Merge branch 'release-0.15'

ChangeLog

+2014-16-05, v0.15rc3
+	* Fix bugs in pithcat introduced in rc2
+
+2014-15-05, v0.15rc2
+	* Add pithos backend version check in pithcat.
+
+2014-13-05, v0.15rc1
+	* Add support for selectable pithos storage backend. Possible storage
+	  backends for pithos are `nfs' or `rados'
+	* Fix bugs and update the documentation
+
 2014-04-11, v0.14
 	* Add support for extending NetBSD partitions
 	* Change the default Virtual RAM size of the helper VM to 512M
@@ -151,9 +162,9 @@
 	* Use Coordinated Universal Time when logging.
 	* Fix a bug in the way snf-image-update-helper reads the links of the
 	  kernel and the initrd in the helper VM.
-	* Use environmental variables instead of input options to pass
-	  sensitive data to pithcat. This is needed because when pithcat is
-	  running, every user can see the program's command line by using ps.
+	* Use environment variables instead of input options to pass sensitive
+	  data to pithcat. This is needed because when pithcat is running,
+	  every user can see the program's command line by using ps.
 
 2012-09-15, v0.6
 	* Fix import and export scripts

devflow.conf

 [ packages ]
   [[ devflow ]]
-    version_file = "version.m4"
-    version_template = "version_template"
+    version_file = "version.m4","docs/version.py"
+    version_template = "version_template","docs/version_template"

docs/architecture.rst

@@ -106,8 +106,12 @@ newly created block device. The following back-ends are supported:
  * **Pithos backend**:
    *snf-image* contains a special command-line tool (*pithcat*) for retrieving
    images residing on a Pithos installation. To set up snf-image's Pithos
-   backend the user needs to setup the ``PITHOS_DATA`` and ``PITHOS_DB``
-   variables inside ``/etc/default/snf-image`` accordingly.
+   backend the user needs to setup the ``PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE`` variable
+   inside ``/etc/default/snf-image``.
+   Possible values are ``nfs`` and ``rados``. If ``nfs`` is used the user needs
+   to setup ``PITHOS_DATA`` variable, and when ``rados`` is used the user needs
+   to setup ``PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS`` and ``PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS``
+   accordingly.
 
  * **Null backend**:
    If the null backend is selected, no image copying is performed. This
@@ -127,20 +131,20 @@ below for a description of each one of them:
 
 **FixPartitionTable**: Enlarges the last partition in the partition table of
 the instance, to consume all the available space and optionally adds a swap
-partition in the end. The task will fail if the environmental variable
+partition in the end. The task will fail if the environment variable
 *SNF_IMAGE_DEV*, which specifies the device file of the instance's hard disk,
 is missing.
 
 **FilesystemResizeUnmounted**: Extends the file system of the last partition to
 cover up the whole partition. This only works for ext{2,3,4}, FFS and UFS2 file
 systems. Any other file system type is ignored and a warning is triggered. The
-task will fail if *SNF_IMAGE_DEV* environmental variable is missing.
+task will fail if *SNF_IMAGE_DEV* environment variable is missing.
 
 **MountImage**: Mounts the root partition of the instance, specified by the
 *SNF_IMAGE_PROPERTY_ROOT_PARTITION* variable. On Linux systems after the root
 fs is mounted, the instance's ``/etc/fstab`` file is examined and the rest of
 the disk file systems are mounted too, in a correct order. The script will fail
-if any of the environmental variables *SNF_IMAGE_DEV*,
+if any of the environment variables *SNF_IMAGE_DEV*,
 *SNF_IMAGE_PROPERTY_ROOT_PARTITION* or *SNF_IMAGE_TARGET* is unset or has a
 non-sane value.
 
@@ -167,7 +171,7 @@ is needed by Windows in order to perform an unattended setup. The
 
 **SELinuxAutorelabel**: Creates *.autorelabel* file in Red Hat images. This is
 needed if SELinux is enabled to enforce an automatic file system relabeling
-during the first boot. The only environmental variable required by this task is
+during the first boot. The only environment variable required by this task is
 *SNF_IMAGE_TARGET*.
 
 **AssignHostname**: Assigns or changes the hostname of the instance. The task
@@ -200,7 +204,7 @@ missing a warning is produced. Only *SNF_IMAGE_TARGET* is required for this
 task to run.
 
 **UmountImage**: Umounts the file systems previously mounted by MountImage. The
-only environmental variable required is *SNF_IMAGE_TARGET*.
+only environment variable required is *SNF_IMAGE_TARGET*.
 
 
 +-------------------------------+---+--------------------------------------------+--------------------------------------------------+
@@ -241,4 +245,4 @@ only environmental variable required is *SNF_IMAGE_TARGET*.
 |UmountImage                    |80 |MountImage        |                         |TARGET                   |                        |
 +-------------------------------+---+------------------+-------------------------+-------------------------+------------------------+
 
-.. [#] all environmental variables are prefixed with *SNF_IMAGE_*
+.. [#] all environment variables are prefixed with *SNF_IMAGE_*

docs/conf.py

@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@
 # serve to show the default.
 
 import sys, os
-
+sys.path.insert(0, os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)))
+from version import __version__
 # If extensions (or modules to document with autodoc) are in another directory,
 # add these directories to sys.path here. If the directory is relative to the
 # documentation root, use os.path.abspath to make it absolute, like shown here.
@@ -45,9 +46,9 @@ copyright = u'2011, 2012, 2013 GRNET S.A. All rights reserved'
 # built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = '0.14'
+version = __version__
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '0.14'
+release = __version__
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.

docs/configuration.rst

@@ -64,9 +64,25 @@ some external programs in ``/etc/default/snf-image``:
   # PITHOS_DB: Pithos database in SQLAlchemy format
   # PITHOS_DB="sqlite://///var/lib/pithos/backend.db"
 
+  # PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE: Select Pithos backend storage. Possible values are
+  # 'nfs' and 'rados'. According to the value you select, you need to set the
+  # corresponding variables that follow.
+  # If you select 'nfs' that's 'PITHOS_DATA'. If you select 'rados' then you
+  # need to set all the "*_RADOS_*" ones.
+  # PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE="nfs"
+
   # PITHOS_DATA: Directory where Pithos data are hosted
   # PITHOS_DATA="//var/lib/pithos/data"
 
+  # PITHOS_RADOS_CEPH_CONF: RADOS configuration file
+  # PITHOS_RADOS_CEPH_CONF="@sysconfdir@/ceph/ceph.conf"
+
+  # PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS: RADOS pool for storing Pithos maps
+  # PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS="maps"
+
+  # PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS: RADOS pool for storing Pithos blocks
+  # PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS="blocks"
+
   # PROGRESS_MONITOR: External program that monitors the progress of image
   # deployment. Monitoring messages will be redirected to the standard input of
   # this program.

docs/installation.rst

@@ -8,17 +8,39 @@ identical for all nodes and should be repeated manually or automatically, e.g.,
 with puppet.
 
 Installing snf-image using packages
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+-----------------------------------
 
-For Debian GNU/Linux and Ubuntu we provide packages in our APT repository.
+Debian GNU/Linux
+^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
 
-For Debian Wheezy add the following lines to ``/etc/apt/sources.list`` file:
+For Debian 7.x (Wheezy) we provide packages in our APT repository. To use
+our repository add the following lines to file ``/etc/apt/sources.list``:
 
 ``deb http://apt.dev.grnet.gr wheezy/``
 
 ``deb-src http://apt.dev.grnet.gr wheezy/``
 
-For Ubuntu 12.04 LTS add the following lines:
+After you update ``/etc/apt/sources.list`` import the repo's GPG key:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+  # curl https://dev.grnet.gr/files/apt-grnetdev.pub | apt-key add -
+
+To install the package use the following commands:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+  # apt-get update
+  # apt-get install snf-image
+
+The last command will also download and install the *snf-image-helper* image in
+the post install phase of the package installation.
+
+Ubuntu
+^^^^^^
+
+For Ubuntu 12.04 LTS we provide packages in our APT repository. To use our
+repository add the following lines to file ``/etc/apt/sources.list``:
 
 ``deb http://apt.dev.grnet.gr precise/``
 
@@ -28,20 +50,43 @@ After you update ``/etc/apt/sources.list`` import the repo's GPG key:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-  $ curl https://dev.grnet.gr/files/apt-grnetdev.pub | apt-key add -
+  # curl https://dev.grnet.gr/files/apt-grnetdev.pub | apt-key add -
 
 To install the package use the following commands:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-  $ apt-get update
-  $ apt-get install snf-image
+  # apt-get update
+  # apt-get install snf-image
+
+The last command will also download and install the *snf-image-helper* image in
+the post install phase of the package installation.
+
+CentOS
+^^^^^^
+
+For CentOS 6.5 we provide packages in our Yum repository.
+
+To add the GRNET repository in your system, run:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+  # yum localinstall https://dev.grnet.gr/files/grnet-repo.rpm
+
+You can verify the authenticity of the package using our public key found
+`here <https://dev.grnet.gr/files/apt-grnetdev.pub>`_.
+
+To install snf-image run:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+  # yum install snf-image
 
 The last command will also download and install the *snf-image-helper* image in
 the post install phase of the package installation.
 
 Installing snf-image from source
-^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
+--------------------------------
 
 To install snf-image from source, download the provided source package:
 
@@ -63,13 +108,13 @@ Install snf-image:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-  $ make install
-  $ install -Dm600 defaults /etc/default/snf-image
-  $ mkdir -p /var/lib/snf-image/helper
+  # make install
+  # install -Dm600 defaults /etc/default/snf-image
+  # mkdir -p /var/lib/snf-image/helper
 
 Finally, install the helper image by executing:
 
 .. code-block:: console
 
-  $ snf-image-update-helper
+  # snf-image-update-helper
 

docs/interface.rst

@@ -66,10 +66,12 @@ to be used. If no prefix is used, it defaults to the local back-end:
  * **Pithos backend**:
    If the **img_id** is prefixed with ``pithos://`` or ``pithosmap://`` the
    image is considered to reside on a Pithos deployment. For ``pithosmap://``
-   images, the user needs to have set a valid value for the
-   ``PITHOS_DATA`` variable in snf-image's configuration file
-   (``/etc/default/snf-image`` by default). For ``pithos://`` images, in
-   addition to ``PITHOS_DATA``, the user needs to have set a valid value for the
+   images, the user needs to have set a valid value for the ``PITHOS_DATA``
+   variable in snf-image's configuration file (``/etc/default/snf-image`` by
+   default) if the storage backend is ``nfs`` or ``PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS`` and
+   ``PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS`` if the storage backend is ``rados``.
+   For ``pithos://`` images, in addition to ``PITHOS_DATA`` or
+   ``PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_*``, the user needs to have set a valid value for the
    ``PITHOS_DB`` variable, too.
 
   | For example, if we want to deploy using a full Pithos URI:

docs/usage.rst

@@ -11,10 +11,6 @@ following images are basic installations of some popular Linux distributions,
 that have been tested with snf-image and provided here for testing purposes:
 
 
- * Debian Squeeze Base System
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/debian_base-6.0-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/debian_base-6.0-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/debian_base-6.0-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
  * Debian Wheezy Base System
    [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/debian_base-7.0-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
    [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/debian_base-7.0-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
@@ -31,38 +27,34 @@ that have been tested with snf-image and provided here for testing purposes:
    [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/fedora-20-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
    [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/fedora-20-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
    [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/fedora-20-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
- * Ubuntu Desktop LTS 12.04
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-12.04-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-12.04-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-12.04-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
- * Kubuntu LTS 12.04
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu_desktop-12.04-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu_desktop-12.04-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu_desktop-12.04-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
- * Ubuntu Desktop 13.10
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-13.10-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-13.10-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-13.10-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
- * Kubuntu 13.10
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu_desktop-13.10-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu_desktop-13.10-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu_desktop-13.10-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
- * Ubuntu Server 12.04
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_server-12.04-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_server-12.04-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_server-12.04-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
+ * Ubuntu Desktop LTS 14.04
+   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-14.04-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
+   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-14.04-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
+   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_desktop-14.04-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
+ * Kubuntu LTS 14.04
+   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu-14.10-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
+   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu-14.10-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
+   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/kubuntu-14.10-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
+ * Ubuntu Server LTS 14.04
+   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_server-14.04-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
+   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_server-14.04-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
+   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/ubuntu_server-14.04-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
  * OpenSUSE Desktop 13.1
    [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/opensuse_desktop-13.1-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
    [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/opensuse_desktop-13.1-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
    [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/opensuse_desktop-13.1-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
+ * Oracle Linux 6.5
+   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/oraclelinux-6.5-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
+   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/oraclelinux-6.5-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
+   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/oraclelinux-6.5-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
  * FreeBSD 9.2
    [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/freebsd-9.2-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
    [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/freebsd-9.2-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
    [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/freebsd-9.2-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
- * OpenBSD 5.4
-   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/openbsd-5.4-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
-   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/openbsd-5.4-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
-   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/openbsd-5.4-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
+ * OpenBSD 5.5
+   [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/openbsd-5.5-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
+   [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/openbsd-5.5-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]
+   [`metadata <http://cdn.synnefo.org/openbsd-5.5-x86_64.diskdump.meta>`_]
  * NetBSD 6.1
    [`diskdump <http://cdn.synnefo.org/netbsd-6.1-x86_64.diskdump>`_]
    [`md5sum <http://cdn.synnefo.org/netbsd-6.1-x86_64.diskdump.md5sum>`_]

docs/version.py

+__version__ = "0.15rc3"

docs/version_template

+__version__ = "%(DEVFLOW_VERSION)s"

snf-image-helper/common.sh.in

@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ create_partition() {
         # For GPT
         start=${start:0:${#start}-1} # remove the s at the end
         end=${end:0:${#end}-1} # remove the s at the end
-        $SGDISK -n "$id":"$start":"$end" -t "$id":"$ptype" "$device"
+        $SGDISK -a 1 -n "$id":"$start":"$end" -t "$id":"$ptype" "$device"
     fi
 }
 

snf-image-host/AUTHORS

@@ -4,3 +4,4 @@ Constantinos Venetsanopoulos <cven@grnet.gr>
 Vangelis Koukis <vkoukis@grnet.gr>
 Giorgos Verigakis <verigak@grnet.gr>
 Christos Stavrakakis <cstavr@grnet.gr>
+Chrysostomos Nanakos <cnanakos@grnet.gr>

snf-image-host/common.sh.in

@@ -454,6 +454,10 @@ fi
 : ${HELPER_MEMORY:="512"}
 : ${PITHOS_DB:="sqlite:////@localstatedir@/lib/pithos/backend.db"}
 : ${PITHOS_DATA:="@localstatedir@/lib/pithos/data/"}
+: ${PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE:="nfs"}
+: ${PITHOS_RADOS_CEPH_CONF:="@sysconfdir@/ceph/ceph.conf"}
+: ${PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS:="maps"}
+: ${PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS:="blocks"}
 : ${PROGRESS_MONITOR:="@PROGRESS_MONITOR@"}
 : ${UNATTEND:="@UNATTEND@"}
 : ${XEN_SCRIPTS_DIR="@sysconfdir@/xen/scripts"}

snf-image-host/create

@@ -107,10 +107,14 @@ case $BACKEND_TYPE in
         image_size=$($CURL -sI "$IMAGE_NAME" | grep ^Content-Length: | cut -d" " -f2)
         ;;
     pithos)
-        # For security reasons pass the database url to pithcat as an
-        # environmental variable.
+        # For security reasons pass the various options to pithcat as
+        # environment variables.
         export PITHCAT_INPUT_DB="$PITHOS_DB"
         export PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA="$PITHOS_DATA"
+        export PITHCAT_BACKEND_STORAGE="$PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE"
+        export PITHCAT_RADOS_CEPH_CONF="$PITHOS_RADOS_CEPH_CONF"
+        export PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_MAPS="$PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS"
+        export PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS="$PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS"
         cmd_args="$(printf "%q" "${IMAGE_NAME}")"
         image_cmd="./pithcat $cmd_args"
         image_size=$(./pithcat -s  $cmd_args)

snf-image-host/defaults.in

@@ -50,13 +50,29 @@
 # MULTISTRAP_APTPREFDIR="@MULTISTRAP_APTPREFDIR@"
 
 # XEN_SCRIPTS_DIR: Directory where the Xen scripts are stored
-# XEN_SCRIPTS_DIR=="@sysconfdir@/xen/scripts"
+# XEN_SCRIPTS_DIR="@sysconfdir@/xen/scripts"
 
 # PITHOS_DB: Pithos database in SQLAlchemy format
 # PITHOS_DB="sqlite:////@localstatedir@/lib/pithos/backend.db"
 
+# PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE: Select Pithos backend storage. Possible values are
+# 'nfs' and 'rados'. According to the value you select, you need to set the
+# corresponding variables that follow.
+# If you select 'nfs' that's 'PITHOS_DATA'. If you select 'rados' then you need
+# to set all the "*_RADOS_*" ones.
+# PITHOS_BACKEND_STORAGE="nfs"
+
 # PITHOS_DATA: Directory where Pithos data are hosted
 # PITHOS_DATA="/@localstatedir@/lib/pithos/data"
+#
+# PITHOS_RADOS_CEPH_CONF: RADOS configuration file
+# PITHOS_RADOS_CEPH_CONF="@sysconfdir@/ceph/ceph.conf"
+
+# PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS: RADOS pool for storing Pithos maps
+# PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_MAPS="maps"
+
+# PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS: RADOS pool for storing Pithos blocks
+# PITHOS_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS="blocks"
 
 # PROGRESS_MONITOR: External program that monitors the progress of the image
 # deployment. The snf-image monitor messages will be redirected to the standard

snf-image-host/pithcat

 #!/usr/bin/env python
 
-# Copyright (C) 2011-2013 GRNET S.A.
+# Copyright (C) 2011-2014 GRNET S.A.
 #
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
 # it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
@@ -30,29 +30,60 @@ from sys import exit, stdout, stderr
 from os import environ
 from binascii import hexlify, unhexlify
 from collections import namedtuple
+from pkg_resources import parse_version
 
 try:
     from pithos.backends.modular import ModularBackend
+    from pithos.backends.version import __version__ as pithos_backend_version
 except ImportError:
     stderr.write("Pithos backend was not found.\n")
     exit(2)
 
+SELECTABLE_BE_VER = "0.15.1"
+
+note = """
+NOTE: You can pass all arguments through environment variables instead of
+the command line: Setting the environment variable PITHCAT_INPUX_XXX to
+VALUE is equivalent to passing a '--xxx VALUE' argument.
+
+Using the --db argument directly is dangerous, because it may
+expose sensitive information in the output of 'ps'. Consider passing
+the DB URI through the environment variable PITHOS_INPUT_DB instead.\n"""
+
+OptionParser.format_epilog = lambda self, formattxt: self.epilog
+parser = OptionParser(usage='%prog [options] <URL>', epilog=note)
+if parse_version(pithos_backend_version) >= parse_version(SELECTABLE_BE_VER):
+    backend_group = OptionGroup(
+        parser, "Backend-specific Options",
+        "The backend-specific options depend on the specific "
+        "version of Pithos backend (package snf-pithos-backend) installed.\n"
+        "(Currently-installed version: Pithos backend '%s')" %
+        pithos_backend_version)
+    backend_group.add_option('--backend', dest='backend', metavar='BACKEND',
+                             help='Pithos backend storage type', default=None)
+    backend_group.add_option('--rados-conf', dest='rconf', metavar='RCONF',
+                             help='RADOS configuration file to use',
+                             default=None)
+    backend_group.add_option('--rados-maps', dest='rmaps', metavar='RMAPS',
+                             help='RADOS pool which Pithos maps reside',
+                             default=None)
+    backend_group.add_option('--rados-blocks', dest='rblocks',
+                             metavar='RBLOCKS',
+                             help='RADOS pool which Pithos blocks reside',
+                             default=None)
+    backend_group.add_option('--data', dest='data', metavar='DIR',
+                             help='path to the directory where data are stored'
+                             )
+    parser.add_option_group(backend_group)
+else:
+    parser.add_option('--data', dest='data', metavar='DIR',
+                      help='path to the directory where data are stored')
 
-parser = OptionParser(usage='%prog [options] <URL>')
-parser.add_option('--data', dest='data', metavar='DIR',
-                  help='path to the directory where data are stored')
 parser.add_option('-s', action='store_true', dest='size', default=False,
                   help='print file size and exit')
-group = OptionGroup(
-    parser, "Dangerous Options",
-    "Caution: If the <URL> is a LocationURL (pithos://...), then you'll also "
-    "need to define a database URI. You can use the `--db' option to do so, "
-    "but this raises security concerns. For database URI's and pithos data "
-    "paths, the recommended way to define them is to use the PITHCAT_INPUT_DB "
-    "and PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA environmental variables respectfully.")
-group.add_option('--db', dest='db', metavar='URI',
-                 help='SQLAlchemy URI of the database', default=None)
-parser.add_option_group(group)
+parser.add_option('--db', dest='db', metavar='URI',
+                  help='SQLAlchemy URI of the database [DANGEROUS: Do not use,'
+                  'see NOTE below]', default=None)
 
 LocationURL = namedtuple('LocationURL', ['account', 'container', 'object'])
 HashmapURL = namedtuple('HashmapURL', ['hash', 'size'])
@@ -114,30 +145,118 @@ def main():
 
     url = parse_url(args[0])
 
-    if not options.data and 'PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA' not in environ:
-        stderr.write(
-            "Pithos data directory path is missing.\n"
-            "Use the PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA environmental variable (recommended) "
-            "or the --data command line option to define it.\n")
-        exit(1)
+    data_path = None
+
+    if parse_version(pithos_backend_version) >= \
+       parse_version(SELECTABLE_BE_VER):
 
-    data_path = environ['PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA'] if not options.data else \
-        options.data
+        if not options.backend and 'PITHCAT_BACKEND_STORAGE' not in environ:
+            stderr.write(
+                "Pithos backend storage is missing.\n"
+                "Use the PITHCAT_BACKEND_STORAGE environment variable "
+                "(recommended) "
+                "or the --backend command line option to define it.\n")
+            exit(1)
+
+        if options.backend == 'nfs' or \
+           environ.get('PITHCAT_BACKEND_STORAGE') == 'nfs':
+
+            if not options.data and 'PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA' not in environ:
+                stderr.write(
+                    "Pithos data directory path is missing.\n"
+                    "Use the PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA environment variable "
+                    "(recommended) "
+                    "or the --data command line option to define it.\n")
+                exit(1)
+
+            data_path = environ['PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA'] if not options.data else \
+                options.data
+    else:
+        if not options.data and 'PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA' not in environ:
+            stderr.write(
+                "Pithos data directory path is missing.\n"
+                "Use the PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA environment variable "
+                "(recommended) "
+                "or the --data command line option to define it.\n")
+            exit(1)
+
+        data_path = environ['PITHCAT_INPUT_DATA'] if not options.data else \
+            options.data
 
     if options.db is None and 'PITHCAT_INPUT_DB' not in environ and \
             type(url) is LocationURL:
         stderr.write(
             "Pithos database URI is missing.\n"
-            "Use the PITHCAT_INPUT_DB environmental variable (recommended) "
+            "Use the PITHCAT_INPUT_DB environment variable (recommended) "
             "or the --db command line option to define it.\n")
         exit(1)
 
-    db_uri = environ['PITHCAT_INPUT_DB'] if not options.db else options.db
+    if type(url) is HashmapURL:
+        db_uri = None
+    else:
+        db_uri = environ['PITHCAT_INPUT_DB'] if not options.db else options.db
 
-    backend = ModularBackend(None,
-                             db_uri if type(url) is LocationURL else None,
-                             None,
-                             data_path)
+    if parse_version(pithos_backend_version) >= \
+       parse_version(SELECTABLE_BE_VER):
+
+        block_params = {'mappool': None, 'blockpool': None}
+        rados_ceph_conf = None
+
+        backend_storage = environ['PITHCAT_BACKEND_STORAGE'] if not \
+            options.backend else options.backend
+
+        if backend_storage == 'rados' and options.rconf is None and \
+           'PITHCAT_RADOS_CEPH_CONF' not in environ:
+            stderr.write(
+                "RADOS storage backend is selected but "
+                "RADOS conf file is missing.\n"
+                "Use the PITHCAT_RADOS_CEPH_CONF environment variable or the "
+                "--rados-conf command line option to define it.\n")
+            exit(1)
+
+        if backend_storage == 'rados':
+            rados_ceph_conf = environ['PITHCAT_RADOS_CEPH_CONF'] if not \
+                options.rconf else options.rconf
+
+            if options.rmaps is None and 'PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_MAPS' not in \
+               environ:
+                stderr.write(
+                    "RADOS storage backend is selected but "
+                    "RADOS pool for Pithos maps is missing.\n"
+                    "Use the PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_MAPS environment variable or "
+                    "the --rados-maps command line option to define it.\n")
+                exit(1)
+
+            rados_maps = environ['PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_MAPS'] if not \
+                options.rmaps else options.rmaps
+
+            if options.rblocks is None and 'PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS' not in \
+               environ:
+                stderr.write(
+                    "RADOS storage backend is selected but "
+                    "RADOS pool for Pithos blocks is missing.\n"
+                    "Use the PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS environment variable "
+                    "or the --rados-blocks command line option to define it.\n"
+                )
+                exit(1)
+
+            rados_blocks = environ['PITHCAT_RADOS_POOL_BLOCKS'] if not \
+                options.rblocks else options.rblocks
+
+            block_params['blockpool'] = rados_blocks
+            block_params['mappool'] = rados_maps
+
+        backend = ModularBackend(None,
+                                 db_uri if type(url) is LocationURL else None,
+                                 None,
+                                 data_path, block_params=block_params,
+                                 backend_storage=backend_storage,
+                                 rados_ceph_conf=rados_ceph_conf)
+    else:
+        backend = ModularBackend(None,
+                                 db_uri if type(url) is LocationURL else None,
+                                 None,
+