Provided Services

Here you will find a collection of hopefully all the services that CLS offers to the campus community. Some of what's here is better documented in the Realm Linux web pages or in the Users' and Administrators' Guide for Realm Linux. This includes installation services, back end structures in AFS, documentation, etc.

Mirrors

Campus Linux Services as well as other folks around NCSU have many public mirrors of Linux distributions and other software and projects. These are on the Mirrors Page.

Hosted Yum Repositories

Campus Linux Services is offering to host Yum repositories for any group on campus. All you need to do is have your own AFS space or an AFS volume that can be used to store your data. That AFS space will be mounted under /afs/eos/project/realmlinux/yum and will then be accessable from CLS's redundant, load balanced web servers at

http://install.linux.ncsu.edu/pub/yum/REPO-NAME

You will be able to control access with normal Apache .htaccess files. Email linux@help.ncsu.edu to get started.

To configure your client to access these repositories you need to do one of the following. For stock RHEL 4 and Realm Linux 4 and below you need to add the configuration for a Yum repository to /etc/sysconfig/rhn/sources. For Fedora Core, RHEL 5, and Realm Linux 5 and higher you need to add the repositories to /etc/yum.repos.d/.

Web Kickstart

Web based kickstarts using simple configuration files from AFS are now supported. This system is designed to track Linux Realm Kit workstations, to make installing machines even easier, and to make installs of Realm Linux work like their Solaris Kit counter parts.. Using the web-kickstart system is now the recommended way to maintain labs and faculty/staff workstations and required for support.

The system works as follows. An NCSU systems administrator can put a configuration file (that's very similar to Solaris's Jump Start) into

/afs/bp/system/config/linux-kickstart/configs/DEPT

substituting DEPT for your department. Next, boot your client machine with the matching CD from the web-kickstart server. The client will then request its kickstart from the server which will dynamically assemble the proper kickstart based off the configuration file. The client will merrily install itself completely automated.

The web-kickstart project is improved and has features added on a fairly regular basis. The best way to keep up with its changes, find detailed documentation, download CD images, test your configuration files, etc. is to visit the web-kicksart web site at http://web-kickstart.linux.ncsu.edu.

Realm Hooks

Realm Hooks is the name of a special package in Realm Linux. This package is activated with RealmConfig during first boot, in the kickstart, or manually by enabling the Support Eligibility option. Realm Hooks then integrates the system with the back end structures in AFS and control many common system administration tasks. Enabling this is also required for support of Realm Linux.

Some of the things that Realm Hooks controls are users lists, passwords, AFS based cron jobs, AFS based boot time scripts, and centralized Yum control. More detailed information can be found in the Administrators' Guide for Realm Linux.

Trusted Clients

This feature is now completely implemented. We make a distinction between supported/trusted clients and untrusted clients. Trusted clients will have access to an encryption key that allows them to securly access potentially sensitive information from AFS. (Such as password hashes.) Untrusted clients, such as those not installed by an NCSU System Administrator do not have access to sensitive information such as campus passwords. Again, the Administrators' Guide has more detailed information.

Supported machines will automatically register with the system and will maintain a special file, /etc/update.conf. For a list of currently installed and fully registered and supported machines please look at this WRAP protected website. If you are not on the access list and would like to be added please email us at linux@help.ncsu.edu.

Documentation

The Documentation page has a collection of documentation written for Linux-ish things at NC State University. Some have more or less to do with CLS or Realm Linux. Ideally, this can be a repository of all NCSU Linux documentation.

Servers

Follows is a short description of the servers that make up the Linux infrastructure on campus. If you are looking for information about where to get Realm Linux or how to become a mirror please see the Mirrors Information page.

• ftp.linux.ncsu.edu - Public FTP mirror of Red Hat Linux, Fedora Core, Aurora Linux, Realm Linux, and other projects. Offers NFS access and RSYNC access.

• mirror.linux.ncsu.edu - A private mirror for the UNC System. Serves the same content as ftp.linux.ncsu.edu. This should be one of the fastest places on the net for UNC System folks to access our mirror. Also known as ks.pams.ncsu.edu.

• install.linux.ncsu.edu, - HTTP access for Realm Linux for on campus only. Serves as the main install and updates server. Also hosts departmental and college level Yum repositories. This is a pool of 3 fault tolerant systems. Also known as updates.linux.ncsu.edu.

• master.linux.ncsu.edu - Master Realm Linux repository. RSYNC access to NCSU only. The server that all machines updates their copies of Realm Linux from.

• rhn.linux.ncsu.edu - NCSU's Red Hat Network Proxy Server. This is a pool of 2 fault tolerant servers.

• www.linux.ncsu.edu - Main web server. Serves out all linux domains and web applications. This is a pool of 2 fault tolerant servers. Also known as web-kickstart.linux.ncsu.edu, lug.ncsu.edu, bugs.linux.ncsu.edu, and secure.linux.ncsu.edu.