Hi We ship commercial software based on mod_perl2 and mason.
We build the entire stack from perl,database,apache,openssl + own software under /opt to separate it completely from RedHat Enterprise/SLES patching breaking the system. Currently we have stable rpm spec files for base perl and apache + ssl Then we have a script that downloads and creates a cpan repository based on a config file to get the correct versions. Those modules we store locally and use as a distribution repository. Then we have an install script that install all those cpan modules based on /opt/perl/bin/perl ./Makefile.PL + options in correct order and solves all dependencies. It also holds path to MQ,DB2,Oracle etc software if needed. When you deal with cpan you must keep a local repository, because cpan moves, and suddenly a developer releases a new version, and deletes the old one because it has an error. We also have some modules that we have bugfixed ourselves. We can then choose to create a rpm of entire perl + libraries for apache, mod_perl etc, but mostly this is only needed when customers do not have compilers and dev libraries installed. Then we set up our own software and configure the system. This works fairly ok, I use around 30 minutes to set up a rather complex lamp-stack. (if there are no other issues). We also support 386 and x64 seemlessly and can easily test all varities of perl like 5.8.8, 5.8.9 5.10.0 and 5.10.1 and apache 2.0 and 2.2 to see what is most stable and fastest. We also create a group, use umask 0002, chmod g+rws(dir) and g+rwx(files) on all our software, so we do not need to be root to restart anything on the stack. We have our own perl based /etc/init.d/startup scripts. We have had lots of issues in the past when we used redhats lamp-stack. Sysadmins tend to update every time redhat issues a critical patch. -- Morten Bjoernsvik, Experian Decision Analytics, Oslo Norway -----Original Message----- From: mab2...@gmail.com [mailto:mab2...@gmail.com] On Behalf Of Mike Barborak Sent: 10. september 2009 15:55 To: modperl@perl.apache.org Subject: distributing software built on mod_perl Hello, We have built some software that depends on mod_perl and are working on how to distribute it to customers and have them install it. It seems the task we're asking of our customer is not for the faint of heart as it involves a lot of command line operations, an understanding of their web server installation, and the ability to install mod_perl and some number of Perl modules on which our software depends. Standing at the foot of this documentation and installation script mountain, we're looking for trails blazed by those who have come before. So, can anyone point me at other software with these requirements and their solution to this problem? Particularly ones that have handled theses issues well? Alternately, do you think our approach is fundamentally unsound for our intentions? Is there a better way to write and distribute Apache modules? Thanks, Mike Mike Barborak Technical Director barbo...@basikgroup.com ------------------------------------ BASIK GROUP 1201 Broadway, #704 New York, NY 10001 office: 646 201 9347 cell: 646 263 7029 www.basikgroup.com
