Database Server Role Design Considerations

[Truong Anh. Tuan]

----- Original Message -----
> From: "Simo Sorce" <simo at redhat.com>
> To: "Stephen Gallagher" <sgallagh at redhat.com>
> Cc: "Server SIG" <server at lists.fedoraproject.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2014 3:26:54 AM
> Subject: Re: Database Server Role Design Considerations

> On Tue, 09 Dec 2014 09:50:06 -0500
> Stephen Gallagher <sgallagh at redhat.com> wrote:
> 
>> I'm looking into designing the plan for the Database Server Role
>> (which the Fedora Server WG previously agreed would be based on
>> PostgreSQL).
>> 
>> One of the things we didn't really discuss in the PRD was whether we
>> would have a *requirement* for the Roles to have a GUI/WebUI
>> management console for configuring their services.
> 
> To be honest, while a Graphical UI of sorts would be nice I think we
> shouldn't have a requirement to have a WebUI/GUI to actually manage the
> role.
> We can allow to optionally install one maybe, but not require one, for
> one it would basically disqualify some roles because the great
> underlying software has no viable graphical UI, and it would also
> annoy admins that do not care for a webUI (unless it is part of the
> software on its own) and wants to maintain a small footprint.

+1 Simo.

I think GUI admin should not be mandatory for roles too. Of course, they
could be managed by Cockpit (start/stop/etc.) as usual.

This change could encourage people to make their own roles.

>> With the use of Cockpit for our top-level system GUI, I think it makes
>> sense that we would want to be able to have a link within Cockpit's UI
>> that takes us to the Role-specific web-based configuration tool. For
>> the Domain Controller, this link is obvious: it should go to the
>> FreeIPA Web UI.
>> 
>> For the Database Server, it's less clear-cut. PostgreSQL upstream does
>> not provide a "blessed" GUI/WebUI configuration tool for managing it.
>> Many exist and are provided by the project's very vibrant community. I
>> think we need to select one of these and consider making it a core
>> part of the Database Server role.
>> 
>> A (probably incomplete) list of potential tools are provided at
>> https://wiki.postgresql.org/wiki/Community_Guide_to_PostgreSQL_GUI_Tools
>> 
>> I'd like to recommend that for now we stick with one of the ones that
>> is already included in Fedora and are available via a web browser (not
>> requiring a desktop environment/X server). From a quick search, that
>> probably brings the list down to phpPgAdmin.
> 
> I would not like to have phpPgAdmin "forced down my throat" to be
> honest. Mostly because of the php dependency which I try to remove on
> my servers on abysmal security grounds, but also because I do not think
> I would use a webui on the same DB server.

+1 too.
If it is still mandatory, we should consider another tool,because of not
only usability, but also security.

<snipped>

Kind regards,
Tuan