Puppet users - Mar 2009 - Installing latest updates until a certain date

Hi folks,

I''m looking for a way to install a system with all packages/patches 
until a certain date. This might not be up to puppet to solve this , if 
underlying yum/package-systems don''t have this facility.
The reason is that when reinstalling a system, i want to control what it 
means update until the latest version, and i find it a hassle to specify 
each version of the package everytime it changes.

Sorry if this might be slightly off topic here. But it might be you have 
encountered a similar problem.

Thanks
Patrick




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On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 09:15:59AM +0100, Patrick Debois
wrote:
> Sorry if this might be slightly off topic here. But it might be you have 
> encountered a similar problem.
The only sure way to control what is pushed/pulled to your systems is to
maintain a local package mirror.  Then you can make sure that only
the packages you want are visible to your hosts.

-- 
Bruce

Remember you''re a Womble.

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Bruce Richardson wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 09:15:59AM +0100, Patrick Debois wrote:
>   
>> Sorry if this might be slightly off topic here. But it might be you
have
>> encountered a similar problem.
>>     
>
> The only sure way to control what is pushed/pulled to your systems is to
> maintain a local package mirror.  Then you can make sure that only
> the packages you want are visible to your hosts.
>
>   
So that means, you would need to setup a repository per patch 
combination you want to test?
Even when you sync a repository, you always get the latest version 
mirrored. That means if I need to re-install a machine and rebuild the 
repository, I can''t get it in the same state I want.

Is there any way to retrieve the date a package was released? I''ve been
thinking of writing a yum-filter but don''t find the exact release-date
info.

Patrick

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On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 10:48:23AM +0100, Patrick Debois
wrote:
> > The only sure way to control what is pushed/pulled to your systems is
to
> > maintain a local package mirror.  Then you can make sure that only
> > the packages you want are visible to your hosts.
> >
> >   
> So that means, you would need to setup a repository per patch 
> combination you want to test?
You didn''t way you wanted arbitrary combinations, just combinations up
to an arbitrary date, which is simpler to manage.  You don''t even need
genuine multiple mirrors; you could use dirvish or rdiff-backup to
create a series of apparent snapshots.
> Even when you sync a repository, you always get the latest version 
> mirrored. That means if I need to re-install a machine and rebuild the 
> repository, I can''t get it in the same state I want.
Debian manages that problem with it''s release structure, but you
probably don''t want to hear that.
> 
> Is there any way to retrieve the date a package was released? I''ve
been
> thinking of writing a yum-filter but don''t find the exact
release-date info.
If you used dirvish to make a snapshot of your yum repo every time you
update it, you can always go back to a particular state of the repo.
It''s a lightweight solution.

-- 
Bruce

I object to intellect without discipline.  I object to power without
constructive purpose. -- Spock

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Bruce Richardson wrote:
> On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 10:48:23AM +0100, Patrick Debois wrote:
>   
>>> The only sure way to control what is pushed/pulled to your systems
is to
>>> maintain a local package mirror.  Then you can make sure that only
>>> the packages you want are visible to your hosts.
>>>
>>>   
>>>       
>> So that means, you would need to setup a repository per patch 
>> combination you want to test?
>>     
>
> You didn''t way you wanted arbitrary combinations, just
combinations up
> to an arbitrary date, which is simpler to manage.  You don''t even
need
> genuine multiple mirrors; you could use dirvish or rdiff-backup to
> create a series of apparent snapshots.
>
>   
Nice idea to use dirvish: that would indeed allow me to avoid 
duplication of the repository and if i understand it right,
i can have different enviroments use different snapshots at the same 
time. f.i. dev and test on repository X and pre-prod on version Y
>> Even when you sync a repository, you always get the latest version 
>> mirrored. That means if I need to re-install a machine and rebuild the 
>> repository, I can''t get it in the same state I want.
>>     
>
> Debian manages that problem with it''s release structure, but you
> probably don''t want to hear that.
>
>   
Would it make sense to use the Build Date or the Signature date for this?

# rpm -qi httpd

Name        : httpd                        Relocations: (not relocatable)

Version     : 2.2.3                             Vendor: CentOS

Release     : 11.el5_2.centos.4             Build Date:* Wed 12 Nov 2008
04:43:28 PM CET*

Install Date: Wed 04 Mar 2009 04:33:54 PM CET      Build Host:
builder10.centos.org

Group       : System Environment/Daemons    Source RPM:
httpd-2.2.3-11.el5_2.centos.4.src.rpm

Size        : 3054248                          License: Apache Software License

Signature   : *DSA/SHA1, Wed 12 Nov 2008 11:54:27 PM CET, Key ID
a8a447dce8562897*

URL         : http://httpd.apache.org/

Summary     : Apache HTTP Server

Description :

The Apache HTTP Server is a powerful, efficient, and extensible web server.

>> Is there any way to retrieve the date a package was released?
I''ve been
>> thinking of writing a yum-filter but don''t find the exact
release-date info.
>>     
>
> If you used dirvish to make a snapshot of your yum repo every time you
> update it, you can always go back to a particular state of the repo.
> It''s a lightweight solution.
>
>   

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On Tue, Mar 17, 2009 at 12:09:07PM +0100, Patrick Debois
wrote:
> > You didn''t way you wanted arbitrary combinations, just
combinations up
> > to an arbitrary date, which is simpler to manage.  You don''t
even need
> > genuine multiple mirrors; you could use dirvish or rdiff-backup to
> > create a series of apparent snapshots.
> >
> >   
> Nice idea to use dirvish: that would indeed allow me to avoid 
> duplication of the repository and if i understand it right,
> i can have different enviroments use different snapshots at the same 
> time. f.i. dev and test on repository X and pre-prod on version Y
That''s right.  Dirvish is great for that kind of thing.  It''s
ungreat as
an actual backup tool, of course, because everything has to be on a
single filesystem and there''s only one copy of each file, but
that''s an
endless argument I have in other places and you don''t want to hear
about
that.
> >
> > Debian manages that problem with it''s release structure, but
you
> > probably don''t want to hear that.
> >
> >   
> Would it make sense to use the Build Date or the Signature date for this?
Dunno.  I just ran out of smarts.


-- 
Bruce

If the universe were simple enough to be understood, we would be too
simple to understand it.

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