checkpoint/restart python processes

[Neal Becker]

Hi numeric processing fans.  I'm pleased to report that you can now have
convenient checkpoint/restart, at least if you are running fedora linux.

Example:
python -i blcr_mod.py <<< this will start python, then checkpoint it
c_int(2) (ignore this debug)
>>> 
[quit]

cr_restart checkpoint.nbecker1.23768  <<< this will restart
>>> 

Berkeley Lab Checkpoint/Restart for Linux (BLCR) 
http://ftg.lbl.gov/CheckpointRestart/CheckpointDownloads.shtml

What I've done is:
1) built 2 rpm packages for blcr.  First installs everything except kernel
module.  2nd is the kernel module, packaged for use with akmods, which will
be (I think) the kmod format of choice in rpmfusion.

2) made a python ctypes module to use it.  This allows your python program
to checkpoint itself.  This is blcr_mod.py.  (This is my first ctypes
experience, be gentle)


You will need a couple of packages from livna development to use this:
rpm -q --whatprovides kmodtool
kmodtool-1-7.fc8.noarch
rpm -q --whatprovides akmods
akmods-0.2.1-1.fc8.noarch

You can find this stuff here:
http://livna-dl.reloumirrors.net/fedora/development/SRPMS/

I grabbed the development srpms from livna and built them for my F8 machine.

My stuff is here:
https://nbecker.dyndns.org/RPM/blcr_mod.py
https://nbecker.dyndns.org/RPM/blcr-0.6.4-1.src.rpm
https://nbecker.dyndns.org/RPM/blcr-kmod-0.6.4-2.fc8.src.rpm

Note: My RPM packages are provided as a convenience for fedora users.  You
can just get the original blcr tar files from the above mentioned url and
build if you prefer, or if you are using a different linux distribution
than I am.