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README.md
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# HermitCore - A lightweight extreme-scale satellite kernel
The project *HermitCore* has just initiated.
It is a unikernel operating system for high-performance computing.
The project *HermitCore* has just initiated and is [unikernel](http://unikernel.org) for high-performance computing.
HermitCore extends the multi-kernel approach and combines it with unikernel features while providing better programmability and scalability for hierarchical systems.
By starting a HermitCore applications, cores will be split off from the Linux system and the applications run bare-metal on these cores.
This promise a lower OS jitter and a better scalability.
Between HermitCore applications and the Linux system exist an IP interface, which could be used for inter-kernel communication.
HermitCore is the result of a research project at RWTH Aachen University and is currently an experimental approach and not production ready. Please use it carefully.
## Requirements
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2. To configure the system, run the *configure* script in the directory, which contains this *README*. Fine tuning of the installation directories e.g. with the flag `--prefix` is currently not supported. HermitCore, the cross-compiler and the demo applications will be installed in subdirectories of this repository.
3. The command `make` build the Linux kernel, the HermitCore kernel, the corss-compiler and the demo applications.
4. To start a virtual machine and to boot a small Linux version use the command `make qemu`. Per default, the virtual machine has 10 cores, 2 NUMA nodes and 8 GByte RAM. To increase or to decrease the machine size, the label `qemu` in the Makefile has to be modified.
5. Check if the HermitCore loader is registered to your system. In this case you find an entry `hermit`in the directory `/proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/`. Otherwise register the loader with following command: `echo ":hermit:M:7:\\x42:/path2proyxy/proxy:" > /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/register`, in which `path2proxy` defines the path to the loader. You find the loader `proxy` after building the HermiCore sources in the directory `hermit/tools`.
6. Afterwards, a small Linux system should run, which already includes the patches for HermitCore. For each NUMA node (= HermitCore isle) is in `/sys/hermit` a directory `isleX` created, where `X` represents the number of the NUMA node. The demo applications are located in the directory `/hermit` and possess the file extension `_proxy`. These applications are Linux proxies, in which the HermitCore binaries are embedded. By starting the Linux proxies, the embedded HermitCore binaries will be automatically started on isle 0 with cpu 1. To change the default behavior, the environment variable `HERMIT_ISLE` is used to specify the (memory) location of the isle, while the environment variable `HERMIT_CPUS` is used to specify the cores. For instance, `HERMIT_ISLE=1 HERMIT_CPUS="3-5" /hermit/usr/hello` starts a HelloWorld demo on the HermitCore isle 1, which used the cores 3 to 5. The output messages are forwarded to the Linux proxy and printed on the Linux system.
7. HermitCore's kernel messages of `isleX` are available via `cat /sys/hermit/isleX/log`, where `X` represents the isle.
8. It exists an virtual IP devices between HermitCore isles and the Linux system (see output of `ifconfig`). Per default, the Linux system has the IP address `192.168.28.1`. The HermitCore isles starts with the IP address `192.168.28.2` for isle 0 and is increased by one for every isle.
9. Hermit applications are available at `/hermit/usr/{tests,benchmarks}` which is a shared directory between the host and QEmu.
5. Afterwards, a small Linux system should run, which already includes the patches for HermitCore. For each NUMA node (= HermitCore isle) is in `/sys/hermit` a directory `isleX` created, where `X` represents the number of the NUMA node. The demo applications are located in the directory `/hermit` and possess the file extension `_proxy`. These applications are Linux proxies, in which the HermitCore binaries are embedded. By starting the Linux proxies, the embedded HermitCore binaries will be automatically started on isle 0 with cpu 1. To change the default behavior, the environment variable `HERMIT_ISLE` is used to specify the (memory) location of the isle, while the environment variable `HERMIT_CPUS` is used to specify the cores. For instance, `HERMIT_ISLE=1 HERMIT_CPUS="3-5" /hermit/usr/hello` starts a HelloWorld demo on the HermitCore isle 1, which used the cores 3 to 5. The output messages are forwarded to the Linux proxy and printed on the Linux system.
6. HermitCore's kernel messages of `isleX` are available via `cat /sys/hermit/isleX/log`, where `X` represents the isle.
7. It exists an virtual IP devices between HermitCore isles and the Linux system (see output of `ifconfig`). Per default, the Linux system has the IP address `192.168.28.1`. The HermitCore isles starts with the IP address `192.168.28.2` for isle 0 and is increased by one for every isle.
8. Hermit applications are available at `/hermit/usr/{tests,benchmarks}` which is a shared directory between the host and QEmu.
## Building and testing HermitCore on a real machine
1. In principle you have to follow the tutorial above. After the configuration (step 2 in the above tutorial) go to the subdirectory `linux`, which contains the source code of the Linux kernel. Configure the kernel with `make menuconfig` for your system. Be sure, that the option `CONFIG_HERMIT_CORE` in `Processor type and features` is enabled.
2. Go back to the root directory of this repository and build with `make` the Linux kernel, the HermitCore kernel, the cross-compiler and the demo applications.
3. Install the Linux kernel and its initial ramdisk on your system (see descriptions of your Linux distribution).
4. The IP device between HermitCore and Linux does currently not support IPv6. Consequently, disable IPv6 by adding following line to `/etc/sysctl.conf`: `net.ipv6.conf.eth0.disable_ipv6 = 1`.
5. Per default, the IP device uses a static IP address range. Linux has to use `162.168.28.1`, where HermitCore isles start with `192.168.28.2` (isle 0). The network manager must be configured accordingly and consequently the file `/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-mmnif` must be created with following contents:
4. Register the HermitCore loader to your system with following command: `echo ":hermit:M:7:\\x42:/path2proyxy/proxy:" > /proc/sys/fs/binfmt_misc/register`, in which `path2proxy` defines the path to the loader. You find the loader `proxy` after building the HermiCore sources in the subdirectory `hermit/tools` of the directory, which contains this *README*.
5. The IP device between HermitCore and Linux does currently not support IPv6. Consequently, disable IPv6 by adding following line to `/etc/sysctl.conf`: `net.ipv6.conf.eth0.disable_ipv6 = 1`.
6. Per default, the IP device uses a static IP address range. Linux has to use `162.168.28.1`, where HermitCore isles start with `192.168.28.2` (isle 0). The network manager must be configured accordingly and consequently the file `/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-mmnif` must be created with following contents:
```
DEVICE=mmnif
BOOTPROTO=none