Re: DSA concerns for jessie architectures (mips*)

On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 10:36:20PM +0800, Aron Xu wrote:
> On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 10:09 PM, Luca Filipozzi <[email protected]> wrote:
> > On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 05:34:42PM +0800, Aron Xu wrote:
> > > On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 5:29 PM, Paul Wise <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > > On Mon, Jun 24, 2013 at 4:51 PM, Peter Palfrader wrote:
> > > > > If our existing eight-year old hardware is the only mips machines we
> > > > > can reasonably get then that doesn't bode well for mips.  We don't
> > > > > think relying on the SWARMs (alone) is an option.
> > > >
> > > > Perhaps Cavium will interested in providing newer hardware now that
> > > > there is a MIPS N64 GSoC project underway. They offered some decent
> > > > hardware last year in association with such a port:
> > > >
> > > > http://lists.debian.org/debian-mips/2012/02/msg00001.html
> > > > http://wiki.debian.org/SummerOfCode2013/Projects#MIPS_N32.2FN64_ABI_port
> > > > http://wiki.debian.org/SummerOfCode2013/StudentApplications/EleanorChen
> > > >
> > >
> > > I believe Cavium's David Daney is on debian-mips, we can talk to him to
> > > see if there is any possibility of making donation.
> >
> > It would be wonderful to refresh our mips environment as our current mips
> > environment is not healthy.  We gladly accept hardware donations but would
> > appreciate if the donated hardware be equivalent to that available
> > commercially.  Of the four existing donated boxen that we operate at
> > ubcece, one has never worked (fatally defective) and two are very
> > unreliable.  We also had to modify them to boot on power-up.
> >
> > Do the Cavium machines have any remote management features (similar to Sun
> > ALOM, HP iLO, Dell DRAC) that allow access to a serial console and to power
> > management?  Alternatively, can they be configured to power on after a
> > power loss so we can attach them to a remotely controlled power
> > distribution unit?  Do they boot from local storage?
> >
> > Any help you can provide in securing newer mips equipment is appreciated.
> > We MUST refresh our mips environment if we wish to continue offering a mips
> > port.
> >
> > As mentioned, we will need a number of machines to satisfy the various
> > requirements (geographically distributed buildd machines, accessible porter
> > machine(s), etc.).
> >
> > > As for the GSoC project, the student seems to not get access to the
> > > hardware Cavium offered, nor the main mentor (Cc'ed), so there is no
> > > feedback about stability/other stuff about those hardware.
> >
> > Why were the GSoC students unable to obtain access to the hardware?
> >
> 
> David once said he has prepared the machine, but we haven't got response from
> him when asking for shell access.

That's unfortunate.

> Also, are you interested in asking Lemote for there Loongson 3A machines?

Sure. My objective is to get functioning equipment so that the mips port is
supported. I'm prepared to receive a mix of equipment from a number of vendors
or just from one... as long the requirements (commercially available, warranty
/ support, out of band management, etc.) are met, I'm not partial one way or
the other.

The only challenge I see with the 3A machines is the comment about needing a
lot of energy/time to get a working kernel... that would be a problem for us,
obviously.

Thanks,

Luca

-- 
Luca Filipozzi
http://www.crowdrise.com/SupportDebian