Re: [Monotone-devel] Using monotone via USB flash drive

[Timothy Brownawell]

On Sat, 2007-04-14 at 09:46 -0400, Stephen Leake wrote:
> I'm considering switching to monotone; I currently use CVS.
> 
> One reason for switching is the requirement to do CM on a system that
> has no network access, for security reasons (this is for NASA, we
> worry about people taking over satellites).
> 
> The basic scenario is we have several developers, and several "target"
> systems used by customers. We currently maintain the sources on the
> delivered systems, for two reasons; we often need to deliver quick
> fixes on the spot (the system is far from perfect, and under active
> developement), and there are many files (loosely called "configuration
> files") that are used at run-time and may be changed at the user's
> request. This way, we have those configuration files under CM.
> 
> >From my reading so far, I believe the following process will work with
> monotone:
> 
> Establish a primary central database on a machine accessible to all
> developers.
> 
> Establish local databases on each developer machine, and on the target
> systems.
> 
> All developers regularly sync with the central database.
> 
> For target systems that have network access, sync with the
> central database just like developers do.
> 
> For target systems that do not have network access, establish another
> database on a USB flash drive. 
> 
> To sync the central database with a non-networked target system:
> 
> 1) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
>    developer's local database with it.
> 
> 2) Install the USB drive in the target machine, and sync the local
>    database with it.
> 
> 3) Install the USB drive in a developer machine, and sync the
>    developer's local database with it.
> 
> 4) Sync the developer's local database with the central database.
> 
> I'm sure I've left out some details; I have not actually used monotone
> seriously yet.
> 
> But I'd like to know if the basic idea is sound, or if I need to find
> another solution to the problem.

That should work, yes. The central database will have a server running
on it so it can be accessed concurrently, and the USB drive can be
synced with the "file://" sync mechanism we have now.

...If the users are never allowed to make changes themselves but always
have to ask the developers to make the changes for them (does "changed
at the user's request" happen on the target machine, or the developer's
machine?), then steps 3 and 4 won't be needed. (In that case, you'd also
want the target machine to pull from, rather than sync with, the
database on the USB drive.)

-- 
Timothy

Free (experimental) public monotone hosting: http://mtn-host.prjek.net