Date: Sun, 01 Feb 1998 23:32:18 +0200 From: Ruslan Shevchenko <Ruslan@Shevchenko.kiev.ua> To: Adam Turoff <AdamT@smginc.com> Cc: "'hackers@freebsd.org'" <hackers@FreeBSD.ORG>, "'config@freebsd.org'" <config@FreeBSD.ORG>, "'mike@smith.net.au'" <mike@smith.net.au> Subject: Re: Multi-faced admin Message-ID: <34D4E9DE.3F127D46@Shevchenko.kiev.ua> References: <34D6422A@smginc.com>
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--------------0D9DB95FA17AC9268C1299B7 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=x-user-defined Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Adam Turoff wrote: > Looking at Mikael Karpberg page on his architecture for admin'ing a ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- URL ? > FreeBSD > box, I came across a link to Caldera's COAS project: http://www.coas.org > > I'm rather sorry to say that I haven't looked deeply into some of the > broad > scope ideas that people have been posting to -hackers recently. (I feel > rather guilty that I haven't committed my big picture to bits and bytes > yet > either.) We all know what it means to be spread thin, I guess. :-) > > Anyway, skimming over COAS, (Caldera Open Adminstration System), > it looks like either it's something worth porting, or it's something > worth > improving upon. All of the standard knobs are there, like curses/X/Java > interfaces, etc. (Sorry, I can't post a summary right now. The code is > at v0.09, appears to use lots of python and is GPL'd.) And it is very unclean, on first look. > --- > > Reading the post about UMich's LDAP engine, it sounds rather radical. > So, as of the moment, here's a concise view of what I'm seeing/hearing > for a FreeBSD framework: > > - httpd type server (easy to plug any client into/write new clients) (why httpd server ? first-step is cgi. > - standardized CGI interface subset for admin modules > - LDAP for config managment by admin modules > > Five layers (three for glue) to have any random client reconfigure > any part of the system. The top glue is pretty dumb; it just > standardizes the interface. The middle glue layer is where all > the work is done. The bottom glue layer appears rather dumb, > but it should hide the complexity of a bazillion different config file > formats > (if I'm reading what Mike is saying about LDAP correctly). > > Sound good? I'll start a prototype in my copious free time before > the end of the month. :-) > I now work on configuration system for FreeBSD, which have next layers: C++ API --------- Tcl binding ----------------- Tk Interface ------------------ CGI Interface (future) --------- CORBA (future) At now I implemented all READ-CONFIG methods in C++, and write a part of GUI stuff, which looks better, than Linux UserCfg in python. look at http://cam.grad.kiev.ua/~rssh/admin/admin.html for details About General interface with Set-Get/Add-Remove metods under abstract stuff: sounds very good, but, imho, we must have glue API interface on some "real" language (tcl or CORBA ), but not declarative "sheme". > -- Adam. > > PS: Mike, where can I find some docs, etc. on the UMich LDAP server? Altavista on Query +LDAP +UNIX work fine ;) -- @= //RSSH mailto://Ruslan@Shevchenko.Kiev.UA --------------0D9DB95FA17AC9268C1299B7 Content-Type: text/html; charset=x-user-defined Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit <HTML> Adam Turoff wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>Looking at Mikael Karpberg page on his architecture for admin'ing a</BLOCKQUOTE> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- URL ? <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> <P>FreeBSD <BR>box, I came across a link to Caldera's COAS project: <A HREF="http://www.coas.org">http://www.coas.org</A>; <P>I'm rather sorry to say that I haven't looked deeply into some of the <BR>broad <BR>scope ideas that people have been posting to -hackers recently. (I feel <BR>rather guilty that I haven't committed my big picture to bits and bytes <BR>yet <BR>either.) We all know what it means to be spread thin, I guess. :-) <P>Anyway, skimming over COAS, (Caldera Open Adminstration System), <BR>it looks like either it's something worth porting, or it's something <BR>worth <BR>improving upon. All of the standard knobs are there, like curses/X/Java <BR>interfaces, etc. (Sorry, I can't post a summary right now. The code is <BR>at v0.09, appears to use lots of python and is GPL'd.)</BLOCKQUOTE> And it is very unclean, on first look. <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> <P> --- <P>Reading the post about UMich's LDAP engine, it sounds rather radical. <BR>So, as of the moment, here's a concise view of what I'm seeing/hearing <BR>for a FreeBSD framework: <P> - httpd type server (easy to plug any client into/write new clients)</BLOCKQUOTE> (why httpd server ? first-step is cgi. <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> - standardized CGI interface subset for admin modules <BR> - LDAP for config managment by admin modules <P>Five layers (three for glue) to have any random client reconfigure <BR>any part of the system. The top glue is pretty dumb; it just <BR>standardizes the interface. The middle glue layer is where all <BR>the work is done. The bottom glue layer appears rather dumb, <BR>but it should hide the complexity of a bazillion different config file <BR>formats <BR>(if I'm reading what Mike is saying about LDAP correctly). <P>Sound good? I'll start a prototype in my copious free time before <BR>the end of the month. :-) <BR> </BLOCKQUOTE> I now work on configuration system for FreeBSD, which have next layers: <P> C++ API <BR> --------- Tcl binding <BR> ----------------- Tk Interface <BR> ------------------ CGI Interface (future) <BR> --------- CORBA (future) <P>At now I implemented all READ-CONFIG methods in C++, <BR> and write a part of GUI stuff, which looks better, than Linux UserCfg in python. <P>look at <A HREF="http://cam.grad.kiev.ua/~rssh/admin/admin.html">http://cam.grad.kiev.ua/~rssh/admin/admin.html</A>; for details <P>About General interface with Set-Get/Add-Remove metods under abstract stuff: <BR> sounds very good, but, imho, we must have glue API interface on some <BR>"real" language (tcl or CORBA ), but not declarative "sheme". <BR> <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE> <P> -- Adam. <P>PS: Mike, where can I find some docs, etc. on the UMich LDAP server?</BLOCKQUOTE> Altavista on Query +LDAP +UNIX work fine ;) <PRE>-- @= //RSSH <A HREF="mailto://Ruslan@Shevchenko.Kiev.UA">mailto://Ruslan@Shevchenko.Kiev.UA</A></PRE> </HTML> --------------0D9DB95FA17AC9268C1299B7--
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