RSD 1

1
Remote Software Deployment

• Nick West

2
Overview

• RSD is a framework for remote software
  installation.
• For Library Developers
• It standardises the writing of 2 scripts-
• To assemble a tar (usually source) of the library
  on the local machine.
• To install/validate the library given its tar
  file on a remote machine.
• For End Users-
• It allows complete applications (software stacks)
  to be installed on un-primed remote machines with
  a single command.

3
Some Definitions

• A Library
• The basic building block.
• Libraries are specified with the syntax
• nameversion e.g. mysql5.0.22
• An RSD library may consist of multiple linux
  libraries. For example root is considered to be
  a single RSD library.
• An Application
• Is a library stack i.e. a sequence of specified
  libraries built in order. For example the
  application minossoftS07-09-20-R1-26-build_1
  contains-
• dcapv2_39_sl3.0.3_Linux2.4libsigc1.2.5
• mysql5.0.22
• rootv5-16-00
• minossoftS07-09-20-R1-26

4
How RSD Works

• Assemble The Library Developer
• Creates scripts to assemble and install
  libraries. RSD uploads them onto the web.
• Launch/Install The End User
• Defines applications built from the libraries and
  launches a job to a remote machine.
• On the remote machine a bootstrap script first
  downloads RSD, then the required libraries and
  installs the application and returns build
  results.

5
RSD The Developer Perspective

• RSD doesnt solve the problem of library
  installation
• but it provides a framework for script writing so
  it only has to be done once!
• For tar file assembly script
• It provides a workspace.
• It uploads the tar file.
• For the library installation script
• It provides access to all supporting libraries
  i.e. those below the library on the software
  stack.
• It provides simple tools to log the operation of
  the script.
• It provides a standard place for scripts to be
  used be end user to setup the library.

6
RSD The End User Perspective

• Simple installation operation
• For example the command- rsd launch
  lcglcgce01.gridpp.rl.ac.uk2119/jobmanager-lcgpbs
  -minosL \
• minossoftS07-09-20-R1-26-build_1-SL4submi
  ts an LCG GRID job using Ganga to build the
  specified application on the RAL T1 CE using
  queue lcgpbs-minosL
• Simple removal operation
• Using the remove command e.g.rds launch
  lcglcgce01.gridpp.rl.ac.uk2119/jobmanager-lcgpbs
  -minosL \
• --remove minossoftS07-09-20-R1-26-build_1-S
  L4
• Transparent library sharing
• Libraries are built in the context of the
  supporting libraries.
• Before installing a new library RSD checks to see
  if one with the right version and context already
  exists and reuses it if found.
• Libraries are automatically removed once all
  applications that share them have been removed.

7
RSD The End User Perspective

• Basic platform support
• RSD identifies the platform (currently just
  SL3/4) and makes that part of the library context
  and application build name.
• So the same file system can be shared between
  different platforms without the risk that RSD
  will mix libraries across platforms.
• Validated installation
• Using the validation step of each library
  install script.
• Simple build optimisation
• Before running a full install of a library that
  has been built before RSD first attempts to
  validate.
• So if installation fails late in the software
  stack the next RSD install job will simply
  validate supporting libraries and will skip their
  re-installation.
• Limited remote job submission
• Currently either
• To the local machine.
• Via Ganga to either PBS or LCG grid.
• Software tag publishing
• When installing/removing on an LCG GRID machine
  RSD will use the tool lcg-ManageVOTag to either
  publish or withdraw software tags. (Software tags
  allow users to target production jobs to batch
  farms with the required software).