), and
which Debian mirror and distro to use (ala debootstrap).  Once you
have your profile ready, build it with make-debirf:

$ make-debirf /path/to/<profile>

The make-debirf script creates the root filesystem for the new image
using debootstrap, then uses the debirf modules to customize the root
fs and prepare it for diskless booting.  Finally the kernel is
extracted, and the root fs is archived into an initramfs.

The kernel and initramfs can be placed in your system boot partition,
burnt to read-only media, or supplied by a netboot server.

Have fun!  Create new modules and profiles for your specific needs.
If you think your module or profile would be generally useful, please
let us know and we'll include it with future versions of debirf.  Also
please let us know of any issues, bugs, or requests.

debirf is a CMRG project:

http://cmrg.fifthhorseman.net/wiki/debirf
debirf@cmrg.fifthhorseman.net