Configuration and RPM list

General configuration

Distribution 

% cat /etc/redhat-release
Scientific Linux SL release 6.1 (Carbon)

Default compiler version

The default compiler coming with SL6 was installed.

% gcc --version
gcc (GCC) 4.4.6 20110731 (Red Hat 4.4.6-3)

Other revisions are in /opt/gcc at BNL and this location is supported by the STAR login's 'setup' script. Note that an alternative to set another compiler location is supported via an environment variable named USE_GCC_DIR. See documentation Setting up your computing environment for more information.

The secondary compiler choice is gcc 4.6.3 .

AFS sysname

See Setting up your computing environment for more information related to the sysname. The sysname can be determined by the command

% fs sysname

On sites where the sysname is set to other values than what STAR/RHIC cell expects, please note that you can always set alternate sysname for your systems by using the folowing command (from a privileged account and at boot time):

 % fs sysname -newsys ppc_darwin_80 -newsys foo

The above adds two new sysname to the existsing system's default. This example is provided by the AFS manpages as well as at the bottom of our Setting up your computing environment page.

Special instructions

General

A blog page with compiler and specificities of sharing 32 and 64 bits architecture on the same node was created and accessible at 32 and 64 bits, tricks and tips. This page was used since the SL5 32/64 bits transition.

New in SL6 - SIMD

Support for SIMD instructions may appear under SL6 (the large amount of currebt issues still make this a "if" as wide support for our sites will be rendered more difficult). Please note this page: SIMD instruction sets. SIMD instructions support will NOT guarantee ABI compatibility across hardware. THe STAR_HOST_SYS environment variable may be alterred accordingly.

ATTENTION: the introduction of SIMD instructions will also create a secondary issue: compiler bugs related to SIMD instructions are numerous. We hope for this situation to settle as SIMD instruction support matures. Therefore, only strictly approved compilers will be allowed in STAR. Any other minor/major version than the "approved" one cannot be supported. A table of acceptable gcc versions will be maintained on this page (compatibility links will not be created as they used to).

Instructions for administrators 

(TBC)

You must save a copy of libmysqlclient.so.14 from an SL44 system and copy it under your SL5 distribution. This is due to the fact that SL5 libmysql is of version 15.0.0 but our older code hard linked to verison 14.0.0 . Hence, if you want support for your old libraries, you must preserve a copy of libmysql.

Similarly, you will need to make a copy of liblog4cxx.so.9 .

Both could be copied in $OPTSTAR/lib/ under the 32 bits deployment.

Supported STAR libraries

Native support

Backward compatible libraries

RPM list