> Newb here. I'm trying to wrap my head around these different roles and which > goes where. Conceptually, they kinda make sense: > > TERMINAL - a lightweight install that depends on the other roles to get work > done. I think drawterm from linux qualifies, but could be another plan9 > system - can it run alone or do you also need CPU on the machine (seems like > you would). > > CPU - where processing gets done, could be a superpowered workstation in the > networks, could also be the same as the terminal. >
A cpu server is a machine that anyone can connect and run programs there. It is useful when you need to compile Plan 9 sources at Bell Labs from home, or if your terminal is not powerful enough, or if you want to generate a 7680 bit rsa key - your pi 3 can't even do that fast with 1024 bit rsa key, so you cpu -h t430 and do that. > FILESERVER - even though they all pretty much serve files, I get the > impression this is more than than - a dedicated server for the network > serving up stuff, kinda like NFS? The old Plan 9 file server was a computer running an old version of Plan 9 that could only server files and take daily dumps. Nowadays, we have fossil and venti running on a normal Plan 9 kernel. So, a file server means the machine that serve the main storage, and also run dhcpd to netboot other Plan 9 machines. > > AUTHSERVER - some 9front thing that adds more sophisticated authentication? > No, that's a machine booting the cpu kernel and only do authentication. Usually you have a machine that serve files and auth (file+auth). > That's how I'm thinking about now. I have installed 9front on a t430. If I > installed a terminal, cpu, fs, or authserver, it was by design of the > inst/start program or by accident... although, I did do some keychain stuff > to get the ability to drawterm into the system > > Similarly, I have installed 9legacy on my rpi3b+ and configured a barebones > way of drawterming into it. > > I'd like to learn more and do more hands on stuff. Ideally, I'd like to > distribute some pieces-partses on a few pis. I'm not finding the right docs > to help me figure out what I'm interested in to doing (admittedly, I'm not > real clear on what needs to be done). I am thinking that I want to: > > Install a CPU (just a cpu? or does it make more sense to do CPU+FS). > Install an FS (does this require a CPU?). > Install a couple Terminals (needs a CPU?). > /sys/doc/9.ps If you have turned your systems into cpu servers and drawterm to them, that's fine. > The authserv is that strictly 9front, or does it also apply to 9legacy? If > so, then I prolly ought to build an authserv, either independent or with one > of the others. > > All that and I have to also note that the pi doesn't seem like an install - > it seems like a live boot system that's preconfigured? If so, how does that > change the complexion of what I need to do, or does it? > Everything is installed. You write an image with a FAT file system and a fossil file system to the disk. > Finally, there are a plethora of tiny plan9 howtos splattered from here to > timbuktu in cloudland. It's hard to judge their quality, applicability, or > reasonability as a newb, so please don't think I haven't been looking, but I > haven't had a a lot of success with a lot of what's out there. It's either > deep enough to drown, or so shallow, my feet hardly get wet. > > Thanks, for any help y'all can offer. > > Will ------------------------------------------ 9fans: 9fans Permalink: https://9fans.topicbox.com/groups/9fans/Tf4bb650e9449e4d9-Ma71713edfd02276798e9648d Delivery options: https://9fans.topicbox.com/groups/9fans/subscription
