SMP support with the scyld package

[Nathan C Summers]

On Thu, 29 Mar 2001, Carpenter, Dean wrote:

> Hummm.  List is being very quiet these days.  Has anyone had luck/experience
> with the stuff I posted earlier ?
>
> ---
>
> Given a raw Scyld install, can anyone show a cookbook sequence to converting
> the master node as well as the slave nodes to a custom kernel ?  Not just
> the SMP kernel from the rpm - we'll want to play with MOSIX, as well as the
> 2.2.19 kernel.
>
> 1. Install x and y packages to solve problem #2 above so we can actually
> build kernels.
> 2. Pull down virgin kernel sources and untar into /usr/src/linux
> 3. Integrate the bproc patches .....  (how - what else ?)

Get the bproc patches from the source RPM.

> 4. Integrate MOSIX (and any other cool) patches

The MOSIX and bproc patches conflict like crazy.  After spending days
trying to get them to play nice together, I realized that I had better
things to do with my time.

It seems that MOSIX and bproc want to do almost the exact same thing in
slightly different ways in the same parts of the code.  A unified
interface should be possible (I'd use the bproc approach when resolving
the conflicts, since it seems to be cleaner.)  Unfortunately, suggesting
this union would revive the Eternal Flamewar of Process Migration, since
both camps think that the slight differences in thier code form the One
True Way to Migrate Processes.  Sigh, I hate politics...

> 5. Build the kernel and modules (any special considerations ?)

Pretty much any kernel should work on the master image (with the bproc
stuff, of course.)  I'd recommend the same image on the slaves that you
use on the master, so your selection should be based on the hardware
requirements.  It's pretty easy if your cluster is completely homogeneous,
more complicated if not.

> 6. Build the custom phase 2 boot image
> 7. Rock and roll :)

Rockwalrus