Operations Work Groups Possible Structure

This topic is for discussing the operational sub groups of the IT Operations @ libreho.st (focused on internal tooling)

I would like to recommenced the following work groups:

  • DNS Work Group (DNS Management Work Group)
  • Identity and Authentication Work Group (Keycloak / LDAP Management Work Group)
  • Docker Work Group (Docker Management and Advisory Work Group)
  • Security Work Group (Security, Compliance and RIsk Management Work Group)
  • Operations Work Group (Administrators and First Responders)
  • Application Work Group (Generic Application Work Group)
  • Discourse Work Group (Discourse Maintainers and Moderators Work Group)
1 Like

What would be a workgroup, physically?

A category on discourse and a channel on matrix?

In this case, Iā€™d keep it simple to start, just one workgroup for our operations.
If needed, then, we can have subgroups.

I think I agree with you on the fact that we need at least 2 person responsible for each topic you mentioned.
Let me create a repo on our gitlab this is where we can put our code, manage issues about work to be done, private issues for security issues, and wiki to know who is responsible of what.
(waitiing maintainer rights to migrate the repo under our org.)

Going to reply inline:

What would be a workgroup, physically?

Would be a group of people who have knowledge, want knowledge and help support that part of our internal tooling / tech stack

A category on discourse and a channel on matrix?

In this case, Iā€™d keep it simple to start, just one workgroup for our operations.
If needed, then, we can have subgroups.

that strikes me as a good starting point

I think I agree with you on the fact that we need at least 2 person responsible for each topic you mentioned.
Let me create a repo on our gitlab this is where we can put our code, manage issues about work to be done, private issues for security issues, and wiki to know who is responsible of what.
(waitiing maintainer rights to migrate the repo under our org.)

**Perfect, after itā€™s created invite me :slight_smile: **

I would use Discourse groups for that. Discourse groups work well for ā€œfirst respondersā€ type of features (via group email, e.g., the main @network group has it own email, as @contact). We should spawn categories only when necessary to work on transversal issues. As threads can be entirely recomposed (split, merge, move, rename), we can keep talking and take time to collectively think about categories later on.

Currently there are two groups:

  • @contact is composed of the people present at the LibreHosters kickoff meeting. If youā€™re not there yet, PM me or another group owner. It responds collectively to contact@libreho.st.
  • @network is about the same people, but is the larger group of librehosters. You belong if youā€™re using the Librehosters / librehost api and appear in the librehosters directory. Maybe it could be renamed librehosters ā€“ I gathered network@libreho.st was easier on the eye and tongue than librehosters@libreho.stā€¦

Where is Gualter? Weā€™d need some email aliases. :slight_smile:

I changed a couple of things from the list, notably renamed ā€˜Applicationā€™ to ā€˜Servicesā€™ since I understand itā€™s about the various applications provided by librehosters. I also added the existing two groups @contact and @network.
Hereā€™s what it would look like as Discourse groups:

See Operations Work Groups Possible Structure

Future

@name Name Description Email Lab Members
@dns DNS WG DNS Management Work Group dns@libreho.st, hostmaster@libreho.st librehosters/dns-wg
@idp Identity and Authentication WG Keycloak / LDAP Management Work Group idp@libreho.st librehosters/idp-wg @mattronix
@docker Docker WG Docker Management and Advisory WG docker@libreho.st librehosters/docker-wg @pierreozoux
@security Security WG Security, Compliance and RIsk Management Work Group security@libreho.st librehosters/security-wg
@operations Operations WG Administrators and First Responders operations@libreho.st librehosters/operations-wg
@discourse Discourse WG Discourse Maintainers, Staff & Developers discourse@libreho.st librehosters/discourse-wg @pierreozoux, @how

As far as discussion is concerned we should keep using the Discourse. If we start spreading the discussion thin on the gitlab it will become a mess. We can use wiki posts here (this is one) and use the lab repo for issues and identified tasks.

The proposed labs endpoints all live as a repository under librehosters group to simplify following each WG activity. Each WG may develop further under their own group, e.g., librehosters-infra for internal infrastructure management. Having -wg projects in lab allows to manage issues and milestones transversally among work groups.

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I still think that thatā€™s too much different groups, one for infrastructure in general is probably good enough for now.
I created the gitlab repo, exactly for that. Code and tasks :wink:

1 Like

Love it ! :slight_smile: great work!

I think all discussions should also be here so everyone can see whatā€™s happening and partake as needed :slight_smile:

Current

@name Name Description Email Lab Members
@contact Contact Librehosters Public Attention Group contact@libreho.st librehosters/contact-wg (see @contact)
@network Librehosters Members of the Librehosters Network network@libreho.st lbrehosters all librehosters in directory.json
@infra Libreho.st Infrastructure Libreho.st Maintainers, Staff & Developers infra@libreho.st librehosters/infra member list`

I split the current list from the wiki above, below (also a wiki).

Looks like @gandhiano is not yet here. You should match email aliasesā€¦

Note: categories can also have incoming email to serve as mailing lists.

I think we should start with one single operations group for infrastructure, and maybe another less technical for communication. Lets not overengineer it from the beginning. As we grow we may split in more groups, but this needs to remain operational and have a simplifying, rather than complexifying approach. Letā€™s keep lean and agile, having lesser, but productive teams.

I think work and issues should go into the lab for more effectiveness and traceability. So please open an issue there and Iā€™ll create the email aliases. I also need to share the credentials for email domain management (where, how? We need to decide this, maybe something like GoPass could work well)

Is Operations Work Groups Possible Structure fine with you? We already have @contact for communication and @network is really for the larger group (think of it as ā€œthe mailing list of all librehostersā€), so @infra would be your ā€œsingle operations group for infrastructureā€.

https://lab.libreho.st/librehosters/infra/issues/2