'util-vserver' with packagemanagement, an appropriate initscript
should be installed
-* the name of old-style vservers is not shown; the needed functionality
- is not implemented
+* the name of old-style vservers is shown on 2.4 kernels only; the
+ needed functionality is not implemented for 2.6 kernels.
for path-detection only and paths from RH systems will be assumed by
default, this should not be a big problem.
-* guest systems can be created with the 'apt-rpm' build-method. This
- requires the 'apt' package e.g. from http://fedora.us. Before first
- invocation, a near mirror should be activated in
+* guest systems can be created with the 'apt-rpm' or 'yum' build-methods.
+ The first one requires the 'apt' package e.g. from http://fedora.us and
+ the configuration of a near mirror in
| /etc/vservers/.distributions/<id>/apt/sources.list
(To avoid slashdotting by the masses of util-vserver-users, there
- does not exist a standard mirror)
+ does not exist a standard mirror).
+
+ The 'yum' method uses the repository configuration shipped by the
+ fedora-release package.
* RH/FC uses the 'sysv' initstyle which is assumed by default
* when having RH/FC guestsystems, it is *strongly* recommended to use
a dietlibc linked version of 'rpm-fake-resolver'. Else, package
- installation with 'vrpm' or 'vapt-get' can fail since users can not
- be resolved.
+ installation with 'vrpm', 'vapt-get' or 'vyum' can fail since users
+ can not be resolved.
| echo 'http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/d/debootstrap/debootstrap_<version>_i386.deb' \
| >/etc/vservers/.defaults/apps/debootstrap/uri
- You can download a local copy of this tarball also, and put it with
+ You can download a local copy of this tarball also, and register it
+ with
| echo '/<path-to-the-tarball>' \
| >/etc/vservers/.defaults/apps/debootstrap/uri
- into this file.
-
* it is known, that warning messages will be created at startup and
shutdown of guest servers. This is non fatal and can be ignored
+Notes for distributors:
+=======================
+
+To generate FHS compliant paths, call configure with
+
+| ./configure --prefix=/usr --mandir=/usr/share/man \
+| --sysconfdir=/etc --localstatedir=/var \
+| --with-vrootdir=<an FHS compliant path for /vservers>
+
+Except the '--with-vrootdir' option, rpm's '%configure' option will
+expand to this.
+
+
+There exists a 'make install-distribution' target which installs
+files outside of the configured 'prefix'. In particular, these files are:
+
+* the /sbin/vshelper symlink
+* the /vservers and related directories (or whatever you configured
+ with '--with-vrootdir')
+
+Without this rule, 'make distcheck' would fail.
+
+
+It might be needed also, to call 'setattr --barrier /vservers' in an
+after-installation script.
+
+
+
+Which version shall I use?
+==========================
+
+As you probably know, two branches of 'util-vserver' are existing: the
+'stable' one, and the 'alpha' one. This terms are to be understood as
+a level of the featureset stability but not of the software stability.
+
+E.g. 'stable' is not really stable: it has huge security problems and
+missing functionality. But you can expect that the current configuration
+will work in future versions also. This version is untested on author's
+side and it will be hard to bring patches/fixes in, since it must be
+proofed that they will not break anything.
+
+In the opposite, the 'alpha' branch does not have known security issues
+and works well (at least on author's system ;)). But it may happen
+that some behavior or configuration options change.
+
+With 'alpha' you should be still able to use vservers created with the
+'stable' branch, but you may encounter some oddities -- especially on
+kernel 2.6 systems (e.g. 'vserver-stat' will not show the names of old
+vservers).
+
+
+So let me summarize:
+
+* when you have productive vservers running for some years already, stay
+ at the 'stable' branch. A change to 'alpha' will need a completely
+ rewritten configuration which must be perhaps changed again.
+
+* when you are new at vservers, use the 'alpha' branch. You will have
+ to learn the principles of vserver configuration for both branches
+ but 'alpha' makes some things easier.
+
+* when you have existing vservers and want all the new kernel 2.6
+ functionality, use the 'alpha' branch.
+
+
+A last note: the 'alpha' branch works both with the stable 2.4 and the
+development 2.6 kernel patch.
+
+
+
## $Id$