MPU Meeting 13th November 2006

64 bit project

Stephen has sorted out the package lists, after finding out that it's possible to install both i386 and 64 bit versions of a package simultaneously, and that the binary that's installed will be from whichever package happened to be installed most recently.

LCFG website project

Stephen asked how a script can access an AFS directory. The solution is simply to make the AFS permissions on the directory open enough.

Stephen's next task is to come up with a standard wrapper to dress up the content items on the web site.

Dresden needs upgraded to FC5 for the website to be deployed, and deployment should happen before LISA. Chris will upgrade dresden.

Solaris improvement project

The LCFG-level changes have been merged back into core.

The meeting with EPCC went well, and discussions are ongoing. EPCC look likely to be interested in enhancing support for package and patch management.

FC5 upgrade project

Alastair has finished the Fibre Channel headers/code/documentation for FC5.

Stephen has a bit of documentation still to do for the new PXE code.

The rfe component isn't yet available on FC5 (which it needs to be before we upgrade achilles). Alastair will talk to George about MPU possibly doing the necessary work.

Buildtools proposal

We think that although this needs doing, the amount of effort available and the disruption of the coming summer mean that it has to come after a DICE FC6 project in our priorities.

Operational

LCFG and SSL

Chris will see about firewall holes for George's machines.

DIY DICE

Paul had attemped a DIY DICE install and had found some problems with broken triggers. Alastair will try an install at home to see if the problem lies at the LCFG level.

Broken profiles

Chris will correct inv.manager fields and Stephen will update his broken profile script to use Paul's broken profiles spanning map and email machines' managers, after which we'll be able to institute regular automated runs of the script.

New hardware - Optiplex 745

Stephen is going to try using the FC6 kernel with the Dell Optiplex 745.

New hardware - Poweredge 860

Alastair tried FC5 on this and it worked.

New hardware - Poweredge 1950

Alastair will try FC5 on the 1950 this week.

Hardware support matrix

We still need to update the hardware support matrix.

FC5 upgrades

We're creating actions for each of our remaining FC5 upgrades.

FC6

It seems likely that we'll have little time next summer for FC7 work, so FC6 is likely to be our next platform. It's important that we start a DICE FC6 project, preferably as soon as the 64 bit project is finished. For the convenience of the support staff it would be desirable to do this as an upgrade, and preferably one which does not break the machine's existing PAM configuration, as the FC3 to FC5 change does (as soon as the new FC5 profile hits an FC3 machine, FC5-specific PAM modules are demanded and are not present on the FC3 machines. As a result nobody can login.)

Spanning map behaviour

The new behaviour was enabled and tested on the LCFG servers, and seems to be working well.

CUPS component

Kenny wants to work on one. How do we work with him on it? Alastair will see what Craig and Neil think. We do want Kenny's changes back!

Multi-platform build script

Stephen hasn't yet done anything with Paul's buildm script. This will be necessary for multiple platform support (64 bit, Solaris, etc.) but realistically we won't have time until the 64 bit and website projects are done.

Talks

We need to fix more detail about the upcoming LCFG talks, like the content and who's going to do them.

Subversion protection

Chris is going to protect the releases directory in the repository to make it writeable only by MPU members.

This Week

Alastair will:

• Work on the 64 bit boot component.
• Update the hardware matrix.
• Talk to George about the rfe component.
• Test and document the new contexts
• Try FC5 on the Poweredge 1950.

Chris will:

• testing/stable releases
• Protect the releases directory in Subversion
• Upgrade the DIY DICE LCFG server.
• Work on the Solaris LCFG level.
• Correct inv.manager fields.

Stephen will:

• Do the script to email managers of machines with broken profiles.
• Upgrade tummy to FC5.
• Put package specs on the project wishlist.
• 64 bit project
• LCFG web site project
• Kernel for Optiplex 745

-- ChrisCooke - 13 Nov 2006