Changes/Modular Server Preview

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Changes/Modular_Server_Preview

Summary

As we progress down the modularity path, we finally have enough content, architecture and understanding that we would like to release an edition of Fedora that is actually usable. However, as we aren't ready for production yet, we would like to do a "preview" release so that people can see it and try it but it doesn't actually take the place of a production edition. As such this Change Proposal requests that we set up a "Modular Server Edition" with some sort of flag that indicates that it is meant for experimentation and not real use. We plan to model the Server Edition in content and most use scenarios.

Owner

• Name: Langdon White
• Email: langdon@fedoraproject.org
• Release notes owner:

• Edition: N/A but in collaboration with Server WG
• Responsible WG: Modularity WG

Current status

• Targeted release: Fedora 26
• Last updated: 2017-01-11
• Tracker bug: <will be assigned by the Wrangler>

Detailed Description

The modularity effort is fairly well known and significantly more information may be found on the wiki or the YouTube Channel. In short, modularity is attempting to disconnect the lifecycle of applications from 1) each other 2) the operating system while still maintaining the ease of use of a typical Linux Distro.

Benefit to Fedora

Scoping the question to this Change Proposal, the benefit to Fedora is 2-fold. First, distributing an early version of a usable example of Modularity will allow for feedback and exposure to a wider audience than the people closely following the project. Second, we will be able to exercise the release processes we have been changing to support Modularity and improve the Fedora Infrastructure.

Scope

• Proposal owners:
  • The Modularity WG, Factory 2.0, Base Runtime, and Server WG teams all have contributions to this effort. The work that each team is doing is significant and wide ranging. However, as the release is being managed in a "preview channel" none of the changes, whether released on time or not, will impact any other aspect of Fedora. Also, while we have high hopes for the amount of content we plan to release, even a small percentage of that content being ready will be enough to help prove the concept and generate feedback.

• Other developers:
  • We would like to enable Fedora Packagers to provide modules to this release of Modular Server.
  • We would further like to provide the ability for Fedora Packagers to provide containerized variants of their packages/modules

• Release engineering:
  • List of deliverables: Numerous but largely aligned with the Server WG Logic Model
  • Release engineering needs to create and deliver this new "edition." The Factory 2 team is largely responsible. Threebean has been the primary point of contact thus far.

• • A preview edition delivering the Modular Server

• Policies and guidelines:

• • New guidelines are required, they are currently in Draft state and we will be collecting feedback to them during the F26 lifecycle for ratification prior to F26.
    • Fedora_Packaging_Guidelines_for_Modules
    • Container:Guidelines
  • At this point there are no changes expected to existing guidelines

• Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)

• • This is based on a Fedora Objective and, as a result, does not seem to require Trademark approval even though it will carry the Trademark

Upgrade/compatibility impact

Arguably, this is not applicable as the delivery is for a preview version of an Edition. We do expect to have an upgrade path but it will be as risky as anything else in the preview.

How To Test

Normal system operation (sort of). We are delivering this Preview in order to get exactly this sort of feedback. We would like to hear from anyone experimenting with the preview about how it does or does not meet their expectations.

Feedback channel is not well determined. The team requests that the Change Wrangler make recommendations. Bugzilla is probably not appropriate but fedora-devel, modularity-wg pagure issues, modularity-wg meetings would all be viable choices.

User Experience

See above.

Dependencies

Although a System Wide Change, not applicable.

Contingency Plan

• Contingency mechanism: Cancel release of the Modular Server Preview; decision to be made by Modularity WG, Factory-2, & BRT Leads.
• Contingency deadline: Beta Freeze. Picked arbitrarily, we can be flexible here but it is important to have a deadline.
  • To lower disruption to other Fedora Editions we may want to intentionally delay this release to have "Deadline+1-week" for the complete F26 schedule
• Blocks release? No
• Blocks product? No

Documentation

• Modularity

Release Notes

• Content to come