[OpenAFS] installing on CentOS

Tue, 5 Jan 2010 10:42:01 -0700

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On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 5:56 PM, Simon Wilkinson <sxw@inf.ed.ac.uk> wrote:

>
>> Using kmod's are fine, but dkms can be easier when upgrading kernels.
>>
>> To use the dkms rpm, add the epel repo, remove the kmod's, and run
>> "sudo yum dkms openafs-dkms"
>>
>> dkms automatically compiles the needed openafs kernel module when the
>> kernel is upgraded.
>>
>
> dkms is fine as long as you don't care about reproducibility. But allowing
> each machine to build its own kernel at an unpredictable moment
> significantly increases the number of variables you have to deal with when
> debugging large installations. For example - how do you know which tool
> chain a given kernel module was built with? How can you be sure that a
> module was built correctly, if just one machine is experiencing problems?
> And so on ...
>
> For systems where you need to know exactly what's being run, there are
> definite benefits to shipping binary modules to the clients. We don't ship
> kmods because we're bored :)
>
> On that note, I should probably apologise for the lack of new kmods over
> the holidays. We're experiencing cooling issues in the machine room where
> the build host is situated, and it's one of the machines that has been shut
> down to reduce the thermal load.
>
>
Oh, so this could be the reason the kmod install wanted an older kernel
version than my current Centos kernel?

When installing with yum the kmod wanted to install an older kernel -- which
failed. The kmod installed, but any attempt to insmod the afs kernel failed
with a 'not found' message. So I assumed there were dependancies to the
older kernel that just caused the kmod to fail. So I backed in out, and
attempted the dkms road -- which lead to more interesting problems...

>
> Simon.
>
>

-- 
David Bear
College of Public Programs at ASU
602-494-0424

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<br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 5:56 PM, Simon Wi=
lkinson <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:sxw@inf.ed.ac.uk">sxw@inf.e=
d.ac.uk</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D=
"border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padd=
ing-left: 1ex;">
<div class=3D"im"><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1=
px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"=
>
<br>
Using kmod&#39;s are fine, but dkms can be easier when upgrading kernels.<b=
r>
<br>
To use the dkms rpm, add the epel repo, remove the kmod&#39;s, and run<br>
&quot;sudo yum dkms openafs-dkms&quot;<br>
<br>
dkms automatically compiles the needed openafs kernel module when the kerne=
l is upgraded.<br>
</blockquote>
<br></div>
dkms is fine as long as you don&#39;t care about reproducibility. But allow=
ing each machine to build its own kernel at an unpredictable moment signifi=
cantly increases the number of variables you have to deal with when debuggi=
ng large installations. For example - how do you know which tool chain a gi=
ven kernel module was built with? How can you be sure that a module was bui=
lt correctly, if just one machine is experiencing problems? And so on ...<b=
r>

For systems where you need to know exactly what&#39;s being run, there are =
definite benefits to shipping binary modules to the clients. We don&#39;t s=
hip kmods because we&#39;re bored :) 
 
On that note, I should probably apologise for the lack of new kmods over th=
e holidays. We&#39;re experiencing cooling issues in the machine room where=
 the build host is situated, and it&#39;s one of the machines that has been=
 shut down to reduce the thermal load.

</blockquote><div> Oh, so this could be the reason the kmod install =
wanted an older kernel version than my current Centos kernel? When i=
nstalling with yum the kmod wanted to install an older kernel -- which fail=
ed. The kmod installed, but any attempt to insmod the afs kernel failed wit=
h a &#39;not found&#39; message. So I assumed there were dependancies to th=
e older kernel that just caused the kmod to fail. So I backed in out, and a=
ttempted the dkms road -- which lead to more interesting problems... 
 =C2=A0</div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"border-left: 1px=
 solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;"><=
font color=3D"#888888">
 
Simon. 
 
</blockquote></div> -- David Bear Co=
llege of Public Programs at ASU 602-494-0424

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