Installation of LCG-2 software using APT

APT package installation

Download apt-get rpm and install it. Version for RH7.3 can be found at the following URL: http://ftp.freshrpms.net/pub/freshrpms/redhat/7.3/apt/apt-0.5.5cnc5-fr0.rh73.2.i386.rpm

The file "/etc/apt/sources.list" which is a part of apt package containst the definitions of apt repositories. By default it should contain the apt repository of standard RedHat 7.3 distribution:

# Red Hat Linux 7.3
rpm http://ayo.freshrpms.net redhat/7.3/i386 os updates freshrpms
rpm-src http://ayo.freshrpms.net redhat/7.3/i386 os updates freshrpms

You should edit the file and add the definition of apt LCG repository by appending the following lines at the end of the file:

# LCG-2_1_0
#rpm http://grid-deployment.web.cern.ch/grid-deployment/gis apt/LCG-2_1_0/en/i386 lcg

# LCG-2_1_1
#rpm http://grid-deployment.web.cern.ch/grid-deployment/gis apt/LCG-2_1_1/en/i386 lcg

# LCG-2_2_0
rpm http://grid-deployment.web.cern.ch/grid-deployment/gis apt/LCG-2_2_0/en/i386 lcg

LCG-2_2_0 is the release tag and defines the LCG release which is going to be installed. You can change it to one of the historical releases. The current release is LCG-2_2_0, but you can select older version by uncommenting an entry for the version and commenting LCG-2_2_0 entry.

After changing repository definitions you have to synchronize local apt database with the repositories:

$ apt-get update

Then, check if there are no broken dependencies in the system, because apt-get will not work if there are any problems with dependencies in the OS:

$ apt-get -f install

LCG-2 installation

Choose which type(s) of service you want to install: CE, WN, SE, UI, BDII, RB... Install the RPMs using apt-get and the meta-rpm(s), for example:

$ apt-get install lcg-WN lcg-WN-pbs

then you can install another service on the same machine, for example:

$ apt-get install lcg-SE

You can also specify several metapackages at once.

APT will try to solve all the dependencies in your system. If any additional packages will be required for the installation you will be asked for confirmation. If dependencies cannot be solved (which is very unlikely if sources.list include both RH7.3 repository and lcg-2 repository) you have to resolve the conflicts manualy...

Currently the following software metapackages are available:

lcg-CE - Computing Element (with PBS)
lcg-pbs-server - PBS packages for Computing Element
lcg-WN - Worker Node (with PBS)
lcg-pbs-client - PBS packages for Worker Node
lcg-SECLASSIC - Storage Element
lcg-UI - User Interface
lcg-LCG-BDII - BDII Server

Note: APT is not harmful for the installed OS and software. If any removal is required it is CLEARLY stated and user approval is required. After packages installation follow the instruction(s) for manuall configuration.

Software upgrades

First you have to modify the repositories definitions in "/etc/apt/sources.list" by changing the LCG release tag to the new one. Then, resynchronize local apt database with the repository:

$ apt-get update

Now you can upgrade the operating system (installation of OS updates) by issuing the following command (this step is optional!):

$ apt-get upgrade

Than you can upgrade LCG software using exactly the same command as for installation, for example:

$ apt-get install lcg-WN

Remember to include all metapackages names in the command line above if you are upgrading a combined node.

Note: When upgrading from 2.1.x to 2.2.0 there is one conflict between packages that makes fully automated upgrade impossible. In that case you should use the following command:

$ apt-get install lcg-WN edg-replica-manager-client-c++_gcc3_2_2-norgma-

By using this command, APT will remove the package from old version of LCG which causes the problems.

by Piotr Nyczyk
last updated 07/09/2004