Anthony Sorace <a...@9srv.net> wrote: >I'm not sure there's a single "canonical" answer, but many >installations have run the auth server off its own file system, as >James originally described. It's been several years now so my memory >could be fuzzy, but I believe this is what they did at the main Bell >Labs installation. > >> On Nov 15, 2016, at 14:05, Stanley Lieber <s...@9front.org> wrote: >> >> "James A. Robinson" <jim.robin...@gmail.com> wrote: >> >>> So in a canonical installation the auth server mounts its root from >the >>> file server? >>> >>>> On Tue, Nov 15, 2016 at 10:47 AM Stanley Lieber <s...@9front.org> >wrote: >>>> >>>> The idea is that there is one file system shared by all the >>> neighboring >>>> systems. The canonical Plan 9 installation comprises one disk file >>> server >>>> and many diskless computing machines (auth servers, cpu servers, >>> terminals). >>>> >> >> Yes. You can arrange for hands-free booting by storing the same >authid/authdom/password in the nvram of both the file server and the >auth server. I usually boot the auth server from a 9fat partition or a >USB key, then tcp (actually, tls) mount the root file system from the >file server. >> >> sl >>
The reason I used the term "canonical" is because this was the arrangement described in the Plan 9 papers. The single file system was touted as one of the central features of the system, and one of its major benefits. Example benefit: When a diskless system crashes, there is no danger of damage being done to the file system. sl
