Dependencies
The system is designed to be distributed across many computers, however it can also all be run on a single computer. This modular architecture means the software and hardware requirements are quite flexible. Below are the minimum hardware and software requirements for getting the live monitor running on a single computer.
Software Requirements
Installation will be covered in the next section, but these are the recommended software dependencies on host systems running OCS:
Python Dependencies
All python dependencies for OCS are listed in (and automatically installed via)
the requirements.txt file. Some of the dependencies are:
Other Dependencies
crossbar.io - An implementation of a WAMP router.
Docker - Containerization software used for deploying several SO written packages.
Docker Compose - Docker plugin for running multi-container Docker applications.
Crossbar may be installed via pip if it will be used without Docker; if it will be used with Docker it does not need to be separately installed.
Operating System
Deploying in Docker makes OCS almost OS independent. If running components directly on hosts we do recommend using Linux.
Linux
We recommend you run mostly in a Linux environment. Mostly we have deployed on Ubuntu 18.04, and recommend you use that if possible. You are welcome to use other Linux distributions, however support might be limited.
Windows
Some users have had success running OCS Agents in Docker on Windows 10, so that is possible. This is often driven by the need to interface with some Windows only software.
Mac
Some developers have also successfully run Dockerized OCS components on macOS. However, no production systems are running macOS, so again, support might be limited.
Hardware Requirements
Hardware needs can be different depending on what OCS components you plan to run on a machine. Generally you will need storage space for the Docker images. Beyond that, even modest modern work stations can handle many components at once.
Note
Docker stores its images in the root filesystem by default. If the computer
you are using has a small / partition you might run into space
constraints.
If running OCS components on Windows 10 within Docker we recommend at least 8 GB of RAM, given that Windows needs to virtualize an environment to run Docker in.
Networking Requirements
Simple OCS configurations can consist of a single machine. Beyond that, you will need a local network, typically consisting of a private subnet defined by a router. A network switch is often helpful in this case as well, depending on the number of networked devices.
Warning
You should not run your crossbar server on a public IP without a properly configured firewall. Single-node configurations can just expose ports only to localhost (127.0.0.1), however, beyond that it is recommended a separate firewall is placed between your machine and the Internet. Note Docker manuiplates iptables to open ports and so a software firewall is likely not enough.
This firewall need is often satisified by those built into the router used to provide your OCS subnet.
Live monitoring remotely (i.e. not sitting directly at the computer) is facilitated by having a public IP address, and if you are able to setup a secure webserver. Doing so, however, is beyond the scope of this guide.
Note
If you do not have a public IP, but do have access to a gateway to your private network, then port forwarding can be used to view the live monitor remotely.
For examples of possible network configurations see the socs documentation - Network Configuration.