GCB Tutorial European Condor Week June 2006 INFN Milan, Italy

Todd TannenbaumCondor Team

http://www.cs.wisc.edu/condor

GCB TutorialEuropean Condor Week

June 2006INFN

Milan, Italy

www.cs.wisc.edu/condor

What is GCB?› GCB is the Generic Connection Broker

Included in Condor 6.7.13 (Nov 2005) and later

Linux-only› It solves the “firewall traversal

problem”› So what is the firewall traversal

problem?


A Simple Condor Pool

Matchmaker

ExecutorSubmitter

Communication is initiated in two directions

Note: This is a subset of communication in Condor


What If There Is A Firewall?

› Firewalls usually block incoming traffic on most ports

› “Incoming” depends on your perspective: Organizations have firewalls to protect

from computers outside the organization Individual computers have firewalls to

protect from other computers


A Condor Pool With Firewall

Matchmaker

ExecutorSubmitter

X

X


How Can You Traverse Firewalls?

› Punch a hole Configure firewall to allow traffic on a

certain range of ports to come through Tell Condor to restrict itself to use only

this range Bummer: Condor can use many ports Bummer: Punching holes makes people

nervous


How Can You Traverse Firewalls?› Use Condor-C

Matchmaker

ExecutorSubmitter Re-Submitter

Put host on network edge Open a couple of ports for it Delegate jobs to this host


How Can You Traverse Firewalls?

› Change Condor to always use outgoing traffic What if there are two firewalls or private

networks? Which direction is “outgoing”?

› GCB automates this solution It knows which direction is outgoing It can proxy if there are two firewalls


GCB: Contacting Executor(One Possible Scenario)

Matchmaker

Executor

Submitter

GCB4 1

1. Executor registers with GCB (Permanent TCP connection)

2. Executor advertises to matchmaker (GCB IP address)

2

3. After match, submitter contacts executor, via GCB

34. GCB tell executor to open

connection

5. Executor opens connection to submitter 5


GCB(Acting as Proxy)

Matchmaker

Executor

Submitter

1. Assume 1 port open for matchmaker. (Can avoid…)

2. Executor advertises with GCB (permanent connection)

3. Executor advertises to matchmaker (GCB IP address)

4. After match, submitter contacts executor, via GCB

5. Communication flows through GCB, using both connections

1

5

GCB2

3

4


GCB Advantages› Good connectivity

Works with multiple private networks Works with network address translation

› Don’t need to punch holes in firewall› GCB does not need to be run as root› No changes to firewall configuration


GCB Disadvantages› GCB is a point of failure

All communications through GCB, so if GCB fails…

› Computers behind a firewall share an IP address (of GCB) Makes host-based security difficult

› Doesn’t work with Kerberos security› Can slow down network performance› Scalability issues

A single GCB server is limited by number of ports available on computer

› Complex to configure and debug


Now for the Nitty Gritty…


Setting Up GCB1. Install GCB2. Configure GCB3. Configure Condor to use GCB


Install GCB› GCB comes with Condor› GCB has two programs

gcb_broker: The “big brains” of GCB gcb_relay_server: proxy for private net to

private net communication› GCB was written independently of Condor

Can’t read condor_config directly So create environment in condor_config GCB reads from environment


Install GCB› GCB should be on computer with no other

services GCB can use lots of ports, so avoid port

competition with other programs Using GCB can slow down communication, so

keeping GCB on its own computer helps speed

› GCB needs to be on edge of network On public network and private network At least one GCB per private network


Configure GCB› To run from condor_master:# Specify that you only want the master # and the broker running DAEMON_LIST = MASTER, GCB_BROKER

# Define the path to the broker binary # for the master to spawn GCB_BROKER=$(RELEASE_DIR)/libexec/gcb_broker


Configure GCB› GCB expects configuration in

environment. Sample:GCB_BROKER_ENVIRONMENT =

# Provide the full path to the gcb_relay_server GCB_BROKER_ENVIRONMENT = GCB_RELAY_SERVER=$(GCB_RELAY)

# Tell GCB to write all log files into the Condor log # directory GCB_BROKER_ENVIRONMENT=(GCB_BROKER_ENVIRONMENT);GCB_LOG_DIR=$(LOG)

# Tell GCB it can connect to private networkGCB_BROKER_ENVIRONMENT=$(GCB_BROKER_ENVIRONMENT);GCB_ACTIVE_TO_CLIENT=yes

# Set public IP address for GCB brokerGCB_BROKER_ARGS = -i 123.123.123.123

# Provide the full path to the gcb_relay_server GCB_BROKER_ENV = GCB_RELAY_SERVER=$(GCB_RELAY) # Tell GCB to write all log files into the# Condor log directory GCB_BROKER_ENV=$(GCB_BROKER_ENV);GCB_LOG_DIR=$(LOG)

# Set public IP address for GCB brokerGCB_BROKER_ARGS = -i 123.123.123.123

Note: more configuration options are available. See manual for details# Tell GCB it can connect to private network

GCB_BROKER_ENV = $(GCB_BROKER_ENV);GCB_ACTIVE_TO_CLIENT=yes


Configure Condor to Use GCB› In condor_config:

Turn on GCB:NET_REMAP_ENABLE = trueNET_REMAP_SERVICE = GCB

# Point to GCBNET_REMAP_INAGENT = 123.123.123.123

# Routing TableNET_REMAP_ROUTE = /full/path/gcbroutes


Set Up Routing Table

Private Network192.168.2.*

Public Network123.123.123.*

GCB Broker123.123.123.123

Routing Table123.123.123.123/32 GCB */0 direct


Set Up Routing Table


Public Network123.123.123.* GCB Broker

123.123.123.65

Routing Table123.123.123.65/32 GCB 123.123.123.66/32 GCB*/0 direct


GCB Broker123.123.123.66


Security Implications› Hosts in private network look like they

share a single IP Address (the address of the GCB broker)

› If you use host-based security, you can’t distinguish hosts in the private network

› GCB does not authenticate who it is providing its proxy service for.


More Information› Section 3.8 of the Condor manual

“Networking”› http://www.cs.wisc.edu/~sschang/firewall/

gcb

Thank You!!!

Documents

GCB Tutorial European Condor Week June 2006 INFN Milan, Italy