[Users] [Feedback required][host-deploy] Fedora-19 misses tar at minimal setup

[Alon Bar-Lev]

Hello All,

Starting the discussion again...

I would like to receive feedback regarding how we should cope with a state presented to use by Fedora.

Fedora-19 minimal setup does not install tar utility which is required to deploy files during the host-deploy process (Hosts->Add Host).

I guess because of 2.8M in size (including translations) -- a standard commonly used utility was removed.

There are three alternatives :

1. Instruct users who are using minimal installations to manually install tar utility just like they configure repository, dns, etc..

Benefit: simplicity.
Benefit: use standard tools.
Benefit: lower payload to transmit.
Drawback: require tar at destination machine.

2. Do not use tar but self extracting python script, a patch is ready[1].

Benefit: ability to deploy environment in which tar is missing.
Drawback: non standard tool at destination machine.
Drawback: complexity within our code.

3. Do not use tar but cpio, a patch is ready[2].

Benefit: simplicity.
Benefit: use standard tools.
Benefit: lower payload to transmit.
Benefit: ability to use Fedora-19 minimal.
Drawback: cpio is even less common than tar, even if it exists in Fedora-19 it can be removed without anyone notice.
Drawback: most other distributions will not have cpio in their minimal installation.

[[[
There was 4rd alternative, using python tar module to deploy tar.
However, there is a bug in that module when processing last block if empty.
This is edge condition but happened to at least one of the users and I could
reproduce it.
]]]

What option do you prefer?

Regards,
Alon Bar-Lev

[1] http://gerrit.ovirt.org/#/c/17295/
[2] http://gerrit.ovirt.org/#/c/17396/