Linux-VServer kernel flavour packages

[Christoph Lukas]

Hi Luke,

> > we are using Linux-VServer [1] as lightweight virtualization solution.
> > While Debian provides a vserver kernel flavour Ubuntu does not. 
> > 
> > I have therefore build Ubuntu kernel images for our personal use since
> > Feisty. I would like to see these packages integrated into universe if
> > possible at all.
> 
> How many kernel variants do you have per architecture? Have you also
> considered basing your kernels on the Ubuntu mainline kernels? If so,
> I am happy to work with you to help get a git tree set up so you can
> use the Ubuntu mainline kernel source as a base.

I have built one kernel flavour (vserver) for each architecture (i386,
amd64) and Ubuntu release (hardy, intrepid, jaunty).
All of them are based on the Ubuntu mainline kernels. I have just
applied an adapted Linux-VServer patch and made minor modifications to
the packaging in debian/ so that only the vserver flavour gets build.

Setting up a git tree sounds good although I never worked with git up
till today. 

> You will need to keep up with the kernel related changes for Ubuntu as
> it gets developed, so that if someone uses your kernel, nothing
> breaks/regresses. 

That would be adapting the vserver kernel to every kernel SRU and
keeping up with the development version? 

> Also note that its too late to get it in for jaunty now, however
> karmic could easily be the cycle used to get the kernels in and tested
> etc.

Would be fine.

> > I am sending this email to find out if there are some general objections
> > against this idea or if it might be worth trying the normal REVU
> > process.
> 
> No objections from me, but I suggest you consider the time needed to
> maintain the kernels, because if they sit to rot in the archive, and
> an Ubuntu userspace change breaks their functionality, there will be
> greater reason for them to be removed from the archive.

Hm. Supplying up-to-date kernels for multiple Ubuntu releases might take
some time. Probably it would be better to have a Vserver team of at
least two people.

> > Anyone interested can take a look at the packages in my ppa at [2].
> 
> I'll take a look at them in the next week or so to see how you
> currently put them together.

Thanks a lot for your feedback.
Christoph