26/4/2001VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Windows/Linux Coexistence : VMware Approach HEPix – LAL Apr Michel Jouvin

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Outline Linux on desktop demand Dual boot limitations Vmware concepts and requirements Possible configurations LAL configuration and experience

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Some users want Linux… Desktop similar to server platforms –A real issue mainly for laptops Anti-Microsoft feelings –Everything coming from MS is bad and unnecessarily expensive Need for very specific applications

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 But… (User) Need access to Windows applications (Office) –Native Linux tools not compatible enough to handle all the documents produced by MS tools StarOffice is too slow (one huge application)

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 But... (Management) LAL restrictions –No NFS export to Linux desktop Almost everything exported to LAN Manager –Linux NFS performances are poor –No manpower to support users –SMBFS is not an alternative Few people really interested by a pure Linux desktop

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Dual Boot Deficiencies User –You always need access to the other OS tools –You need a file that is on the other OS disk –User wants access to both OS at the same time Management –You never know what OS is running –Defeats the automatic management tools Unattended installation tends to format the disk Unable to propagate critical patches

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Vmware Concept Run on 1 machine several OS at the same time –No emulation involved –Each OS instance sees a “real” machine –You can run several instance of the same OS Vmware available for both Linux and Wxx –Application gives another view of hardware Power on/off + BIOS setup +... –Need to install and maintain the guest OS with standard procedure

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Vmware Requirements Memory : static sharing –256 Mo minimum (128 Mo / OS) Disk space –Enough space for both system disks Rest of the hardware is shared dynamically Graphic driver –Vmware provide a driver for the guest OS Else cursor bounded at guest OS window border

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Disk Configuration… Different disk partition for each OS –Static partitioning : reconfiguration difficult Specific tools like PartitionMagic required –MBR sharing : same OS boot by default in both machines

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 … Disk Configuration Virtual disks –One file on the main OS disk presented as a disk to the guest OS Will be partition with FDISK, fsck, … –Will grow according to real use until max size Hard limit = 2 Go –Can be shrinked is usage lowered –Performance penalty Not an issue for system disks –Advanced feature like modification rollback

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Network Configuration… Host-only –Guest OS has an address in a non routed subnet DHCP usable but DHCP must be on main OS –+ : Consume only one address / physical machine –+ : Communication possible between both OS when disconnected from the net –- : Guest OS has no access to the network

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 … Network Configuration Bridged –Guest OS has a separate address DHCP usable (ability to give a unique MAC to VM) –+ : Guest OS has access to the network –- : 2 addresses / physical machine –- : No communication between machines if disconnected from the network Ability to use bridge + host-only

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Guest OS = W2000 The most natural for the user but… High management cost (> 2 machines) –No tool (at LAL) for fully unattended Linux installation Kixtart (at LAL) will format the disk –W2000 : impossible to clone VM (SID pb) and/or unable to use automatic update tools Full OS installation needed

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Guest OS = Linux Same service as previous solution Low management cost –W2000 installed and managed by standard tools –Linux installation = copying a reference VM One virtual disk used for Linux system disk Network configured by DHCP W2000 PnP better Linux PnP support –Hardware is managed by the main OS

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 W2000/Linux File Sharing Use shared folders on W2000 side –Can restrict access to the username used for sharing On Linux, connect the folder with smbmount –Smbclient must be installed Security issues can be ignored on a VM –Connect through the host-only interface to be independent of the network –Use a local account on W2000 to be able to connect even without network connection

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Linux/W2000 File Sharing Use Vmware pre-configured samba to export Linux filesystems Use Network Neighborhood on W2000 to access Linux filesystems Use a local account + host-only interface to connect to the Linux machine

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Linux in VM Issues Usual cron jobs are not run (VM is off) –Need to take care of /tmp cleaning at startup Caution not to break some apps (gdm) Need to run Vmware-tools as root to get time synchronization –Is a GUI so impossible to start during boot –At LAL, it has setuid bit set –Needed on W2000 too but run as a service

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 LAL Configuration Main OS = W2000, Guest OS = Linux –Network : host-only or host-only + bridged –Linux Sys disk : 1 generic virtual disk (2 Go) Can be replaced to upgrade Linux version Main customization required : keyboard layout –/home and personal dirs : 1 other virtual disk (2 Go)

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 LAL Preliminary Conclusions Early deployment : 5 users Seem very satisfied Performance doesn’t seem an issue One VM running AFS (laptop) –AFS should not be started at boot time Takes a long time if disconnected from the net Is Vmware useful on non laptop ?

26/4/2001 VMware - HEPix - LAL 2001 Future Directions Network configuration –Use NAT on Windows to give VM a network access Only one address per machine Easier (more generic) pre-configuration of Linux VM