Spacewalk (software)
{{Short description|Systems management software}}
{{Infobox software
| name = Spacewalk
| logo =
| screenshot =
| caption =
| collapsible =
| author = Red Hat
| developer =
| released = June 2008
| discontinued = yes
| latest release version = 2.10
| latest release date = {{Start date and age|2020|03|18}}
| latest preview version =
| latest preview date =
| repo = https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk
| programming language = Java, Perl and Python
| operating system = Linux
| platform =
| size =
| language = English, French, Bengali, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Russian, Simplified Chinese, German, Spanish, Gujarati, Italian, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese, European Portuguese, Tamil, Traditional Chinese
| genre = Systems management
| license = GNU General Public License v2
| website = {{URL|https://spacewalkproject.github.io/}}
}}
Spacewalk is open-source systems management software for system provisioning, patching and configuration licensed under the GNU GPLv2.
The project was discontinued on 31 May 2020 with 2.10 being the last official release.{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/wiki|title=GitHub Spacewalkproject Home|website=GitHub |accessdate=2020-06-28|date=2020-06-02}} SUSE forked the spacewalk code base in 2018 with uyuni-project {{Cite web|url=https://news.opensuse.org/2018/05/26/uyuni-forking-spacewalk-with-salt-and-containers/|title=Uyuni: Forking Spacewalk with Salt and Containers|accessdate=2020-11-12|date=2020-11-12}}
Overview
= Features =
Spacewalk encompasses the following functions:{{Cite web|url=https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/wiki|title=GitHub Spacewalkproject Home|website=GitHub |accessdate=2017-02-01|date=2017-01-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716135351/https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/wiki|archive-date=2019-07-16|url-status=live}}
- Systems Inventory (Hardware and Software)
- System Software Installation and Updates{{cite book|title=Enterprise Cloud Security and Governance|publisher=Packt|last=Vora|first=Zeal|isbn=9781788298513|date=29 December 2017|id=Pentest & Patch Management}}
- Collation and Distribution of Custom Software Packages into Manageable Groups
- System provisioning (via Kickstart)
- Management and deployment of configuration files
- Provision of virtual Guests
- Start/Stop/Configuration of virtual guests
- OpenSCAP Auditing of client systems{{cite web|url=http://docs.oracle.com/cd/E52668_01/E71078/html/swk24-n4r_wqh_ns.html|title=OpenSCAP Auditing of client systems|publisher=docs.oracle.com|accessdate=2017-02-01}}
= Architecture =
Spacewalk Server: Server represents managing System
- It is possible to set up primary and worker servers, and even a tree setup is possible{{Cite web|url=https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E39368_01/E71077/html/swk22-isscfg.html#|title=Configuring Inter-Server Synchronization|publisher=docs.oracle.com|accessdate=2017-02-02}}
- There are options for geographically remote proxy servers{{Cite web|url=https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E39368_01/E71077/html/swk22-proxy-instup.html#|title=Installing and Upgrading Spacewalk Proxies|publisher=docs.oracle.com|accessdate=2017-02-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107033511/https://docs.oracle.com/cd/E39368_01/E71077/html/swk22-proxy-instup.html|archive-date=2017-11-07|url-status=live}}
Spacewalk Client: A system managed by a Spacewalk server
- Compatible Client OS's are drawn from:
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
- CentOS
- Fedora
- Scientific Linux
- Oracle Linux (OL)
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES)
- openSUSE
- Solaris – limited and deprecated support
- Debian – limited support
Spacewalk is controlled by the following Interfaces:
- web interface, Used for most interactions
- CLI (Command-line interface), Used for some specific operations
- XML-RPC API,{{Cite web|url=http://www.spacewalkproject.org/documentation/api/2.6/faqs.html|title=Spacewalk API FAQ|accessdate=2017-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202235145/http://www.spacewalkproject.org/documentation/api/2.6/faqs.html|archive-date=2017-02-02|url-status=live}} programmatic interface for specialist/development use
Subscription Management:
- Particular upstream and downstream versions may include integration to supported vendor subscription support network such as Red Hat Subscription Management (RHSM), ULN,{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.oracle.com/linux/entry/introduction_to_using_oracle_s|title=Introduction to Using Oracle Unbreakable Linux Network|publisher=Oracle Linux Blog|date=2015-02-25|accessdate=2017-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160809015849/https://blogs.oracle.com/linux/entry/introduction_to_using_oracle_s|archive-date=2016-08-09|url-status=live}} and SUSE Enterprise Linux Server subscriptions.
Backend Database:
- While formerly requiring the commercial Oracle Database as a backend, version 1.7 (released in March 2012) added support for PostgreSQL.{{cite web |url= https://fedorahosted.org/spacewalk/wiki/PostgreSQL |title= PostgreSQL – spacewalk |publisher= Fedorahosted.org |date= 2012-03-07 |accessdate= 2012-10-14 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130908012604/https://fedorahosted.org/spacewalk/wiki/PostgreSQL |archive-date= 2013-09-08 |url-status= live }}
Upstream and downstream versions
A number of DownStream versions use upstream Spacewalk version as the basis of their System Provision, patch and errata management:
- Red Hat Satellite 5.x
- Oracle's "Spacewalk for Oracle® Linux"
- SUSE Manager Server
Support for particular client OSes, server OSes, system architectures, backend databases, and subscription services varies between versions and releases.
= Oracle Spacewalk =
Oracle introduced their own version of Spacewalk particularly to provide a familiar alternative for those switching from a different vendor while Oracle Enterprise Manager remains Oracle Corporation's preferred way of managing systems.{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.oracle.com/wim/entry/spacewalk_2_0_provided_to|title=Spacewalk 2.0 provided to manage Oracle Linux systems|publisher=Senior Vice President of Linux and Virtualization Engineering|date=2013-11-13|accessdate=2017-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160701021618/https://blogs.oracle.com/wim/entry/spacewalk_2_0_provided_to|archive-date=2016-07-01|url-status=live}}
Spacewalk for Oracle® Linux is designed to be hosted on Oracle Linux (OL).
| class="wikitable"
!align=left|Oracle Spacewalk Release{{Cite web|url=https://docs.oracle.com/en/operating-systems/oracle-linux-manager/|title=Oracle Linux Manager|website=docs.oracle.com}} !align=left|Date !align=left|Upstream Release !align=left|Server Versions !align=left|Client Versions !align=left|Features |
| align=center|2.0
|align=center|November 2013 |align=center|2.0 |align=center|OL 6 |align=center|OL 5, OL 6 |First Oracle Spacewalk Release |
| align=center|2.2
|align=center|2.2 |align=center|OL 6 |New features related to upstream Spacewalk 2.2 |
| align=center|2.4
|align=center|April 2016 |align=center|2.4 |align=center|OL 6, OL 7 |align=center|OL 5, OL 6, OL 7 |Oracle Linux 7 supported |
| align=center|2.6
|align=center|2.6 |align=center|OL 6, OL 7 |align=center|OL 5, OL 6, OL 7 |taskotop monitor utility and removal of system and software channel entitlements |
| align=center|2.7
|align=center|2.7 |align=center|OL 6, OL 7 |align=center|OL 5, OL 6, OL 7 |jabberd, deprecated jPackage libraries, and further enhancements |
| align=center|2.10
|align=center|2.10 |align=center|OL 7 |align=center|OL 5, OL 6, OL 7, OL 8 |Oracle Linux 8 supported |
The about section of the release notes in Oracle Spacewalk 2.x Documentation indicate only minor branding changes and changes for GPG keys{{Cite web|url=https://linux.oracle.com/documentation/spacewalk/|title=Oracle Spacewalk Documentation Home|publisher=oracle.com|accessdate=2017-01-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171020192538/https://linux.oracle.com/documentation/spacewalk/|archive-date=2017-10-20|url-status=live}}
= Red Hat Satellite 5 =
{{See|Satellite (software)#Red Hat Satellite 5}}
Red Hat Satellite 5 is a licensed downstream adaption of Spacewalk with added functionality to manage Red Hat Enterprise Linux Subscriptions. In the active years of the Red Hat Satellite 5 lifecycle Spacewalk was simply known as the upstream project for Satellite. The relationship between Spacewalk and Red Hat Satellite 5 was analogous to the relationship between Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux. With the emergence of Red Hat Satellite 6 with based on a fundamentally different toolset, end of lifecycle phase of Red Hat Satellite 5 and the emergence of downstream spacewalk based offerings from Oracle and SUSE newer versions of Spacewalk may not have this close relationship.
= SUSE Manager Server =
In March 2011 Novell released SUSE Manager 1.2, based on Spacewalk 1.2 and supporting the management of both SUSE Linux Enterprise and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.{{cite web |url= http://www.novell.com/news/press/2011/2/novell-rolls-out-advanced-linux-systems-management-solution.html |title= Novell Rolls Out Advanced Linux Systems Management Solution |publisher= Novell.com |date= 2011-03-03 |accessdate= 2012-10-14 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121009012502/http://www.novell.com/news/press/2011/2/novell-rolls-out-advanced-linux-systems-management-solution.html |archive-date= 2012-10-09 |url-status= live }}
In May 2018, during the openSUSE conference in Prague, it was announced{{Cite web|url=https://news.opensuse.org/2018/05/26/uyuni-forking-spacewalk-with-salt-and-containers/|title=Uyuni: Forking Spacewalk with Salt and Containers|accessdate=2018-08-23|date=2018-05-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826085720/https://news.opensuse.org/2018/05/26/uyuni-forking-spacewalk-with-salt-and-containers/|archive-date=2018-08-26|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.suse.com/c/were-back-to-earth-and-the-earth-is-flat-welcome-uyuni/|title=We're back to Earth, and the Earth is flat! Welcome Uyuni!|accessdate=2018-08-23|date=2018-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823210642/https://www.suse.com/c/were-back-to-earth-and-the-earth-is-flat-welcome-uyuni/|archive-date=2018-08-23|url-status=live}} that a fork of Spacewalk, called [https://www.uyuni-project.org/ Uyuni], was being created. Named after the salt flat in Bolivia, Uyuni uses Salt for configuration management and React as the user interface framework.
From version 4.0, SUSE Manager is based on Uyuni as its upstream project.{{Cite web|url=https://www.suse.com/c/first-public-beta-for-suse-manager-4-0/|title=First Public Beta for SUSE Manager 4.0!
|accessdate=2020-08-20|date=2019-03-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190402103125/https://www.suse.com/c/first-public-beta-for-suse-manager-4-0/|archive-date=2019-04-02|url-status=live}}
History and development
= Development =
Red Hat developed the Red Hat Network to manage subscriptions software management and created the Red Hat Satellite application as a central management point with the user network.
For Red Hat Satellite version 5 the Satellite Function was implemented by a toolset named Project Spacewalk.
Red Hat announced in June 2008 Project Spacewalk was to be made open source under the GPLv2 License{{Cite web|url=https://www.redhat.com/archives/spacewalk-list/2008-June/msg00000.html|title=Project Spacewalk Announcement|publisher=Red Hat|date=2008-06-02|accessdate=2017-01-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190721075433/https://www.redhat.com/archives/spacewalk-list/2008-June/msg00000.html|archive-date=2019-07-21|url-status=live}}
Satellite 5.3 was the first version to be based on upstream Spacewalk code.{{cite web |url= https://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/02/red_hat_satellite_5_3/ |title= Red Hat stretches Linux system management tentacle |website= The Register |date= 2009-09-02 |accessdate= 2014-02-05 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140221182540/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/09/02/red_hat_satellite_5_3/ |archive-date= 2014-02-21 |url-status= live }}
= Stewardship and governance =
In the Spacewalk FAQ{{Cite web|url=http://www.spacewalkproject.org/faq.html|title=(Spacewalk) Frequently Asked Questions|publisher=Red hat|date=2015|accessdate=2017-02-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222204754/http://www.spacewalkproject.org/faq.html|archive-date=2016-12-22|url-status=live}} issued in 2015 after the release of Red Hat Satellite 6 Red Hat.
- Red Hat formally released Spacewalk as open source(GPLv2) in June 2008
- Red Hat continues to sponsor and support Spacewalk as the upstream Red Hat Satellite 5. However that participation is anticipated to diminish as Red Hat Satellite 5 enters the final phases of its lifecycle. Spacewalk is not and can never be upstream for Red Hat Satellite 6 released in September 2014{{cite web
|url=https://access.redhat.com/discussions/735323
|title=Satellite version 6 with Puppet, git, Foreman, Katello, Pulp and Candlepin included - questions on using Puppet
|date=9 July 2014
|publisher=
|access-date=2014-11-06
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141106124038/https://access.redhat.com/discussions/735323
|archive-date=2014-11-06
|url-status=live
}}{{cite web |url= http://www.redhat.com/spacewalk/faq.html |title= Spacewalk: Free & Open Source Linux Systems Management |publisher= redhat.com |accessdate= 2012-10-14 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100417084251/http://www.redhat.com/spacewalk/faq.html |archive-date= 2010-04-17 |url-status= live }} due to it being a ground up rebuild with a different toolset.
- The Spacewalk project can continue to grow and flourish provided that the community continues to find it a useful tool and is willing to support it.
Satellite 5 went end-of-life on 31 May 2020,{{Cite web|url=https://access.redhat.com/satellite5updates|title= Red Hat Satellite 5: Important information and changes|publisher=Red Hat|date=2020-05-19|accessdate=2020-06-28}} the Spacewalk project was discontinued at the same time.
Builds
= Upstream build =
== Releases ==
Criticisms
In a 2019 paper considering Linux open-source patching tools, Spacewalk was commended for having a software inventory and community support but limited support for distributions; notably, Ubuntu was an issue.{{cite conference|conference=4th International Conference on Internet of Things, Big Data and Security|title=Linux patch management: With security assessment features|location=Heraklion, Crete|first1=Soranut|last1=Midtrapanon|first2=Gary|last2=Wills|date=2 May 2019|url=https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/433023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917161008/https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/433023/1/Patch_Management.pdf|archive-date=17 September 2019|df=dmy-all|pages=270–277}}
Miscellaneous
- The [https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/wiki/Logo Spacewalk logo] is a trademark of Red Hat, Inc.{{Cite web|url=http://spacewalk.redhat.com/|title=Spacewalk Home|publisher=Red Hat|accessdate=2017-02-02|date=2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161119165751/http://spacewalk.redhat.com/|archive-date=2016-11-19|url-status=live}}
Note
{{Notelist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
= Resources =
{{Portal|Free and open-source software}}
- {{Official website|http://www.spacewalkproject.org/}}
- [https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk GitHub.com repository for Spacewalk]
- [https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/wiki Upstream GitHub documentation Wiki]
- [https://github.com/spacewalkproject/spacewalk/wiki/UserDocs Spacewalk Upstream User Documentation]
- [https://fedorahosted.org/spacewalk/ Spacewalk on Fedorahosted.org (Deprecated)]
- [https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en/red-hat-satellite/?version=5.7 Documentation for Red Hat Satellite 5.7 - Contains much Generally relevant for Spacewalk]
- [https://linux.oracle.com/documentation/spacewalk/ Oracle Spacewalk Documentation - Generally useful Reference]
- [https://www.suse.com/releasenotes/x86_64/SUSE-MANAGER/3.0/ SUSE Manager 3 Documentation]
{{Red Hat}}
Category:Free software programmed in Java (programming language)
Category:Free software programmed in Perl