[Apt-Rpm] Apt-rpm on embedded Linux, is it impossible?

[jean-seb]

Quan phongvan a écrit :
> Dear Jean-seb,
> It's so nice for me to hear that from you. If you don't mind, can you 
> give me more advices for my issues:
> 1. For your mentioned RHEL clone that you used on your embedded 
> system, Does it have yum as RPM packages management systems. If yes, 
> can apt-rpm beats yum as a update tool?

No, it use apt only, personally I hate yum and don't understand why 
create an other tool for rpm based distro, apt was already here and do 
the work well; and the best,
it is use in Debian and Rpm based distro, so when you swith into Debian 
and Rpm distro, no problem: apt-get update, apt-get dist-upgrade ... :)


> 2. As you mentioned "apt is faster than light , and it don't need 
> python; so the memory it use is not a big issue.", I think apt-rpm has 
> a big dependency list (especially when I compiled apt-rpm from source 
> code, it required a lot of packages such as: beecrypt, zlib,...). 
> About python, does it really become the most biggest obstacle for yum 
> or even smartpm (an update tool for RPM packages similar to yum and 
> apt-rpm).
Yum use python and a lot of sub-modules (how it query the rpm database?);
the main problem I see: you need a pre-interpreter to run yum:
So you can resume it by:
kernel -> glibc -> python -> pre-compiling -> yum+ extra modules

for apt:
kernel -> glibc -> libs (stdc++, zlib) -> apt

Pre-compiled software runs always faster ( C and C++ are faster than 
Python).

If you have time: you can test this 'theory' with gdb and see what 
program (yum or apt) use the most of memory :)


> 3. In addition, can you give more details why did you mention about HP 
> Server ProLiant in: "it is faster that the same version in Proliant 
> Servers ! (maybe because /var is in ram?)".

We use one distro (Gralinux AS 3; a RHEL clone with some tweaks; webmin, 
openvpn, more iptables modules etc..) on both Embedded systems and 
Servers: the binaries are strictly the same.
we have a lot of HP proliant and when i apply updates, apt is far faster 
on embedded devices than on the big Proliant :) : a read/write issue i 
think ;)
We all know than hard drive are ..  slow :-/ , specially with Raid 5 ...

> Hope to receive your advice soon,
> Best regards,
> Nguyen Anh Quan.

Regards

js.

Air-Austral flight Company.
http://www.air-austral.com

>
> On Jan 11, 2008 7:13 PM, jean-seb <jsh at interlug-fr.org 
> <mailto:jsh at interlug-fr.org> > wrote:
>
>     Quan phongvan a écrit :
>     > Dear friends,
>     >
>     > I've studied apt-rpm as a candidate update tool for RPM packages
>     > management system, because my target device run on embedded Linux
>     > (like Vxworks - an RTOS of windriver).
>     > If you don't mind, I hope that someone has tried using apt-rpm on an
>     > embedded system such as VxWorks and can share me his experiences. I
>     > really appreciate it.
>     > Thank you for your attention,
>     > Nguyen Anh Quan.
>     > --
>     > Never walk alone
>     >
>
>     I use apt in a RHEL clone for embedded systems (openvpn, firewall and
>     tons of stuffs like snort etc..):
>     it runs on a Via C3 533Mhz, 512Mo ram (256 for the system memory, and
>     256 for /var and /tmp in read/write mode);
>     the rest of the system is on a CF 512mo in read only (ext3 with
>     some tweaks)
>
>     apt is faster than light , and it don't need python; so the memory it
>     use is not a big issue.
>
>     it is faster that the same version in Proliant Servers ! (maybe
>     because
>     /var is in ram?)
>
>     A good choice for a "big" embedded system.
>
>
>     Regards.
>
>     js
>
>     Air-Austral flight Company.
>     http://www.air-austral.com
>
>
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> -- 
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