Re: [Xen-users] Installing proprietary software on XEN3-based systems...

[Anthony Liguori <aliguori@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Simonetti Ferdinando wrote:

> My boss says: "if you want to connect this system to my S.A.N. you have
> to install IBMsdd package!" (proprietary multipathing software).
>
> IBMsdd says: "ha ha, you have kernel version 2.6.12.6.something!!! I
> WANT WANT WANT REALLY WANT kernel version 2.6.9-11.Elsmp for loading my
> totally proprietary binary-only kernel modules!!!".
>  
binary-only kernel modules will not work under Xen.

I would expect that when the distro's pick up Xen, companies will begin 
shipping Xen-aware modules.  I'm not speaking for IBM here, just a pure 
speculation.
Until then, if you need a binary-only module (nVidia driver, VMware 
module, IBMsdd, etc.) Xen is just not an option for you.
> So, I have to:
> - pray that kernel SRPMS are built from version 2.6.9-11
> - grab them from here
> (http://bits.xensource.com/Xen/latest/xen-3.0-x86_32-rhel4.1.src.tar)
> - install kernel SRPMS
> - tweak the "kernel.spec" file to ensure that the "EXTRAVERSION" is
> exactly "-11.Elsmp"
> - build kernel RPMS, install it as dom0's kernel.
>
> Is it right???
>
> Now comes the first "real-world" big thing... What if I need to install
> Oracle-whatever inside the guests??? The runInstaller is VERY picky
> about versions of "not-really-essential" software packages (like glibc,
> ah ha...), so I will need to rebuild again from the SRPMS after
> "glibc.spec" editing, isnt'it???
>  
You can install a stock RHEL4 under Xen.  There is a Xen-aware glibc but 
it is not a requirement.  You can use whatever version of glibc your 
software requires.
Xen guarentees that most userspace software will run unmodified so as 
long as it's strictly userspace (no kernel modules), you shouldn't have 
a problem here.
Regards,

Anthony Liguori

> Needed glibc-and-so-on versions for Oracle 9.2.0.7 on RHEL4...
>
> glibc-profile-2.3.4-2
> glibc-devel-2.3.4-2
> glibc-2.3.4-2
> glibc-headers-2.3.4-2
> glibc-common-2.3.4-2
> glibc-utils-2.3.4-2
> compat-glibc-headers-2.3.2-95.30
> compat-libstdc++-33-3.2.3-47.3
> compat-libgcc-296-2.96-132.7.2
> compat-gcc-32-c++-3.2.3-47.3
> nss_db-compat-2.2-29
> compat-glibc-2.3.2-95.30
> compat-gcc-32-3.2.3-47.3
> compat-libcwait-2.1-1
> compat-db-4.1.25-9
> compat-libstdc++-296-2.96-132.7.2
> compat-oracle-rhel4-1.0-5
> compat-glibc-headers-2.3.2-95.30
>
> Additionally, I'm thinking to "consolidate" the corporate firewall
> (actually running FW-1 commercial software on RH7.2)... And this will be
> ANOTHER nightmare, I think... :(
>
> Excuse me for being so "confusing"... My english isn't really good...
> All I need to know is: "is there anybody out there that faced
> successfully with this kind of 'proprietary software' problems running
> XEN?"
>
> Best regards and thanks in advance.
>
> F. Simonetti
>
> _______________________________________________
> Xen-users mailing list
> Xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> http://lists.xensource.com/xen-users
>
>  

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