Chapter 2. Installing the First AFS Machine

Table of Contents

Requirements and Configuration Decisions
Overview: Installing Server Functionality
Choosing the First AFS Machine
Creating AFS Directories
Performing Platform-Specific Procedures
Getting Started on Linux Systems
Loading AFS into the Linux Kernel
Configuring Server Partitions on Linux Systems
Enabling AFS Login on Linux Systems
Getting Started on Solaris Systems
Loading AFS into the Solaris Kernel
Configuring the AFS-modified fsck Program on Solaris Systems
Configuring Server Partitions on Solaris Systems
Enabling AFS Login on Solaris Systems
Editing the File Systems Clean-up Script on Solaris Systems
Starting the BOS Server
Generating the Cell's Kerberos V5 Keys
Starting the Server Processes
Defining Cell Name and Membership for Server Processes
Starting the Database Server Processes
Initializing Cell Security
Initializing the Protection Database
Starting the File Server processes
Clock Sync Considerations
Overview: Installing Client Functionality
Copying Client Files to the Local Disk
Defining Cell Membership for Client Processes
Creating the Client CellServDB File
Configuring the Cache
Configuring a Disk Cache
Configuring a Memory Cache
Configuring the Cache Manager
Overview: Completing the Installation of the First AFS Machine
Verifying the AFS Initialization Script
Activating the AFS Initialization Script
Activating the Script on Linux Systems
Activating the Script on Solaris Systems
Configuring the Top Levels of the AFS Filespace
Storing AFS Binaries in AFS
Storing AFS Documents in AFS
Storing System Binaries in AFS
Enabling Access to Foreign Cells
Enabling a Synthetic AFS root
Adding foreign cells to a conventional root volume
Improving Cell Security
Controlling root Access
Controlling System Administrator Access
Protecting Sensitive AFS Directories
Removing Client Functionality

This chapter describes how to install the first AFS machine in your cell, configuring it as both a file server machine and a client machine. After completing all procedures in this chapter, you can remove the client functionality if you wish, as described in Removing Client Functionality.

To install additional file server machines after completing this chapter, see Installing Additional Server Machines.

To install additional client machines after completing this chapter, see Installing Additional Client Machines.

Requirements and Configuration Decisions

The instructions in this chapter assume that you meet the following requirements.

  • You are logged onto the machine's console as the local superuser root

  • A standard version of one of the operating systems supported by the current version of AFS is running on the machine

  • You have either installed the provided OpenAFS packages for your system, have access to a binary distribution tarball, or have successfully built OpenAFS from source

  • You have a Kerberos v5 realm running for your site. If you are working with an existing cell which uses legacy kaserver or Kerberos v4 for authentication, please see kaserver and Legacy Kerberos v4 Authentication for the modifications required to this installation procedure.

  • You have NTP or a similar time service deployed to ensure rough clock syncronistation between your clients and servers.

You must make the following configuration decisions while installing the first AFS machine. To speed the installation itself, it is best to make the decisions before beginning. See the chapter in the OpenAFS Administration Guide about issues in cell administration and configuration for detailed guidelines.

  • Select the first AFS machine

  • Select the cell name

  • Decide which partitions or logical volumes to configure as AFS server partitions, and choose the directory names on which to mount them

  • Decide how big to make the client cache

  • Decide how to configure the top levels of your cell's AFS filespace

This chapter is divided into three large sections corresponding to the three parts of installing the first AFS machine. Perform all of the steps in the order they appear. Each functional section begins with a summary of the procedures to perform. The sections are as follows: