Project Atomic is a framework designed to create an optimized operating system for running containers, built from RHEL, CentOS, and Fedora, aiming for easier management and enhanced security. Key components include rpm-ostree for system updates, Docker for container management, and Kubernetes for orchestrating containerized applications. The project also involves special interest groups (SIGs) for developing specialized CentOS variants to enhance software capabilities while maintaining stability.

1. Introduction to Project Atomic
Lalatendu Mohanty
@lalatenduM,
lalatenduM on Freenode,
lala@redhat.com

2. Topics
●
What is Project Atomic?
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Rpm-ostree
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Cockpit
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Kubernets
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/usr/bin/atomic
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Docker
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SPC
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Nulecule
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CentOS Atomic SIG
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Getting Involved

3. What is Project Atomic?

4. To Begin With
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It is not a new GNU/Linux distribution.
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Framework to create an OS from RHEL,
CentOS and Fedora.
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Aim of Project Atomic is to create a better OS
for containers.

5. Why Atomic?
●
For running containers we don't need a full
fledged distribution.
●
Optimized OS for running and maintaining
containers.
●
Less number of packages to maintain.

6. Why Atomic?
●
Maintaining these systems should be
relatively less painful.
●
Updating the system should be easy to deploy
and manage.
●
More secure than the traditional OS

7. What Atomic Hosts Won't Provide
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YUM install will not work inside Atomic host
●
Official images would have minimal package
set.

8. Atomic hosts comprises of
●
Rpm-ostree
●
Cockpit
●
Kubernets
●
/usr/bin/atomic
●
Docker
●
SPC

9. rpm-ostree

10. OSTree
“OSTree was born to help implement a continuous
delivery model for operating systems. One can be a lot
more confident in updating systems if one knows that a
reliable rollback system is always available.”
COLIN WALTERS
Senior Software Engineer, Inventor of OSTree
Red Hat

11. rpm-ostree
●
Git for operating systems.
●
Update methods of containers and applied
them to operating system.
●
No more half way upgraded systems
# yum update
bash: yum: command not found
# atomic host upgrade
Upgrade prepared for next boot
# atomic host rollback
Successfully reset deployment

12. Why rpm-ostree?
●
Atomic host would only run containers.
●
Atomic update makes more sense for an
immutable system.
●
Allows reuse of RPMs.
●
No need to re-invent wheel on packaging.
●
Option to rollback to previous state (old good
state).

13. How rpm-ostree works?
●
Fiilesystem is read-only except /var and /etc
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All data (e.g. containers) are unchanged on
upgrade.
●
/etc gets updated through a 3-way merge.

14. Docker
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Built-in Docker run time in Atomic host.
●
Docker run would just work.
– $docker run -t -i fedora /bin/bash

15. Kubernetes
●
An open source system for managing
containerized applications across multiple
hosts
●
It gives basic mechanisms for deployment,
maintenance, and scaling of applications.

16. Nulecule
●
Provide a simple, flexible way to describe a
multi-container application, including all
dependencies.
https://github.com/projectatomic/nulecule
●
Nulecule: The mother of all atomic particles
●
Refer: http://simpsons.wikia.com/wiki/Made-
up_words

17. Cockpit
●
Server manager for administrating Linux
servers via web browser.
●
Designed to be multi-server
●
Support for managing containers, Kubernetes.
●
http://cockpit-project.org/

19. /usr/bin/atomic
●
Coherent entry point : manage host and
containers with the atomic command.
●
Fill gaps in Linux container implementations.
– e.g. “atomic install foo” can install a container with
its k8s configuration and/or systemd unit file.
– “atomic run” grabs the LABEL “run” with its all
command line details.
– It can serve as metadata for containers for different
use cases

20. SPC
●
SPC = Super Privileged Containers
●
Tools container
●
Allows applications inside of containers to
interact with or control the host, very useful
for system and monitoring tools

21. Special interest groups (SIGs)
●
For building specialized variants of CentOS that fulfill
specific sets of requirements.
●
Freedom to modify and enhance CentOS in various
ways, including adding more cutting-edge software,
rebuilding existing packages.
●
To get the best of both worlds – the overall stability of
CentOS and newer technology from various open
source projects.

22. CentOS Atomic SIG
●
To deliver CentOS based Atomic host.
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Also building a downstream of RHEL Atomic
host.
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http://wiki.centos.org/SpecialInterestGroup/Atomic
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Centos-devel Mailing list and irc channel.

23. References
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Introduction to Atomic - Joe Brockmeier -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPltG4Yd
KVE
●
https://github.com/GoogleCloudPlatform/kube
rnetes
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https://github.com/projectatomic

24. Get involved
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Website: projectatomic.io
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Github: github.com/projectatomic
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#atomic on Freenode
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centos-devel, atomic-devel, atomic ML
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Facebook.com/projectatomic
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Twitter @projectatomic

25. Thank you :-)
Any questions please?