TSC Meeting (03 Aug 2021): v3.6 Roadmap Planning, Chatops, Maintenance, Governance

[arm4b]

August 2021 @StackStorm/tsc 1 hour meeting will take place on Tuesday, 03 Aug 2021, 09:30 AM US Pacific.
See #33 for more info about how to join.

Meeting Agenda

• Faster StackStorm Releases (@punkrokk) (The Journey to a Faster Release Process #84) (7min)
• StackStorm v3.6.0 Roadmap planning (15min)
  • Target date: ?
  • Release Manager: @winem (based on release rotation).
  • Release Assistant: WHO @StackStorm/maintainers?
  • What was @StackStorm/maintainers and partners impact in v3.5.0?
  • What are @StackStorm/maintainers and partners plans for v3.6.0?
  • Roadmap WIP
• ChatOps: Node.js -> Python transition (@cognifloyd) (7min)
• StackStorm Infra & Expenses (10min)
  • Packagecloud vs CloudSmith FOSS plan (TSC Subcommittee Meeting (20 Apr 2021): Package hosting solutions #74)
  • Infra/Maintenance: stackstorm.com website migration to static pages Migrate StackStorm blog and CMS to GH Static Pages #76
  • Infra/Maintenance: Forum -> Github Discussions migration TSC Subcommittee Meeting (22 Apr 2021): Migrate forum.stackstorm.com #75
• Relaxing ST2 Governance for Maintainers (@blag) (15min)
• Any other random Questions and Discussions (5min)

[guzzijones]

Let me preface this by saying I would like to be a partner in some way. I believe there should be some sort of membership cost to be a partner. This will help fund the core TSC.

[arm4b]

Participants

Host: @armab
Attendees: @blag @amanda11 @winem @m4dcoder @guzzijones @cognifloyd

Meeting Minutes

StackStorm v3.5.0 release outcomes:

• @guzzijones noted a big performance improvement impact from running the latest st2 v3.5.0 in prod
• @userlocalhost from the #community-japan shared in Slack the v3.5.0 performance graphs based on some test workflows. Slides: https://www.slideshare.net/Hiroyasu-OHYAMA/verification-of-performance-improvement-of-stackstorm-v35 (credit to @Kami for this great achievement! 🎉)
• Thanks again @amanda11 and @winem for shipping the massive v3.5.0 as Release managers

Faster StackStorm Releases #84

• Q: How to make releases easier and faster?
  • how about weekly/on-demand releases when needed?
• Improvements to the release process (https://github.com/StackStorm/discussions/wiki/Release-Process):
  • remove the "manual testing" stage (currently blocks 1 week)
  • we need to commit to the date, more preparation and planning work
  • include in the current release what was completed
    • move to the next roadmap something that wasn't finished to avoid blocking the release date
    • security patches and version updates (?) blocked 2 releases
• The team is good with the 3mo release cadence standard so far:
  • predictable, stable, widely used by the other projects

StackStorm v3.6.0 Roadmap planning

• Release Manager: @winem
• NEW release Assistant (confirmed): @guzzijones
• Target date: October 2021
  • Updated https://github.com/StackStorm/discussions/wiki/Release-Management-Rotation with the schedule and release managers
• Team to help where they can during the process and release preparation
• Maintenance release: just ship what was contributed: improvements, fixes, no major features planned to land from the team in this release

ChatOps: Node.js -> Python transition

• @cognifloyd shared the news that MSTeams PR was merged from the OpsDroid side
  • The ball is on the StackStorm side now
• TODO: @cognifloyd to create a Github Discussion (or update old one) with the plans, blockers, and corner cases related to the st2chatops implementation with the https://github.com/opsdroid/opsdroid
• @blag @winem @amanda11 looking forward to helping where they can

StackStorm Infra & Expenses

AWS

• We're on AWS FOSS plan now (thanks to @punkrokk)
• Switched st2 e2e CI from nightly to weekly builds (thanks to @amanda11)
  • TODO @armab: Check the AWS usage impact (reduced by how much?)
• Didn't switch to EC2 spot instances yet (TODO by @punkrokk per previous TSC meeting TSC Meeting (13 Jul 2021): v3.5 Released 🎉, v3.6 Roadmap Planning, Maintenance #83)

Packages Hosting Solution (deb/rpm)

• We're on the PackageCloud paid plan now (costs ~$120/mo)
• Hidden complexity of moving to other deb/rpm provider: rework st2cicd workflows, create new st2 integration pack, releases, st2cicd, update users with the new URL, etc
• Agreed Actionable items:
  • Switch to the PackageCloud FOSS plan to start saving $ ASAP
    • TODO @winem to finish the deb/rpm packages cleanup (Screenshot)
  • Discover the CloudSmith features and run the research with pros/cons
    • TODO @cognifloyd will start looking at the CloudSmith solution and discovery
  • TODO @blag will lead the Partnership communication
    • We now have an official Partners program, yay! (https://stackstorm.com/partners/)

Relaxing ST2 Governance for Maintainers

• Problem: The requirements to join the TSC and become a StackStorm Maintainer are too high, being a blocker for the new community members to join as official TSC members
• https://github.com/StackStorm/st2/blob/master/GOVERNANCE.md#how-to-become-a-maintainer
• Proposed solution:
  • Remove 1 day/week hard requirement from the Governance for TSC Maintainers, as something that doesn't work anymore
    • half of the TSC don't comply with the 1 day/week requirement anyway