Re: adding a new platform

On Tue, 21 Apr 2015 18:37:02 +0800
Craig Ringer <craig@2ndquadrant.com> wrote:

> On 21 April 2015 at 18:21, Jehan-Guillaume de Rorthais <jgdr@dalibo.com>
> wrote:
>
> > On Tue, 21 Apr 2015 10:01:21 +0800
> > Craig Ringer <craig@2ndquadrant.com> wrote:
> >
> > > On 21 April 2015 at 06:11, Mark Wong <mark@2ndquadrant.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi everyone,
> > > >
> > > > I have access to a z13 mainframe and would like to explore getting
> > > > packages built for the yum repository for Linux on z (as opposed to
> > > > z/OS.)  I've looked at the git repository, but was wondering what the
> > > > best way is to run through trying to build packages and what not.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > I (or, rather, 2ndQuadrant) also have access to POWER7 machines at OSU
> > OSL
> > > that can be used to build ppc64 packages for Linux on POWER, in case
> > anyone
> > > expresses interest in this.
> >
> > I talked with Devrim during last pgconf.eu about the opportunity to have
> > IBM
> > providing a POWER server and even some feedback about their gcc toolkit,
> > optimized for POWER7 and POWER8.
> >
> > I had no answers to my mails since then, when trying to get people from
> > IBM in
> > touch with Devrim :(
> >
>
> I have sometimes found that working with IBM directly not to be the best
> way to do things, especially by email. Working through IBM partners and
> getting the partners to handle co-ordination with IBM via their established
> relationships often works best.

Here, my IBM contact was actually quite available and prompt to answer.

> In the case of POWER for open source use, the Oregon State University Open
> Source Lab (OSU OSL) is a good starting point. I can vouch for their
> excellent support and infrastructure first-hand.

The IBM contact was actually pointing to this program. The
only issue I could find about it is that only POWER7 plateform were available,
no POWER8.

> 2ndQuadrant has three POWER7 LPARs with OSU OSL, one of which is on Fedora
> 21. So mock-building packages would not be a problem. I can't offer
> individual build hosts for non-mocked builds, though, as there are just too
> many target OSes.

Devrim explained he needs a root access to such a server to be able to install
and monitor various things and integrate the server to his buildfarm. AFAIR,
this was the point we were trying to discuss when we lost contact...

--
Jehan-Guillaume de Rorthais
http://www.dalibo.com