diff options
| author | abial <abial@FreeBSD.org> | 1998-11-01 19:52:47 +0000 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | abial <abial@FreeBSD.org> | 1998-11-01 19:52:47 +0000 |
| commit | bb3718de30dbba6f6b411db9ce57fc58bd4d18f5 (patch) | |
| tree | 63502c35365f2336bf09c1340f7a4595e3fe203c /release | |
| parent | 460fe9f0f86ccede29ce0a976f1d1e28ede9ddec (diff) | |
| download | FreeBSD-src-bb3718de30dbba6f6b411db9ce57fc58bd4d18f5.zip FreeBSD-src-bb3718de30dbba6f6b411db9ce57fc58bd4d18f5.tar.gz | |
Added info on Unified Configuration Interface Project. Several people
contributed their ideas to this document, among them Terry Lambert and
Bryan Mann, both @whistle.com. Thanks!
Diffstat (limited to 'release')
| -rw-r--r-- | release/picobsd/doc/src/UCI.html | 855 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | release/picobsd/doc/src/intro.html | 4 |
2 files changed, 857 insertions, 2 deletions
diff --git a/release/picobsd/doc/src/UCI.html b/release/picobsd/doc/src/UCI.html new file mode 100644 index 0000000..03fb729 --- /dev/null +++ b/release/picobsd/doc/src/UCI.html @@ -0,0 +1,855 @@ +<html> +<! $Id$ > +<body> +<h1><center> Unified Configuration Interface Project +</center></h1> + +<p> Here's a preliminary attempt to organize all (well, most) +configuration tasks and parameters of PicoBSD system in hierarchy +of categories. </p> + +<p> This forms a sort of framework, basing on which one can implement +consistent configuration file(s), and configuration utilities. </p> + +<p> However, the idea behind this project is to completely replace currently +used configuration approach, which is based on several shell scripts, and to +provide ability to change system behaviour basing on set of well-defined +parameters' hierarchy. This approach makes it relatively easy to write +consistent user interfaces, either command-line or with GUI front-ends.</p> + +<p>(BTW. this effort is called UCIP for short, which is pronounced +"You See IP" and relates to intuitive way you can configure your IP +services with this approach.. :-))</p> + +<p><i><b>This is work in progress</b> - I'm aware that many pieces +are either completely missing or misplaced. Please send any comments and +changes you seem appropriate either directly to me, or better to +freebsd-small@freebsd.org. I'll gladly welcome anyone who can help with +design and/or implementation.</i></p> + + +<hr> + +<h1><center> Unified Configuration Interface +</center></h1> + +<ul> +<li> +<p>Let's first introduce distinction between the following terms: +<ul> +<li> +<b>management base</b> - the actual structure holding configuration and +information data according to defined structure. This structure will most +probably have a form of tree (possibly with cross-branch links or some other +mechanism representing mutual dependencies) - the way it's stored is also +something which needs to be discussed. +</li> +<li> +<b>user interface</b> - a method (and agent) for presenting data stored in +management base in such a way that it can be viewed and modified by +legitimate users. +</li> +<li> +<b>configuration agent</b> - an entity performing actual configuration +tasks, from one side dealing with management base, and from the other +dealing with the system resources, and from yet another dealing either +directly with the user (thus acting as a user interface), +or passing requests to other entity which acts as user interface. +</li> +</ul> +</li> +<li> +<p>One possible approach to storing the management data is to use already +existing framework known as MIB, as defined in applicable RFCs.</p> + +<p>This approach has several advantages: it represents well thought-out work +of many experienced individuals and teams, it has already proven to be +useful, it's widely used and accepted, it's easily extensible, it's able to +represent quite complicated objects, etc.</p> + +<p>It has some drawbacks, as well: e.g. there is no standard mechanism for +representing events and indirectly related objects, it tends to create +deep and narrow trees which require to descent several levels to change some +commonly used parameters, it doesn't say anything about the mutual +dependencies between objects and parameters (except parent-child-sibling), +and about required sequence to properly set their parameters, etc.</p> + +<p>These issues are not directly addressed in standards, and real +implementations (known to me) have to implement these additional mechanisms +"behind the scenes", so that their workings are not obvious nor easily +accessible (let alone changeable).</p> + +<p>So, if we decide to use it, we need to address these issues somehow. +The next point presents one possible approach to this dilemma.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>The term "object" used in the following discussion represents a functional +subsystem, such as system service, usually performed by some specific +process (or, a set of global system parameters, in which case the configuration +agent is the service itself). </p> + +<p>Each object stored in management base can be characterized by +following properties: +<ul> +<li> +its internal state, possibly consisting of several parameters and currently +performed functions, but represented to the rest of the system as a symbolic +state, one of set of states common to all objects. +</li> +<li> +a temporary space for new sets of parameters, which are being supplied by +other subsystems, prior to their actual application, +</li> +<li> +FSM definition, describing state transitions in reaction to received events, +</li> +<li> +list of events it can generate and accept, +</li> +<li> +list of dependencies on other objects' states, +</li> +<li> +list of parameters it can accept and/or provide, with their valid ranges. +</li> +</ul> +</p> + +<p>A few words on system startup: the system startup routines should ensure +that dependencies can be unwound into linear, ordered list. If it's not +possible, they should detect possible deadlocks at runtime, and act as an +arbiter between conflicting parties (or signal an error).</p> + +<p>The <b>set of symbolic states</b> may consist of the following states, +depicting object's current internal state (as described by its FSM): + +<center><table border> +<tr><th>Name</th><th>Meaning</th></tr> +<tr> +<td>INIT</td><td>the subsystem is initializing itself</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>CHECK</td><td>performing consistency check on newly supplied parameter values</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>READY</td><td>ready to start performing its primary function, but not started</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>START</td><td>start-up tasks (related to its primary function, as opposed +to INIT which is related to its own initialization)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>STOP</td><td>stop (shutdown) tasks (when the object intends to stop +performing its function)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>RUN</td><td>primary (work) phase</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>IDLE</td><td>waiting for some external event to happen</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>BUSY</td><td>the subsystem is busy (either with performing some +high-priority task, or just simply hung), and cannot be interrupted without +complete restart,</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>ERROR</td><td>this object is either improperly configured, or +malfunctioning</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>(other...)</td><td>(other...)</td> +</tr> +</table></center> +</p> + +<p>The <b>set of possible actions</b> may include the following actions:</p> + +<center><table border> +<tr><th>Name</th><th>Meaning</th></tr> +<tr> +<td>LIST_EV_REQ</td><td>get list of events the subsystem can generate</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>LIST_ACT_REQ</td><td>get list of actions the subsystem can respond to</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>GET_DEF_REQ</td><td>get definition of given parameter (the arguments, and +valid ranges)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>SET_REQ</td><td>set given parameter to given value (this value will +be used only after COMMIT_REQ)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>GET_REQ</td><td>get currently used value of given parameter</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>COMMIT_REQ</td><td>commit changes supplied in last transaction to currently +used set of parameters</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>ROLLBACK_REQ</td><td>revert last commit</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>INIT_REQ</td><td>perform initialization tasks</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>START_REQ</td><td>start performing primary function</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>STOP_REQ</td><td>stop performing primary function</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>RESTART_REQ</td><td>restart operation, possibly forcefully</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>NOTIFY_REQ</td><td>notify me of any changes in your state</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>CHECK_REQ</td><td>perform self-consistency check</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>(other...)</td><td>(other...)</td> +</tr> +</table></center> +<p><i>(Each request includes source service identifier and credentials of +the sender)</i></p> + +<p>The <b>set of events</b> which can be generated by subsystems may include +the following:</p> + +<center><table border> +<tr><th>Name</th><th>Meaning</th></tr> +<tr> +<td>EV_ACK</td><td>positive acknowledge of the last operation</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>EV_NACK</td><td>negative acknowledge of the last operation</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>EV_CHANGE</td><td>change notification (includes the name of changed +parameter)</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>(other...)</td><td>(other...)</td> +</tr> +</table></center> + + +<p>Ideally, the configuration agent will be equipped with routines to +serialize this data into human-readable form, so that it's easily stored, +backed up, and repaired in case of inconsistencies.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>Actual user interface is still quite another story: I've seen UIs which +merely followed the standard MIBs, and menus were composed of actual OID +numbers plus DESCRIPTION field. In my experience, they are (barely) +acceptable, though due to the usual width and depth of MIB trees you had to +traverse several levels down and up in order to change some (protocol-wise) +related parameters.</p> + +<p>More acceptable UI would collect interrelated items under common menu +entries, irrespectibly of their actual position in the MIB tree.</p> + +<p>A worthwhile goal to pursue is to create such an UI which could guide +you through the most common configuration tasks, while at the same time +allowing for unrestricted and quick use by power users. This can be done +either as a set of configuration "wizards" or extensive hinting, command +completion, etc.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>The management database should be easily exportable via standard +protocols, such as SNMP or LDAP.</p> + +<p>Most known to me (if not all) implementations of agents for these +protocols are (contrary to their name) quite heavy-weight - so their use +should be either optional, or replaced with some other light-weight +protocol and a proxy agent running on other machine.</p> + +<p>It's worthwhile to consider also use of other protocols such as +DHCP (and BOOTP), Service Location Protocol (SLP - RFC2165) for easy +integration with LAN resources, easy initial configuration, and peer +discovery.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>All operations performed by configuration agent should be transactional, +i.e. it should be possible to commit a set of changes as one logical entity, +and be sure that either it's applied in whole, or not at all. This includes +also ability to abort processing in the middle.</p> + +<p>This probably means that each object (subsystem) should be able to store +not only its current configuration data, but also the newly supplied config +data that are to be applied after the transaction ends successfuly.</p> + +<p>Operations should be verified against allowed values, as well as against +allowed credentials, and basing on this either committed or aborted.</p> +</li> +<li> +<p>A few notes on possible implementation of configuration agent:</p> +<ul> +<li> +let's assume that all configuration information is read on startup +by some specialized daemon (this can be part of init(8) as well), +which then performs role of communication agent through which passes +all configuration information, be it request for change, request +for info, request for start / shutdown, or notification about the change. +</li> +<li> +configuration information itself is stored either in binary database, or as +a filesystem hierachy mimicking configuration items hierarchy. +</li> +<li> +each user-level program performing some task (such as routing daemon, inetd +etc) is either equipped with the ability to communicate with config agent, or +is relinked with special stub which fakes to the program necessary config +files and events (such as signals to reread configuration). +<p>This probably means also that some libc routines would have to be replaced, +because they assume reading configuration from certain disk files.</p> +</li> +<li> +each subsystem performing some task requests its initial config data +from config agent, at the same time registering with it to receive +configuration events, such as request to re-read data, to provide currently +used config data, return status, react for signals, restarts, etc... +</li> +<li> +configuration agent acts as meeting point for all producers and consumers +of events and config data. It needs to maintain a table of registered +subsystems, set of events they provide, set of events they want to receive, +etc.. Basing on this table, it passes appropriate information to +appropriate parties. +</li> +<li> +user interface is then just one of clients of config agent, albeit possessing +special privileges. +</li> +<li> +one of important tasks of configuration agent, in case given +object (subsystem) registers with it to be notified about certain events, is +to ensure that such type of event can be possibly generated. This is to +prevent subsystems from waiting for events coming from other non-existent +subsystems. +</li> +</ul> +<i><p>NOTE: this is one possible approach - a centralized one. It's worth to +consider other approach, distributed, in which case each object (subsystem) +sends and listens to the data at a meeting point specific to each other +object. This eliminates (or drastically minimizes) the role of configuration +agent which is a single point of failure in centralized case.</p></i> +</li> +</ul> + +<hr> + +<p>Here is my initial proposal, which perhaps can be used as a model for +user interface hierarchy, if not for the management base itself.</p> + +<ul> +<li> +System configuration. + <ol> + <li> + Boot device and file <br> + <small>Name of the boot device (possibly networked) and boot + image.</small> + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of available devices) + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of available files) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Config file <br> + <small>Configuration file management - loading and saving, either + local or remote (if applicable). </small> + <ol> + <li> + Load / Save + <ol> + <li> + Source / Destination <br> + (Enumeration of available storage places, possibly + networked) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Edit directly (geek mode) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Loadable modules <br> + <small>Optional hardware, services and protocol modules management. + </small> + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of available loadable modules) + <ol> + <li> + Load / unload / status + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Resource management + <ol> + <li> + Memory consumption <br> + <small>This is entry point to a subtree, which allows to set + up various resource limits for subsystems, services and + processes.</small> + </li> + <li> + Task priorities + <ol> + <li> + List / Modify + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + System console + </li> + <li> + Virtual consoles (if applicable) + </li> + <li> + System Date / Time Zone + </li> + <li> + Banner + </li> + <li> + Logging + <ol> + <li> + Local logging + </li> + <li> + Remote logging + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> +</li> +<li> +Network configuration. + <ol> + <li> + Hostname and Domain + </li> + <li> + Interfaces + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of physical interfaces) <br> + (Enumeration of virtual interfaces, if applicable) <br> + (Options for creating virtual interfaces, if applicable) + <ol> + <li> + Interface options (speed, media, encapsulation, + description, etc.) + </li> + <li> + ARP + </li> + <li> + Bridging + </li> + <li> + IP + <ol> + <li> + Adress / netmask / alias + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + IPX + </li> + <li> + AppleTalk + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Protocol Options + <ol> + <li> + IP, UDP, TCP, ARP, IPX, ATM ... <br> + (Enumeration of available protocols) + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of protocol specific options, such as + buffer sizes, algorithms, ARP tables etc) + <ol> + <li> + List / Add / Delete / Modify / Set (where + applicable) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Routes + <ol> + <li> + List + </li> + <li> + Static + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / List + <ol> + <li> + (route expression) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Dynamic + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of available routing protocols) + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / List + <ol> + <li> + (route expression) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Network services + <ol> + <li> + DNS + <ol> + <li> + Hosts + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / List + <ol> + <li> + (hosts definitions) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Resolvers + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / List + <ol> + <li> + (hosts addresses) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Local DNS server config + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + PPP + <ol> + <li> + Server + </li> + <li> + Client + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + NFS + <ol> + <li> + Server + </li> + <li> + Client + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + NIS + </li> + <li> + DHCP + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / Reserve / List + <ol> + <li> + (IP address expressions) + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + SNMP + <ol> + <li> + Protocol version + </li> + <li> + Send traps to... + </li> + <li> + Access Control Lists <br> + <small>(This is either full-blown ACL system in case + of SNMPv2, or a community string for SNMPv1.)</small> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Printing + <ol> + <li> + Local / Remote + <ol> + <li> + Printers + <ol> + <li> + Add / Modify / Delete / List + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Queues + <ol> + <li> + Priority / Delete / List + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + SMB services + </li> + <li> + Network Address Translation + </li> + <li> + Packet filters + </li> + <li> + Bandwidth Manager + </li> + <li> + NTP + </li> + <li> + Remote Access + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> +<li> +User management. + <ol> + <li> + User accounts + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / Modify / List + <ol> + <li> + Name / Password / ACL + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + User profiles + <ol> + <li> + Access Control Lists. + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / Modify / List + <ol> + <li> + Name / Template / Definition + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + ACL Templates + <ol> + <li> + Add / Delete / Modify / List + <ol> + <li> + Name + <ol> + <li> + Command restrictions list + </li> + <li> + Location restrictions list + </li> + <li> + Resources restrictions list + </li> + <li> + Time restrictions list + </li> + <li> + Authentication methods + <ol> + <li> + Unix passwd + </li> + <li> + S/Key + </li> + <li> + Kerberos + </li> + <li> + Radius + </li> + <li> + TACACS + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> +</li> +<li> +Other services + <ol> + <li> + Cron tasks + </li> + </ol> +</li> +<li> +Filesystems. + <ol> + <li> + Local / Remote + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of available FS-s) + <ol> + <li> + FS / Mounting point / Options + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + Swap Partition / Swap File + <ol> + <li> + Create / Turn on + </li> + </ol> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> +</li> +<li> +Environment + <ol> + <li> + Set / Unset / List + </li> + </ol> +</li> +<li> +System status + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of available status items) + </li> + </ol> +</li> +<li> +Diagnostics + <ol> + <li> + Debug + <ol> + <li> + (Enumeration of subsystems hierarchy, those of which can + provide debugging data) + <ol> + <li> + Set / Clear / Level + </li> + </ol> + </li> + </ol> + </li> + <li> + System messages + </li> + <li> + Ping / traceroute / rtquery + </li> + </ol> +</li> +</ul> + +<hr> +<i> +<p>Please send your comments to <A HREF="mailto:abial@freebsd.org"> +Andrzej Bialecki</a></p> +<p>Last modified: +Sat Oct 24 19:33:45 CEST 1998 +</p> +</i> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/release/picobsd/doc/src/intro.html b/release/picobsd/doc/src/intro.html index df129cb..b7912f8 100644 --- a/release/picobsd/doc/src/intro.html +++ b/release/picobsd/doc/src/intro.html @@ -1,5 +1,5 @@ <HTML> -<! $Id: intro.html,v 1.3 1998/10/12 07:53:34 abial Exp $ > +<! $Id: intro.html,v 1.4 1998/10/28 16:16:31 abial Exp $ > <HEAD> <TITLE>PicoBSD</TITLE> </HEAD> @@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ version 0.4 it's a part of official FreeBSD CVS and lives in <code>src/release/picobsd</code>. I also create the snapshots of this source tree - keep in mind that they are not so up-to-date as the tree in FreeBSD CVS. You can get the snapshot I made on -Mon Oct 12 00:53:02 PDT 1998 +Sun Nov 1 11:48:32 PST 1998 <A HREF="http://www.freebsd.org/~picobsd/picobsd/picobsd.tgz">here</a>.</p> <p> Now, if you don't like the setup of PicoBSD, or you miss |
