[9fans] Fossil/Venti

[9fans] Fossil/Venti

[lucio]

Should I worry that this is what is delivered by consecutive
invocations of df within fossilcons, some overnight, while catching up
with a long overdue snap (don't ask!)?

	main: df
		main: 2,873,221,120 used + 3,547,136 free = 2,876,768,256 (99% used)
	main: df
		main: 2,873,516,032 used + 3,252,224 free = 2,876,768,256 (99% used)
	main: archive vac:0c3c03732de31f7d5ac09c022f9f469aeb427ae4
	main: df
		main: 2,876,964,864 used + 35,184,371,892,224 free = 2,876,768,256 (100% used)
	main: df
		main: 2,876,964,864 used + 35,184,371,892,224 free = 2,876,768,256 (100% used)
	main:

It's possible that the user level fossil and venti utilities may be
out of date, less likely that the core based servers will be old, I'm
running a recent kernel (hmm, am I?).  Not entirely:

	shackle# ls -ld /
	d-r-xr-xr-x / 0 proxima proxima 0 Jul 15  2008 /

I need to fix this, 9fat bit me here.  Suggestions of any description?

++L

Re: [9fans] fossil/venti

[vdharani]

>> - plan 9 installation is getting complex. the easiest one i did was
>> the first free version (just a standalone system with kfs). as
>> features are added, it getting tougher.
>
> I agree, and that is the reason why I posted my example for someone who
> will have the same problem, too.
yeah, i found the note you have posted only after sending my request.

> Complicated, because we have three kinds of file servers, and the last
> one, which is expected to active now, is still in the progress.   If
> you just want to try Plan 9, you can choose kfs version, because it's
> easier.
No, no. I have been using kfs (and venti) for a long time. I wanted to try
fossil with venti now.

>> - i think kfs file system is needed anyway atleast till fossil kernel
>> is built and the config files are modified accordingly. it is not
>> possible or easy to setup fossil/venti without kfs. am i right?

> If you don't have working Plan 9 network, I think you need kfs system
> first, from which you can fill the things into venti archive disk.☺
ah, now i get it. i was wondering how you have all tried fossil and
started discussing about it. i didnt know you have to use kfs initially or
some working plan 9 machine before fossil is in place.

this is what i tried to do:
the boot floppy asked whether i want kfs or fossil. i chose fossil. I was
thinking, instead of kfs, I can use fossil (with venti). looks like
fossil/venti can be up and running only after necessary steps are taken.

>> (instead of
>> installation-process-assisted fossil installation).
>
> I don't know this.  Is there?
yes.

Re: [9fans] fossil/venti

[andrey mirtchovski]

Here is the most straightforward way to get a fossil+venti system on a
single machine (not necessarily single disk):

	- install from cd/net, leaving a reasonable amount of space for venti
	  (the exact sizes are discussed in the wiki)

	- boot the brand new fossil system and configure the venti partitions as
	  explained in 'Configuring Venti' on the wiki

	- write the venti configuration to an arena partition (venti/conf)

	- set venti= in plan9 .ini to point to the  partition containing the venti
	  configuration

	- reboot, connect to the fossil console and do a 'snap -a', then
	  configure other parameters such as snaptimes. it's a good idea to
	  store the fossil and venti configurations offsite, just in case

As with most other Plan 9 things, the learning curve is very steep at the
beginning but, as many have found out, once realized, the system presents very
few surprises.

Having worked with venti and a crashy fossil for a while I've come to
realize that much more attention needs to be paid to venti since fossil
servers could be discarded freely, as long as the data in venti is intact.

andrey

Re: [9fans] fossil/venti

[okamoto]

> - plan 9 installation is getting complex. the easiest one i did was the
> first free version (just a standalone system with kfs). as features are
> added, it getting tougher.

I agree, and that is the reason why I posted my example for someone
who will have the same problem, too.
Complicated, because we have three kinds of file servers, and the last
one, which is expected to active now, is still in the progress.   If you just
want to try Plan 9, you can choose kfs version, because it's easier.

> - i think kfs file system is needed anyway atleast till fossil kernel is
> built and the config files are modified accordingly. it is not possible or
> easy to setup fossil/venti without kfs. am i right?

If you don't have working Plan 9 network, I think you need kfs system
first, from which you can fill the things into venti archive disk.☺

> (instead of
> installation-process-assisted fossil installation). 

I don't know this.  Is there?

> I used to feel I am just a end-user to Plan 9. 

Looks like so.☺

Kenji

Re: [9fans] fossil/venti

[vdharani]

hi

>> fails with the message: "boot: /386/init: not connected with venti
>> server".
>
> I'm seeing this sometime here, too.
> You can getout, and then, re boot fossil agian, and it'll make
> no harm so far.

As I read and re-read the postings (including your posting
titled 'building small Plan 9 network at home') in 9fans list, I am able
to guess what is happening. Looks like fossil is not able to connect to
venti probably because venti is not running, network is not up (or not
configured), or fossil doesnt know the location of venti.

After a couple of tries, these are the things I found (please correct me
if I am wrong):

- plan 9 installation is getting complex. the easiest one i did was the
first free version (just a standalone system with kfs). as features are
added, it getting tougher.

- I tried to find out where installation script stores 'flproto' file but
I couldnt. I also couldnt find out where Venti's address is stored that
fossil can use.

- i think kfs file system is needed anyway atleast till fossil kernel is
built and the config files are modified accordingly. it is not possible or
easy to setup fossil/venti without kfs. am i right?

- looks like if the IP address or network changes, fossil may hesitate to
start. So having 'localhost' configuration for fossil/venti communication
may be useful.

- The Wiki document titled 'Setting Up Fossil' is useful but if I am
right, it was written for a fresh fossil installation (instead of
installation-process-assisted fossil installation). So I am not sure what
is done already and what needs to be done. In particular, I am struggling
to get read-write permission on any file (like disk/kfscmd allow).

I will be happy if someone can give your suggestions. Any help appreciated.

I used to feel I am just a end-user to Plan 9. This attempt made me even
more worried. :-(

regards
dharani

Re: [9fans] fossil/venti

[mirtchov]

> I will be happy if someone can give your suggestions. Any help appreciated.

remove 'venti=' from plan9.ini and see if it boots ok.

if the venti resides on the same disk as the fossil (or the same
system that is currently booting) then set the venti to point to a
disk directly, instead of using an IP address.  here's what my machine
uses:

	venti='#S/sdC0/arenas'

as for fossil+venti being more complex than kfs -- venti gives you
more than anything kfs ever did, so it is expected that its
configuration is more complex since it's so site-specific.  if,
instead, you had skipped the venti config and just did a standalone
fossil install you'ld find it just as easy as kfs...

andrey

ps: best thing to do once you get it working is to tear it down and
rebuild it again :)

Re: [9fans] fossil/venti

[okamoto]

> fails with the message: "boot: /386/init: not connected with venti server".

I'm seeing this sometime here, too.
You can getout, and then, re boot fossil agian, and it'll make
no harm so far.

Kenji

[9fans] fossil/venti

[vdharani]

Hi,

I am currently reinstalling my plan 9 machine with fossil/venti.

I did a fossil based installation and also setup Venti server. At one
point 'snap -a' also succeeded. When I rebooted the machine, boot process
fails with the message: "boot: /386/init: not connected with venti server".

I know I am clealy missing something but not sure what it is. Here are my
questions:

- can venti and fossil be in the same machine?
- where do I specify venti server details which fossil uses?
- does fossil clear the data blocks once it has saved to venti? is venti
needed while booting the system? if so, who starts it? how does it get
started while booting? do i need to specify in any config file?
- any kernel modification is needed?
- I didnt configure the network adapter yet. Is that a problem for booting?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks
dharani