sPHENIX MAPS tracker discussion

[Martin Purschke <purschke AT bnl.gov>]

MVTXers,

as planned, I cloned a machine (mvtx-flx2) from -flx1 and got it to work.

The first time with a "new" OS is a highly manual process, and I make 
the scripts as I go to do the other ones with one command (there are 
always subtle differences where config files live, is is grub-install or 
grub2-install, etc etc etc). I have it in a state where it *should* now 
work with one command, such as "install.sh mvtx-flx3". (We are not quite 
there, as I have to update the PXE boot area with that functionality).

In broad strokes -

the machine PXE-boots, goes on the network
in that install-script there is a table what IPs that machine name has/gets
We partition and format the disk, populate the /boot and / areas
adjust a few config files that give the machine its identity, such as 
hostname and IPs
re-generate initial ramdisks
install the boot loader

done.

Once you had a chance to see if -flx2 has turned out right, I'll try the 
next one with said script (I'm sure I'll find some minor issues still).

Other than being fast (after the first one...), this really ensures that 
all machines are truly identically set up. We do the same for the Debian 
machines, too.

Best
        Martin





--
Martin L. Purschke, Ph.D.        ;   purschke AT bnl.gov
                                 ;   http://www.phenix.bnl.gov/~purschke
                                 ;
Brookhaven National Laboratory   ;   phone: +1-631-344-5244
Physics Department Bldg 510 C    ;   fax:   +1-631-344-3253
Upton, NY 11973-5000             ;   skype: mpurschke
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