NetBSD Problem Report #47200
From Ephaeton@gmx.net Fri Nov 16 14:50:19 2012
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Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2012 09:50:12 -0500 (EST)
From: Ephaeton@gmx.net
Reply-To: Ephaeton@gmx.net
To: gnats-bugs@gnats.NetBSD.org
Subject: Sorry state of xen in NetBSD
X-Send-Pr-Version: 3.95
>Number: 47200
>Category: port-xen
>Synopsis: Sorry state of xen in NetBSD
>Confidential: no
>Severity: serious
>Priority: high
>Responsible: port-xen-maintainer
>State: closed
>Class: sw-bug
>Submitter-Id: net
>Arrival-Date: Fri Nov 16 14:55:01 +0000 2012
>Closed-Date: Sat Nov 17 02:15:55 +0000 2012
>Last-Modified: Sat Nov 17 02:15:55 +0000 2012
>Originator: Martin S. Weber
>Release: NetBSD 6.0_STABLE / pkgsrc-2012Q3
>Organization:
>Environment:
System: NetBSD agamemnon.entropie.local 6.0_STABLE NetBSD 6.0_STABLE (GENERIC) #0: Mon Nov 12 20:11:14 EST 2012 root@agamemnon.entropie.local:/space/obj/sys/arch/amd64/compile/GENERIC amd64
Architecture: x86_64
Machine: amd64
>Description:
The xen packages / port is in a very sorry state, release engineering wise.
Given the (lack of) depth and state of its documentation, you might as well
think this is GNU software.
- the port's homepage last two progress items were 2009 and 2012. Really?
- the xen howto is so far out of date that it hurts just reading.
Xentools20? Fabolous.
- xen defines two competing interfaces, one supposedly ready to deprecate the
other (xm, xl). xm has a manpage. xl doesn't. xm has manpages for its config
file, and the per-domain config files. xl uses config files similarly. xm's
config files have manpages; xl's don't.
- xl actually tries to use some very non-netbsd'ish paths (/usr/lib/var/xl...?)
- there is no single, simple step-by-step guide by netbsd that actually produces
working results.
- the current NetBSD documentation doesn't explain NetBSD specifics at all.
- NetBSD shouldn't rely on any bit of information from the xen homepage, as
the chaos over there is even worse than what NetBSD presents under port-xen
and then, it doesn't even work?
- it might actually reboot your hardware (it does this for me at times)
- it might give your dom0 1 CPU no matter how many you've asked for
- it can't properly communicate with itself (can't find console: ENOENT)
- its scripts are out of date?? (e.g. xen/scripts/vif-bridge checks its
state argument for 2 and 6 but actually gets called with 1 and 5)
How about some of the NetBSD/port-xen wizards just writes a step-by-step,
no-extra-comments, this-is-what-works guide (i.e. shell-script style) and
lets this get under the scrutiny of reality?
>How-To-Repeat:
Try to install a linux domU under NetBSD-6.0_STABLE/amd64 dom0 with
xen 4.1.3 from pkgsrc-2012Q3 without a Ph.D. in xenism. Fail. Pull hair
over documentation. Walk away or write PR.
>Fix:
Xen wizards actually share their working setup scripts and configurations.
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
From: jnemeth@victoria.tc.ca (John Nemeth)
To: gnats-bugs@NetBSD.org, port-xen-maintainer@NetBSD.org,
gnats-admin@NetBSD.org, netbsd-bugs@NetBSD.org
Cc:
Subject: Re: port-xen/47200: Sorry state of xen in NetBSD
Date: Fri, 16 Nov 2012 18:14:27 -0800
On Mar 4, 3:02am, Ephaeton@gmx.net wrote:
} >Number: 47200
} >Category: port-xen
} >Synopsis: Sorry state of xen in NetBSD
} >Responsible: port-xen-maintainer
} >State: open
} >Arrival-Date: Fri Nov 16 14:55:01 +0000 2012
} >Originator: Martin S. Weber
} >Release: NetBSD 6.0_STABLE / pkgsrc-2012Q3
} >Environment:
}
} System: NetBSD agamemnon.entropie.local 6.0_STABLE NetBSD 6.0_STABLE (GENERIC) #0: Mon Nov 12 20:11:14 EST 2012 root@agamemnon.entropie.local:/space/obj/sys/arch/amd64/compile/GENERIC amd64
} Architecture: x86_64
} Machine: amd64
} >Description:
} The xen packages / port is in a very sorry state, release engineering wise.
} Given the (lack of) depth and state of its documentation, you might as well
} think this is GNU software.
This is rather inflamatory. If you want people to pay attention,
you might want to tone it down a bit.
} - the port's homepage last two progress items were 2009 and 2012. Really?
} - the xen howto is so far out of date that it hurts just reading.
} Xentools20? Fabolous.
} - xen defines two competing interfaces, one supposedly ready to deprecate the
} other (xm, xl). xm has a manpage. xl doesn't. xm has manpages for its config
} file, and the per-domain config files. xl uses config files similarly. xm's
} config files have manpages; xl's don't.
xentools is third party software. NetBSD isn't responsible for the
quality of documention supplied with third party software.
} - xl actually tries to use some very non-netbsd'ish paths (/usr/lib/var/xl...?)
This is a known issue, and is being worked on. It should be much
better with xentools42.
} - there is no single, simple step-by-step guide by netbsd that actually produces
} working results.
} - the current NetBSD documentation doesn't explain NetBSD specifics at all.
There aren't a lot. Anyways, I didn't have any trouble setting up
Xen using NetBSD documentation. However, I do agree that the Howto
needs work. There is another PR for it.
} - NetBSD shouldn't rely on any bit of information from the xen homepage, as
} the chaos over there is even worse than what NetBSD presents under port-xen
}
} and then, it doesn't even work?
Yes it does. Xen is used with a number of NetBSD project servers,
and is used heavily in production by a number of developers.
} - it might actually reboot your hardware (it does this for me at times)
This statement provides absolutely no useful information
whatsoever.
} - it might give your dom0 1 CPU no matter how many you've asked for
NetBSD dom0 isn't SMP capable.
} - it can't properly communicate with itself (can't find console: ENOENT)
User error.
} - its scripts are out of date?? (e.g. xen/scripts/vif-bridge checks its
} state argument for 2 and 6 but actually gets called with 1 and 5)
}
} How about some of the NetBSD/port-xen wizards just writes a step-by-step,
} no-extra-comments, this-is-what-works guide (i.e. shell-script style) and
} lets this get under the scrutiny of reality?
}
} >How-To-Repeat:
} Try to install a linux domU under NetBSD-6.0_STABLE/amd64 dom0 with
} xen 4.1.3 from pkgsrc-2012Q3 without a Ph.D. in xenism. Fail. Pull hair
} over documentation. Walk away or write PR.
I managed to install a linux domU under a NetBSD dom0, and I don't
have a Ph.D. It really isn't that difficult.
} >Fix:
}
} Xen wizards actually share their working setup scripts and configurations.
}
}-- End of excerpt from Ephaeton@gmx.net
State-Changed-From-To: open->closed
State-Changed-By: jnemeth@NetBSD.org
State-Changed-When: Sat, 17 Nov 2012 02:15:55 +0000
State-Changed-Why:
Duplicate of 47157.
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