Report from the GLUE Metapackaging Group
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February 3rd, 2003

Flavia Donno, Alain Roy


1. The mandate of the group is to provide solutions for GRID Middleware
   and Application Software distribution, installation and configuration
   on large and middle size farms, manually or automatically  managed 
   and on user desktops for LCG. 
   In particular we would like to provide solutions for first time
   installations, updates, patches, upgrades and un-installation of
   software bundles. 
   The resulting installation must be the same in terms of functionality
   and setup no matter what is the size of the installation and the
   procedure followed among the supported ones. 
   We give the freedom of choosing the most appropriate packager and
   packaging format at a given site.

2. The recommendations agreed so far are:

        a. The software should be distributed in a "system native" 
           format such as RPMs for Linux RedHat, a binary format 
           that doesn't require extra installation software 
           (such as a .tar.gz file) and as source code.
        b. Binary distributions are recommended.
        c. Software must be relocatable.
	d. Installation and configuration steps must be kept separate.
	e. Software can be grouped into bundles described in a metapackager
           independent way.
        f. From the metapackager independent description it should be
           possible to derive metapackager dependent installation and
           configuration instructions, even if not complete.
           (Details about this issue are still under discussion).

3. First implementation example:

	a. VDT will release Globus 2.2.x that will be used by EDG and LCG by Feb 10th.
        b. This distribution will be in RPM format as produced by NMI.
           The package list will be agreed between VDT and EDG.
	c. The RPMs do not contain configuration steps.
        d. The configuration will try to follow the EDG conventions and
           will be distributed in auxiliary RPMs.
	e. The configuration strategy as treated in the document will be discussed
           between VDT and NMI from a practical point of view.
           However, discussions among EDG, LCG, VDT and NMI will take place in
           order to guarantee a correct distribution that fits all needs.
	f. For the EDG middleware, a first attempt of metapackager independent
           description will be made.