Core/Non-core Instances and Sysadmin Support

Something at least about DNS configuration for emails… a little email server support?

I consider that product-related as it’s necessary for the app to work. To me, this and a local discourse or a local website are slightly different things. While all the devs in the core team are familiar with the former, they might not with the latter. But, well, I want to know what’s your opinion on this.

Instance hat: yes this could be a good first step.

OFN global hat: I would be in favor of mentioning this on the local website template in super admin guide. Currently OFN global gives out templates for wordpress. So with providers that offer one-click solution to install wordpress and OFN global that offers a theme, any non-tech person can start a local website.
But maintaining it… :exploding_head: So it be good to write somewhere that we don’t offer support on this.

Hi, I really likes this idea, as @Rachel said is not easy to find a person to help on sysadmin task, and is one of our big challenges to growth.
It would be helpful to our funding efforts to have a clear idea of the full support cost to include it in our projects.
I’m totally agree with all the propose requirements.
Thanks :hugs:

2 Likes

Hi again everyone,
Breathing life back into this thread.

I’d like to move forward some of the discussions above into something more concrete. I’ve created this GDoc to describe the proposals. Note it is currently a GDoc so that we can collaborate on it. Please comment and suggest things :slight_smile:

As a summary the doc includes proposals for:

  1. Updates to the Instance Manager Guide to describe the process
  2. A new process for the Instance Manager circle to review and decide support levels for instances
  3. Clearer Rights and Responsibilities for Instances towards the commons.

Please just request access if you don’t have it via the doc.

In particular this impacts #instance-managers circle as it creates some responsibilities for you.
It impacts sysadmins, which is the dev circle.
It also impacts business and governance circles, though I’m not sure I can place this circle yet and kinda just made it up.
And of course global gardeners - @NickWeir @Jen

Ping instance managers:
@Eugeni @Kirsten @tschumilas @lauriewayne1 @hernansedano @romale @rafat-khashan @berniemabbs @Cecilia-Hn @lin_d_hop @VPotvin @Jen @lbwright22 @konrad

Ping dev:
@maikel @Matt-Yorkley @sauloperez @apb @jibees

2 Likes

pinging @dthomas (instance manager rep from OFN-CAN)

1 Like

Sounds great. I’m not sure if everyone wants the global team to admin their server but I guess that people can opt out if they want to. It’s great to include people to start with because it makes everything easier.

1 Like

Hi all,
I’d like to register OFN Ireland’s interest in getting Basic or Full support help at some point if possible. We are currently managing our own instance.

1 Like

That proposal sounds good to me :+1:

Thanks @lin_d_hop this indeed sounds great.

I only have FR’s figure in mind (low revenues, contribution in time which does not include sysadmin tasks), and therefore I’m a bit afraid we are starting something that won’t cover OFN’s global costs… But I can be wrong and therefore don’t want to block the process :+1:

We already don’t cover OFNs costs. The goal is to create a stronger global community that all feel more invested in the global. Right now OFNs costs are covered because a few instances are so invested that they find the money. We need this to be all instances.

@lin_d_hop exactly, but this is not what is asked in return for the full support. So shouldn’t we make it more clear?
Like for example: 40% of revenue or time + joining the fundraising circle?

Otherwise I’m afraid it’s still going to be the same instance that will carry the weight of finding funds.

As a guide we expect instances to contribute 40% of their revenue or 40% of their time to global efforts, though this fluctuates and is commensurate to circumstance.

From the doc :point_up:
I’ll add ‘join the fundraising circle’. Good suggestion.

Feel free to make other suggestions in the doc directly :pray:

I wonder if expecting some type of in kind (time) contribution is a fair expectation - even when an instance is able to contribute money? What do others think about the expectation that a core instance actively participates in at least one circle (in addition to the monthly global check in meeting?) - so could be fundraising, or support, or product…?

@tschumilas From the doc:

  1. Demonstrable Commitment to the Commons
    This might come in the form of the contributions of funds to the global fundraising effort. It might come in the form of significant contributions to the commons knowledge base include the code, documentation, facilitation and governance. We expect instances to:
  • Participate in fundraising for OFN global by having a representative in the fundraising-circle
  • Contribute 40% of their revenue or 40% of their time to global efforts, though this can fluctuate and can be commensurate to circumstance.

Please make suggestions in the document directly instead of here on this thread. I’m not sure if people aren’t reading it or if the wording in the doc isn’t clear enough so suggesting in the doc directly would be very helpful :pray:

Thanks everyone for the inputs on this process.

I know we are a ways away from actually rolling out this process but I’m just going to outline what I think the next steps are in the interest of having something to work towards.

  1. Proposal at Global Hangout to agree this new process, in the full knowledge that it is not yet perfect but can iterate.
  2. Work with instance managers to define a process that enables the instance managers circle to decide how instances:
  • Become approved for basic support
  • Become approved for full support
  • What happens if instances on full support fail to meet the community requirements
  • What happens if instances on basic support fail to meet the community requirements
  • How often these decisions are made
  1. Confirm where we are at. Based on the criteria defined about figure out which instances are currently on basic support? Which are on full support?
  2. Update the Super Admin Guide to reflect the changes and ensure global gardeners understand the new offer.
  3. Begin the process of any instances that are currently self-managed to move into basic support. This work needs to be sized and prioritised, so let’s not get ahead of ourselves :wink:
1 Like

just noting that at present there is only one name in the instance managers circle list - so until we have more joiners there, we can’t very effectively move forward on @lin_d_hop 's proposal above (which I totally concur with) please add your instance manager ---- https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1vc8W3QHl_oPJk4_oJP_mYJvIQ7wot8kLPlnX2Lp2gTo/edit#gid=0

Hi everybody, I was looking for information on how to become approved for basic support and found this post. Has the criteria been already defined?

Our volunteer dev for OFN Brazil is having a hard time keeping up with all the releases (I wonder if he is taking more steps than needed to deploy the releases since it was supposed to be a quick thing) and we’re really lagging behind. If OFN BR could join the instances that have their releases deployed by the global team, that would be awesome. thanks!

@Matt-Yorkley @lin_d_hop

Hi @thomaz

It was suggested last IM meeting that we look at this support as a Commons - meaning that there are Rights that you gain by being part of the Commons, in exchange for fulfilling your Responsibilities, things you do to maintain and be ensure the longevity of the commons.

I believe people in the instance managers circle are going to look at the Rights and Responsibilities of supported instances and will make a proposal. Earlier in this thread others have had a look at defining the Rights however to my knowledge there hasn’t really there is more to do to define the Responsibilities.

@konrad and @lauriewayne1 might be able to better guide you toward what is happening to define this.

Hope that helps :slight_smile:

1 Like

Thanks @lin_d_hop .

I fully agree with that approach and would be happy to help move the discussion forward :slight_smile: