pfcon

Table of Contents

Overview

This repository implements pfcon -- a controlling service that acts as the interface to a process manager pman service. Primarily, pfcon provides "compute resource" services to a ChRIS backend.

Most simply, a local zip file can be pushed to a remote pfcon, then after unpacking the data some process is run on it in the remote space using the controlled pman service. The resultant data can then be downloaded back as a zip file to the local space.

It can be used to query and control the following (for example):

• state: Is job <XYZ> still running?

Visit the pfcon http API call examples wiki page to see examples of http calls accepted by pfcon server.

Additionally a Python3 client for this server's web API is provided here: https://github.com/FNNDSC/python-pfconclient

Development and testing

Preconditions

Install latest docker

Currently tested platforms:

• Ubuntu 18.04+ and MAC OS X 10.14+ and Fedora 31+ Additional instructions for Fedora
• Docker 18.06.0+

Note: On a Linux machine make sure to add your computer user to the docker group. Consult this page: https://docs.docker.com/engine/install/linux-postinstall/

Docker Swarm-based development environment

Start a local Docker Swarm cluster if not already started

$> docker swarm init --advertise-addr 127.0.0.1

Start pfcon's development server and backend containers

$> git clone https://github.com/FNNDSC/pfcon.git
$> cd pfcon
$> ./make.sh

Remove pfcon's containers

$> cd pfcon
$> ./unmake.sh

Start pfcon's development server and backend containers operating in-network (with Swift storage)

$> cd pfcon
$> ./make.sh -N

Remove pfcon's containers operating in-network (with Swift storage)

$> cd pfcon
$> ./unmake.sh -N

Remove the local Docker Swarm cluster if desired

$> docker swarm leave --force

Kubernetes-based development environment

Install single-node Kubernetes cluster

On MAC OS Docker Desktop includes a standalone Kubernetes server and client. Consult this page: https://docs.docker.com/desktop/kubernetes/

On Linux there is a simple MicroK8s installation. Consult this page: https://microk8s.io

Then create the required alias:

$> snap alias microk8s.kubectl kubectl
$> microk8s.kubectl config view --raw > $HOME/.kube/config

Start pfcon's development server and backend containers

$> git clone https://github.com/FNNDSC/pfcon.git
$> cd pfcon
$> ./make.sh -O kubernetes

Remove pfcon's containers

$> cd pfcon
$> ./unmake.sh -O kubernetes

Start pfcon's development server and backend containers operating in-network (with Swift storage)

$> cd pfcon
$> ./make.sh -N -O kubernetes

Remove pfcon's containers operating in-network (with Swift storage)

$> cd pfcon
$> ./unmake.sh -N -O kubernetes

Production deployments

Docker Swarm-based deployment

A single-machine deployment is provided.

Configure pfcon services

Modify the .env files in the swarm/prod/secrets directory appropriately.

Single-machine deployment

Start production pfcon:

$> ./deploy.sh up

Tear down production pfcon:

$> ./deploy.sh down

Kubernetes-based deployment

A single-machine deployment using Kubernetes' "hostPath" storage is provided. In addition a multi-machine deployment for an external NFS drive is provided using NFS persistent volume.

Configure pfcon services

Modify the .env files in the kubernetes/prod/base/secrets directory appropriately.

Single-machine deployment

Start production pfcon:

$> ./deploy.sh -O kubernetes up

Tear down production pfcon

$> ./deploy.sh -O kubernetes down

Multi-machine deployment

Start production pfcon:

$> ./deploy.sh -O kubernetes -T nfs -S <NFS export dir> -P <NFS server IP addr> up

Tear down production pfcon

$> ./deploy.sh -O kubernetes -T nfs -S <NFS export dir> -P <NFS server IP addr> down