Date: Sat, 24 Oct 1998 20:13:21 +0200 (CEST) From: Andrzej Bialecki <abial@nask.pl> To: freebsd-small@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Unified Configuration Interface Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.02A.9810241959410.18950-200000@korin.warman.org.pl>
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[-- Attachment #1 --] Hi, Attached is a draft of the Unified Configuration Interface project, partialy based on our discussions on freebsd-small. Please read it, think of it, and make any suggestions you seem appropriate (I'd prefer you send them to freebsd-small, instead of only me directly). I hope this will help to coordinate our efforts, and give us some initial framework... Andrzej Bialecki -------------------- ++-------++ ------------------------------------- <abial@nask.pl> ||PicoBSD|| FreeBSD in your pocket? Go and see: Research & Academic |+-------+| "Small & Embedded FreeBSD" Network in Poland | |TT~~~| | http://www.freebsd.org/~picobsd/ -------------------- ~-+==---+-+ ------------------------------------- [-- Attachment #2 --] <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> All items are grouped into sub-categories. Each item is shortly described, and its dependencies are listed. Perhaps each item should have a unique number, which designates order in which given configuration task is performed on startup... Or, the system startup routines should unwind dependencies into linear, ordered list. </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. At some point in time when the initial dust settles, I'll gladly welcome anyone who can help with implementation.</i></p> <hr> <p> Here's also a short description of one of possible ways how to make it work: <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 daemon, 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 some libc routines assume reading configuration from certain disk files.</p> </li> <li> each user-level program performing some task reads config data from config daemon, 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> user interface is then just one of clients of config daemon, albeit possessing special privileges. </li> </ul> <hr> <h1><center> Unified Configuration Hierarchy (proposal) </center></h1> <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 </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) (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> OSPF </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 </li> <li> SNMP </li> <li> Printing <ol> <li> Local / Remote </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 </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>help
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