FastX Packaging and Configuration
Attention: This article is for the 3.3 version of FastX. Click here for the 4.0 version
Changes Starting January 2022
Introduction
Based on several years of customer input, the versions of FastX released starting in 2022 will have the following packaging and configuration changes from the previous versions. These changes will make installation, especially automated installations and upgrades much easier. In addition, Debian(Ubuntu) will be natively supported without conversion from RPM.
Package Name
To be more consistent with other Linux packages, the name of the package will change from “FastX3” to “fastx-server”. The package will indicate that the “FastX3” name is obsolete, so it will be automatically removed during an upgrade. They will not be different packages.
In the future, the FastX Linux client will also be in the repository. Its name will be “fastx-client”.
File Locations
Configuration
To be more consistent with Linux apps, the configuration directory will be /etc/fastx (previously /usr/lib/fastx/var/config).
Var
Data that changes or is added during operation is in the “var” directory. This will be in /var/fastx (previously /usr/lib/fastx/var). The var directory contains the following subdirectories:
- license: License files
- local: The server ID, and its public/private key)
- local/store: Databases for local objects and all objects in standalone mode
Dotenv
FastX will use the dotenv standard to customize the locations of the above directories. The dotenv file is located in /usr/lib/fastx/3/.env. This file is also used for a non-root installation.
Upgrades
When upgrading a FastX installation that uses the old file locations (/usr/lib/fastx/var), symbolic links will be added from the new locations, to avoid confusion.
Systemd Unit Files
The fastx-server package will include the systemd unit files in /usr/lib/systemd/system. An installation will automatically enable and start the fastx3 service. Previously, systemd unit files were created by the install.sh script and located in /etc/systemd/system. An upgrade will remove the files from the old location.
Repositories and Downloads
There are repositories for both yum (RedHat) and apt (Debian). The same packages of the same versions should be located in both repositories. For each package manager, there are 2 repositories named “preview” and “stable”. There is no reason to enable both the “preview” and “stable” repositories, as every package in “stable” will also be in “preview”.
StarNet’s download pages will now download a script that will enable the repository appropriate for the Linux distribution where the script is run, and then download and install the most recent package with the package manager. There will also be links to download the *.rpm and *.deb files, for non-root installations, or to save to portable drives for systems without Internet access.
After the initial script is run, future versions may be installed simply by using the package manager on the Linux system, without visiting the StarNet download page again.
The “Early Access” page will have an identical method to the main download page, except that the “preview” repository will be added, while the script from the main download page will add the “stable” repository.