FAI (Fully Automatic Installation) review
A free, open-source choice for unattended Linux deployment across hardware, VMs, and cloud.
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
FAI (Fully Automatic Installation) is a free, open-source tool for unattended deployment and configuration of Linux systems. It is designed for system administrators managing physical computers, virtual machines, clusters, and cloud environments, from small labs to larger Linux infrastructures. Centralized, class-based configuration supports operating-system and software installation, while profiles help apply different configurations across systems. Deployments can use PXE-based network installation or customized CD, DVD, USB, and ISO media.
Its strongest advantage is breadth across Linux deployment targets without a commercial license. FAI supports bare-metal provisioning, virtual-machine deployment, cloud image creation, and remote installation control. The published integrations include KVM, VirtualBox, VMware, OpenStack, Azure, EC2, and GCE, alongside HTTP, NFS, SVN, and Git. For storage and system lifecycle work, it includes disk partitioning, software RAID, LVM, chroot environments, custom disk images, and online maintenance through softupdates. That combination suits administrators who want one configuration approach across physical, virtual, and cloud environments.
FAI is focused rather than cross-platform: its core operating-system coverage is Linux, so organizations standardizing on other operating systems should choose a different deployment tool. Its class-based model, storage configuration, PXE workflows, and custom media options also favor administrators comfortable designing centralized installation processes. Teams looking for a focused Linux deployment system should consider FAI when unattended installation, repeatable profiles, and infrastructure flexibility matter more than a commercial interface or broader operating-system coverage.
FAI (Fully Automatic Installation) pros and cons
- Where it wins
- Free, open-source deployment under the GNU GPL
- Unattended PXE, custom-media, bare-metal, VM, and cloud deployment
- Profiles, partitioning, RAID/LVM, and centralized configuration
- Where it doesn't
- Core operating-system coverage is limited to Linux
- Class-based configuration can require administrator expertise
- Deployment depends on network or custom installation media
FAI (Fully Automatic Installation) fact sheet, pricing and score →
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