Re: [gentoo-user] An alternative to http-replicator

["Walter Dnes" <waltdnes@waltdnes.org>]

On Sat, Jun 10, 2006 at 01:09:05AM -0500, Jeremy Olexa wrote

> Much simplier:
> http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Using_a_shared_portage_via_NFS

  My approach requires 2 emerges (boa and rsyncd) and their config files
on the server plus inserting the server as the preferred mirror in 2
lines in /etc/make.conf on the client(s).

  NFS requires building NFS server support on the server (reboot
required) and NFS client support on the client(s) plus setting up lines
in the associated config files.  It also requires enabling and running
portmapper on port 111 (the linux version of Windows' port 139) on the
server and punching a few holes in iptables.  For details see...
http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_Share_Directories_via_NFS

  In terms of programs to configure and run, it's a wash.  But I'll
pick http security (especially boa) over portmap/nfs security any day.

  rsync and nfs both work for "emerge --sync" because we know that those
files are supposed to be *ABSOLUTELY* identical for all machines at any
given time.  Unless your server has *EVERY PACKAGE THAT EVERY CLIENT
NEEDS*, you run into a problem when emerging packages.  If a required
tarball isn't present, emerge downloads the missing file (tarball, etc)
to the distfiles directory.  But, but, but...  the clients' distfiles
directories are nfs mounts on the server.  That implies that *THE
CLIENTS WILL NEED WRITE PERMISSION ON THE SERVER*!!!!

  My approach is to make *LOCAL* copies on the client from mirrors.  The
local server just happens to be the first mirror on the list.  If it
doesn't have a required file, no problem, check the next mirror in the
list.  The clients never have to write on the local server.

-- 
Walter Dnes <waltdnes@waltdnes.org> In linux /sbin/init is Job #1
My musings on technology and security at http://tech_sec.blog.ca
-- 
gentoo-user@gentoo.org mailing list