Leginon

h1. Possible Computer Set-up Configurations

Computer(s) used for the whole Leginon system need to support five functions:

*  TEM/Camera control and data output (by python-side packages of Leginon

system)

*The computer attached to the microscope/camera is used for this function.

Therefore, it is on a Windows computer.

*  General Leginon operation such as target selection and image processing (processing

server of Leginon system)

*  Image data storage.

*  Other meta-data storage through MySQL database (by database server of Leginon

system)

*  Web server (using PHP-side of Leginon system).

*Important* The MRC module that is used to load mrc formatted files to the web

pages is not compiled on Windows. Therefore, this function must be on a linux box unless

you don't need to see the images***

The five functions can be distributed to five different computers on a network or all on

one single computer. However, since the latter minimal setup requires the use of the computer

attached to the microscope for all functions, it is not advisable.

Processing server of Leginion is a multi-platform software, meaning it can run on both

Microsoft Windows and Linux. It is also inherently designed to utilize distributed systems on

a network. MySQL used in the database server is also supported by multiple platforms. This is

not true for the Web server because the custom MRC module used in the web viewer only compiles

on linux machines. Therefore, one of the computer not part of the microscope must be a linux.

The following examples show several arrangements that take advantage of distributed system.

Other combinations are possible, but will basically be variations on one of the following

themes.

h2.  A: 1 Windows computer (attached to the Microscope) & 1 Linux computer (for all

other functions, separate from the Microscope) (Good for single user and small-scale

acquisition)

*  Install the latest processing server side of Leginon release (and supporting

packages) on the Windows computer controlling the microscope and on the Linux computer

which is to run Leginon image acquisition and processing.

*  Install the additional modules needed for CCD camera and film interaction on the

Windows computer controlling the microscope.

*  Install MySQL, PHP, the Apache Web Server, and dbem tools only on the Linux

computer that will perform these functions, (i.e. NOT the computer controlling the

microscope).

h2.  B: 1 Windows computer (attached to the Microscope) & 4 Linux computers (one for

each function) (Good for multiple microsopes, users and large-scale acquisition)

This is the set-up at NRAMM. It has the processing server side of Leginon installed on

the Windows computer attached to the microscope and on the Linux computer that is used for

running Leginon. A second Linux machine is dedicated to the database while the web-based

viewer is hosted by another server.

*  Install the python-side Leginon (and supporting packages) on the Windows computer

controlling the microscope and on the Linux computer that is to run Leginon. You can

make the latter installation accessable to any numbers of linux computers on your

network.

*  Install MySQL, PHP, the Apache Web Server, and dbem tools on the second Linux

computer that will serve as the database/web server/PHP host.

*  The computer hosting the data storage should be accessable by all linux

boxes.

h2.  C: 1 Windows computer (attached to the Microscope), 1 Windows computer running python-

and MySQL-side functions and 1 Linux computer as web server (Has been applied

successfully)

The data storage may be on one of these computers that is accessable by other

computers.

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