DisconnectedUpgrade
Launchpad Entry: disconnected-upgrade
Created: 24 April 2009
Contributors: Stefano Rivera
Packages affected: update-manager
Summary
Allow users to upgrade Ubuntu releases without necessarily being able to contact http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/. In many environments (offline / firewalled / restricted) that isn't possible, but local mirrors may be available nonetheless.
Release Note
Todo
Rationale
At the moment, an Ubuntu system can only be (release) upgraded by using apt (advanced user) or the upgrade-manager (GUI / CLI). The upgrade-manager depends on a file hosted on changelogs.ubuntu.com called meta-release, to determine whether an upgrade is possible and locate the upgrade tool tarball.
This blueprint proposes that these files get moved onto normal mirrors so that a disconnected system with a complete mirror available (quite common in the developing world and corporate environments) can upgrade in a user-friendly manner.
User stories
Assumptions
There are many situations where users can access a mirror, but not http://changelogs.ubuntu.com/ and where access to the mirror is more reliable.
Design
The meta-release file should be moved to the archive mirrors
Implementation
Canonical Changes
This requires change to Canonical's release process, and loses them the ability to measure then number of downloads from changelogs.ubuntu.com.
Code Changes
Minimal URL Changes would be required in update-manager.
Test/Demo Plan
This can be tested with update-managers development update mode (-d), before the next Ubuntu version releases.
Unresolved issues
Todo
BoF agenda and discussion
Todo