69 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
69 lines
3.0 KiB
Markdown
## Package systems versus image systems
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Broadly speaking, software update systems for operating systems tend
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to fall cleanly into one of two camps: package-based or image-based.
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### Package system benefits and drawbacks
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* + Highly dynamic, fast access to wide array of software
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* + State management in `/etc` and `/var` is well understood
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* + Can swap between major/minor system states (`apt-get upgrade` is similar to `apt-get dist-upgrade`)
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* + Generally supports any filesystem or partition layout
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* - As package set grows, testing becomes combinatorially more expensive
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* - Live system mutation, no rollbacks
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### Image benefits and drawbacks
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* + Ensures all users are running a known state
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* + Rollback supported
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* + Can achieve efficient security via things like [dm-verity](http://lwn.net/Articles/459420/)
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* - Many image systems have a read-only `/etc`, and writable partitions elsewhere
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* - Must reboot for updates
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* - Usually operate at block level, so require fixed partition layout and filesystem
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* - Many use a "dual root" mode which wastes space and is inflexible
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* - Often paired with a separate application mechanism, but misses out on things that aren't apps
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* - Administrators still need to know content inside
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## How RPM-OSTree provides a middle ground
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rpm-ostree in its default mode feels more like image replication, but
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the underlying architecture allows a lot of package-like flexibility.
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In this default mode, packages are composed on a server, and clients
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can replicate that state reliably. For example, if one adds a package
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on the compose server, clients get it. If one removes a package, it's
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also removed when clients upgrade.
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One simple mental model for rpm-ostree is: imagine taking a set of
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packages on the server side, install them to a chroot, then doing `git
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commit` on the result. And imagine clients just `git pull -r` from
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that. What OSTree adds to this picture is support for file uid/gid,
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extended attributes, handling of bootloader configuration, and merges
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of `/etc`.
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To emphasize, replication is at a filesystem level - that means things
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like SELinux labels and uid/gid mappings are assigned on
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the server side.
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On the other hand, rpm-ostree works on top of any Unix filesystem. It
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will not interfere with any filesystem or block-level snapshots or
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backups such as LVM or BTRFS.
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## Who should use this?
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Currently, rpm operates on a read-only mode on installed systems; it
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is not possible to add or remove anything on the client. If this
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matches your deployment scenario, rpm-ostree is a good choice.
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Classic examples of this are fixed purpose server farms, "corporate
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standard build" laptop/desktops, and embedded devices.
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Of course, one can pair it with a dynamic application mechanism such
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as [Docker](https://www.docker.com/), and have a reliable base, with a
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flexible application tool. This is the rationale behind
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[Project Atomic](http://www.projectatomic.io/).
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## Is it worth supporting composes both on client and server?
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In short, our belief is yes. Long term, rpm-ostree offers a potential
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unified tooling via package layering.
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