View source for Fedora ARM Secondary Architecture/Research Plan/Summer 2010

{{Draft}}[[Category:Chris Tyler's Drafts]]

= Goals =

In collaboration with the Fedora project and other open source projects:
# To build the Fedora Linux distribution for computers based on the ARM processor.
# To keep current with the software builds taking place on the Fedora primary architectures.
# To provide input into the Fedora packaging process and to the design of specific packages with respect to building on ARM.
# To develop tools for using Fedora on ARM devices (e.g., compose and loading tools).
# To advance the state of the art of software on low-power devices.
# To support new ARM devices well, with specific emphasis on the upcoming OLPC XO 1.75.

= Specific Objectives =

== Fedora ARM Koji Farm ==

* Evaluate and select hardware options for a Koji farm for the Fedora ARM Secondary Architecture, building on the work done by SBR600 in Winter 2010
* Set up the Koji build farm in collaboration with the Fedora ARM community

=== Factors to Consider ===

* Network layout
** Koji-Hub, Koji-Server, and resulting software repository must be accessible both inside and outside Seneca
** ARM builders must be able to communicate with the Koji-Hub
** ARM builders must be able to communicate with shared file storage
** ARM builders must have local storage ''or'' a SAN (e.g., iSCSI) ''or'' shared, high-performance file storage

=== Current Candidate Configuration ===

* 15-25 GuruPlug Servers
* iSCSI SAN for storage
* Quad-core PC to run Koji-Hub, Koji-Web, and master repository
* May eventually need second machine with different connectivity for Koji Hub/Koji Web

== Koji-Shadow ==

* Configure Koji-Shadow so that packages built for the Fedora primary architectures are also built for Fedora ARM
* Sync up with F13 and Rawhide builds

== Package Set Maintenance ==

* Update packages as necessary with ExcludeArch tags where those packages are not suitable or cannot be built on ARM architecture

== Bugzilla ==

* Get the bugzilla admins to rationalize the ARM processor options in the platform list (right now there are a number of ARM options, none of which accurately reflect the ARM build: arm7, arm9, xscale, strongarm).
* Actively monitor bugzilla for platform-related problems

== Testing ==

* Acquire a number of ARM hardware devices and test the ARM build on those devices:
** SheevaPlug
** OpenRD-Client
** GuruPlug
** Beagleboard
** Hawkboard
** TouchBook
** OLPC XO 1.75

== Optimization ==

* Optimize the Fedora ARM Build
*# Identify optimization opportunities
*# Create and test optimized builds
*# Make decisions on which optimizations should be default
*# Create additional subarchs are appropriate (e.g., armv5, armv7 or with/without FPU)

== Compose ==

* Create root filesystems
* Write tools to load popular products (e.g., tool that would be run on a PC to connect to a SheevaPlug and load NAND)
* Write a tool to compose a custom root filesystem formatted for a specific device (e.g., SD card image, tftp file set)

== Kernel ==

* Investigate creating a single kernel or a small set of kernels that would work on a variety of devices, rather than a custom kernel-per-device
* Use initrd (dracut) and modules to handle the differences between devices