VZGOT


Description:

	vzgot is a package to manage linux container.
	It is compatible with a vanilla linux kernel (currently 2.6.31.6-162.fc12),
	without needing any further kernel adjustment (project mandatory).

	Most of the installation is done using shell script, allowing the
	host admin to make local adjustment.

	I was able to have containers (rh7.3, rh8, rh9, fc2 -> fc12,Centos 4.6 ->5.3,
	ubuntu-8.04,ubuntu-9.04 ) for a total of 35, up and running on a vanilla FC12 
	distribution.
	Some old distribution need small adjustment and RPM are included within
	the vzgot RPM (src.rpm included).

	Template used by vzgot are the exact same one as used by openvz (this was
	project mandatory).


Commands:

	Basic commands:

	vzgot boot|shutdown container_name
		To boot or shutdown the name container.
		To debug your first container:
			vzgot -d9 -f -v boot cont_name /bin/bash
	

	vzgot create container_name template_tar_filename distribution_name architecture
		Takes template_tar_filename and stores it in the vzgot main directory
		(/var/lib/vzgot/vzdir).

	vzgot firstboot container_name distribution_name domain_name node_name ip_list
		Configure the template to set the host name (node.domain.name),
		prepare device definition (/dev/tty, etc..), configure network, etc...
		Some specific site configuration allow you to prepare user, group, ssh key,
		resolv.conf to be exactly the same on all generated container.
		/var/lib/vzgot/etc is where common data are stored.

	vzgot destroy container_name
		To get rid of the container directory once and for all (need to
		be shutdown first).



	Complex commands:

	vzgot.mksrvz nodename.your_domain.name [distribution] [architecture]
		It is used to prepare a container (create, firstboot, boot) using
		the nodename.your_domain.name resolution to extract IP.
		You may need to change the TPL environment variable (within
		the script) to fit your own template name.
		(ours is TPL=linux-$DISTRIB-$CPUARCH-vzserver.tar.gz).

	vzgot.redoall filename_list_to_redo	
		This script check for a file /etc/vzgot/'filename_list_to_redo'
		and use it to regenerate all set container.
		There is a file /etc/vzgot/vzredoall as an example, it is
		the list of all the templates we are able to succesfully run now.
		(33 altogether).


	Production command:

	service vzgot start|stop
		Classical redhat service start|stop .
		This script will start all containers with a file named
		/var/lib/vzgot/vzdir/cont_name/status
		whose content is "BOOT=ON"
		This script will stop all container with a file named
		/var/lib/vzgot/vzdir/cont_name/first.pid
		
		
Package structure:
	
	/etc/vzgot: directory with the configuration file needed
	by the main host to create or manage a container.

	/var/lib/vzgot: application core directory

	/var/lib/vzgot/vzdir:	all container storage area,
	the directory name is the container name.

	/var/lib/vzgot/vzdir/cont_name:
	- rootfs is the container root directory
	- console is a file receiving ALL data transmitted
	  to container /dev/console (/sbin/init boot process)
	- first.pid is the file with the /sbin/init
	- status, used to boot container, content is
	  BOOT=ON or BOOT=OFF
	
	/var/lib/vzgot/RPM:
	tree with RPM to be added for some distribution
	to properly work(RH7.3 etc...), you can add your
	own if you wish.
	
	/var/lib/vzgot/home:
	template directory of common users to be added to 
	the container during creation.
	
	/var/lib/vzgot/etc:
	- groups, users list of group and users you want to
	  be added at template creation.
	- shadow, crypted password you want to set on 
	  container.
	- resolv.conf to be set in the container.
	- sudoers to be added to container /etc/sudoers.

	/var/lib/vzgot/cgroup.d:
	- cgroup definition, which are duplicated to
	  container home directory cgroup.d, such
	  each container can have its own set of cgroup
	  priviledges.
	
Notes:
	We are using our own template (the one used with the openvz package),
	they are fine tuned to do what we want (be able to use container
	to compile package, check bug on distribution configuration). 
	to make sure you own template can be used we have made a successful 
	test using standard openvz template centos-5-x86_64-devel.tar.gz 
	as vzgot feed. 

	Please feel free to tweak it. 
	You are welcome to give me feedback about it.

	jmp AT safe DOT ca