[daip] AIPS Site Setup

[Eric Greisen]

Terry Hancock writes:

 > "software application" model that I'm accustomed to on

        Given that we started on this in 1979 it is not entirely
surprising.

 > 1) The AIPS install wants a list of all hostnames that
 >    will be used with it. Furthermore, the hostnames in
 >    HOSTS.LIST (a previous installation) are in all-caps,
 >    so they're not really Unix hostnames (though I'm
 >    guessing they are simply mapped to them).
 >    
 >    Is it possible to create a single "LOCALHOST" entry
 >    and allow any computer on the net (Since localhost
 >    = 127.0.0.1 always resolves to the current computer
 >    under Unix)?

      There are a variety of uses for the host name - one can run aips
on one machine while sitting at another, one can share data between
hosts, etc.  Also one HOSTS.LIST can support multiple architectures
and even multiple "sites" (we have NRAOAOC for solaris/SGI and COAOARN
for Linux - sites do not share data which is necessary due to byte
ordering).  The HOST name is used to select which data areas from
DADEVS.LIST (or DADEVS.LIST.$SITE) are grabbed automatically.

 >    
 > 2) AIPS wants to maintain user data directories under
 >    the AIPS $AIPS_ROOT directory.  On this network, 
 >    that area is intended to be mounted read-only, so
 >    that won't work. Can I use an environment variable
 >    based path for users?  I.e. $HOME/.aips/ instead of
 >    an absolute path.

Actually all our data areas (not $DA00 but the real data) are in a
tree that is mounted erevrywhere called 
  /DATA/HOSTNAME_n
where HOSTNAME is any of the 100 or so hosts we have.  There is a
system file somewhere - Pat or someone will have to use the right
words here - which links the /DATA/HOSTNAME_n to a real directory area
such as here /home/hostn/AIPS/HOST_n for the data.

Now the DA00 area is actually $AIPS_ROOT/DA00/HOST/ which we make
a link file to /home/host/AIPS/HOST

 >    
 > I would like this set up so that any user on any host
 > that can mount the partition AIPS is loaded on can
 > use the system without a centralized installation.

 > 
 > The standard Unix approach is to keep program and
 > user areas clearly separated -- by making all user
 > specific directories relative to the user's home
 > directory, for example.  Program areas are generally
 > read-only for security reasons.
 > 
 > Given that AIPS is deployed mostly on Unix networks
 > nowadays, I would think that you've probably dealt with
 > these kinds of issues in the past. I'd be interested
 > to know what sort of solutions have been found for them.
 > 

Rewriting the system is not in the cards - we are down to too little
manpower.  You should be able to set up something like I have
described.  A LOT of other sites including yours have.

Pat - you might be able to make some suggestions here???

Eric Greisen