Hierarchical Places and Multi-Device-Places

[sessl3r]

Hi there,

we are using and improving Labgrid in our lab for our needs. Works great. Thanks!
One topic we want to achieve and find some good solution is that we most of the time have multiple devices related to one or multiple DUT's and need to lock those via Labgrid.

We are testing network performance between multiple nodes. All nodes are connected through a central switch. On the nodes the NIC/DUT is either used in the host-os or in one of multiple VM's (dependent on the test executed).

Currently each node is a Labgrid Place. The switch is another Labgrid Place.

Here our first problem occurs: The switch is a shared resource. Our need would be that multiple places can acquire the switch resources (mainly power, very often also (filtered) ssh access for config). The first acquire of the switch would turn it on. The last release would turn it off. For now we do not see this is easily possible with Labgrid, isn't it? What would be ideas you have to achieve something like that? Our first idea is to have some sort of daemon external from labgrid which controls the device and can be controlled from labgrid.

The next point are VM's. In our thinking they are something like child's of a node. Current workaround is we have the node as a place and written strategies to give us access to one of the VM's. The downside is that it would be much preferred if multiple users can access different VM's on the same node. So we would like to have each VM as a place and basically the same behaviour as with the switch. The first acquired VM will power on the node, the last power it off.

Would be great to hear any ideas you have for this with the deeper knowledge of Labgrid :)

Thanks & Regards,
sessl3r