A3 Namespaces: 3 environments on one node

It’s like “I’m my own Grandpa” but instead “I’m my own CPU server!”

This demo uses the 9queen (created in the final part of the first tutorial) to create a normal local fossil root Bell Labs terminal - but it can cpu into 9front by dialing itself.

Boot 9queen and choose option 4 for interactive boot

   [HOST] qemu -hda 9queen -net nic -net user,hostfwd=tcp::2564-:564,hostfwd=tcp::17010-:17010,hostfwd=tcp::17020-:17020 -cdrom 9front-*.iso

proceed through interactive boot and hit enter for all responses except as specified:

   tgzfs=tools.tgz
   getrootfs=srv

At the next prompt, asking for the path to bootsrv, drop to rc and set up the cd srv:

   rc
   9660srv -f /dev/sdD0/data boot
   exit

Then continue responding to prompts with enter for the default except as mentioned:

   bootsrv=/srv/boot
   unprivileged=no

plan9rc will start the cpurc from the 9front cd and print a few messages to the console, then return you to the prompt.

rerun plan9rc to start up our local Bell Labs terminal.

   mv /srv/boot /srv/front
   . /bin/plan9rc

This runthrough of plan9rc we will answer clear to almost all questions. respond “clear” to all prompts until prompted about file server attach for root fs. Press enter here to accept the default valuie of “local”. Continue accepting the defaults until:

   initscript=clear
   rootstart=terminal

At this point the termrc from the labs install to the local disk takes over and the console becomes a standard bell labs terminal GUI.

Accessing labs environment and 9front environment from the service namespace

cpu or drawterm into port 17020 service namespace

Inside the service namespace you will open two windows. We will reroot to a different namespace within each. In the first we will reroot to labs namespace

   mv /srv/boot /srv/labs
   rerootwin labs
   service=con
   . $home/lib/profile
   grio -c 0x54321

In the second we will reroot to 9front namespace

   mv /srv/front /srv/boot
   rerootwin -f boot
   service=con
   . $home/lib/profile
   aux/listen1 -t tcp!*!17010 /bin/cpu -R &
   grio

Now there are independent namespaces in each window. You will notice that in all 3 namespaces, the “Hub” menu option is connected to the same hubfs already.

Cpu to a different namespace on the same machine

Inside the labs GUI namespace

   cpu -h localhost
   rio

The end result is like having a separate 9front cpu server on your grid, but it just happens to be located inside your normal terminal. If the user has followed the tutorials through this point, it should be easy to connect to the main hubfs from this namespace and use cpns to change namespace between the different environments.