[openstack-dev] [tc][all] Plugins for all

Matt Riedemann mriedem at linux.vnet.ibm.com
Thu Jul 14 20:16:47 UTC 2016


On 7/14/2016 2:21 PM, Hayes, Graham wrote:
> I just proposed a review to openstack/governance repo [0] that aims
> to have everything across OpenStack be plugin based for all cross
> project interaction, or allow all projects access to the same internal
> APIs and I wanted to give a bit of background on my motivation, and how
> it came about.
>
> Coming from a smaller project, I can see issues for new projects,
> smaller projects, and projects that may not be seen as "important".
>
> As a smaller project trying to fit into cross project initiatives,
> (and yes, make sure our software looks at least OK in the
> Project Navigator) the process can be difficult.
>
> A lot of projects / repositories have plugin interfaces, but also
> have project integrations in tree, that do not follow the plugin
> interface. This makes it difficult to see what a plugin can, and
> should do.
>
> When we moved to the big tent, we wanted as a community to move to
> a flatter model, removing the old integrated status.
>
> Unfortunately we still have areas when some projects are more equal -
> there is a lingering set of projects who were integrated at the point
> in time that we moved, and have preferential status.
>
> A lot of the effects are hard to see, and are not insurmountable, but
> do cause projects to re-invent the wheel.
>
> For example, quotas - there is no way for a project that is not nova,
> neutron, cinder to hook into the standard CLI, or UI for setting
> quotas. They can be done as either extra commands
> (openstack dns quota set --foo bar) or as custom panels, but not
> the way other quotas get set.
>
> Tempest plugins are another example. Approximately 30 of the 36
> current plugins are using resources that are not supposed to be
> used, and are an unstable interface. Projects in tree in tempest
> are at a much better position, as any change to the internal
> API will have to be fixed before the gate merges, but other
> out of tree plugins are in a place where they can be broken at any
> point.
>
> None of this is meant to single out projects, or teams. A lot
> of the projects that are in this situation have inordinate amounts of
> work placed on them by the big-tent, and I can emphasize with why things
> are this way. These were the examples that currently stick out
> in my mind, and I think we have come to a point where we need to make
> a change as a community.
>
> By moving to a "plugins for all" model, these issues are reduced.
> It undoubtedly will cause more, but it is closer to our goal
> of Recognizing all our community is part of OpenStack, and
> differentiate projects by tags.
>
> This won't be a change that happens tomorrow, next week, or even next
> cycle, but think as a goal, we should start moving in this direction
> as soon as we can, and start building momentum.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Graham
>
> 0 - https://review.openstack.org/342366
>
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Just for my own understanding, are you suggesting that something like 
nova, cinder or neutron become optional for an openstack cloud?

And does this also include plugins within projects, like storage 
backends in cinder and hypervisor drivers in nova?

Nova has been pushing for a few releases now on getting rid of plug 
points since they are barriers to interoperability.

-- 

Thanks,

Matt Riedemann




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