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<p class=""><span class="">Hi all,</span></p>
<p class="">I wanted to propose how we can go about handling newer Ubuntu releases in a systematic way. This covers how we handle Ubuntu on our CI, but also reflects where we'll be focusing effort at any given point. The primary intent is to support the most recent Ubuntu Long Term Service release and the absolute latest Ubuntu release, with a bit of overlap when phasing out the LTS release that is going out of scope.<br><span class=""></span></p>
<p class="">Since the next release, fast moving or not, is the next Long Term Stability release, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (available now), I propose we:<br></p>
<p class=""><span class="">* swap out our 15.10 fast moving release with Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.</span></p>
<p class=""><span class="">* allow 16.04 and 14.04 to co-exist to give our stability-minded community time to switch over to 16.04.</span></p>
<p class="">When 16.10 comes out in October 2016, we drop 14.04 and move 16.10 onto those builders.<br><span class=""></span></p>
<p class="">This continues to have us testing against the latest release, which will be Ubuntu 16.04 LTS when we switch, gives us the latest stable coverage (also 16.04), and gives our community a little more time with active coverage on 14.04, the previous long term support version. We’ll then get back to the normal program in October 2016 when we pick up the latest fast-moving release, with coverage on Ubuntu 16.10 and Ubuntu 16.04 LTS.<br><span class=""></span></p>
<p class="">This assumes we want to keep our eyes on no more than two Ubuntu releases at a time, which matches current CI infrastructure planning.<br><span class=""></span></p>
<p class="">Looking forward over the next two years, this is the schedule I’m proposing:<br><span class=""></span></p><p class=""></p><ul><li>April 2016:<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Replace Ubuntu 15.10 with Ubuntu 16.04 (coverage: Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 16.04 LTS)</li><li>October 2016:<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Replace Ubuntu 14.04 with Ubuntu 16.10 (coverage: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 16.10)</li><li>April 2017:<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Replace Ubuntu 16.10 with Ubuntu 17.04 (coverage: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 17.04)</li><li>October 2017:<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Replace Ubuntu 17.04 with Ubuntu 17.10 (coverage: Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 17.10)</li><li>April 2018:<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>Replace Ubuntu 17.10 with Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (coverage: Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04 LTS)</li></ul><p></p>
<p class="">Thoughts? Once we finalize the plan, I'll coordinate with the infrastructure teams and round up resources needed to get Ubuntu 16.04 supported and on the CI.<br><span class=""></span></p>
<p class="">Thanks!<br><span class=""></span></p><div>Sincerely,</div><div>Todd Fiala</div>
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