The DiRT FAQ
This document serves as a FAQ for the DiRT group, documenting things,
from how the network is currently configured to how to do kernel debugging
with FreeBSD, to how to install FreeBSD. If this is well maintained it
should help alleviate some of the information loss that occurs as students
graduate. If you learn how to do something new that you, or someone else
may need to do again, consider creating a new page. It doesn't require a
lot of time, just get the essential information there. Most
importantly, if you change the way something works so that what's here
is no longer correct, UPDATE these documents!
What's new
- DAG 4.5 (new card) documentation: user guide and software installation guide (December 3rd, 2007)
- Philosophy: "Time Management" (and other videos) by Randy Pausch (December 3rd, 2007)
- Philosophy: Inbox Zero: action-based email (December 3rd, 2007)
- HSTCP howto (January 26th, 2007)
- DiRT Linux FAQ (August 1, 2006)
- IBM-UNC Traffic Modeling Project (June 6, 2006)
- Anonymization notes (updated) (April 19, 2006)
- tmix FAQ
- Running experiments in the 241 network
- 241 network diagram (ppt, png).
- How do I read/mess with sysctl variables? (April 3, 2006)
- DiRT Disk Usage (per partition) - Latest Report (Jan 24, 2006)
- What do I need to know about administering NIS? (Jan 11, 2006)
- How can I setup a machine to use the NIS account administration system? (Jan 11, 2006)
- Adding Users - How can I add a user to multiple DiRT machines all at once? (Updated: Jan 11, 2006)
- Group Mass Storage Account (Oct 3, 2005)
- Inventory HOWTO (Oct 3, 2005)
- FreeBSD 4.11 Installation Notes (Sep 21, 2005)
- New DiRT install - Creating a DiRT installation for a New Version of BSD (Sep 21, 2005)
- DiRT Lab Overview (Sep 12, 2005)
- Packages/Ports June 2, 2005
- DAG notes
- Inventory (Excel, html) - September 10, 2004
- Building a Class Network - September 28
- Misc Sysadmin Tasks - September 18
- How do I test disk throughput - July 12
- Zoomable Plots with Gnuplot - June 2
- Plotting Dynamic Graphs with Gnuplot (dynamic ifmon plots) - May 28
- Writing Your Dissertation in LaTeX - May 22
- Setting up X-Windows - Mar 1
- NS Hints - updated Feb 8 (use Heap scheduler!)
- Tyagi Backup - Dec 13
- Lab Scheduling System - Sep 13
Roadmap
FAQ Tools
Frequently Used Links
Classes
Network Diagrams
- COMP 734 Network (Fall 2006) (ppt, png)
- 241 network, spring 2006 (ppt, png)
- Production Network (ppt, png)
- Gigabit Experimental Network (ppt, pdf)
- TI extension to Gigabit Experimental Network (ppt, pdf)
- COMP 243 Network (Fall 2005) (ppt, png)
- 10-Gigabit Experimental Network (ppt, pdf)
OLD / ARCHIVED
TCP Oddities
Hardware weirdness folks should be aware of:
Notes on upgrading
2.2.8-DIRT-CAM (Dec 98/Jan 99)
FreeBSD 4.1 (September 2000)
FreeBSD 4.3 (June 2001)
Backups
Lab Configuration and Management
DiRT Lab Open Tasks
Solaris
DiRT Filesystem
Hardware
Software
Network Simulator (NS)
Tools
FreeBSD-specific
You should always install packages built for the FreeBSD release that matches the one in the machine were you are trying to install the package. Otherwise, you may encounter conflicts and malfunctions. Finding the right package is not easy, but this page helps. Note that not all mirrors include the package collection. Some that do are:
You can also use Google (e.g., search for "pub/FreeBSD/releases/i386/4.10-RELEASE").
The ports collection, which is an optional part of any FreeBSD installation, can also get you the software you need very quickly. You just have to find the piece of sotfware under /usr/ports and then invoke make (which will download the source code and compile it) and make install. Read the FreeBSD handbook for more details.
Other Useful Stuff
Pasta Recipes
Philosophy
Other
DiRT documents
