Changes between Initial Version and Version 1 of VboxApps

Timestamp:

May 9, 2011, 10:50:47 PM (15 years ago)

Author:

davea

Comment:

--

VboxApps

@@ +1 @@
+= Running apps in VirtualBox virtual machines =
+
+BOINC's '''vboxwrapper''' program lets you run applications in virtual machines.
+This eliminates the need to build app versions for different architectures,
+and provides a stronger security sandbox than is otherwise available.
+
+To do this, create an application version of plan class "vbox" containing the following files:
+
+ * The VM image (VirtualBox format).
+   Must have the '''copy_file''' attribute.
+ * An XML job description file (see below)
+ * '''vboxwrapper''', compiled for the platform
+
+== Job description file ==
+
+'''vboxwrapper''' takes an input file '''vbox_job.xml''' with the following structure:
+
+{{{
+<vbox_job_desc>
+   <os_name>name</os_name>
+   <memory_size>N</memory_size>
+   <image_filename>name</image_filename>
+   [ <enable_network_access/> ]
+   [ <enable_shared_directory/> ]
+</vbox_job_desc>
+}}}
+
+The elements are:
+
+ '''os_name''':: the name of the guest OS, e.g. "Ubuntu" or "Linux 2.6".
+   Rom: please check what the choices are, and whether this matters.
+
+ '''memory_size''':: the amount of physical memory allocated to the VM.
+ 
+ '''image_filename''':: the physical name of the VM image file.
+
+ '''enable_network_access''':: if present, allow application in the VM to do network access
+
+ '''enabled_shared_directory''':: if present, use a directory that is shared between the host OS and the guest OS.  Must be set if your application has input or output files.
+
+== Input and output files ==
+
+All input and output files
+
+ * Must have logical names of the form '''shared/filename'''.
+ * Must have the '''copy_file''' attribute.
+
+== Requirements of the VM ==
+
+The VM image, when booted, must run the application.
+This is typically done using a script in /etc.
+
+When the application is finished, it must shut down the VM
+(e.g., by running '''shutdown''' on Linux).
+
+If the applications has input or output files,
+the VM must contain the VirtualBox "guest additions",
+and it must map the shared directory using
+
+{{{
+vboxmap shared path
+}}}
+where "path" is the path where the shared directory is to be mounted.
+Typically it will then cd into that directory
+to run the application.