Feedback Request: Adjusting Build fetching defaults

OttoFMS
1

Hey y’all,

We’re currently thinking about changing the default behavior of OttoFMS/OttoDeploy and I wanted to get your thoughts about the changes before we put them in.

Background:
During the deployment process, OttoFMS first gets a build of your files from your source server. Currently, the default behavior for this step is that OttoFMS will download the files from your source server to your destination server. In version 4.5.0 we added an option to “push” the build from the source to the destination, which essentially uploads the file rather than doing a download. This also fixed issues we see when using Windows IIS, which can cause interminable file transfers when downloading.

We have found that the “Push build” option is generally faster, less prone to errors, and works across all operating systems. Given that, we think it is a good idea to change the default behavior from doing a download to using the “push” option.

Caveats: the only issue with using the push build as the default is that the source server has to be able to communicate with the destination server. If your destination server is behind a firewall that your source server cannot get through, the push build will fail.

So my questions for y’all are:
Do you think we should make this change?
Do you have a server setup that would break deployments if we changed this (ie. destination server behind a firewall)?

I’ll outline pros/cons in a list in a comment below this as they come in. Let me know what y’all think!

-Kyle

2

Pros:

  • Faster file transfers
  • Fewer confusing bugs on windows

Cons:

  • Certain firewall setups will not work (this is true with the current method too, its just the other way around now)
3

Yes. I have changed most of my deployments to push the file to the destination server.

I deal with a couple server deployments that will be affected. However, if we have the option to be able to download, it’s very very minor switch flip.

On a side note, some deployments I am considering moving to retrieving the build from an offsite location.

1 Like
4

Would this also help you too for OttoDeploy / SimpleQ / etc when you have a new version you would have already pushed it out to the inbox of all OttoFMS ready to update?

5

For OttoDeploy/SimpleQ we are doing a url source deployment, which do not have the push build option. we simply download the build from whatever url we have the new version stored at. The push build option is only available when your build is coming from another OttoFMS server.

-Kyle