[Monotone-devel] Using monotone via USB flash drive

2007-04-14 Thread Stephen Leake
I'm considering switching to monotone; I currently use CVS.

One reason for switching is the requirement to do CM on a system that
has no network access, for security reasons (this is for NASA, we
worry about people taking over satellites).

The basic scenario is we have several developers, and several target
systems used by customers. We currently maintain the sources on the
delivered systems, for two reasons; we often need to deliver quick
fixes on the spot (the system is far from perfect, and under active
developement), and there are many files (loosely called configuration
files) that are used at run-time and may be changed at the user's
request. This way, we have those configuration files under CM.

From my reading so far, I believe the following process will work with
monotone:

Establish a primary central database on a machine accessible to all
developers.

Establish local databases on each developer machine, and on the target
systems.

All developers regularly sync with the central database.

For target systems that have network access, sync with the
central database just like developers do.

For target systems that do not have network access, establish another
database on a USB flash drive. 

To sync the central database with a non-networked target system:

1) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
   developer's local database with it.

2) Install the USB drive in the target machine, and sync the local
   database with it.

3) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
   developer's local database with it.

4) Sync the developer's local database with the central database.

I'm sure I've left out some details; I have not actually used monotone
seriously yet.

But I'd like to know if the basic idea is sound, or if I need to find
another solution to the problem.

Thanks,

-- 
-- Stephe


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Re: [Monotone-devel] Using monotone via USB flash drive

2007-04-14 Thread Timothy Brownawell
On Sat, 2007-04-14 at 09:46 -0400, Stephen Leake wrote:
 I'm considering switching to monotone; I currently use CVS.
 
 One reason for switching is the requirement to do CM on a system that
 has no network access, for security reasons (this is for NASA, we
 worry about people taking over satellites).
 
 The basic scenario is we have several developers, and several target
 systems used by customers. We currently maintain the sources on the
 delivered systems, for two reasons; we often need to deliver quick
 fixes on the spot (the system is far from perfect, and under active
 developement), and there are many files (loosely called configuration
 files) that are used at run-time and may be changed at the user's
 request. This way, we have those configuration files under CM.
 
 From my reading so far, I believe the following process will work with
 monotone:
 
 Establish a primary central database on a machine accessible to all
 developers.
 
 Establish local databases on each developer machine, and on the target
 systems.
 
 All developers regularly sync with the central database.
 
 For target systems that have network access, sync with the
 central database just like developers do.
 
 For target systems that do not have network access, establish another
 database on a USB flash drive. 
 
 To sync the central database with a non-networked target system:
 
 1) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
developer's local database with it.
 
 2) Install the USB drive in the target machine, and sync the local
database with it.
 
 3) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
developer's local database with it.
 
 4) Sync the developer's local database with the central database.
 
 I'm sure I've left out some details; I have not actually used monotone
 seriously yet.
 
 But I'd like to know if the basic idea is sound, or if I need to find
 another solution to the problem.

That should work, yes. The central database will have a server running
on it so it can be accessed concurrently, and the USB drive can be
synced with the file:// sync mechanism we have now.

...If the users are never allowed to make changes themselves but always
have to ask the developers to make the changes for them (does changed
at the user's request happen on the target machine, or the developer's
machine?), then steps 3 and 4 won't be needed. (In that case, you'd also
want the target machine to pull from, rather than sync with, the
database on the USB drive.)

-- 
Timothy

Free (experimental) public monotone hosting: http://mtn-host.prjek.net



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Re: [Monotone-devel] Using monotone via USB flash drive

2007-04-14 Thread Stephen Leake
Timothy Brownawell [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:

 On Sat, 2007-04-14 at 09:46 -0400, Stephen Leake wrote:
 To sync the central database with a non-networked target system:
 
 1) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
developer's local database with it.
 
 2) Install the USB drive in the target machine, and sync the local
database with it.
 
 3) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
developer's local database with it.
 
 4) Sync the developer's local database with the central database.
 
 I'm sure I've left out some details; I have not actually used monotone
 seriously yet.
 
 But I'd like to know if the basic idea is sound, or if I need to find
 another solution to the problem.

 That should work, yes. The central database will have a server running
 on it so it can be accessed concurrently, and the USB drive can be
 synced with the file:// sync mechanism we have now.

Ok, thanks.

 ...If the users are never allowed to make changes themselves but always
 have to ask the developers to make the changes for them (does changed
 at the user's request happen on the target machine, or the developer's
 machine?), 

On the target machine. Sometimes we may let the users edit those
files; it's more a matter of teaching them where the files are, than a
matter of permission :).

 then steps 3 and 4 won't be needed. (In that case, you'd also want
 the target machine to pull from, rather than sync with, the database
 on the USB drive.)

Right.

-- 
-- Stephe


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