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    SlapOS Tutorial - Configure SlapOS Node

    Tutorial showing configuration of a SlapOS node to provide software services in a network
    • Last Update:2018-04-27
    • Version:001
    • Language:en

    Configure A SlapOS Slave Node

    This tutorial will guide through the process of configuring a SlapOS node and show how to provide instances of software services. The services available depend on the software releases available on the SlapOS Master (create a software release, add software release to SlapOS Master).

    The process of installing and supplying a service is the same for all software releases and only described once here. After a service has been made available, users can request instances of this service, called hosting subscriptions. These will be installed on computer partitions on a chosen node and accessible only by the requesting user.

    The tutorial applies to configuration of both COMP-0 and COMP-1,2,3... (SlapOS architecture). In case of required follow-up steps, like on installation of the Re6st Registry on COMP-0, these will also be pointed out and linked to here.

    The tutorial requires you to have a computer with a SlapOS node installed and ready to use as well as an account on a SlapOS Master. This can be Vifib (how to register on vifib) or a any other master (tutorial to create a SlapOS Master).

    In case the SlapOS node was installed without the recommended single line installer the node will still be unformatted and without computer partitions. Follow formatting a SlapOS node before continuing.

    Should you run into problems during configuration make sure to check how to debug a SlapOS node for the most common commands and debugging info.

    Table of Content

    • Installing a Service
    • Supplying a Service
    • Instantiating a Service
    • Configuring a Service Instance

    Installing A Service

    The SlapOS architecture describes how SlapOS nodes are used to provide instances of software services to users in a network.

    To do this the SlapOS Master is used to install the desired software on a manually or autonomously chose network node. In this tutorial, a node will be manually selected and configured to provide exemplary services.

    As mentioned the process of installing and supplying a service is the same for all software releases. It is only during instantiation, that specific parameters can be set and follow-up steps might be required. At the end of this section, software releases available by default will be referenced together with information which software need to be instantiated for both COMP-0 and COMP-1,2,3....

    SlapOS Dashboard

    SlapOS Interface - Dashboard

    Log in to your SlapOS Master Dashboard and click on Servers in your side menu to open the list of servers in your network.

    Choose Server in SlapOS Dashboard

    SlapOS Interface - Server list

    Pick any of the available Slave nodes and click on the server (NOT the green buttons for monitoring the computer or its partitions). In our example we currently only have a single node registered without an partitions, so select this node to open it's configuration.

    Server Configuration

    SlapOS Interface - Unconfigured server

    You can see in the bottom table Supplied Software that this node does currently not provide any software. It is also not associated with any network (see grouping servers in a network) and the allocation scope defines this server as "in use". It is open, but only on personal level, meaning for the owner of the computer (see setting Slave node access permissions to learn how to enable certain groups of users to request instances of the software provided on this node).

    To continue, click the Supply button in the subheader to open the list of available software (releases) that can be installed on this node. Note, the following process of installing and supplying a software is the the same for all softwares provided.

    Supplying a Service

    SlapOS Interface - List of available software release to install on a Slave node

    The list of software releases depends on the type of releases available on the SlapOS master.

    To continue, please select the Frontend entry.

    Selecting Software Release Version

    SlapOS Interface - List of available software release versions to install on a Slave node

    Select the latest version.

    Confirm Software Installation

    SlapOS Interface - Confirm Software Installation

    The subsequent dialog summarizes the software release to be installed as well as the computer it will be installed on. To continue, click Proceed in the header. Note, as mentioned before, this process is the same for all software installations.

    Installing Software Release

    SlapOS Interface - Software Release Installation Status

    After clicking Proceed you will be forwarded to the installation status page.

    Installation will take some time depending on the software you are installing, so either refresh the current page or check installation status directly by either going to your Servers list and selecting the machine you chose during installation or clicking directly on Computer (FIRST-NODE in the screenshot).

    Server Configuration Update

    SlapOS Interface - Server Configuration

    You can see the installed service is now available in the bottom list. The indicator will stay red until the software has finished compiling and installing. Once the installation status bar changes to green on a refresh of the page, the installation has finished. The node can then provide Frontend (Apache) or whichever software you requested to install.

    You can follow the compilation by looking at the slapos-node-software.log using:

    # tail opt/slapos/log/slapos-node-software.log -f
    in your terminal (other log options, see how to debug a SlapOS node).

    To see whether the service is actually available and can be used, the next part of the tutorial will cover requesting an instance of the installed service. Note, that aside from software-specific instanatiation parameters, this is also a standardized process for all softwares.

    Instantiating a Service

    Once a service is installed on a computer, it is possible to create and provide instances of this service to users.

    List of Instantiated Services

    Vifib Interface - Services List

    Head to the list of services by clicking on the Services button on the side menu. The list will show all services currently instantiated (not the software currently installed!). To create an instance of an installed software, click the Add button in the subheader.

    Create New Service Instance

    SlapOS Interface - Services List

    The list of available services is the same as the list of installable software releases used earlier when installing the service. Select Frontend (Apache) as this is the service we want to provide.

    Select Service Version

    SlapOS Interface - Service Instantiatin Version List

    As during installation, please choose the latest version.

    Note, that this is an easy case, as there is only a single version installed on one node. More complex networks will likely have multiple versions of a software installed on different nodes.

    Also note that, as mentioned before, software available on SlapOS can be configured on every instantiation. Because the configuration parameters differ from software to software they will be described in more detail in the following section.

    Configuring a Service Instance

    This section will point to configuration HowTo of software typically available on SlapOS. For adding a new software to a SlapOS Master, have a look at adding a Software Release to a SlapOS Master.

    The HowTos will include what steps are required to get an instance to work and verfiy it is working.

    Instantiate Frontend (COMP-0)

    The Frontend (Apache) is the first software to be installed on COMP-0. It is used to provide user-friendly and meaningful urls in a SlapOS network.

    Frontends are used frequently (not only for COMP-0). The steps outlined in the howTo above to configure a Frontend apply to all use cases.

    Instantiate Frontend Slave (optional)

    The Frontend Slave is a slave instance of an actual Frontend (which must be installed before). It provides user-friendly urls pointing to backend services. One example is to use master.slaptest.erp5.net to point directly to the SlapOS Dashboard instead of having to go through the actual url [IPv4]/erp5/web_site_module/hostingjs/.

    Instantiate Re6st Registry (COMP-0)

    The Re6st Registry is only needed on COMP-0 during initial setup of a SlapOS Network. If you are setting up a network, this is the second software to install after the Frontend (Apache).

    The Re6st Registry is a software that connects all nodes in a network. Connecting is done via tokens, which itself are slave instances of a Registry (see instantiate a Re6st Access Token) XXX true XXX and which need to be provided when adding Re6st to a node during initial installation.

    Instantiate Re6st Access Token (all COMP)

    The Re6st Access Tokens are provided from a Re6st Registry (which must be installed before). They are tokens required during installation of Re6st on a node and are used for associating a node with a Re6st network.

    Instatiating LTE Software Stack (optional)

    XXX add XXX

    Instatiating SimcardDB (optional)

    XXX add XXX

    Thank You

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