[H-GEN] Setting up a Subversion/CVS Repository

Fri Sep 5 02:20:43 EDT 2003

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I would agree with Sarah, unless there is a key features within subversion
that you need, I would stay with CVS. Looking at subversion from a
Configuration Management Tool aspect, it does give you features that CVS
doesn't have, as it is based on SCM Best practices concepts that are shown
within the newer set of CM tools (both commerical and non-commerical).

However, you need to think about what you want from a repository. When you
say that you are working upon a new Linux distribution, are your main tasks
compiling, build from other sources, or custom development? How many users
to you expect? What IDEs, build tools do you plan to be using? Is security
a concern to you, non-reader access for CVS could be an issue for your
system? Is performance a concern, as with any Linux distribution, you are
working with a large file set, and there will be cost to such operations on
your repository.

Sorry if that sounds like a lecture ....

Ciao,

Nik

Nickolas Kwiatkowski
IT Architect
AMS Solutions Enablement (ASE)
Application Management Services
IBM Global Services Australia
phone:  07 3887 6304,  mobile:  0412 121 276,  email:  nickolas at au1.ibm.com
"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity" - Albert Einstein

                      Sarah Hollings                                                                                                        
                      <sarah at humanfactors.uq        To:       general at lists.humbug.org.au                                                   
                      .edu.au>                      cc:                                                                                     
                      Sent by: Majordomo            Subject:  Re: [H-GEN] Setting up a Subversion/CVS Repository                            
                      <majordom at caliburn.hum                                                                                                
                      bug.org.au>                                                                                                           

                      05/09/2003 02:37 PM                                                                                                   
                      Please respond to                                                                                                     
                      general                                                                                                               

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Stuart Longland wrote:

> [ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and     ]
> [ Unix-related topics. Posts from non-subscribed addresses will vanish. ]
>
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> Hi All,
>     I'm in the process of trying to get a development server up and
going,
> primarily for collaborative work on a new Linux distribution, however,
> I'm having problems getting Subversion going.

I've had no experience with subversion, and I applaud the motivation of
the argoUML guys for wanting to write a "better cvs".  However CVS is
very stable, well documented and very powerful.  It is possible to
secure CVS to a very good standard.  CVS clients work well on almost any
platform you care to name, are fast and have small footprints.

Some aspects of the architecture of subversion concern me, and I think
it'll be a few years yet before I entrust our 1000's of LOC to it.

>     I've given up completely on CVS, as it wasn't clear how you secure
it,
> however, if someone could point me to a reasonable guide on how to set
> up CVS/SSH and/or HTTPS-based Subversion, this would be great.
>
>     Has anyone had any luck setting up either one of these two revision
> control systems?

A course that I wrote and teach covers exactly this, securing CVS using
SSH.

The basic idea is to set up a standard packaged cvs server and sshd from
your favourite linux distro.  During the setup process ensure you're not
running the cvs pserver.  Clients connect over ssh by setting
CVS_RSH=ssh.  This works on Linux, Mac and Windows (all flavours).

To harden the server set all ssh secure options, eg no password access
(keys only), no root, no X11 forwarding, etc etc.  Per user you can
restrict access to just the cvs server command by using their
authorized_keys file (thanks Mark!). Using Unix groups and permissions
you can have a fairly good level of control over writing different
modules/projects.

An easy to setup cgi called viewcvs will give you a nice web front end
for when you want to access doco and aren't at your cvs client; or for
non-technical project stakeholders to access doco, logs etc.

Rgds,

Sarah

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