DailyServerBuildsSpec

Summary

Server daily builds provide a user or a developer a way to test upstream versions before they are included in Ubuntu. As a user it allows users to test new features before they reach Ubuntu. As a developer, it provides a way of testing fixes before they can be integrated into Ubuntu.

Rationale

Server daily builds provide both the user and a developer a way to test new upstream versions before they are included in Ubuntu. This is especially important by providing a way to:

  • Test upstream bug fixes
  • Provide feedback to upstream
  • Checking for regressions before they reach Ubuntu.

User stories

  • Carl is a Ubuntu user who wants to test the latest apache version for the new crack feature before it reaches Ubuntu. Carl adds the Ubuntu Server Dailies PPA on his test server to try it out based on his testing, Carl submits bugs upstream.
  • Methuselah is a Ubuntu developer who wants Ubuntu User Abu, to test to see if their bug is fixed in the upstream of openldap before trying to find the commit which fixes the bug. Methuselah asks Abu to add the Ubuntu Server Dailies PPA so that the bug fix can be tested, Abu acknowledges that the bug has been fixed and Methuselah integrates the fix into Lucid.

  • Spencer is an UbuntuOne developer who wants to test the new version of couchdb for regressions before deciding to use it in their development environment. Spencer downloads the latest version of couchdb from the Server Dailies PPA and installs it. Spencer notices that there is a regression and files a bug in the JIRA issue tracker.

Design

Selection of packages

The packages that were selected are the following:

  • apache
  • samba
  • openldap
  • puppet
  • qemu-kvm
  • libvirt
  • eucalyptus
  • mysql
  • couchdb
  • postgresql
  • postfix

Launchpad group/PPA

Similar to the xorg-edgers group a launchpad group will be created in order to use the PPA system in order to distribute the daily server packages. An option to keep each source in their own PPA is also in consideration.

Bzr branches

Bzr branches will be used to keep track of the changes to the the debian/ directory.

bzr builder

Bzr builder uses recipes in order to build dailies. This will be the basis of Daily Server packages, the recipes will be kept in a bzr branch as well

Upstream source

Daily server builds will use existing launchpad tools to import upstream code into bzr trees in order to keep track of them.

Unresolved issues

The unresolved issues are the following:

  • How are we going to publicize that Daily server builds are available? Therefore getting the community excited.
  • How are we going to handle upstream breakages?
  • Are we going to going to include Ubuntu/Debian related patches or just do a unpatched debian/ directory.

BoF agenda and discussion

Upstream projects such as PHP and Apache prefer that users who are reporting bugs with their software to use the latest unmodified software in order to test fixes. We should provide a PPA for users to install unmodified upstream software so we can provide quality bug reports for our upstreams.

Agenda:

* Discuss why we need it
* packages that are targeted (and why)
* How we might do it
  * Generally using bzr-builder infrastructure
  * Soon, LP will do it
  * When imports don't work?

* Which packages to include and why?
  * apache [chuck]
  * samba [chuck]
  * openldap [mathiaz]
  * puppet [mathiaz]
  * qemu-kvm [dustin] (maybe kvm-autotest)
  * libvirt [dustin]
  * eucalyptus [dustin]
  * mysql [mathiaz]
  * couchdb [chuck]
  * postgresql [chuck]
  * postfix [chuck]
  * cups [???]


* Which packages should we have daily builds for:
  * ones that move quickly
  * ones that are easily tested
    * automated tests ftw
  * (ideally, all of them)

* How can we promote it?
  * Blog about it
  * Create teams with badges ala xorg-edgers (sp?)
  * Linking in Launchpad
    * From the package, see the daily build
    * From a bug, see PPAs that link to the daily builds that fix it
    * From project, link to the daily build

== Use cases ==
 * daily builds of qemu-kvm (git).
 * daily build bisection (to figure out which version broke/fixed):
   need to archive the daily builds (deb-marshall does this)
 * users wants to test the latest tip of postgresql (git), couchdb (apache svn repo), erlang (soon on github).
 * machines using the daily builds to detect regressions etc.

== Issues ==

 * LP git import is breaking
   e.g. https://code.edge.launchpad.net/~vcs-imports/qemu/git

 * How to get a community excited about the daily builds? 
   Hard to for server packages (db), easier for desktop packages.
   
 * If we're only building daily packages for lucid, then we have a high barrier
   to entry for casual testers.
   
 * Takes a while to set up right now, need to think of how it actually helps
 
 * If upstream build breaks often (tsk tsk) then be careful about subscribing
   lists.
   
 * Maintaining difference between minimally patched debian/ directory for daily 
   builds and debian/ directory for Ubuntu release is time consuming.
   * Difference increases the closer to release we get.

== Contacts ==

Everyone below knows how to do this.

 * dustin
 * james_w
 * mathiaz
 * ChuckShort [chuck]
 
Launchpad and Bazaar are working on daily builds as #1 focus. Talk to jml 
or vila (or any othe bzr team member).

== Actions ==

ACTION: jml to investigate reducing the roundtrip time from "bug in code imports"
to "working code imports". (Probably moving code imports to edge) 
(an alternative is having another code import service and publish the fixed 
imports from there)

ACTION: jml to investigate keeping archives of daily builds for improved
debugging bisection.

ACTION: (someday) bzr team to look into which packages move the fastest

ACTION: james_w to find out whether the git hash is preserved (and if not, make
it so)

ACTION: people noted above to start packaging this.

ACTION: chuck to set up & publish PPA location for this

CategorySpec

DailyServerBuildsSpec (last edited 2009-12-02 13:09:10 by CPE0006258ec6c1-CM000a73655d0e)