Re: [9fans] Plan9 topology

[Duke Normandin <dukeofperl@ml1.net>]

On Thu, 13 Jan 2011, Brian L. Stuart wrote:

> > I could run a headless box as a Plan9 auth/cpu, fs server.  Then,
> > if I want to this Plan9 server, is there a minimum Plan9 install
> > that I could put on the spare partition that I have?
>
> With this setup available, there are several ways you can go.  As a
> lot of people have suggested, you can install a cpu/auth/fs server
> on the headless machine and use drawterm to be a terminal talking to

Got it!

> him.  An even more Plan9-like way of doing it is to net-boot a Plan9
> terminal from your cpu/auth/fs machine.  If you want to boot your
> main box that way, you can without installing anything on it.  From
> within Linux, you can do the same thing in virtualbox.  In fact, I
> have a virtualbox terminal running right now on my machine.  It's
> net booted, taking its Plan9 kernel from a Plan9 machine that
> provides DHCP service and it mounts its root from a Ken FS machine.
> At home, I use 9vx taking its root from a Plan9 fossil/venti file
> server.

So the NIC in your Linux box must have to be PXE capable? Truth be
told, I've never set up a net-booting system. The Plan ( server would
have to have enough disk space to store its own stuff, plus the
workstation's file system? Could get dicey, if you've got a few
workstations net-booting, could it not?

> > for a long time: a 486DX running FreeBSD as a mailserver; another
> > running as a webserver; another couple running primary and slave
> > nameservers; and one dual-homed FreeBSD box routing and doing
> > firewall/natd.
>
> The only problem you'd run into there is that Plan9 doesn't
> currently have a NAT implementation.

I should be able to hang the Plan 9 server off my router without any
problems, should I not? The router NATs ..

> > The above sounds like a job for Plan9 :) But my point is - is that
> > I don't need to set up a LAN to enjoy Linux or FreeBSD. Can I use
> > Plan9 standalone in a dedicated partition?
>
> Yes, the default install from the CD sets up a stand-alone machine.
> And for most of us, that's the starting point from which we
> configure any specialized machines such as cpu, auth, or file
> servers.  And you can get a pretty good feel for what Plan9 is about
> with a stand-alone machine.  However, some parts of the system make
> a lot more sense when you experience them in a networked
> environment.  Auth is a good example of this.

I see your point - because Plan 9 was after all, built as a
distributed system. I'll give it a shot on that P-I mentioned in
another post.

> But whichever path(s) you take, I hope you'll find Plan9 is a great
> system, just as we do.

I'm in trouble already ...
--
Duke