Red Hat CLUSTER SUITE FOR ENTERPRISE LINUX 5.0 Overview page 47

luci is accessible through a Web browser and provides three major functions that are
accessible through the following tabs:
• homebase — Provides tools for adding and deleting computers, adding and deleting users,
and configuring user privileges. Only a system administrator is allowed to access this tab.
• cluster — Provides tools for creating and configuring clusters. Each instance of luci lists
clusters that have been set up with that luci. A system administrator can administer all
clusters listed on this tab. Other users can administer only clusters that the user has
permission to manage (granted by an administrator).
• storage — Provides tools for remote administration of storage. With the tools on this tab, you
can manage storage on computers whether they belong to a cluster or not.
To administer a cluster or storage, an administrator adds (or registers) a cluster or a computer
to a luci server. When a cluster or a computer is registered with luci, the FQDN hostname or IP
address of each computer is stored in a luci database.
You can populate the database of one luci instance from another luciinstance. That capability
provides a means of replicating a luci server instance and provides an efficient upgrade and
testing path. When you install an instance of luci, its database is empty. However, you can
import part or all of a luci database from an existing luci server when deploying a new luci
server.
Each luci instance has one user at initial installation — admin. Only the admin user may add
systems to a luci server. Also, the admin user can create additional user accounts and
determine which users are allowed to access clusters and computers registered in the luci
database. It is possible to import users as a batch operation in a new luci server, just as it is
possible to import clusters and computers.
When a computer is added to a luci server to be administered, authentication is done once. No
authentication is necessary from then on (unless the certificate used is revoked by a CA). After
that, you can remotely configure and manage clusters and storage through the luci user
interface. luci and ricci communicate with each other via XML.
The following figures show sample displays of the three major luci tabs: homebase, cluster,
and storage.
For more information about Conga, refer to Configuring and Managing a Red Hat Cluster and
the online help available with the luci server.
Conga
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