Performing Platform-Specific Procedures
| Chapter 2. Installing the First AFS Machine |

## Performing Platform-Specific Procedures

Several of the initial procedures for installing a file server machine differ for each system type. For convenience, the following sections group them together for each system type:

- Incorporate AFS modifications into the kernel.

  The kernel on every AFS client machine and, on some systems, the AFS fileservers, must incorporate AFS extensions. On machines that use a dynamic kernel module loader, it is conventional to alter the machine's initialization script to load the AFS extensions at each reboot. The preparer of OS-format binary packages may have included an init script which automates the loading of the needed kernel module, eliminating a need to manually configure this step.

- Configure server partitions or logical volumes to house AFS volumes.

  Every AFS file server machine should have at least one partition or logical volume dedicated to storing AFS volumes (for convenience, the documentation hereafter refers to partitions only). Each server partition is mounted at a directory named /vicep `xx`, where `xx` is one or two lowercase letters. By convention, the first 26 partitions are mounted on the directories called /vicepa through /vicepz, the 27th one is mounted on the /vicepaa directory, and so on through /vicepaz and /vicepba, continuing up to the index corresponding to the maximum number of server partitions supported in the current version of AFS (which is specified in the OpenAFS Release Notes).

  The /vicep `xx` directories must reside in the file server machine's root directory, not in one of its subdirectories (for example, /usr/vicepa is not an acceptable directory location). The fileserver will refuse to mount any /vicep `xx` folders that are not separate partitions without additional configuration.

  ### Warning

  The separate partition requirement may be overridden by creating a file named /vicep`xx`/AlwaysAttach; however, mixed-use partitions, whether cache or fileserver, have the risk that a non-AFS use will fill the partition and not leave enough free space for AFS. Even though it is allowed, be wary of configuring a mixed-use partition without understanding the ramifications of doing so with the workload on your filesystem.

  You can also add or remove server partitions on an existing file server machine. For instructions, see the chapter in the OpenAFS Administration Guide about maintaining server machines.

  ### Note

  Not all file system types supported by an operating system are necessarily supported as AFS server partitions. For possible restrictions, see the OpenAFS Release Notes.

- On (rare) system types using the inode storage format, install and configure a modified fsck program which recognizes the structures that the File Server uses to organize volume data on AFS server partitions. The fsck program provided with the operating system does not understand the AFS data structures, and so removes them to the lost+found directory.

- If the machine is to remain an AFS client machine, modify the machine's authentication system so that users obtain an AFS token as they log into the local file system. Using AFS is simpler and more convenient for your users if you make the modifications on all client machines. Otherwise, users must perform a two or three step login procedure (login to the local system, then obtain Kerberos credentials, and then issue the aklog command). For further discussion of AFS authentication, see the chapter in the OpenAFS Administration Guide about cell configuration and administration issues.

To continue, proceed to the appropriate section:

- Getting Started on Linux Systems

- Getting Started on Solaris Systems

- Getting Started on AIX Systems

Creating AFS Directories |  | Getting Started on Linux Systems