===============================================================================
                              X-BONE 1.3 README
                          http://www.isi.edu/xbone/
                                xbone@isi.edu

                              $Revision: 1.2 $
                         $Date: 2000/07/31 23:13:26 $
===============================================================================

Index:
	X-BONE Project Overview

	X-BONE Components
	       Overlay Manager
	       Resource Daemon
	       Apache-SSL based GUI

	Files included in this installation

	What's NOT included in this installation, and why

	Information and Bug Report

===============================================================================

>>> X-BONE Project Overview

    The X-Bone dynamically deploys and manages Internet overlays to reduce
    their configuration effort and increase network component sharing. X-Bone
    discovers, configures, and monitors network resources to create overlays
    over existing IP networks. Overlay networks are useful for deploying
    overlapping virtual networks on shared infrastructure and for virtualizing
    and simplifying network topology. 

    The following is a list of key features of X-Bone:
	> dynamic resource discovery
	> automatic overlay deployment
	> web GUI for easy overlay management
	> simultaneous participation in multiple overlays
	> two-layer IP in IP encapsulation
	> supports existing applications and unmodified routing, multicast,
	  and DNS services in unmodified operating systems
        > supports recursive overlays
	> supports secure overlays through IPsec

>>> X-BONE Components
   
    >>> Overlay Manager (OM) 

	The OM coodinates and deploys overlays on behalf of user requests.
	Users access the OM via the GUI, and the OM contacts RDs on various
	hosts to request and configure the components. An X-Bone system 
	requires at least one (currently usually only one) OM.

    >>> Resource Daemon (RD)

	The RD coordinates configuration of a single component, e.g., a host,
	host-based router, or X-Bone DNS. Each component is configured as one
	of (host, router, DNS). An X-Bone system requires one RD per 
	configurable component; (currently only) one must be configured as a
	DNS. Typically, at least one router, and more than one host are 
	required to deploy 'interesting' topologies.

    >>> Apache-SSL based GUI (GUI)

	The user controls the X-Bone via a web-based interface, currently 
	available only in Apache-SSL. The X-Bone installation configures an
	Apache-SSL server, and provides the appropriate X-Bone configuration
	web pages and scripts. At least one GUI is required per X-Bone system.

    *** NOTE - the OM, DNS-RD, and GUI can run on the same machine if desired.

>>> Files included in this installation: (${PREFIX}=/usr/local by default)

    >>> X-Bone executable files & library modules:

	The X-Bone is written completely in Perl (5.005_03 and above).  X-Bone
	files will be installed under ${PREFIX}/xbone by default, and the
	primary executables will also be linked in ${PREFIX}/bin.

    >>> Host configuration file for xb-daemon (RD): /etc/Xbone_daemon.conf

    >>> Host persistent state file for xb-daemon: /etc/Xbone_daemon.state

	This file will be generated automatically by RD during runtime, and
	will be used for crash recovery.

    >>> Man pages for X-Bone:

	A set of man pages will be installed under ${PREFIX}/man.

    >>> X-Bone GUI: (HTML files & CGI scripts)

	The web pages and CGI scripts of the X-Bone GUI will be installed
	under ${PREFIX}/www by default. Note that Apache-SSL server is
	required, but not included with X-Bone distribution.

    >>> X-Bone zone file & reverse zone file:

	The zone file and the reverse zone file will be installed in 
	${DNS}/xbone on a host (usually the same one as OM) to act as a DNS
	server (runngin named); the location of ${DNS} is platform-dependent,
	e.g., ${DNS}=/etc/namedb for FreeBSD, ${DNS}=/etc for Linux. These two
	files keep the X-Bone DNS state local to X-Bone overlays.

    >>> Certificate Authority (CA) certificate:

	The CA certificate is installed automatically for both the Apache-SSL
	server and the X-Bone. But you do need to obtain host & user
	certificates manually after the installation to	run X-Bone. 

>>> What's NOT included in this installation, and why:

    >>> Fixes to other ports, packages (FreeBSD), or RPMs (Linux):

	X-Bone requires a few other software packages. While all of these
	components are run as-is, some of the released installation tools
	fail on some hosts. See INSTALL & FAQ for specific information on 
	the required softwares. When in doubt, contact the maintainers of
	the package that fails before contacting us. 

    >>> modified / patched versions of network tools 

	That's because the X-Bone doesn't require such modifications. Unlike
	other VPN or overlay network solutions, the X-Bone is completely
	compatible with existing ping, traceroute, etc.

>>> INFORMATION & BUG REPORT

    >>> Copyright Information:

	Please see COPYRIGHT or the copyright information at the beginning
	of any of the X-Bone program files.  

    >>> Problems & Bug Report

	Please submit your problem or bug report to <xbone@isi.edu>.

    >>> Other Information:

	For more information on the X-Bone programs, please read the man pages
	and other documentation of the X-Bone; or look directly at the Perl
	code of X-Bone.

	For more information of the X-Bone project, please visit our web site
	at http://www.isi.edu/xbone/ or email your question to <xbone@isi.edu>.

