I wish to start an incubator project at ASF. The project details are listed below. How should I proceed?

To the best of my knowledge, the candidate should be approved by a sponsor to enter the incubator.

Out of existing Apache projects, I found apache db as an appropriate (most likely) sponsor for my project (database replication tool).

Is this the right way? Or I should make postings at incubator mailing list. Open to your suggestions and comments.

Thanks in advance

Anurag

  

Proposal to Open Source ‘Daffodil Replicator’

(0.0):    Rationale

(0.1):    Criteria

(0.2):    Warning Signs

(1.0):    Scope of the Project

(2.0):    Identifying the Initial Source

 

 

 

 

(0.0) Rationale

In the recent past, it has been a global phenomenon that the business community has been leveraging technology to unwire organizations. Companies are exploring enterprise mobility solutions which assure the availability of corporate back-end databases at various disbursed platforms. Extending enterprise data to remote locations increases employee productivity and helps them focus on customer services more efficiently. It is also essential to synchronize ones corporate database with local data residing at disbursed sources, so that an enterprise data warehouse can be created for analytical purposes. 

 

There is therefore the need for a tool that can easily synchronize data between databases residing on distributed platforms and corporate databases. A data Replicator has proved out to be of great help in such a challenging situation. It is a tool that provides an application the capability to synchronize data across multiple data sources by checking the data source at regular intervals and updating the target data source with new or modified data.

 

The Daffodil Replicator project will provide developers a standardized tool that synchronizes data between heterogeneous enterprise databases that support JDBC drivers. A data replication tool that offers advanced features such as publish and subscribe model, bi-directional data synchronization, conflict detector and resolution algorithms, as also platform independence will help developers to design innovative applications. Daffodil Replicator helps to create a local database at different workstations and provides instant access to data without the latency and unreliability of a constant connection to the network.

The initial contribution for the project will be from Daffodil Software Limited, in the form of Daffodil Replicator. It is a powerful open source data replication tool, hosted at SourceForge.net, and allows for bi-directional data replication between heterogeneous databases.

The source code is available at SourceForge.net.

(For more product information check http://www.daffodildb.com/dbreplicator.html)

 

Daffodil Replicator in its present form has been tested with selected databases such as Oracle, SQL-Sever, Postgre SQL, Daffodil DB and Derby. It is believed that starting an incubation project at ASF will enhance the Replicator's utility and benefit the ‘Apache DB Project’ community at large. The developer community at SourceForge.net will provide a base for the Replicator incubation project at ASF. However, it is also anticipated that the project will attract developers associated with Apache Derby project.

 

Daffodil Replicator will start as an incubator project and adhere to the guide lines mentioned in Incubation Policy. Once the project is successful in engendering a successful community, and associated developers learn the ASF’s philosophy and guidelines for collaborative development, it will exit the Incubation status to become a Top level project/Sub-project

 

 

Daffodil Replicator supports the following features:

 

1. Data Synchronization between heterogeneous enterprise databases supporting JDBC and other key features such as triggers, procedures and auto increments.

 

2. Publish and Subscribe model with a Publisher (Server) and Subscriber (Client) architecture supporting delta changes or full snapshot changes.

 

3. Bidirectional data synchronization with client-side initiating the synchronization process.

 

4. Automatic conflict detector and resolution algorithms.

 

5. Comprehensive Reloads and incremental updates.

 

6. Platform independent synchronization: 100% Java client and server components.

 

(0.1) Criteria

 

This project fulfills the acceptance criteria on the following grounds:

(a) Meritocracy

The project will abide to Apache's system of Meritocracy. Currently, a team of developers is working to continuously improve the product and the decision to implement any changes in the source code is taken only after reaching a consensus. These discussions have lead to valuable additions in the product. The team is thus committed to move further from here in a manner which promotes meritocracy.

 

(b) Community

 

The community associated with Daffodil Replicator project at sourceforge.net will be the source for generating the community for this ASF project. View the existing community members at:

http://sourceforge.net/project/memberlist.php?group_id=118725

 

Till date, one (1) improved versions of Daffodil Replicator have been released largely on the basis of suggestions and feedback received from the community members. See the documentation and other necessary information at

http://www.daffodildb.com/dbreplicator.html

 

We believe the present community will provide a solid base to build upon. Moreover, the project’s alignment with other Apache projects – Apache Derby - will attract a strong developer community within Apache. 

 

(c) Core Developers

 

The Daffodil Replicator project was started by three (3) members; one of them is also associated with other open source projects such as pklite SQL Client. Since then the number of members associated with the project is growing. Till data, twenty four (24) members have joined the core developers’ team and are actively engaged with the project.

 

(d) Alignment

 

Daffodil Replicator can (potentially) support all database servers that support JDBC drivers and features such as triggers, procedures and auto increments. In its present state Daffodil Replicator has been tested with the following four database servers:

 

1. Oracle

2. SQL Server

3. Postgre-SQL

4. Daffodil DB

5. Derby: Apache incubator project.

 

(0.2) Warning Signs

(a) Orphaned Products:

 

Daffodil Replicator development team is making dedicated efforts towards enhancing the product features of Daffodil Replicator. The latest version of Daffodil Replicator (v1.5) is compatible with widely used heterogeneous databases. The product has been evaluated by JARS.com – a Java user community- and was rated in the top 25% products category.

 

 (b) Inexperienced with Open Source:

 

The community members at large are familiar with open source and understand the working of the open source projects. Daffodil Replicator is an open source data replication tool hosted at sourceforge.net. Visit the project at:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/daffodilreplica/

 

The developers are engaged in active discussions and make consensus based decisions. Some of the members of Daffodil Replicator community hold valuable experience in other open source projects, such as pklite SQL Client.

 

(c) Homogeneous Developers:

The developers associated with this project holds working experience in different organizations located in diverse geographies. As mentioned, we plan to incorporate developers who have expressed interest in the Open Source movement and who have prior experience with similar projects.

 

(d) Reliance on salaried developers:

 

Daffodil Replicator's development does not depends upon the salaried developers but it has developers associated to it which works on open source projects out of choice rather than compulsion or some monetary benefits. All of them have participated in the project because it holds value for them.

 

 (e) No ties to other Apache products:

 

As mentioned under Alignment, the product is a value proposition for the Derby: Apache incubator project.

 

(f) A fascination with the Apache brand:

 

Few of the Apache products such as Tomcat, Ant and Struts have been used by the Replicators’ developers in the past and they were highly satisfied with the performance. The developers wish Daffodil Replicator should also achieve the same performance level.

 

The goal is to expand the base of committers to get a robust and scalable open source product. Apache has been chosen as the host community because the predictable ties and collaboration of Daffodil Replicator with other Apache projects will draw synergistic benefits for both, and NOT because of a fascination with the brand Apache.

 

 

 

(1.0) Scope of the Project

 

Through this project the developer's community is focusing on to:

 

1. Foster a healthy open source community to develop a standardized data replication tool.

 

2. To develop an open source data replication tool which is easily available to be used with open source/widely used heterogeneous databases.

 

3. Enhancing the database utility by extending enterprise data to users working at remote networks.

 

4. Developing a Replicator which can easily integrate with the corporate infrastructure.

 

5. Increasing the field productivity by synchronizing the data across the distributed platforms.

 

6. Empowering the Application Developers: The replication tool empowers the application developers to add innovation in their product. Replicator’s compatibility with various databases enables application developers to select the most appropriate database for their application.

 

(2.0) Identifying the Initial Source

 

The initial source for the project will be contributed by Daffodil Software Limited (Project Administrator for Daffodil Replicator at sourceforge.net). Daffodil Software Limited is willing to contribute Replicator's code base, test cases, build files, and documentation to ASF. Once at Apache, the project will be licensed under the ASF license. View the source code of Daffodil Replicator at:

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=118725&package_id=129291

 

 

(a) Replicator Installation

Daffodil Replicator works within client's current infrastructure, whether using Oracle, Postgre SQL, SQL Server, Derby and Daffodil DB. It is capable of replicating data from both servers and workstations with client initiating the replication process.

 

(b) Replicator Technology

Daffodil Replicator is a data replication tool that synchronizes data residing on corporate backend databases and desktop databases operating in the network. It is a powerful Java API which is connected to the databases through JDBC driver. Daffodil Replicator performs data replication based on Publish and Subscribe model (in client and server architecture). The publications and subscriptions are defined using GUI and wizards or APIs according to the users needs. Powerful, easy to use administration Wizards makes replication a refined process. It supports a variety of synchronization topologies, synchronization modes and synchronizes data sources by using either TCP/IP or HTTP transfer protocols.

 

(c) Replicator Working

To understand the working of Replicator and for more details, please go to:

http://www.daffodildb.com/dbreplicator.php

http://www.daffodildb.com/replicator-more.html

http://www.daffodildb.com/PDF/Replicator%20Developers%20Guide.pdf

http://www.daffodildb.com/forum/thread.jspa?threadID=1041&tstart=0

 

 

 

 

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