Software policy

On a Linux system, there's - technically - no problem to install software in arbitrary location i. e. your HomeDirectory. On the other hand it might be a good idea to make prevalent software available in a central location.

If you tell us which software products you'd like to have installed centrally we will seriously check the possibilities.

This is what our current installation policy looks like:

1. Local software installation (like Windows Local Admin) on ordinary LinuxDesktops (lxg*) is technically not possible.
2. Software distributed as Debian Packages can be requested. We will add it to our central software install lists and it will be available on the Linux nodes overnight.
3. Scientific Software may be requested for the Virtual Application Environment of the BatchFarm. It is then also available on the interactive Linux of the same Debian release.
4. Software that is neither available as a Debian package nor suitable for installation in the VAE can be centrally installed in a self-maintained CVMFS repository.
   Please take a look at the CVMFS topic for a list of available repositories and their maintainers as well as instructions on how to apply for your own CVMFS repository.
5. Software for utilization on the BatchFarm can be installed on /lustre if nothing else is feasible. Please keep in mind that a multitude of small files will have a grave negative impact on the performance of the Lustre file-system and clean up obsolete stuff as soon as possible. User quotas on the amount of files on Lustre apply.

Requesting software

1. Request the installation of Debian packages via the IT-TTS
2. Request the installation into a Virtual Application Environment via this form
3. Request a CVMFS repository as described here