Configuration syncing between RHQ servers

[Lukas Krejci]

Hi,

this email is to start the discussions about a new feature we're contemplating 
for RHQ - the ability to export and import "configuration" of the server. I 
use the term "sync" for merely being able to export something and later be 
able to import "it" to another server.

There is a wiki page documenting what parts of RHQ could theoretically be 
synced:
http://wiki.rhq-
project.org/display/RHQ/Design+-+Configuration+synchronization. 
This page also hints at the problems we are likely going to face when 
implementing sync for various entities. Please read through it go get an idea 
about the current thinking about the feature.

I'd be very much interested in gathering as much user input as possible so 
that we implement features that will help your real-life needs.

It is important to note that this feature will deal with the configuration 
data and there are no assumptions about the inventory of the two servers. They 
may and most certainly will differ but that should not hinder the ability to 
synchronize the configurations of the two servers.

In particular, I am interested in getting answers to the following questions:

1) What parts of RHQ would you like to sync between RHQ servers (below is a 
list of all exportable "entities". Please say yes or no at each, ideally with 
an explanation why and how you'd like to use it)?
- server configuration
- users
- roles
- metric templates
- alert templates
- content sources
- repos
- packages
- dyna groups
- plugins
- configuration, connection settings of a resource
- metric schedules of a resource
- alert definitions of a resource

2) How granular should the export be?
- all or nothing - i.e. "true" sync
- per "subsystem" (i.e. all users&roles, all templates, content sources & 
repos & packages, ...)
- pick and choose individual entities

3) How segmented should the export be?
- lump different entity types together in one export file
- export per "subsystem"

4) When should the import be run?
- during RHQ server installation
- any time

Your feedback is appreciated.

Thanks,

Lukas

[Ian Springer]

I think we should support import/export of any combination of entity 
types, from one, to some, to all. In IntelliJ, when you choose to import 
or export your settings, it prompts you to select the types of settings 
you want to include (see attached screenshot; note all settings types 
are selected by default). The settings are then stored in a settings 
jar, which contains one xml file per settings type:

[ips@jetengine ~]$ jar tvf settings.jar
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 tools/
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 templates/
    233 Wed Apr 21 15:47:00 EDT 2010 options/colors.scheme.xml
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 codestyles/
   1680 Mon Aug 16 08:07:32 EDT 2010 codestyles/Default _1_.xml
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 colors/
   5757 Mon Jan 03 15:35:30 EST 2011 options/jdk.table.xml
   2648 Mon Jan 31 13:09:54 EST 2011 options/editor.codeinsight.xml
  25946 Mon Mar 28 13:54:22 EDT 2011 options/other.xml
    157 Wed Apr 21 15:47:00 EDT 2010 options/keymap.xml
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 keymaps/
  23179 Fri Feb 18 11:25:56 EST 2011 options/project.default.xml
    325 Fri Apr 23 18:27:46 EDT 2010 options/ui.lnf.xml
    774 Tue Jan 04 11:57:42 EST 2011 options/filetypes.xml
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 filetypes/
   1709 Mon Jan 03 14:50:24 EST 2011 options/editor.xml
    912 Wed Sep 01 10:52:00 EDT 2010 options/ide.general.xml
      0 Sun Aug 15 21:52:40 EDT 2010 inspection/
    208 Wed Apr 21 15:55:32 EDT 2010 inspection/Default.xml
      0 Wed Mar 30 11:37:30 EDT 2011 IntelliJ IDEA Global Settings

I think we should follow a similar approach in order to provide the most 
flexibility.

On 03/29/2011 07:27 AM, Lukas Krejci wrote:
> Hi,
>
> this email is to start the discussions about a new feature we're contemplating
> for RHQ - the ability to export and import "configuration" of the server. I
> use the term "sync" for merely being able to export something and later be
> able to import "it" to another server.
>
> There is a wiki page documenting what parts of RHQ could theoretically be
> synced:
> http://wiki.rhq-
> project.org/display/RHQ/Design+-+Configuration+synchronization.
> This page also hints at the problems we are likely going to face when
> implementing sync for various entities. Please read through it go get an idea
> about the current thinking about the feature.
>
> I'd be very much interested in gathering as much user input as possible so
> that we implement features that will help your real-life needs.
>
> It is important to note that this feature will deal with the configuration
> data and there are no assumptions about the inventory of the two servers. They
> may and most certainly will differ but that should not hinder the ability to
> synchronize the configurations of the two servers.
>
> In particular, I am interested in getting answers to the following questions:
> What parts of RHQ would you like to sync between RHQ servers (below is a
>
> list of all exportable "entities". Please say yes or no at each, ideally with
> an explanation why and how you'd like to use it)?
> server configuration
> users
> roles
> metric templates
> alert templates
> content sources
> repos
> packages
> dyna groups
> plugins
> configuration, connection settings of a resource
> metric schedules of a resource
> alert definitions of a resource
> How granular should the export be?
> all or nothing - i.e. "true" sync
> per "subsystem" (i.e. all users&roles, all templates, content sources&
>
> repos&  packages, ...)
> pick and choose individual entities
> How segmented should the export be?
> lump different entity types together in one export file
> export per "subsystem"
> When should the import be run?
> during RHQ server installation
> any time
>
> Your feedback is appreciated.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Lukas
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