GFMD(8)

✨ gfmd — the Gfarm metadata server, bestie edition ✨

okay so real quick, this is the manual for gfmd from Gfarm, section 8 of the manual pages. it's giving sysadmin main character energy and i'm obsessed. let's get into it 💖

NAME

gfmd — Gfarm metadata server 🫶

SYNOPSIS

gfmd [options]

DESCRIPTION

so gfmd is literally the Gfarm filesystem metadata server, and its whole job is letting you access the filesystem metadata of the Gfarm filesystem. no cap. and the important bit: gfmd must already be running on a metadata server node in advance. like, before you try to use it. periodt. 💅

fun fact: it's totally possible for gfmd to be run as a non-privileged user process, but bestie, hear me out — with that setup, only the user that executes the gfmd can be authenticated. other users literally cannot use it. if you wanna know the details, go read the SETUP.private.en document. iykyk. 🙈

and to actually access gfmd, you gotta specify the hostname and the port number using the metadb_server_host and metadb_server_port statements respectively — those go in ~/.gfarm2rc or in %%SYSCONFDIR%%/gfarm2.conf on a client node. 🎀

OPTIONS ✨

• -F log-file — specifies a log file. cute, simple, does what it says 💖
• -L log-level — specifies a log priority level. any log output whose priority is higher or equal to this level gets sent to syslog or standard error. for the list of priority levels you can actually pass here, go check gfarm2.conf(5). she's thorough like that ✨
• -P pid-file — specifies a file name that'll be used to record the process ID of gfmd. tracking her every move fr fr 👀
• -S — runs as a slave forcedly, even if the gfmd is set to default master. dramatic? maybe. necessary? apparently 💅
• -d — specifies debug mode. with the -d option, gfmd runs as a foreground process, not a daemon. lowkey the glow-up version of running it.
  • bonus: if this option is specified and -L is not specified, the log level gets set to "debug". automatic. slay. 🔥
• -f config-file — specifies a configuration file that is read instead of the default configuration file. choose your own adventure 🦋
• -p port — specifies a port number to be used by gfmd. 🎀
• -s syslog-facility — specifies a syslog facility to report errors encountered by gfmd. by default, local0 is used. iconic default ngl 💜
• -t — enables an audit log feature for file creation, modification and removal. she's keeping receipts 📝
• -v — makes gfmd output verbose log message on authentication. this is genuinely useful when one has to resolve an issue about GSI authenticaion. (yes, that's exactly how the original spells it, i'm not touching it 😭)
• -? — displays a list of command options. the classic "help me bestie" move 🫶

FILES 🌸

• %%SYSCONFDIR%%/gfmd.conf — configuration file

SEE ALSO 💜

• gfarm2.conf(5)

quick reminder bestie: gfmd has to already be running on a metadata server node in advance, and if you run it as a non-privileged user, only that user can be authenticated. everybody else is locked out. that's just the vibe check 🧚

and that's the whole page, no crumbs left 💖 this was Gfarm, dated 14 Feb 2008 — yeah she's an old queen but she still ate. bye bestie, go run your metadata server 🎀✨👑