Radmind: an overview

1
Radmind an overview

• Maura Fennelly
• Desktop Computing Services
• Amherst College
• mkfennelly_at_amherst.edu

2
What is Radmind?

• A sever and a client
• A set of tools to manage groups of Unix based
  computers.
• To remove files and software that dont belong
• To add files and directories that are missing
• To install new software
• Developed by the Research Systems Unix Group of
  the University of Michigan

3
Other similar tools

• Mac
• RevRDist
• Assimilator

• Windows
• PCRDist

4
What do you need to make it work

• Radmind tools
• A server
• A computer running a flavor of Unix (Linux, Mac
  OS X, etc)
• A group of client computers

5
How does it work

• The client compares itself to the master
  transcripts on the server
• Missing files are copied from the server
• Extra files are deleted from the client
• The comparison work is done on the client
• Files are only copied over if they are missing or
  different
• Network traffic is kept to a minimum

6
Overview Radmind Server

• Transcripts (.T files)
• Data files
• Command Files (.K files)
• Config File

7
Transcripts (.T)

• Positive
• Fully managed directories and files

• Negative
• Partially managed directories and files

Positive transcript d /apples f
/apples/gala.txt f /apples/granny smith.txt f
/apple/fugi.txt
Negative Transcript d /apples an apple a day
keeps the dr away f /pears.txt
Client d /apples f /apples/gala.txt f
/apples/mcintosh.txt
Client d /apples f /apples/gala.txt f
/apples/mcintosh.txt
Client Result d /apples f /apples/gala f
/apples/granny smith.txt f /apple/fugi.txt f
/pears.txt
Client Result d /apples f /apples/gala f
/apples/granny smith.txt f /apple/fugi.txt
8
Command Files (.K)

• Lists of transcripts
• Transcripts are listed in precendence order
• top lowest
• bottom highest
• Transcripts can be used in multiple command files
• Command files can be listed within command files
  (Radmind 1.4.0 or higher)

9
K-in-K

• Nested Command files
• Examples
• A lab that needs all software, plus a special
  package
• Specifying different default printers
• Organizing sets of transcripts

10
Config file

• List associating a client with a command file
• Clients can be specified by
• DNS name
• IP address
• IP range
• Certificate
• Default ( character)

11
Creating Loadsets on the Client

• Run radmind to make sure any extra files are
  removed
• Install your software package
• Run the Create Loadset tool from the Radmind
  assistant
• Verify the Loadset
• remove cruft
• Upload the Transcript

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Creating Loadsets, cont

• Check in the Transcript on the server
• Add the Transcript to a Command file
• Update another client with the Command
  file/Loadset
• Verify that software works on other computers
• Verify that the software works with non-admin
  users
• Change or recreate the loadset if necessary

13
Automation

• Radmind can be set to run daily weekly or monthly
• Can be set to run if a radmind user logs in
• Can do some basic user management
• Create a default home directory
• Does not work if you use AD authentication
• Archive old home directories for a limited time

14
Summery

• There can be a steep learning curve
• Instructions and documents are available
• You have to synthesis much of the information
  yourself
• Once the system is working, it takes care of
  itself
• It scales very easily

15
Where to get more information

• Websites
• http//radmind.org
• http//www.macos.utah.edu/Documentation/radmind/re
  sources.html
• Mailing list
• https//mailman.rice.edu/mailman/listinfo/radmind