.. _The_synclist_file:

The synclist file
-----------------

.. _The_Format_of_synclist_file_label:

The Format of synclist file
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The synclist file contains the configuration entries that specify where the files should be synced to. In the synclist file, each line is an entry which describes the location of the source files and the destination location of files on the target node.

The basic entry format looks like following: ::

       path_of_src_file1 -> path_of_dst_file1
       path_of_src_file1 -> path_of_dst_directory
       path_of_src_file1 path_of_src_file2 ... -> path_of_dst_directory

The ``path_of_src_file*`` should be the full path of the source file on the Management Node.

The ``path_of_dst_file*`` should be the full path of the destination file on target node. Make sure ``path_of_dst_file*`` is not a existing directory on target node, otherwise, the file sync with ``updatenode -r /usr/bin/scp`` or ``xdcp -r /usr/bin/scp`` will fail.

The ``path_of_dst_directory`` should be the full path of the destination directory. Make ``sure path_of_dst_directory`` is not a existing file on target node, otherwise, the file sync with ``updatenode -r /usr/bin/scp`` or ``xdcp -r /usr/bin/scp`` will fail.

If no target node is specified, the files will be synced to all nodes in the cluster. See "Support nodes in synclist file" below for how to specify a noderange.

The following synclist formats are supported:

sync file **/etc/file2** to the file **/etc/file2** on the node (with same file name) ::

       /etc/file2 -> /etc/file2

sync file **/etc/file2** to the file **/etc/file3** on the node (with different file name) ::

       /etc/file2 -> /etc/file3

sync file **/etc/file4** to the file **/etc/tmp/file5** on the node( different file name and directory). The directory will be automatically created for you. ::

      /etc/file4 -> /etc/tmp/file5

sync the multiple files **/etc/file1**, **/etc/file2**, **/etc/file3**, ... to the directory **/tmp/etc** (**/tmp/etc** must be a directory when multiple files are synced at one time). If the directory does not exist, **xdcp** will create it. ::

      /etc/file1 /etc/file2 /etc/file3 -> /tmp/etc

sync file **/etc/file2** to the file /etc/file2 on the node   ::

       /etc/file2 -> /etc/

sync all files in **/home/mikev** to directory **/home/mikev** on the node  ::

       /home/mikev/* -> /home/mikev/

Note: Don't try to sync files to the read only directory on the target node.

An example of synclist file
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sync the file **/etc/common_hosts** to the two places on the target node: put one to the **/etc/hosts**, the other to the **/tmp/etc/hosts**. Following configuration entries should be added ::

       /etc/common_hosts -> /etc/hosts
       /etc/common_hosts -> /tmp/etc/hosts

Sync files in the directory **/tmp/prog1** to the directory **/prog1** on the target node, and the postfix **'.tmpl'** needs to be removed on the target node. (directory **/tmp/prog1/** contains two files: **conf1.tmpl** and **conf2.tmpl**) Following configuration entries should be added ::

       /tmp/prog1/conf1.tmpl -> /prog1/conf1
       /tmp/prog1/conf2.tmpl -> /prog1/conf2

Sync the files in the directory **/tmp/prog2** to the directory **/prog2** with same name on the target node. (directory **/tmp/prog2** contains two files: **conf1** and **conf2**) Following configuration entries should be added: ::

       /tmp/prog2/conf1 /tmp/prog2/conf2 -> /prog2

Sample synclist file ::

      /etc/common_hosts -> /etc/hosts
      /etc/common_hosts -> /tmp/etc/hosts
      /tmp/prog1/conf1.tmpl -> /prog1/conf1
      /tmp/prog1/conf2.tmpl -> /prog1/conf2
      /tmp/prog2/conf1 /tmp/prog2/conf2 -> /prog2
      /tmp/* -> /tmp/
      /etc/testfile -> /etc/

If the above syncfile is used by the **updatenode/xdcp** commands, or used in a node installation process, the following files will exist on the target node with the following contents. ::

       /etc/hosts(It has the same content with /etc/common_hosts on the MN)
       /tmp/etc/hosts(It has the same content with /etc/common_hosts on the MN)
       /prog1/conf1(It has the same content with /tmp/prog1/conf1.tmpl on the MN)
       /prog1/conf2(It has the same content with /tmp/prog1/conf2.tmpl on the MN)
       /prog2/conf1(It has the same content with /tmp/prog2/conf1 on the MN)
       /prog2/conf2(It has the same content with /tmp/prog2/conf2 on the MN)


Support nodes in synclist file
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Starting with xCAT 2.9.2 on AIX and with xCAT 2.12 on Linux, xCAT supports a new format for syncfile. The new format is  ::

       file -> (noderange for permitted nodes) file

The noderange can have several formats. Following examples show that **/etc/hosts** file is synced to the nodes which are specified before the file name  ::

       /etc/hosts -> (node1,node2) /etc/hosts            # The /etc/hosts file is synced to node1 and node2
       /etc/hosts -> (node1-node4) /etc/hosts            # The /etc/hosts file is synced to node1,node2,node3 and node4
       /etc/hosts -> (node[1-4]) /etc/hosts              # The /etc/hosts file is synced to node1, node2, node3 and node4
       /etc/hosts -> (node1,node[2-3],node4) /etc/hosts  # The /etc/hosts file is synced to node1, node2, node3 and node4
       /etc/hosts -> (group1) /etc/hosts                 # The /etc/hosts file is synced to nodes in group1
       /etc/hosts -> (group1,group2) /etc/hosts          # The /etc/hosts file is synced to nodes in group1 and group2

postscript support
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Putting the filename.post in the **rsyncfile** to ``rsync`` to the node is required for hierarchical clusters. It is optional for non-hierarchical cluster.

Advanced synclist file features
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

**EXECUTE**

The **EXECUTE** clause is used to list all the postscripts you would like to run after the files are sync'd, only if the file is updated. The files in this list must be added to the list of files to rsync. If noderange is used in the synclistfor the file listed in the **EXECUTE** clause, the script will only be exectuted on the nodes in that noderange.

**EXECUTEALWAYS**

The **EXECUTEALWAYS** clause is used to list all the postscripts you would like to run after the files are sync'd, whether or not any file is actually updated. The files in this list must be added to the list of files to rsync.  If noderange is used in the synclist for the file listed in the **EXECUTEALWAYS** clause, the script will only be exectuted on the nodes in that noderange.

.. note:: The path to the file to EXECUTE or EXECUTEALWAYS, is the location of the file on the MN.

For example, your rsyncfile may look like this.:: 

       /tmp/share/file2  -> /tmp/file2
       /tmp/share/file2.post -> /tmp/file2.post (required for hierarchical clusters)
       /tmp/share/file3 -> /tmp/file3
       /tmp/share/file3.post -> /tmp/file3.post (required for hierarchical clusters)
       /tmp/myscript1 -> /tmp/myscript1
       /tmp/myscript2 -> /tmp/myscript2
       # Postscripts
       EXECUTE:
       /tmp/share/file2.post
       /tmp/share/file3.post
       EXECUTEALWAYS:
       /tmp/myscript1
       /tmp/myscript2

If **/tmp/file2** is updated on the node in **/tmp/file2**, then **/tmp/file2**.post is automatically run on that node. If **/tmp/file3** is updated on the node in **/tmp/filex**, then **/tmp/file3**.post is automatically run on that node.

**APPEND**

The **APPEND** clause is used to append the contents of the input file to an existing file on the node. The file to be appended must already exist on the node and not be part of the synclist that contains the **APPEND** clause.

For example, your synclist file may look like this: ::

       /tmp/share/file2  ->  /tmp/file2
       /tmp/share/file2.post -> /tmp/file2.post
       /tmp/share/file3  ->  /tmp/filex
       /tmp/share/file3.post -> /tmp/file3.post
       /tmp/myscript -> /tmp/myscript
       # Postscripts
       EXECUTE:
       /tmp/share/file2.post
       /tmp/share/file3.post
       EXECUTEALWAYS:
       /tmp/myscript
       APPEND:
       /etc/myappenddir/appendfile -> /etc/mysetup/setup
       /etc/myappenddir/appendfile2 -> /etc/mysetup/setup2

When you use the **APPEND** clause, the source file to the left of the arrow is appended to the file to the right of the arrow. In this example, **/etc/myappenddir/appendfile** is appended to **/etc/mysetup/setup** file, which must already exist on the node. The **/opt/xcat/share/xcat/scripts/xdcpappend.sh** is used to accomplish this.

The script creates a backup of the original file on the node in the directory defined by the site table `nodesyncfiledir` attribute, which is **/var/xcat/node/syncfiles** by default. To update the original file when using the function, you need to rsync a new original file to the node, removed the old original from the **/var/xcat/node/syncfiles/org** directory. If you want to cleanup all the files for the append function on the node, you can use ``xdsh -c`` flag. See man page for ``xdsh``.

**MERGE** (supported on Linux only).

The **MERGE** clause is used to append the contents of the input file to either the **/etc/passwd**, **/etc/shadow** or **/etc/group** files. They are the only supported files. You must not put the **/etc/passwd**, **/etc/shadow**, **/etc/group** files in an **APPEND** clause if using a **MERGE** clause. For these three files you should use the **MERGE** clause. The **APPEND** will add the information to the end of the file. The **MERGE** will add or replace the information and insure that there are no duplicate entries in these files.

For example, your synclist file may look like this ::

       /tmp/share/file2  ->  /tmp/file2
       /tmp/share/file2.post -> /tmp/file2.post
       /tmp/share/file3  ->  /tmp/filex
       /tmp/share/file3.post -> /tmp/file3.post
       /tmp/myscript -> /tmp/myscript
       # Postscripts
       EXECUTE:
       /tmp/share/file2.post
       /tmp/share/file3.post
       EXECUTEALWAYS:
       /tmp/myscript
       MERGE:
       /etc/mydir/mergepasswd -> /etc/passwd
       /etc/mydir/mergeshadow -> /etc/shadow
       /etc/mydir/mergegroup -> /etc/group

When you use the **MERGE** clause, the source file to the left of the arrow is merged into the file to the right of the arrow. It will replace any common userid's found in those files and add new userids. The **/opt/xcat/share/xcat/scripts/xdcpmerge.sh** is used to accomplish this.

.. note:: no order of execution may be assumed by the order of **EXECUTE, EXECUTEALWAYS, APPEND and MERGE** clauses in the synclist file.

.. _the_localtion_of_synclist_file_for_updatenode_label:

The location of synclist file for updatenode and install process
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the installation process or **updatenode** process, xCAT needs to figure out the location of the synclist file automatically, so the synclist should be put into the specified place with the proper name.

If the provisioning method for the node is an osimage name, then the path to the synclist will be read from the osimage definition `synclists` attribute. You can display this information by running the following command, supplying your osimage name. ::

       lsdef -t osimage -l <os>-<arch>-netboot-compute

       Object name: <os>-<arch>-netboot-compute
       exlist=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/<os>/compute.exlist
       imagetype=linux
       osarch=<arch>
       osname=Linux
       osvers=<os>
       otherpkgdir=/install/post/otherpkgs/<os>/<arch>
       pkgdir=/install/<os>/<arch>
       pkglist=/opt/xcat/share/xcat/netboot/<os>/compute.pkglist
       profile=compute
       provmethod=netboot
       rootimgdir=/install/netboot/<os>/<arch>/compute
       **synclists=/install/custom/netboot/compute.synclist**

You can set the `synclist` path using the following command ::

       chdef -t osimage -o  <os>-<arch>-netboot-compute synclists="/install/custom/netboot/compute.synclist

If the provisioning method for the node is `install`, or `netboot` then the path to the synclist should be in the following format ::

       /install/custom/<inst_type>/<distro>/<profile>.<os>.<arch>.synclist

       <inst_type>: "install", "netboot"
       <distro>:    "rh", "centos", "fedora", "sles"
       <profile>, <os> and <arch> are what you set for the node

For example:
The location of synclist file for the diskful installation of RedHat 7.5 with 'compute' as the profile ::

       /install/custom/install/rh/compute.rhels7.5.synclist

The location of synclist file for the diskless netboot of SLES 12.3 with 'service' as the profile ::

       /install/custom/netboot/sles/service.sles12.3.synclist


