[Bug 1915829] Re: FQDN / hostname recorded in OVSDB is unreliable

[James Page]

** Changed in: openvswitch (Ubuntu Focal)
       Status: Fix Committed => In Progress

** Changed in: openvswitch (Ubuntu Groovy)
       Status: Fix Committed => In Progress

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1915829

Title:
  FQDN / hostname recorded in OVSDB is unreliable

Status in Ubuntu Cloud Archive:
  Fix Released
Status in Ubuntu Cloud Archive ussuri series:
  Triaged
Status in Ubuntu Cloud Archive victoria series:
  Triaged
Status in Ubuntu Cloud Archive wallaby series:
  Fix Released
Status in openvswitch package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in openvswitch source package in Focal:
  In Progress
Status in openvswitch source package in Groovy:
  In Progress
Status in openvswitch source package in Hirsute:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  [ Impact ]

  The Open vSwitch init script `ovs-ctl` determines the system hostname
  and records it in the `external-ids:hostname` field of the `Open-
  vSwitch` table in the local OVSDB.

  This value may be consumed by downstream software and having it unset
  or set to a incorrect value could lead to erratic behavior of a
  system.

  In recent Ubuntu development we have also made it possible to
  configure Open vSwitch with netplan.io, which allows for a Open
  vSwitch controlled data path to be the only external network
  connection on a system.

  As such the current startup sequence of Open vSwitch is insufficient
  to allow for reliable recording of FQDN / hostname at system boot-up
  time.

  Examples of downstream issues can be viewed in bug 1896630 and bug
  1912844 comment #26.

  [ Test Case ]

  1) Use MAAS 2.9, configure a machine with Open vSwitch bridge for networking and deploy.
  2) Confirm that without the change the hostname recorded in Open vSwitch is `ubuntu`.
  3) Add a PPA with the updated Open vSwitch package to MAAS.
  4) Re-deploy and confirm that the hostname recorded in Open vSwitch matches the FQDN as provided by MAAS.

  [ Regression potential ]

  Minimal, the update uses the exact same methods to accomplish the end
  result of recording the hostname as before, we have only re-ordered
  when the events occur to ensure successful operation.

  [ Other Info ]

  A possible solution to this would be to extend the upstream `ovs-ctl`
  script to allow controlling when the hostname is recorded and adding a
  new Systemd service file to the package that calls the `record-
  hostname` function at a more appropriate time, i.e. after or as part
  of the `network-online.target`.

  An example of downstream issues can be viewed in bug 1896630.

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