[1704] in SIPB_Linux_Development
Re: Redhat 4.2/Linux-Athena
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Derek Atkins)
Fri Jun 6 11:19:05 1997
To: "Theodore Y. Ts'o" <tytso@MIT.EDU>
Cc: Erik Nygren <nygren@MIT.EDU>, Chris Murphy <chris@MIT.EDU>,
linux-dev@MIT.EDU
From: Derek Atkins <warlord@MIT.EDU>
Date: 06 Jun 1997 11:18:54 -0400
In-Reply-To: "Theodore Y. Ts'o"'s message of Wed, 4 Jun 1997 18:32:41 -0400
Ok, I've been thinking about this problem for the last two days (which
is why I haven't responded until now). I make a few assumptions here,
but I've tried to explicitly state what my assumptions are. Hopefully
they are valid assumptions.
First, let's see if I can enumerate the issues at hand:
1) Currently, stock Redhat-Athena doesn't deal well with semi-
connected machines (laptops, tether users, etc)
This is a problem regardless of what installation mechanism(s) we
provide, and it should be fixed. Basically, I think this requires
that athena.init check that the network is running before it does
anything that might require the network. It also means we'll need to
tie into the PCMCIA or PPP scripts, but I'm not sure of the best way
to do that, yet. Any ideas?
2) There are two types of installations that people do:
a) people who install Redhat-Athena from small-gods
b) people who install Redhat and then layer Athena
Does this sufficiently break down the user population? Do people
really use tether to install Redhat-Athena from small-gods via NFS?
If so, then we definitely do have a problem here and we should sit
down at a table with a white board nearby to work this out better.
The solution I have in mind is to use the SRVD/SPM solution for
Redhat-Athena installtions from small-gods, but also provide a set of
RPMs that people can install to layer Athena on pure Redhat machines.
I'm just proposing that these RPMs not be a part of the small-gods
installation.
Assuming that the above enumeration does sufficiently break down the
user population, then I still don't see a problem with using AFS in
conjunction with the small-gods NFS installation, provided we do
supply a set of RPMS (not associated with the small-gods installation)
for people who want to layer Athena on pure Redhat.
This breaks down as follows:
*) People directly on MITnet can install Redhat-Athena from
small-gods. This installation will use the SRVD via AFS and provide
SPM for users to bring packages locally if they so choose. This is
similar to what NetBSD and normal Athena workstations do.
*) People not on MITnet directly (tether users, people with
home ISPs, etc) can install Redhat however they choose, and then may
layer either SRVD-Athena or RPM-Athena on top of their Redhat system.
In this scenario, users may choose whether to use the SRVD system or
they may install the Athena package RPMs, depending on their own
requirements.
I believe that this proposal can suit everybody's needs. Comments?
-derek
--
Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board (SIPB)
URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/ PP-ASEL N1NWH
warlord@MIT.EDU PGP key available
