[[PageOutline]]

= Massive Deployment of Xen enabled Virtual Cluster using Diskless Remote Boot Linux =

== Test Environment ==

 * VMWare Server 1.0.3
 * VMWare Image debian 4.0r1 as DRBL Server
   * [[Image(drbl_xen_vmx.jpg)]]
 * VMWare Image without disk as DRBL Client
   * [[Image(drbl_xen_client_vmx.jpg)]]

== Pre-installation ==

 * First, install Xen Hypervisor and Xen enabled Linux Kernel and then reboot
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# uname -a
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# mv /lib/tls /lib/tls.disabled
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# echo "loop max_loop=255" >> /etc/modules
Linux drbl-xen-srv 2.6.18-6-686 #1 SMP Sat May 24 10:24:42 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# apt-get install xen-hypervisor-3.0.3-1-i386-pae linux-image-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686 xen-tools libc6-xen bridge-utils
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# update-grub
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# reboot
}}}
   * Note1: If you did not install libc6-xen, "4gb seg fixup" error message will keep showing up while booting.
   * [[Image(xen_4gb_seg_fixup.png)]]
   * Note2: amd64 architecture does not have libc6-xen package (i386 only)
   * Note3: disable tls for libc6-xen 
{{{
root@drbl-xeb-srv:/lib# dpkg -S /lib/tls
libc6-xen, libc6: /lib/tls
}}}
     * [FYI] [http://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/fedora-35/what-is-the-meaning-of-libtls-directory-385934/ Reload this Page  what is the meaning of /lib/tls directory?]
   * Note4: Xen will use loop device for creating new DormU machine, so we load ''loop'' kernel module while booting.
 * Choose Xen to boot at GRUB menu
   * [[Image(xen_grub.png)]]

== Install and Configure DRBL ==

 * Download GPG-KEY-DRBL and add GPG key via '''apt-key'''
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# wget http://drbl.nchc.org.tw/GPG-KEY-DRBL
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# apt-key add GPG-KEY-DRBL
}}}
 * Add DRBL repository URL to /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ then install '''drbl''' package
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# echo "deb http://free.nchc.org.tw/drbl-core drbl stable" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/drbl-sources.list
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# apt-get update
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# apt-get install drbl
}}}
 * Use '''drblsrv''' command to setup DRBL server. Here we choose ''linux-image-2.6.18-6-486'' as default DRBL PXE kernel image
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/drblsrv -i 
[....skip....]
Install kernel for clients... ...
In ayo repository, searching the latest kernel ...
*****************************************************.
Now run: /opt/drbl/sbin/drblsrv-offline -c -d -a -l en_US -k /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.18-6-486_2.6.18.dfsg.1-18etch5_i386.deb "" ""
Kernel package /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.18-6-486_2.6.18.dfsg.1-18etch5_i386.deb is used for client...
*****************************************************.
[....skip....]
}}}
 * Use '''drblpush''' command to deploy DRBL Client Image
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/drblpush -i
}}}
 * Use Thin Client VMWare Image to test DRBL
   * [[Image(drbl_xen_client_boot.jpg)]]

== Configure PXELinux for Xen Network Booting ==

 * To load Xen-based kernels you have to use the SYSLINUX multiboot module ''mboot.c32''. So we copy mboot.c32 and Xen hypervisor to TFTP root directory of DRBL.
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# dpkg -S mboot.c32
syslinux: /usr/lib/syslinux/mboot.c32
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# cp /usr/lib/syslinux/mboot.c32 /tftpboot/nbi_img/.
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# cp /boot/xen-3.0.3-1-i386-pae.gz /tftpboot/nbi_img/.
}}}
 * Use '''drblsrv-offline''' command to generate initial ramdisk of xen-based kernel which is needed for PXE network booting. You should find ''initrd-pxe.2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686.img'' and ''vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686'' in /tftpboot/nbi_img/ folder.
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/drblsrv-offline -s `uname -r`
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# find /tftpboot/nbi_img/ -name "*-xen*"
/tftpboot/nbi_img/initrd-pxe.2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686.img
/tftpboot/nbi_img/vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686
}}}
   * Note: ''initrd-pxe.2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686.img'' is different from ''/boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686''. In ''initrd-pxe.2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686.img'', there are NFS mounting scripts which is needed for each DRBL client.
 * Since Xen-based kernel can not boot with Xen hypervisor, we have to switch vmlinuz-pxe and initrd-pxe.img back to normal linux kernl.
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/drblsrv-offline -c -d -a -l en_US -k /var/cache/apt/archives/linux-image-2.6.18-6-486_2.6.18.dfsg.1-18etch5_i386.deb
}}}
   * Note: You can simply remove and recreate the symbolic links named by vmlinuz-pxe and initrd-pxe.img in /tftpboot/nbi_img
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# cd /tftpboot/nbi_img
root@drbl-xen-srv:/tftpboot/nbi_img# rm initrd-pxe.img vmlinuz-pxe
root@drbl-xen-srv:/tftpboot/nbi_img# ln -s initrd-pxe.2.6.18-6-486.img initrd-pxe.img
root@drbl-xen-srv:/tftpboot/nbi_img# ln -s vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-486 vmlinuz-pxe
}}}
 * Add a new Xen option to pxelinux.cfg
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# cat << EOF >> /tftpboot/nbi_img/pxelinux.cfg/default
> label xen cluster
>   MENU DEFAULT
>   # MENU HIDE
>   MENU LABEL Xen 3.0.1-1-i386-pae
>   # MENU PASSWD
>   kernel mboot.c32
>   append xen-3.0.3-1-i386-pae.gz --- vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686 root=/dev/sda1 ro console=tty0 --- initrd-pxe.2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686.img
>   TEXT HELP
>   Run Xen 3.0 in each DRBL Client
>   ENDTEXT
> EOF
}}}
 * Use '''dcs''' to switch PXE menu
{{{
drbl-xen-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/dcs more switch-pxe-menu
}}}
 * Use Thin Client VMWare Image to test DRBL
   * [[Image(drbl_xen_client_boot_2.jpg)]]
   * [[Image(drbl_xen_client_boot_3.jpg)]]

== Enable Xend in default rcX.d ==

 * You can run '''/etc/init.d/xend start''' manually to start xen service for each DRBL clients via '''drbl-doit''' command.
{{{
root@drbl-xeb-srv:~# /opt/drbl/bin/drbl-doit /etc/init.d/xend start
}}}
 * You can check the status of xend by running '''xm list'''
{{{
root@drbl-xeb-srv:~# /opt/drbl/bin/drbl-doit /usr/sbin/xm list
}}}
 * To save your time, we recommand you to add xend to default rcX.d by running '''update-rc.d xend defaults'''
{{{
root@drbl-xeb-srv:~# /opt/drbl/bin/drbl-doit /usr/sbin/update-rc.d xend defaults
}}}

== Know Issue of DRBL () with Xen ==

 * Issue 1: Xen DormU Client will need /boot which in only on DRBL Server
   * Step 1: patch ''/opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-nfs-exports''
{{{
#!diff
--- /opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-nfs-exports.org 2008-07-28 22:09:43.000000000 +0800
+++ /opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-nfs-exports     2008-07-28 22:10:06.000000000 +0800
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
         for subnet in $subnet_list; do
           cat <<EOF >> $nfs_exports
 $drbl_common_root $subnet.*($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
+/boot $subnet.*($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
 /usr $subnet.*($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
 /opt $subnet.*($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
 /home $subnet.*($EXPORTS_NFS_RW_NRS_OPT)
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@
         for ip in `get-client-ip-list`; do
           cat <<EOF >> $nfs_exports
 $drbl_common_root $ip($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
+/boot $ip($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
 /usr $ip($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
 /opt $ip($EXPORTS_NFS_RO_NRS_OPT)
 /home $ip($EXPORTS_NFS_RW_NRS_OPT)
}}}
   * step 2: patch ''/opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-gen-client-files''
{{{
#!diff
--- /opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-gen-client-files.org    2008-07-28 22:33:31.000000000 +0800
+++ /opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-gen-client-files        2008-07-28 22:34:20.000000000 +0800
@@ -214,6 +214,7 @@
 $nfsserver:$drblroot/$ip/etc      /etc    nfs     $FSTAB_NFS_RW_OPT
 $nfsserver:$drblroot/$ip/var      /var    nfs     $FSTAB_NFS_RW_OPT
 $nfsserver:$drblroot/$ip/root     /root   nfs     $FSTAB_NFS_RW_OPT
+$nfsserver:/boot            /tmp/boot   nfs    $FSTAB_NFS_RO_OPT
 $nfsserver:/usr             /usr        nfs    $FSTAB_NFS_RO_OPT
 $nfsserver:/opt             /opt        nfs    $FSTAB_NFS_RO_OPT
 $nfsserver:/home            /home       nfs    $FSTAB_NFS_RW_OPT
}}}
   * Step 3: creat a shell script to mount /boot for each node.
{{{
root@drbl-xeb-srv:~# vi mount_boot
root@drbl-xeb-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-cp-host mount_boot /etc/init.d/
root@drbl-xeb-srv:~# /opt/drbl/sbin/drbl-client-service mount_boot on
}}}
     * Here is mount_boot
{{{
#! /bin/sh
set -e

# /etc/init.d/mount_boot: mount /boot for DRBL Client which is Xen enabled.

export PATH="${PATH:+$PATH:}/usr/sbin:/sbin"

case "$1" in
  start)
        mkdir -p /tmp/boot
        echo -n "mounting /boot:"
        mount /boot
        echo "[OK]"
        ;;
  stop)
        echo -n "unmounting /boot:"
        umount /boot
        echo "[OK]"
        ;;

  *)
        echo "Usage: /etc/init.d/ssh {start|stop}"
        exit 1
esac

exit 0
}}}
     * [Note 1] The "/boot" problem had been fixed by DRBL version 1.9.1-5
     * [Note 2] You can also modify "/opt/drbl/conf/client-append-fstab" for adding new mount point for each nodes. You can check the offical [[http://drbl.sourceforge.net/one4all/ document] for more detail.
{{{
If all the clients have their local harddisk, and the partition is formated (For example, /dev/hda1, its filesystem is ext3), then if you want the client to mount /dev/hda1 as /localwork when booting. Therefore you can edit /opt/drbl/conf/client-append-fstab, and its syntax is just like /etc/fstab. In this example, you can make /opt/drbl/conf/client-append-fstab like this:
/dev/hda1 /localwork ext3 defaults 0 0
(PS: You do not have to create the directory /tftpboot/node_root/localwork in DRBL server manually, later drblpush will do that for you)
}}}
   * Step 4: run '''/opt/drbl/sbin/dcs -> re-deploy''' or '''/opt/drbl/sbin/drblpush -c /etc/drbl/drblpush.conf''' to replace current '''/etc/exports'''.

== Create Xen DormU configure files ==

 * Use '''xen-create-image''' command to create new DormU image
{{{
root@drbl-xen-srv:~# ssh 192.168.0.2
root@pc002:~# xen-create-image -dir /home/xen --dist etch --debootstrap --fs reiserfs --accounts --kernel /boot/vmlinuz-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686 --initrd /boot/initrd.img-2.6.18-6-xen-vserver-686 --hostname etch1 --dhcp --mirror http://free.nchc.org.tw/debian
root@pc002:~# xm create etch1.cfg
root@pc002:~# xm list
}}}

== Reference ==

 * [http://syslinux.zytor.com/wiki/index.php/Xen Syslinux Wiki]
 * [http://os-drive.com/files/docbook/xen-pxeboot.html Xen PXE Boot Howto]
 * [http://www.tjd.phlegethon.org/software/ Bootloader support for Xen]
 * If you are using debian, beware of bug [http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=391152 #391152]
 * [http://www.possum.in-berlin.de/files/homeserver-20080707.pdf A Time Machine and File Server with RAID, Samba and Xen (PDF)]