Grouper Developers Forum

["Jessica Bibbee" <>]

Grouper Working Group Meeting
April 18, 2007

*Attendees*
Tom Barton, U. Chicago (chair)
Blair Christensen, U. Chicago
Gary Brown, U. Bristol
Chris Hyzer, PSU
Bill Kasenchar, PSU
Joy Veronneau, Cornell U.
Steve Olshansky, Internet2
Ann West, Internet2
Jessica Bibbee, Internet2 (scribe)

New *Action Items*
[AI] {Jessica} will work with {Gary} to resolve issues in wiki documentation.
[AI] {Jessica} will work with {Blair and Gary} to develop a high-level feature list of the next release.

Carry-Over *Action Items*
[AI] {Blair} will send an email to the Group explaining his thoughts how an extension framework fits into Grouper.
[AI] {Blair} will share the performance profiling tools that he is using with the Group.

*Agenda*

1. Upcoming Event: sig-gro combined working group session at I2 Spring meeting
2. Readying Grouper release v1.2
  . outstanding issues
  . release and release candidate target dates
  . release logistics
  . good to go on 1.2-RC1 this Friday April 20?

*Discussion*

-Upcoming Event: sig-gro combined working group session at I2 Spring meeting -
The next face-to-face opportunity for the Grouper and Signet Working Groups will be at the Spring 2007 Internet2 Member Meeting <http://events.internet2.edu/2007/spring-mm/>. In particular, there will be a combined Grouper/Signet BoF on Monday morning, 23-April, at 10:30am EDT. There will be an emphasis on integration and related experiences of those working with the software on their campus. Stay current with meeting room location and detailed meeting abstract at the following link <http://events.internet2.edu/2007/spring-mm/sessionDetails.cfm?session=3217&event=267>.

-Readying Grouper Release v1.2-
{Blair and Gary} shared their progress with the Group regarding the remaining work to be done in the API and UI.  {Blair} has checked in several items that pertain mostly to the internal workings of Grouper. He will next work to clean up those items that he has merged into CVS.

Backwards compatibility with the v1.0 schema will not be available with the first release candidate, though he anticipates its readiness for a release candidate 2. {Joy] said she will be prepared to deal with the schema issue to provide performance testing. She said it will take longer as the database will need to be repopulated. {Blair's} primary objective for field testing of RC 1 is general bugs and performance issues, along with areas that might have been accidentally compromised with the transition.

The RC 1 will also include a repackaging of the QuickStart, which will enable bug and general feature checks. {Gary} was optimistic that the UI will be in order for a timely release of RC 1.

The RC 1 will follow the usual release pattern and include an API, UI, and QuickStart. {Blair} was hopeful that he would be ready to apply the RC 1 tag by the end of business, Thursday. This would enable {Gary} to ready the QuickStart RC 1 for Friday. He has checked in his changes for the UI, barring any last minute changes.

Documentation will be the final step in readying the release. [AI] {Jessica} will work with {Gary} to resolve issues in wiki documentation. [AI] {Jessica} will work with {Blair and Gary} to develop a high-level feature list of the next release. See the New Release Features and Fixes page in the wiki: <https://wiki.internet2.edu/confluence/display/GrouperWG/New+Release+Features+and+Fixes >.

{Chris} asked if there was an estimated time of arrival for the actual release. {Blair] restated a general intention of the product, to issue a substantial release around the annual Spring Internet2 Member Meeting, and follow with a maintenance release around the Fall Internet2 Member Meeting. The release of Grouper v1.2 will fall after the Spring Member meeting next week. Regarding the distinction between RC 1 and RC 2, the former will include enhancements, while the latter will mainly address any follow-on bug fixes.

{Chris} also asked about how the ought to frame their Grouper deployment accessing data through LDAP. {Tom} explained that while Grouper itself does not integrate directly with LDAP, there is an available LDAP Provisioning Connector (LDAPPC). {Tom} suggested a foundation paper for further reading: Practices in Directory Groups <http://middleware.internet2.edu/dir/groups/internet2-mace-dir-groups-best-practices-200210.htm>

The next Grouper Working Group call will be on Wednesday, May 2, 2007 at 12pm EDT

-- 
Jessica Bibbee, Technical Analyst
Internet2

mobile: +1-734-255-6644

Make high-performance connections in person:
The Spring 2007 Internet2 Member Meeting
http://events.internet2.edu/2007/spring-mm/