[CentOS-devel] HyperV Linux Integration Services added to Centos?Plus?

Tue Aug 23 14:02:02 UTC 2011

On Tue, Aug 23, 2011 at 07:59:56AM -0500, Jim Perrin wrote:
>    On Mon, Aug 22, 2011 at 10:14 PM, Peter J. Pouliot <[1]peter at pouliot.net>
>    wrote:
> 
>      That's older packaging work we did for RHEL5. �Newer packages are being
>      tested for RHEL6. �Currently there are MSFT contractors maintaining that
>      specific channel in the SUSE OBS.
>      The RHEL 6 Packages were built one of my other SUSE collegues and have
>      not yet been integrated into that channel by the MSFT folks.
> 
>    Okay, so similar kit, just updated/newer versions. Fair enough.�
> 
>    �
> 
>      We can have additional discussion around LIS packaging as I am currently
>      in process to bring control of this into the community instead, with an
>      end goal of providing automated nightly builds/packaging for most
>      distros.
> 
>    Automated/nightly build should in my opinion be a separate
>    channel/repository all by itself. I would much prefer to see a 'stable
>    known reliable' package set and a separate nightly build set.

Just to be clear, this is a high level of discussion.  Your points are extremely valid, yet specific details, we can work out what should be offered as resources to enhance the development/adoption efforts.

> 
>    �
> 
>      >
>      > � �Can these drivers be loaded (or be made to load) via the driver
>      disk
>      > � �option to the installer?
>      �
> 
>      This could be a viable option, however integration into install media
>      which utilizes the plus repo might be cleaner user experience not
>      requiring additional user interaction or install time parameters.
> 
>    I understand this desire, but it runs somewhat counter to the mandate that
>    CentOS strives to follow, of being 100% binary compatible with upstream.
>    Basically anything that changes the installer away from a default should
>    be done with extreme consideration, and while what you are pitching is
>    good, I don't see/hear enough drive from the user community to warrant a
>    change from the standard. The hyper-v usage (identified via googling
>    hyper-v on [2]lists.centos.org) seems relatively low, so if I'm mistaken,
>    please correct me.
> 
>    �

Currently HyperV market share is on the rise, simple due to the fact that it is a cheaper alternative to VMware.

Currently it is estimated that it will reach 30% of overall hypervisor market by the end of the year.

One large segment of virtualization usage is currently rhel/epl on vmware.  I specifically know of extremely large deployments (thousands of epl vms)  currently evaluating HyperV and considering a hypervisor switch due to cost.

> 
>      >
>      > � �What license are these drivers covered under?
>      GPL v2.
> 
>      The drivers are currently in staging on the mainline kernel. � My goal,
>      note I am not speaking for the company of I work for (SUSE), or the
>      company who pays for the room I sit in (MSFT), is to help get the work
>      our team has done for the last five years integrated into all linux
>      distributions.
> 
>    So long as they are GPLv2, and your company/code copyright holder is
>    willing to provide something showing there's no danger of lawsuit/DMCA
>    infringement for distribution I see no issues with providing them.

I'll look into this.

> 
>    �
> 
>      As you know politics can have a nasty way of working into everything. �
>      This is my attempt at approaching this without any of the corporate
>      politics involved. �I reach out as an individual looking to better the
>      experience of linux on hyperv regardless of distro.
> 
>    Eh, my theory is that political arguing is for people who don't have work
>    to do. I tend to lose interest during those sorts of discussions, because
>    it's usually the end user who gets hurt.�

I agree.

> 
>    �
> 
>      So here's what I have to offer to assist in the process. � I run a
>      complete datacenter (100+ servers, san, blades, etc), which I have FULL
>      control of, outside of either corporate network. �I am willing to both
>      provide and host resources for the community to make this occur. �In
>      addition, we have recently built an openstack infrastructure upon hyperv
>      which we are using as the basis for large scale testing of the LIS, I
>      would like to include centos as part of this. �Also, I would like to
>      possibily tie into any of the community processes for testing/validation
>      to provide coverage to enable centos to run as a viable guest on hyperv.
> 
>      I know there has been heavy politics between MS and RH around this, and
>      I know that politically RH is not likely to ever include the LIS. �
>      That's why I'm asking for addition to centos-plus and the install media.
> 
>    �
>    If it successfully goes into the mainline kernel, and there's a market for
>    it I don't see why they wouldn't include it. The only reason I could think
>    for them to deny it would be that it conflicts/competes with their own
>    virtualization suite with KVM and RHEV.
> 
>    I am not comfortable with the idea of adding it to the install media
>    directly, but I'm not the one who produces that so I'll let others weigh
>    in. I could see supplying it as a driver disk image, via the centosplus
>    repo, or possibly a separate installer image similar to the server iso we
>    used to ship. I'd like to hear some opinions from others on this.

I'm open to this idea as well.   If it's a way for centos users to running on hyperv to install enlightened natively, i'm all for it.
> 
>    �
> 
>      I do not want to cause political unrest or for this to be taken out of
>      context. �Once again, my goal is to help provide a better experience for
>      linux users running on HyperV regardless of distro. �If I can reach out
>      to the great opensource community and provide resources to assist in
>      making this happen, hopefully we'll bypass any corporate political
>      agenda, and end up with a win for linux users running on HyperV that was
>      complete driven by the community and not by MSFT.
> 
>    So far I don't see any political unrest, and it's nice to see someone
>    putting some effort into this. Interoperability works both ways in my
>    mind, so thanks for the work you're doing� (now can we get some good
>    GPL'd� MAPI libraries so I can talk to exchange easier? :-P)

hahaha, help me do this and that will be next on the list....

;)

>    �
> 
>      Thanks for the time.
> 
>    Thanks for yours.
> 
>    --
>    During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a
>    revolutionary act.
>    George Orwell
> 
> References
> 
>    Visible links
>    1. mailto:peter at pouliot.net
>    2. http://lists.centos.org/

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