ATLAS New Namespace on CernVM-FS

 Description

Today, 08/08/2011, at 4 p.m. CERN time, the ATLAS software repository will be served with the new directory layout. In result, CernVM-FS clients will pick up the new file catalogs from the CernVM-FS Stratum 1 servers within the following 2-3 hours. ATLAS jobs run on both layouts.

This switch does neither affect any of the other software repositories nor the other two ATLAS repositories (conditions data and nightlies).

Implications for Grid Sites

Many Grid sites switched already to the new namespace.  Those sites don't have to do anything.  The Stratum 1 URL used for migration will last for some time.  As of the switch, the migration URL will serve the same content as the standard ATLAS URL.

For Grid sites running on old namespace, there might be occasional job failures if a job arrives just at the same time the CernVM-FS clients switches the namespace.  Jobs arriving after the switch should work fine. Once the namespace switch took place on all worker nodes, you can upgrade cvmfs-init-scripts to version 1.0.13.  This will remove the /opt/atlas symlink.

Note: In case your site comes from the old namespace and jobs keep failing, please contact us immediately for help (cernvm.support@cern.ch).  As a quick woraround, force connecting to the old namespace by setting
CVMFS_SERVER_URL=http://cernvmfs.gridpp.rl.ac.uk/opt/atlas-oldns
in /etc/cvmfs/config.d/atlas.cern.ch.local.  Afterwards run service cvmfs restartclean.

Implications for CernVM Users

Please restart your CernVM after 5 p.m. today and verify that you see the new ATLAS directory layout (/cvmfs/atlas.cern.ch/repo).  Re-compile your local code against the new directory layout.