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SPICE Server Configuration

The SPICE server must have WRspice installed, and be served by a license server. As a prerequisite, WRspice should operate on the SPICE server host in the normal way.

In order for the ``SPICE server'' to actually become a server, the wrspiced daemon program must be running. This program is part of the WRspice distribution, and is installed in the same directory as the wrspice executable. The daemon manages the queue of submitted jobs and responses, and maintains the communications port.

The wrspiced daemon will establish itself on port number 3004 by default. If this port is already in use, or can't be used for some other reason, a different port can be specified on the wrspiced command line, or in the system services database as ``spice/tcp''. It is quite rare that operation on other than the default port is necessary.

The system services database is represented by the contents of the file /etc/services in simple installations. If using NIS, then the system will get its services information from elsewhere, in which case adding a service to the database will require more than editing the file. Your system administrator should be consulted in this case. To add the spice/tcp service, assuming the simple case, one must edit the /etc/services file (you must be root to do this) and add a line like the following:

spice       3004/tcp      #Whiteley Research Inc

This file probably also has an entry for ``xictools 3010/tcp'', which is the license server. The ``3004'' is the default port number to be used for SPICE communications, and should be replaced by the actual port used. This can be any valid port, but must be the same for all machines wishing to use the service.

Even if the default 3004 port is being used, it might be wise to edit the /etc/services file as above anyway to prevent someone else from using the port for another purpose. In no case is it required that the services database be modified; it is mainly for convenience. An alternate port can be specified when the daemon is started (see below).

The final step in configuring the SPICE server is to start the wrspiced daemon. The wrspiced program command line has the following form

wrspiced [-l logfile] [-p program] [-m maxjobs] [-t port]

There are four optional arguments.

-l logfile
The logfile is a path to a file that will receive messages from the daemon. The default is the value of the SPICE_DAEMONLOG environment variable if set, or /tmp/wrspiced.log.

-p program
This specifies the SPICE program to run, in case for some reason the wrspice binary has been renamed, or wrspice is not in the expected location. This overrides the values of the SPICE_PATH and SPICE_EXEC_DIR environment variables, which can also be used to set the path to the binary. The default is ``/usr/local/bin/wrspice''.

-m maxjobs
This sets the maximum number of jobs that the server will allow to be running at the same time. The default is 2.

-t port
This sets the port to be used by the daemon, and overrides any port set in the services database. Clients must use the same port number to connect to the SPICE server.

The daemon is started by simply typing the command. If a machine is to operate continuously as a SPICE server, it is recommended that the wrspiced daemon be started in the system initialization scripts. The daemon will run until explicitly killed by a signal, or the machine is halted.

It may be necessary to become root before starting wrspiced, as on some systems connection to the port will otherwise be refused due to permission requirements.


next up previous contents index
Next: Client Configuration Up: The wrspiced Daemon: Remote Previous: The wrspiced Daemon: Remote   Contents   Index
Stephen R. Whiteley 2006-10-23