Changes between Initial Version and Version 1 of Meetings/Workshops/20100317

Timestamp:

Mar 18, 2010, 5:16:49 PM (14 years ago)

Author:

/O=GRID-FR/C=FR/O=CNRS/OU=LAL/CN=Michel Jouvin

Comment:

--

Meetings/Workshops/20100317

@@ +1 @@
+= Quattor Workshop - 17-19/3/10 - Thessaloniki =
+[[TracNav]]
+
+[[TOC(inline)]]
+
+[http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceTimeTable.py?confId=84432#20100317 Agenda].
+
+== Site Reports ==
+
+=== LAL ===
+
+See slides.
+
+=== MS ===
+
+Configuration changes:
+ * Still one configuration server
+ * 2 set of boot servers (Europe, US)
+ * 20K managed machines (+5K)
+ * Virtual machines with ESX: 1200 ESX server, 1700 managed machines
+ * AII rebuild time still 3h
+ * Compile time increased from 10 to 18 minutes
+   * Using MS-specific version of 8.2.9
+ * 8 people involved in template development maintenance (+2)
+ * LEMON used: 2x2 servers
+ 
+Issues:
+ * No code submissions recently: legal issues with SF...
+ * aqd scalaibility: priority for next year
+ * Pending open-source:
+   * AII, CCM patches: in prod at MS
+   * FUSE interface to configuration browsing: ready for distribution
+   * Aquilon: RAL interested, still a significant MS-dependencies
+   
+
+=== AUTH ===
+
+Migration from cfg/local to SCDB sites still in progress
+
+Included monitoring information at profiles
+
+Attempt to use Quattor as a central DB for all assets (KVM, StorageArrays...)
+ * Implemented as a separate cluster group
+ 
+SCDB clusters by machine criticality
+
+Xen configuration now based on QWG with a few developments
+ * Removed host dependency on guests
+ * Trying to remove the use of DHCP
+ 
+Templates for new machine types
+ * Message broker, in production at AUTH
+ * egee-NAGIOS/egee-SNAGIOS: work in progress, not based on previous Nagios templates from QWG
+ 
+QAD: Nagios interface almost completed
+ 
+JRuby added to SCDB to add task written in Ruby
+ * Used for QAD integration
+ 
+Issue: sync with QWG, how other sites are doing?
+
+=== CERN ===
+
+''Note: report about Quattor in computing center only.''
+
+CDB 2.2.5 and panc 8.2.11: 10K machines
+ * panc 8.3.0 tested
+ 
+New development: Django-based search tool for CDBSQL
+ * Using sqlalchemy: Oracle independent
+ 
+Test of SCDB: work done by Daniel with the help of Luis
+ * Test done with one profile and the CERN template structure
+ * Observations:
+   * profile location is a big change for CERN
+   * Decoupling of commit and deploy may lead to potential problems
+   * SVN ACLs are only at the directory level: having them at the file level is an advantage in CDB
+   * +: build-in ACLs, local panc compilation giving access to log files
+   
+RFE: pkg_add/pkg_repl based on date to ensure people are not installing obsolete version. Is it feasible?
+
+Can we agree on a policy for announcements of new components? Exact rules for using quattor-discuss rather than quattor-grid? Do we really need 2 lists?
+
+
+=== NIKHEF ===
+
+5 clusters, 500 managed machines
+ * 350 clones
+ * SCDB 2.3.1 + local changes
+   * panc 8.2.8
+ * Compilation time: ~30s
+ 
+6 people involved in Quattor maintenance (4 active)
+
+Virtualization: 13 hosts, 48 guests
+
+Nagios: 1 master, 3 slaves
+
+Refactoring of templates for easier usage: not using QWG
+ * VO configuration, VOMS
+ * Batch system access control, VOViews
+ * User banning
+
+Virtualization: currently not used with grid clusters, investigating KVM
+
+=== Grid Ireland ===
+
+18 sites, some have expanded.
+
+SCDB with bzr and Git clients and an old version of QWG (r4921)
+ * Not up-to-date in particular with errata and VO config
+ 
+=== RAL ===
+
+90% of T1 Quattor managed. T1 fully committed to Quattor.
+ * Mostly WNs (700 already, 400+ soon)
+ * Also other machine types: bdii, vobox, ....
+ * Disk servers: OS + all package management operations, CASTOR config still relying on Puppet
+ * Nagios servers: OS only
+ 
+9 sysadmins involved + 6 more coming
+
+SINDES on the point of deployment to ease server certificates handling.
+
+Ready to start experimenting with Aquilon
+
+Using SCDB+QWG (up-to-date with standard templates)
+ * Happy with performances: 4 minutes for a full compile, without profile cloning
+ * Would like to slim down RPM list used by various machine types. Is anyone else interested?
+
+Very positive with Quattor so far
+ * Much more consistent
+ * Batch service much easier to manage
+ * Errata deployment much easier
+ * Much more agile: easier to deploy new versions
+ 
+
+=== CERN LHCb Online Farm ===
+
+Online computing
+ * Event filtering farm: currently 700 nodes, 500 to 1000 to be added in the future
+   * Diskless systems
+ * Credit card PCs
+ * Various control PCs and infrastructure nodes (Web servers, DNS, ....)
+ * Also some Windows nodes (120) but mainly running Linux SLC4/SLC5/RHEL5
+ 
+Linux machines managed by Quattor
+ * Original setup done in 2006 with CDB/panc v6/aii v1
+   * SWrep replaced by scripts
+   * ViewVC web interface to templates and XM files
+   * Problems with Krb authentication in CDB and the fact author of commit is always Apache
+ * Decided to give a try to SCDB... see presentation
+ 
+Maintainer of ncm-diskless_server and ncm-pvss
+ * Also developped ncm-checklines as an improved ncm-filecopy
+
+Plans for the future:
+ * Finish move to SCDB
+ * Cleanup of tempates
+ * Update/rewrite the 2 components maintained as part of this use + ncm-network
+   * Several issues with ncm-network: see presentation tomorrow
+   
+Some extensions made on Quattor schema
+ * Additions to /system
+ * /hardware/ipmi
+ 
+=== LAPP ===
+
+5 SCDB clusters
+ * 1 machine acting both as SVN and SCDB server, still running SL4
+ 
+10 Gb/s support: with Chelsio interfaces, found a way to do PXE
+ * No more need to use 1 Gb/s for Quattor (PXE) boot
+ 
+Install and configuration of GPFS through Quattor
+ * Strongly depending of kernel and require to build RPM for each new version of the kernel
+ * Unfortunatly hard to make generic, thus not contributed to standard templates
+ 
+
+=== CNAF ===
+
+Very positive after the move to SCDB, despite a few problems
+ * Error caused by users who commit before compiling, planning a wrapper
+ 
+3900 machines managed.
+
+Working on improving QWG errata management.
+
+Main versions deployed
+ * SL5 (no longer SLC)
+ * gLite 3.2
+ * Grid services configured with YAIM
+ 
+Virutalization
+ * Using KVM, phasing out Xen
+ * No connection between hypervisor and VMs in templates: not clear we want to do it
+  * Hypervisors and VMs managed by Quattor
+  
+Issue: complexity is increasing a lot
+ * Bug tracking is very difficult
+ 
+ 
+== Developments ==
+
+=== Pan Compiler - C. Loomis ===
+
+v8.2 in production: only serious bug will be fixed
+
+v8.3 (development version): 8.3.1 is a release candidate
+ * Dependency file format change, annotation syntax
+ * Will become 8.4.0 when production version is released
+ 
+v9 planned before next workshop
+ * Will remove support for all deprecated syntax/features
+   * See previous list
+ * Will require .pan instead of .tpl
+   * 8.4 will support both
+   * Issue: CVS history cannot track renames...
+   * Would probably be easier to  add an option to change the default extension to avoid the penalty of trying both for every template
+   
+panc release management moved from ant to maven
+
+Current work:
+ * Allows sources from non-file locations (eg https)
+ * Will enable an XML-based syntax imported as a structure template
+
+Code refactoring:
+ * clean up, internationalization
+ * Make AST more accessible (e.g. editors, code formatters...)
+ * Easier tight control by external tools (e.g. debugger)
+ 
+Annotations: open the path for automatic documentation generation
+ * Need to agree on tags used
+ 
+Another issue: auto-escaping of nlist keys
+ * Possible to look at it but potentially a huge work to take advantage of it
+ 
+=== QWG Update - M. Jouvin ===
+
+See slides.
+
+=== SCDB Update - M. Jouvin ===
+
+See slides.
+
+=== Diskless Servers Support - L. Barda ===
+
+For LHCb online farm
+ * Filtering tasks can be done in memory, disk not used
+ * Credit-card PC have no disks; still SLC4, i386
+ 
+Initial diskless support in Quattor started in 2005 and taken over by LHCb end of 2007.
+ * Read-only NFS shared root filesystem configured on the server and copied to the diskless server at the end of kickstart
+ * RW files for each client in a specific file system (`/.snapshot`) remounted with -bind on the diskless server
+ * 2 templates to describe a node configuration
+   * Proto node: shared root FS content, main part of the configuration
+   * Real node: node-specifc configuration
+   
+`ncm-diskless_server` is used to generate the boot image, manage DHCP/PXE for the managed systems, configure the `ccm.conf` on the node-specific file system.
+
+Current status
+ * In production for several years
+ * Moved farm from SLC4 32-bit to SLC5 64-bit: was pretty easy
+ * A student should work on SLC5 i386 for CCPC
+ 
+Issues with the current solution
+ * Very large mount table on nodes
+ * Issues when modifying a RW file on a RO file system
+ * List of RH RW files is too large
+ * Lack of debug info in system-config-netboot used to generate images and initrd generation is not flexible enough
+ * Shared root file system can only be a copy of the server file system
+
+Plan is to rewrite `ncm-diskless_server` and use UnionFS to replace the NFS mounts and bind tricks.
+
+Several issues with `ncm-network` too, in particular inappropriate restart of the network breaking the NFS access. Will start a rewrite (`ncm-network_NG`)
+ * Should separate each part of the configuration: interfaces, routes, bonding.... Code restructuring.
+ * Should use network utils to modifiy the running system
+ * Modify sysconfig files for persistent modifications
+ 
+Try to interact with the community during the design phase to ensure it could be used at some points in replacement of the current `ncm-network`.
+
+== Migration to SCDB at CERN LHCb Online - L. Barda ==
+
+Motivations:
+ * Wanted to have real names in commits
+ * CVS too much hidden in CDB: no more conflict resolution
+ * CDB2SQL too heavy
+ 
+SCDB installation using standard documentation, but no QWG. A few modified components:
+ * LDAP authentication to SVN
+   * Next Apache will allow subgroups
+   * svnperms.py to restrict who can do commits
+ * DHCPD config / aii-dhcp
+ * quattor.build.xml: no cluster used, profiles located in /profiles/*
+   * New target added
+ * Post-commit: added the ability to send an email before running post-commit.py
+ * build-tag.py run under Apache rather than root without sudo or ssh
+   * Also added the ability to run quatview as part of build-tag.py (new section in config file)
+
+Also AII v1 to v2 migration.
+
+Special use case: allow sub-detector people to change their CCPC Mac address
+ * Allow them to commit only in the subfolder corresponding to their CCPC and make a deploy
+ * Rely on svnperms.py precommit hook to restrict their right to commit
+ 
+Currently a test instance, in production soon.
+
+
+== Monitoring ==
+
+=== NCG-Monitoring and Quattor - R. Starink ===
+
+Quattor implementation at NIKHEF based on `standard/monitoring/quattor` but a lot have changed and merge is challenging.
+ * Changes both in QWG and NIKHEF templates
+ 
+Enhancement at NIKHEF:
+ * Hierarchy of Nagios servers
+   * Slaves schedule probes and return result to master through passive checks. Uses `ncm-nsca` on master+slaves
+   * Master monitors slaves with active checks
+   * Master and slaves with the same host/service definition but with slightly different parameters. Quattor helps to keep things consistency.
+   * Master is the only one to run Apache: configured with `ncm-filecopy`
+ * pnp4nagios: RRD-based graphs (like Ganglia) integrated with Nagios, usable with any probe
+ * Service checks: generic checks + grid-specific ones (DPM, WMS, Torque, MAUI...)
+ 
+Grid monitoring: wanted to enable NCG-based grid monitoring solution for site
+ * SAM test results
+ * Local grid checks
+ * Ideally entirely Quattor-managed but potential conflict: NCG implements a dynamic detection of tests to run where Quattor describes tests in a static configuration
+   * NCG: risk (happened!) of Nagios killed by a dynamic update of the configuration
+ * Requirements: co-exist with existing Quattor+Nagios setup, no gLite on Nagios server
+   * Incompatibilities fed back to developers
+   
+Grid monitoring layout:
+ * Master werver can either submit grid tests directly or through a separated gLite UI
+ * NCG used to generate Nagios configuration but not to enable/configure Apache, sudo... (done by Quattor)
+   * Files generated by NCG included as `cfg_file` in `ncm-nagios`
+   * Potential conflict between Quattor config and NCG config (duplicated hosts...) preventing Nagios to start
+ * Master has a check (delivered by NCG) to push checks generated on master on the gLite UI
+
+Status
+ * Started early in pre-OAT times where many manual steps were required
+ * Deployed recently the Jan2010 release and now configuration almost fully automated
+   * Many perl-xxx dependencies: better to use `checkdeps`
+ * Setup is not straightforward: NCG is still work in progress
+ * Not completely happy with NGC-magic but aternative is to describe services in Quattor configuration. Is it maintainable?
+ 
+=== Monitoring based on OAT Work - C. Triantafillidys ===
+
+See slides.
+
+Prototype not ready for distribution, based on QAD and NCG
+ * Both still under developments
+ * QAD used as a management interface to add MetricSets and select nodes which they are applied to based on `/monitoring/features`.
+ 
+
+=== NagiosBox for Biomed - M. Jouvin ===
+
+See slides.
+   
+
+=== Monitoring Discussion ===
+
+TCD still using QWG templates but short of manpower.
+ * TCD should update QWG trunk so that we can understand/assess difference with NIKHEF
+ * QWG templates for describing monitoring configuration for local resources
+ * Must allow AUTH usage pattern where all the configuration of Nagios is done outside Quattor (through QAD)
+ * RAL will not necessarily use it but could provide feedback on what is done/planned in QWG templates
+ 
+Grid service monitoring will try to rely on NCG as much as possible
+ * Need input from AUTH about possible usage patterns of NCG API, how to integrate it in components...
+
+First step: 2 wiki pages describing NIKHEF configuration and NCG potential
+ * Location to be discussed later
+ 
+Should plan a Nagios node in future test cluster.
+
+
+== StratusLab - C. Loomis ==
+
+Goal: enhancing grid infrastructure with virtualization and cloud technologies by incorporating could innovation into existing grid infrastructures
+ * Simplify and optimize its use and operation
+ * Enhance existing computing infrastructure with "Iaas"
+ * Grid services will remain the glue among distributed resources
+ * Possibility to scale out to commercial clouds
+ * Deliver an open cloud API (à la Amazon EC2) to enable community services to take advantage of cloud resources
+ 
+StratusLab aims to deliver a toolkit that can be easily installed by existing sites.
+ * All the software produced will be openSource (exact license to be decided)
+
+Interaction with Quattor community
+ * Several partners member of Quattor community: TCD, LAL
+ * Major goal is to make the life of sysadmins easier: need to ensure that it is easy to install and configure with automated tools
+ * Want to leverage Quattor community's expertise with grid deployment: don't want to reinvent the wheel..
+ * Would like to use Quattor to build appliance configurations
+ 
+ 
+Project should start beginning of June.
+ * Still in negociation
+
+== SF Migration and Build Tools - C. Loomis ==
+
+Current situation
+ * Need to converge to using tools on SF and having a sustainable set of build tools
+ * Was planned to be done within QUEST and now we need to move forward ourselves
+ * Need to have concrete relaistic plans
+ * Build tools unmaintained(able) since ME left
+ 
+Current tools:
+ * Wiki
+   * MediaWiki on SF
+   * Trac on SF enabled but not used
+   * Trac@lal: used extensively for QWG documentation
+ * SVN: SF for Quattor core, QWG for QWG+SCDB
+ * Bug/feature tracking
+   * SF: Pan compiler only (based on Bugzilla, working well)
+   * Trac@LAL: QWG todo list
+   * Savanah@CERN: main place for user bugs
+   
+Build tools:
+ * Current set of tools very complex and basically unmaintainable
+ * Attempt with Ant but not clear there is a real gain as Ant config file is rather complex
+ * Maven solution may be possible: many attractive features (dependency management, multi-level project configuration, RPM packaging), more language neutral than Ant
+   * Willing to do limited test but will need help from others
+ 
+Wiki future
+ * Trac on SF is lacking to many features (plugins) to allow an easy migration from Trac@LAL
+ * A temporary option could be to move current MediaWiki content to Trac@LAL until we have a usable Trac@SF
+   * Then we could migrate with export/import of Trac DB
+   * We gain some time for SF to install the same Trac version as LAL
+ * Agreed but import of MediaWiki contents to Trac@LAL must be the occasion of restructuring current contents to be more generic and ready for import to SF
+ 
+SVN future
+ * Move SCDB to SF asap (and other generic tools if any)
+   * QWG part kept at LAL temporarily
+
+Bug/feature tracking
+ * Current SF bug tracking is functional and fairly usable, only missing bit is ability to link to SVN
+ * Moving all bug tracking of to SF would have the benefit to remove one of many places where users have to go
+ * Agreement to close Savanah
+   * Review exact requirements and issues in monthly meetings
+   * Configure SF with appropriate tickets
+   * Communicate with the community
+   * Implement the change. Target: 2-3 months
+   
+Mailing list
+ * quattor-grid: only QWG-related stuff
+ * quattor-discuss: everything related to core components, including NCM components
+ * quattor-nagios: discussion to Nagios bit and bytes (development list)
+ * Announcements: evaluate SF announcement features as they are more appropriate than a mailing list
+
+Build tools:
+ * Cal ready to do a mini test with Maaven
+ * Should try to remove the too many externals
+  
+
+
+== Quattor Future ==
+
+Agreement on a monthly meeting.
+ * Doodle to find the convenient time slot (if possible allow participation from US but not a strong requirement)
+ * Between 1 and 2h
+ * Possible facility: Dutch, BELNET, IN2P3
+   * Do a test asap: end of next week/beginning of the week after
+ * First meeting: first week of April
+ * ~10 people ready to participate
+ 
+Work plan
+ * Panc debugger: not in the short term
+ * Panc editor: try to find a student who could do the work to have something basic but complete
+   * Not scheduled until we find one
+ * Component tooling + ability to run non-Perl components
+   * Need to understand costs and benefits
+   * Concentrate on a review of what this involves
+   * Ask Nick; first goal may be to produce a list of issues as a FAQ (reasons why it is not possible)
+ * Support for package managers other than RPM
+   * SPMA replacement on other platforms
+   * May also impact the build tools (ability to package Quattor as something else than RPM)
+   * Not first priority for many sites but support for YUM/APT may be valuable for many sites
+   * CERN had plans to use YUM of SPMA
+   * Concentrate first on a review of what is exactly involved, potential benefits, minimum YUM version to use, understand APT and YUM differences
+ * Aquilon integration: RAL will work on this anyway and expect progress before next workshop
+   * Will depend a little bit on MS availability to help: MS cannot commit to spend much time but agrees to help
+   * Ian taking this in charge but limited to getting it usable at RAL
+ * IPv6: not a short-term requirement but needs to be done
+   * NIKHEF could commit to try to install a test quattor server that will use IPv6 and check what is working/not working
+   * Some expertise available in EGEE3 and several NRENs
+   * Make a clear list of what are the changed required
+ * Hooks for interoperation with management frameworks
+ * Code review and best-practices
+   * Define best-practices and recommended API for components and rewrite a documentation for developping components on this (Luis)
+ * Set up of build and test infrastructure
+   * Cal volunteers for the build tools and for adding unit tests
+   * Do a review of the existing build system at LAPP and make proposal to have it more useful and more used (Eric)
+ * Review existing components, identifying obsolete/duplicate, and possibly contributing to a documentation page about existing components and their coverage
+   * No volunteer but remains an important action
+ * QWG templates
+   * Other MW support: wait for EMI to see if there is a real need
+   * generic service support: Christos ready to work on it in the coming months
+   * VM support: to be done in collaboration with StratusLab
+   * Integration with monitoring: see previous discussion
+
+Dissemination
+ * Must remain/be a strong activity for the community: enlarging the community is a way to pave the way for the future
+ * Proposal to make presentations at the EGI conferences and establish contact with NGIs
+   * A booth/demo, a poster or a presentation?
+   * Could take the opportunity of doing something in common with StratusLab at the first EGI conference
+   * A presentation based on RAL experience?
+ * Try to be present in NGI meetings
+ * Increase our visibility: be present on sites like Oloho
+ * Make a list of conference useful to attend, in particular sysadmins conference
+   * Wiki page about events and conferences of interest
+ * Training harder without funding, will also require work to get the appropriate material
+ * Appliance: StratusLab has a need for it, may come as an outcome of the collaboration
+ * COSTS project: possibility to get funding for dissemination actions but deadline very close (26/3)
+   * 1st application only 4 pages (10K words), more detailed application later
+   * Up to 100KE/year during 4 years
+   * People (not institutions) from 5 countries
+   * 3/4 of proposal passing the 1st stage being funded
+   * Attempt to apply based on QUEST proposal and members + BELNET (Cal/Michel)
+ 
+Documentation
+ * Clarify the different targets for the documentation
+   * General communication: a basis exists on MediaWiki, need to develop, in particular use case study
+   * User documentation: mainly concentrated on QWG templates, missing bits (in particular components)
+     * Need to ask users/NGIs what they need
+     * Lack of step-by-step guides
+   * Documentation for developpers
+     * Many things missing
+     * Need to document the build tools when we agreed on which ones to use
+ * Existing documentation review (Andrea)
+ 
+Commercial support and consultancy
+ * No big interest in the community right now
+ 
+Long-term organization of the community
+ * Legal entity behind the name to support the branding with official logos, presentation layouts...
+   * Probably not a short-term action
+ * Licensing cleanup: ask PLUME people if they are still ready to contribute without funding
+
+Quattor toolkit component status
+ * AII: nothing major, maintained by Luis
+   * Nick has some contributions pending
+ * SPMA: still maintained, minor modifications
+   * ncm-spma review and enhancements: schema adjustements (repository), function rewrite (Victor)
+ * rpmt-py: no maintainer but no maintenance needed so far... German is the author.
+ * panc: see discussion, maintained/developped by Cal
+ * CCM: last contributor/maintainer was Nick
+   * Need to enhance CCM to be able to handle gzip profiles without ungizipping them at Apache level
+ * ncm-cdispd/ncm-ncd: Nick is the last one who had a look at it
+   * Also the new daemon written by Nick to act a proxy for managing non Linux boxes
+   * Add ability to run dependendy only if there was a config change affecting them
+   * Tracking/querying status of last component run: mod may be already done by Nick
+ * ncm-query: Michel maintainer but no change foreseen
+ * FUSE file system to browse configuration on client (`ncm-query` alternative)
+ * CDB: maintenance done to use last panc compiler (CERN)
+   * cdb-sync may be of broader use: SCDB may have to use it to take benefit of ncm-cdispd alternative
+ * ncm-templates: a template processor used in components, not really maintained but works!
+ * perl-CAF/perl-LC: actively maintained by Luis
+ 
+SINDES: an external potentially useful component, should check the status and the accessibility outside CERN
+ * No longer any maintenance at CERN, frozen
+ * Any possibility to add it to Quattor repository?
+   * RAL to drive the effort, Veronique to check with CERN
+
+Worshop preparation is now the responsibility of monthly meeting.
+
+== Conclusion ==
+
+Next meeting
+ * Several proposals: Philips (Eindhoven), RAL, Strasbourg
+ * After a vote, RAL choosen if they confirm they can organize it
+ * Sites are welcome to express their interest in hosting a workshop
+ * 2+1 days
+ 
+
+