UDS-Q Architecture Preview

[Allison Randal]

Here's a little help putting the sea of UDS sessions into context (the
web version also has clickable links from topics to sessions
http://allisonrandal.com/2012/05/07/uds-q-architecture-preview/):

I’ve shuffled and reshuffled the sessions several times, looking for the
"governing dynamic", the thematic structure that holds the Quetzal
together. I’ve settled, appropriately, on "quantization". In general
terms, quantization is a process of separating a continuous stream into
significant values or "quanta", such as image pixels from the continuous
colors of real life, or discrete atomic energy levels. The theme applies
on multiple levels. First, there's the process attendees are going
through right now (in person or remote), surfing the sea of sessions,
determining how to divide their time for maximum value.

>From a historical perspective, there was another UDS here in California
not too long ago, where I recall the schedule was dominated by the
desktop. We’re in a different world today, and what struck me reading
through blueprints for Quantal is the segmentation of topics. Ubuntu has
grown up, and while shipping a gorgeous desktop will always be
important, other forms of hardware, both smaller and larger, have an
equal and greater influence on Ubuntu's direction into the future. How
do you choose between cloud, metal, TV, and phones, when they're all so
interesting, and have so much potential as game-changers for Ubuntu (and
Linux in general)? These different domains of use also lead to
differentiation in design, development, and integration. Some
significant quanta to watch are:

    * Cloud: Juju (integration, charms, charm store, charm testing,
charm workflow, release process, with upstart, world tour), Open Stack
(roadmap, HA, ARM, charms, backporting, SRUs), Ubuntu Cloud images
(roundtable, cloud-init and cloud-utils, publishing), Eucalyptus, Xen, Ceph
    * Metal: MAAS ("metal as a service"), ARM server (enhancements,
deployment, benchmarking, storage), MySQL (round table, utilities), Open
Compute Project, libvert, Chef, XCP, OpenFlow, LXC, KVM, Hadoop,
PowerNap, btrfs
    * Client: mobile design, TV (control options, GStreamer, get
involved), cloud printing, hybrid graphics, USB video, Kubuntu (roadmap,
Active), backup enhancements, GNOME, Qt 5, X.org, Gwibber
    * Apps: developer experience, events, documentation, developer
portal, upstreams, promotion, Quickly

And like an atom that retains its fundamental structure at multiple
energy levels, Ubuntu is still Ubuntu, unified at the core as a
distribution and as a community, even across multiple "product" targets.
Since this is the first release after an LTS, there’s more room than
usual to re-examine the core at a fundamental level, with an eye to
where we want to be by the next LTS.

    * Intelligence: metrics, crash data (part 1, part 2), bug data
(Arsenal, automated triage agents, release importance, shadow database)
    * Precision: login speed, app startup time, +1 maintenance,
automated desktop testing (including LibreOffice, migrations, HDA sound
cards, kernel certification, harness), distributed hardware testing, ISO
testing, Checkbox
    * Scaling: apt at hyperscale (followup session TBA later in the
week), large application performance
    * Security: AppArmor (testing, development, integration), eCryptfs,
desktop lockdown
    * Leadership: summit, developer advisory team, code of conduct
review, LoCo portal, MOTU developer membership board
    * Process improvements: release (tech overview, meetings,
infrastructure, schedule and interlocks), use of -proposed, UDD,
third-party .debs, SRU process, archive admin API, archive reorg, phased
package updates, buildd usage

And those are only the highlights. :) It's going to be a great week, and
a great cycle!

Allison