Installation and configuration

Automatic installation

The simplest way to install MOSIX is to run "./mosix.install". This script can be used to install the MOSIX binaries either on the local node, or in a common root-directory that is shared by several nodes of a cluster.

Manual installation

Before beginning the installation, you should place each of the following files in the corresponding "Where" directory with the listed "chmod":

File                        Where                             chmod
-------------------------------------------------------------------
bestnode                    /bin                               u+s
defaults/features           /etc/mosix/features
defaults/tunes              /etc/mosix/tunes
migrate                     /bin
mon                         /bin
mosconf*                    /sbin
mos_checkconf               /sbin
mosctl                      /bin
mosd                        /sbin
mosenv                      /bin
mosixd                      /sbin
moskillall                  /bin
mosps                       /bin                               u+s
mosq                        /bin                               u+s
mosqueue                    /bin
mosrun                      /bin                               u+s
native                      /bin
other/patch-KERNEL_VERSION  Kernel patch for Linux-KERNEL_VERSION ("patch -p1")
prep_tune                   /sbin
qmd                         /sbin
remoted                     /sbin    
remoted32                   /sbin    (64-bits systems only)
setcl                       /sbin
setpe                       /sbin
tune                        /bin
tune_mosix                  /bin
man/*                       wherever manuals live - suggest /usr/local/man

1. If you cannot modify /bin or /sbin:

As a second (or third) choice, you may place the MOSIX binaries: instead of in /bin - in /usr/bin or in /usr/local/bin and instead of in /sbin - in /usr/sbin or in /usr/local/sbin

However, in that case you must make sure that none of the above binaries already exists in /bin (or /sbin) from previous installations.

2. The kernel:

To prepare the kernel manually:

1. Obtain a copy of the original Linux-KERNEL_VERSION sources from
   http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/linux-KERNEL_VERSION.tar.bz2
2. Unpack the sources:
       tar xjf linux-KERNEL_VERSION.tar.bz2
3. Enter the kernel-source directory:
       cd linux-KERNEL_VERSION
4. Apply the MOSIX kernel patch:
       patch -p1 < ../other/patch-KERNEL_VERSION
5. Configure the kernel:
       make menuconfig  
  
  NOTE: if you modify the kernel configuration, do not touch the following:
  a. DO NOT CONFIGURE the "CONFIG_SECURITY" option:
       'Security Options' / 'enable different security models'
  b. DO NOT CONFIGURE the "CONFIG_HEADERS_CHECK" option:
       'Kernel hacking' / 'Run 'make headers_check' when building vmlinux'
 
6. Compile the kernel:
       make bzImage
       make modules    (if you are using kernel modules)
7. Install the kernel:
       make modules_install
       make install

3. Another recommended program:

"lzop" is a fast compression program used by MOSIX to reduce the communication overhead. "lzop" is freely available by courtesy of its author, Markus Franz Xaver Johannes Oberhumer.

If you have a Grid with computers in different buildings/sites, or if your network is slow, this program can improve MOSIX performance.

To install this program, run: "cp other/lzop /usr/bin/lzop" or download it from "http://www.lzop.org" into "/usr/bin/lzop".

Configuration

"mosix.install" can optionally provide you with a minimal/express single-cluster configuration. It is often sufficient to get MOSIX started (refinements can be made later).

For further configuration, simply run "mosconf": it will lead you step-by-step through the various configuration items.

If you wish to edit the confuiguration files manually, the format of all configuration files is given in the "CONFIGURATION" section of "man mosix". Not all those files must be present, but you must configure at least the following:

/etc/mosix/mosix.map    (which nodes are in the local cluster)
/etc/mosix/secret       (grid-wide authentication - chmod 600!)

If you intend to view your cluster's state, you must also configure:

/etc/mosix/userview.map         (Recommended - using node numbers, not just IPs)

If you intend to have a grid, you must also configure:

/etc/mosix/partners/*   (grid partners)

If you intend to use the batch feature, you must also configure:

/etc/mosix/ecsecret     (authentication for client batch jobs - chmod 600!)
/etc/mosix/essecret     (authentication for server batch jobs - chmod 600!)

The following configuration files are optional, but commonly used:

/etc/mosix/freeze.conf          (freezing policy)
/etc/mosix/queue.conf           (queueing policy)
/etc/mosix/private.conf         (allocating space for private temporary files)
/etc/mosix/retainpri            (delay processes of lower priority)

The following configuration files are rarely used:

/etc/mosix/maxguests            (limit number of guests from grid)
/etc/mosix/tunes/{more_stuff}   (library of topology measurements)
/etc/mosix/mostune              (your topology)
/etc/mosix/speed                (to force a non-standard processor speed)
/etc/mosix/mosip                (our IP - if not clear from "ifconfig")
/etc/mosix/myfeatures           (this node's topological features)

Starting MOSIX

To start MOSIX, run "mosd" (this is what "/etc/init.d/mosix start" does).