Topic: FireWire on SME7

[piran]

BTW I tried the FireWire interface option on the SME7, nothing got
recognised but I can't be certain that everything FW'y is set up.

from Centos Mailing list..

Firewire is not turned on in the standard RHEL kernel.  It is on in the
CentOSPlus kernel.

I don't fully understand the ramifications of what you are saying;~/
The latest dmesg log indicates my kernel is...

Code: [Select]

Linux version 2.6.9-34.0.2.ELsmp (buildcentos@v20z-i386) \
(gcc version 3.4.5 20051201 (Red Hat 3.4.5-2))

...and, plainly, I am not running what it takes to 'do' FireWire natively.
Messing about with kernel would not be an acceptable risk for my box.

(postedit - new thread started to avoid diluting the smeserver-dar2 thread)

[william_syd]

I don't fully understand the ramifications of what you are saying;~/


...and, plainly, I am not running what it takes to 'do' FireWire natively.
Messing about with kernel would not be an acceptable risk for my box.

Hope someone can back me up on this... or correct me.

To have Firewire support you need it in your kernel or as an addon module.

The Centosplus repository have firewire enabled kernels but are missing other modules that SMEServer may require.

Oracle(oss) have modules but none for the current SMEServer approved kernels. http://oss.oracle.com/projects/firewire/

There was an offer in Bugzilla by someone to build the SMEServer required modules for the Centoplus kernel.

Off Topic
http://www.oracle.com/technology/pub/articles/hunter_rac10gr2.html#4

[piran]

Interesting link (thanks), will delve/examine more closely tomorrow.

[william_syd]

I've had a go at building those firewire modules for the 2.6.9-34.0.2 kernel.
http://www.magicwilly.webhostingpal.com/SME7%20RPM/i386/

Some instructions from the 'net.

install with: rpm -ivh [filename.rpm]

reboot the system with firewire drive attached, and let kudzu configure the drive

edit file modconf.conf:
options sbp2 exclusive_login=0

for some adapter it may be necessary:
options sbp2 exclusive_login=0 serialize_io=1

good luck with CentOS an firewire!

wolfpeter

Not Tested
Not Installed
The Risk Is Yours

[piran]

How very resourceful of you! This is not something I can try on the
production SME7. At the moment I have nothing else that has FireWire
functionality. A working w2k box elsewhere does have an old Adaptec
DuoConnect (USB2/FireWire400) card fitted that could might do the job.
As a sheer guess it's probably unlikely to be useable. A winter's project
for me I think. Perhaps someone else may be able to take this forward.

[gregswallow]

I don't know if the kernel module rpms are necessary - you may just need this:
http://atrpms.net/dist/el4/libraw1394/

[Casper]

I also need to get Firewire working on SME Server7, and was just about to install the Centos plus kernel before reading this.  Can anyone explain _why_ it's a bad idea to do this?  I can't think of any reason SME Server would require a different kernel to the Centos one.  

Casper.

[william_syd]

I also need to get Firewire working on SME Server7, and was just about to install the Centos plus kernel before reading this.  Can anyone explain _why_ it's a bad idea to do this?  I can't think of any reason SME Server would require a different kernel to the Centos one.  

Casper.

From what I read the SME and Centos kernels are the same.

The problem is the lack of some kernel modules for the Centos kernels until the SME developers produce them.

Code: [Select]

kernel-module-appletalk  i686       1.0-1_2.6.9_34.0.2.EL  smeupdates        190 k
 kernel-module-ppp       i686       1.0.2-2_2.6.9_34.0.2.EL  smeupdates        130 k
 kernel-module-slip      i686       1.0-1_2.6.9_34.0.2.EL  smeupdates         70 k
 kernel-smp-module-appletalk  i686       1.0-1_2.6.9_34.0.2.EL  smeupdates        201 k
 kernel-smp-module-ppp   i686       1.0.2-2_2.6.9_34.0.2.EL  smeupdates        132 k
 kernel-smp-module-slip  i686       1.0-1_2.6.9_34.0.2.EL  smeupdates         73 k


I think there are more if your in server/gateway mode.

It is possible your not using any of them.

[Casper]

I'm fairly sure I'm not using any of those, although Appletalk is a possibility (definitely using afp, but I think Appletalk is turned off by default these days with new Macs).  

Regardless, these are just kernel modules, and seeing as RedHat guarantee a stable kernel ABI throughout a release, I think I can just copy over the existing appletalk.ko if I really need it.  Better yet, I suppose I could just take a Centos sbp2.ko and stick it in/lib/modules.  William, I haven't looked at the rpm you provided, but is that basically all it is?

Casper.

[william_syd]

I'm fairly sure I'm not using any of those, although Appletalk is a possibility (definitely using afp, but I think Appletalk is turned off by default these days with new Macs).  

Regardless, these are just kernel modules, and seeing as RedHat guarantee a stable kernel ABI throughout a release, I think I can just copy over the existing appletalk.ko if I really need it.  Better yet, I suppose I could just take a Centos sbp2.ko and stick it in/lib/modules.  William, I haven't looked at the rpm you provided, but is that basically all it is?

Casper.

Yep.. just two rpms for the 2.6.9-34.0.2 kernel(SMP/UP) containing...

• ieee1394.ko
• pcilynx.ko
• sbp2.ko
• ohci1394.ko
• raw1394.ko

If you think you can use the Centosplus kernel then checkout the centos forums for more info or irc  irc://irc.freenode.net/centos

[Casper]

Thanks for your help.  I'm sure your package will work, but (if I understand rightly) it will break any time a new SME kernel is released, until you copy over the files into the new  /lib/modules directory. I could live with that I suppose, but it might be easier to bite the bullet and just use centos plus kernels where (assuming it works) I won't have to worry about this again.  

On the other hand, this particular customer has been screwed around enough by my company and I can't afford to break their server again!  I shall dither for a few more days before deciding.  

Casper.