Local storage on AWS VLAB and login servers

6 Sep 2021

Jean and I are putting the finishing touches on a new-ish AWS VLAB/login server capability, namely a generic facility to provide local, persistent storage to users, reminiscent of "extra homes" in ye olde system.

Initially this will be used by John Shepherd's DB class (3311).

Salient points:

• The storage is available to users who are members directly or indirectly of the "localstorage" [new] UDB class. On servers with local storage available the users will automatically have a directory created in that storage for them the first time they log in to that particular server.

• The extra storage is mounted under /localstorage.

• The extra storage is NOT backed up at all. It's up to the users to back up what's important some other way, e.g., copying files to their actual home directory.

• There is only one server ATM with extra storage: vxdb.

One other use for extra/storage is currently expected: space for user-built virtual machines.