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A Guide to Choosing an Apache Subversion Server for the Enterprise

CollabNet

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Mark Phippard Chief Architect CollabNet

• Manage the Subversion and Version Control teams and products at CollabNet since 2007.

• Member Apache Software Foundation and Apache Subversion PMC

• Project Owner/Lead, Subclipse – Eclipse Integration for Subversion

About Me

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Provide an overview and understanding of the different Apache Subversion server products that CollabNet provides.

Help you understand which options are best for you.

Objective

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• What are you using today for SVN server?

– Subversion Edge

– TeamForge

– Subversion cloud hosting

– Plain SVN binaries

– Not using Subversion

– Other

Poll Question #1

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• “Plain” binaries – Provided for convenience and packaging

– Separate “client” and “server” packages

– “Qualified” before release

• Configuration was DIY and left up to user

• Upgrades sometimes challenging – httpd 2.0.x -> 2.2.x -> 2.4.x

• Today .. only makes sense for simple svnserve deployments – Included in “client” binary packages

– “server” packages maintained for legacy users

• Personal bias against svnserve – No logging or encryption

– Poor user management -- SASL not a real option for most

– Unclear scalability

– Suitable for smallest deployments only

In the beginning …

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• Started as internal project to provide “Edge appliance”

– Aimed at largest customers that wanted replication

• Still provides “plain” binaries

– … but also includes web application to configure the server

• Full managed “stack” – Apache httpd, Subversion, ViewVC

• Updates built into web app

– Upgrades can manage configuration changes

• Best practices built-in

– Log rotation and cleanup

– Easy SSL and “easier” LDAP authentication

– Simple backup options

… enter SVN Edge

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• Single server “appliance”

– Easy to install and get started

– Windows, Linux and Solaris

• Replace need to login to server and run commands

– Create repositories, add users, edit ACL files etc.

• Provides “some” separation of roles

– User(s) that manage the server vs. manage repositories/users

– Permissions are always “server-wide” if you can manage repositories, you can manage all repositories

• Provide smooth connectivity to TeamForge

– SVN Edge can be “latched in” to TeamForge

SVN Edge Goals

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• How many production Subversion servers exist in your organization?

– 0-1

– 2-4

– 5-10

– 10+

Poll Question #2

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• Still provides “plain” binaries – actually SVN Edge

– custom Apache authn/authz module – mod_auth_teamforge

TeamForge

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• Federated server management

– Manage multiple servers from single UI

– Can be SVN Edge servers or any supported TeamForge SCM server

TeamForge – Subversion Federation

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• Fine-grained permissions and delegation of responsibilities

– Site-admin / Project-admin / Users

– Custom roles (Developer, Stakeholder, QA etc.)

TeamForge – Central Management and RBAC

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• SVN Replication

– Centralize and secure assets and IP

– SVN Edge replica servers in remote locations

TeamForge – Subversion Replication

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• SVN wildcard path-based permissions

– /**/secure

– Simplifies branch/tag permission management

• Code search

– Included but optional to install

• Code review

– Included but optional to install

• Activity reporting

• Also supports Git and CVS

TeamForge continued

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• Multi-tenant cloud hosting

– Also supports Git and other dev tools (Trac, Bugzilla, WebDAV)

– TeamForge supported for tracker and document management

• Integrations

– Jira, Rally, Pivotal etc.

• Inexpensive plans

CloudForge

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• CloudForge – Let someone else manage your server

– Get started fast, grow easily

• Plain binaries – Only for svnserve – only for small installations

– Honestly, SVN Edge is always better option

• SVN Edge – Single server/single team installations

– No need for, or still willing to DIY integrations

– No need for Git or other tools

• TeamForge – Multiple teams

– Multiple servers

– Replication

– Need for additional tools

– Git

Which server to use?

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• Any existing Subversion server to SVN Edge

– Relatively easy … point SVN Edge at folder with your repositories

– Configure SVN Edge as desired (SSL, LDAP etc)

– Only http(s) protocol supported

– Only fsfs repository format supported

– Wiki: http://bit.ly/YSyd8L

• SVN Edge to TeamForge

– Simple wizard in SVN Edge to “connect” it to TeamForge

– Federated mode – full SVN server managed by TeamForge

– Replication mode – write-thru proxy for a TeamForge SVN server

Migrating from one to another

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• Subversion Edge info

http://www.collab.net/products/subversion

• TeamForge info

http://www.collab.net/products/teamforge

• CloudForge info

https://www.cloudforge.com

• Downloads

http://www.collab.net/downloads/subversion

• Archived Webinars

http://www.collab.net/resources/webinars

Questions and Links