From 4e5a423bf35cf8e1fbf3f8b7d09d0d63376075c7 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alan O'Cais Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:50:00 +0200 Subject: [PATCH 1/2] Add `cvmfsexec` and tidy up --- docs/getting-access.md | 40 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-------- docs/index.md | 3 +-- docs/introduction.md | 8 +++++++- docs/prepared-environment.md | 8 ++++---- docs/usage.md | 12 ++++++++++- zensical.toml | 1 - 6 files changed, 55 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-) diff --git a/docs/getting-access.md b/docs/getting-access.md index 0a97ae7..b9ec586 100644 --- a/docs/getting-access.md +++ b/docs/getting-access.md @@ -12,9 +12,10 @@ of the EESSI repository. ## Is EESSI accessible? EESSI can be accessed via [a native (CernVM-FS) installation](#native-installation), -or via [a container that includes CernVM-FS](#eessi-via-a-container). +via [a container that includes CernVM-FS](#eessi-via-a-container), or via a dedicated user-space tool called +[`cvmfsexec`](#eessi-via-cvmfsexec). -Before you look into these options, check if EESSI is already accessible on your system. +Before you look into other options, check if EESSI is already accessible on your system. Run the following command: ``` { .bash .copy } @@ -41,23 +42,20 @@ ls: /cvmfs/software.eessi.io: No such file or directory ``` No worries, you don't need to be a :mage: to get access to EESSI. -Continue reading about the [Native installation](#native-installation) of EESSI, -or accessing [EESSI via a container](#eessi-via-a-container). +Continue reading about the [Native installation](#native-installation) of EESSI, or +accessing EESSI via a [container](#eessi-via-a-container) or via [`cvmfsexec`](#eessi-via-cvmfsexec). ## Native installation Setting up native access to EESSI, that is a system-wide deployment that does not require workarounds like [using a container](#eessi-via-a-container), requires the installation and configuration of [CernVM-FS](https://cernvm.cern.ch/fs). -This requires **admin privileges**, since you need to install CernVM-FS as an OS package. +This requires **administrator privileges**, since you need to install CernVM-FS as an OS package. The following actions must be taken for a (basic) native installation of EESSI: * Installing CernVM-FS itself, ideally using the OS packages provided by the CernVM-FS project (although installing from source is also possible); -* Installing the EESSI configuration for CernVM-FS, which can be done by installing the ``cvmfs-config-eessi`` - package that we provide for the most popular Linux distributions - (more information available [here](https://github.com/EESSI/filesystem-layer/)); * Creating a small client configuration file for CernVM-FS (``/etc/cvmfs/default.local``); see also the [CernVM-FS documentation](https://cvmfs.readthedocs.io/en/stable/cpt-quickstart.html#create-default-local). @@ -180,6 +178,32 @@ In this environment, you should be able to access the EESSI `software.eessi.io` ls /cvmfs/software.eessi.io ``` +## EESSI via `cvmfsexec` + +When you do not have administrator rights, nor access to `singularity`/`apptainer`, there is still another option that +may work for you: [`cvmfsexec`](https://github.com/cvmfs/cvmfsexec) allows you to mount cvmfs repositories +as an unprivileged user. + +Whether this approach will work is very dependent on the specific system you have access to. If this approach is your +only option, the best way to check if it will work is to try it out and see if you run into problems. + +The first thing you need to do is clone the `cvmfsexec` repository, and enter the directory +``` { .bash .copy } +git clone https://github.com/cvmfs/cvmfsexec.git +cd cvmfsexec +``` +Once inside this directory, `cvmfsexec` does still require an internet connection and some tools from your system that +may not be available by default (but are quite common): `curl`, `rpm2cpio`, and `cpio`. If those are available then the +see if the steps below work for you: + +``` { .bash .copy } +# First we gather the files that cvmfsexec requires (this will also tell you if your OS is supported) +./makedist default + +# Then we try to start cvmfsexec and see what happens +./cvmfsexec cvmfs-config.cern.ch software.eessi.io -- bash +``` + --- To start using EESSI, see [Using EESSI](usage.md). diff --git a/docs/index.md b/docs/index.md index ca2e6f8..9ed5276 100644 --- a/docs/index.md +++ b/docs/index.md @@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ EESSI provides a shared, portable, and optimized software stack for scientific c ## Tutorial Contents -For those attending the live tutorial at ISC26, there is a [prepared environment](prepared-environment.md) available. +For those attending the live tutorial at ISC 2026, there is a [prepared environment](prepared-environment.md) available. 1. [Introduction to EESSI](introduction.md) 2. [Getting Access to EESSI](getting-access.md) @@ -20,7 +20,6 @@ For those attending the live tutorial at ISC26, there is a [prepared environment 4. [EESSI Use Cases](use-cases.md) 5. [Installing on top of EESSI](installing-on-top.md) 6. [Using EESSI in CI](ci.md) -7. [Advanced topics](advanced-topics.md) ## Learning Objectives diff --git a/docs/introduction.md b/docs/introduction.md index 317803e..b3ac63b 100644 --- a/docs/introduction.md +++ b/docs/introduction.md @@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ We use custom architecture detection scripts to automatically select the best suited installations from the software stack for a particular host, based on its system architecture. -The software layer is maintained through our [https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer](https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer) GitHub repository. +The software layer is maintained through our [https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer-scripts](https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer) and [https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer](https://github.com/EESSI/software-layer-scripts) GitHub repositories. ## Current status @@ -135,4 +135,10 @@ and hence the [MultiXscale](https://www.multixscale.eu/) EuroHPC Centre-of-Excel project (2023-2026) that is a collaboration between EESSI and [CECAM](https://www.cecam.org/), with goals that include making EESSI ready for production, and supporting community contributions. +In 2024, EESSI won the HPCwire Reader's Choice Award at SC24. + +EESSI is also a critical component of the +[EuroHPC Federation Platform (EFP)](https://my-eurohpc.eu/), underpinning the Federated Software Catalogue. The first +release of EFP took place in April 2026. + [*(back to overview page)*](index.md) diff --git a/docs/prepared-environment.md b/docs/prepared-environment.md index 490a566..27d6416 100644 --- a/docs/prepared-environment.md +++ b/docs/prepared-environment.md @@ -4,9 +4,9 @@ Follow the instructions below to get access to a temporary virtual machine that you can use for the hands-on exercises during this tutorial. -!!! note "Only available during EESSI tutorial at ISC'26" +!!! note "Only available during EESSI tutorial at ISC 2026" - This environment is only available during the EESSI tutorial at [ISC'26](https://isc-hpc.com), + This environment is only available during the EESSI tutorial at [ISC 2026](https://isc-hpc.com), on Monday 22 June 2026. Alternatively, you can use a system where EESSI is already available, see [here](https://eessi.io/docs/systems). @@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ that you can use for the hands-on exercises during this tutorial. !!! tip "Do not hesitate to ask for help!" - During the ISC'26 tutorial, raise your hand to ask a question or get help. + During the ISC 2026 tutorial, raise your hand to ask a question or get help. Afterwards, join the EESSI Slack via the "Slack channel" link on the EESSI website [https://eessi.io](https://eessi.io), and ask your question there. @@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ ssh tutorial.eessi.science Browse to https://tutorial.eessi.science -- Make sure to change default “Time” to 4 hours +- Make sure to change default "Time" to 4 hours - Take 4 cores Alternative, use the login node for hands-on, 16 cores so should be fine to share for a small group. diff --git a/docs/usage.md b/docs/usage.md index 7938d33..7cf54a7 100644 --- a/docs/usage.md +++ b/docs/usage.md @@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ * Explore the software that EESSI has to offer * Run examples for some software packages included in EESSI -If the EESSI repository is available, all you need to do is set up your shell environment, +If the EESSI repository is available, all you need to do is set up your shell environment and you can start using the software installations that EESSI provides. ## Setting up your environment @@ -17,6 +17,16 @@ To set up the EESSI environment, run the command: source /cvmfs/software.eessi.io/versions/2025.06/init/lmod/bash ``` +!!! note "What if I want a different EESSI version?" + + Indeed there are a few different EESSI versions (`2023.06` and `2025.06`) and this list will grow! You can + always select a different EESSI after initialising by loading the appropriate module. For example, for + `EESSI/2023.06` I can use the initialisation as above with the version changed, or I can use the same + initialisation and switch the `EESSI` module afterwards: + ``` { .bash .copy } + module load EESSI/2023.06 + ``` + This may take a while as data is downloaded from a Stratum 1 server which is part of the CernVM-FS infrastructure to distribute files. You should see the following output: diff --git a/zensical.toml b/zensical.toml index b6edf01..c94ad50 100644 --- a/zensical.toml +++ b/zensical.toml @@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ nav = [ { "Use cases for EESSI" = "use-cases.md" }, { "Installing on top of EESSI" = "installing-on-top.md" }, { "Using EESSI in CI" = "ci.md" }, - { "Advanced topics" = "advanced-topics.md" }, ] # With the "extra_css" option you can add your own CSS styling to customize From 507b607388069d532a04fb1d27a832a93897244d Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Alan O'Cais Date: Mon, 15 Jun 2026 16:51:24 +0200 Subject: [PATCH 2/2] Remove advanced topics --- docs/advanced-topics.md | 9 --------- 1 file changed, 9 deletions(-) delete mode 100644 docs/advanced-topics.md diff --git a/docs/advanced-topics.md b/docs/advanced-topics.md deleted file mode 100644 index 2fcde33..0000000 --- a/docs/advanced-topics.md +++ /dev/null @@ -1,9 +0,0 @@ -# Customisation of EESSI - -## GPU drivers - -## MPI runtimes - -## Other software installation tools on top of EESSI - -### Spack