Multiple Linux Platforms
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rPath maintains its own Linux distribution, rPath Linux, from which
rBuilder can pluck the components required to build software
appliances. rPath Linux is a fairly conservative distribution that's
capable of serving most Linux applications without issue.
However, for applications designed or certified to work on a
specific distribution, using rPath's own Linux can pose support
hurdles. It's in these cases that rBuilder's support for Linux
distributions beyond rPath Linux comes in handy. rBuilder offers the
choice of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 or 11, Ubuntu Hardy or the
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 clone, CentOS 5. For the SLES options, you
must configure rBuilder with an activation key confirming that you're
entitled to run the distribution.
When I embarked on my appliance-creation journey, rBuilder prompted
me to choose one of these distributions. Later, I could easily switch
platforms through the product's Flash-based interface. I switched
appliances from rPath Linux 2 to CentOS and vice versa.
Virtualization Target Support
Also new in the 5.x versions of rBuilder is a management console
through which I could configure virtualization host targets to link up
with rBuilder. I could choose from on-premises VMware ESX Server or
Citrix XenServer hosts, or the cloud-based Amazon EC2 or the Globus
Workspaces Cloud. I tested with a VMware vSphere installation and with
an Amazon EC2 account. In both cases, I could see a list of the running
instances on the services, as well as launch or terminate new instances
from rBuilder.
I could also create virtual images in a fairly comprehensive range
of other formats, including those for Microsoft Hyper-V, Virtual Iron,
Parallels, QEMU, installable DVD or CD ISOs and plain TAR archives.
Flash-based Interface
Among the most striking changes between the 4.x and 5.x versions of
rBuilder is a move from an HTML and Javascript-based Web interface to a
new Web front end built on Adobe's Flash framework. The Flash interface
gives rBuilder a look and feel more akin to a regular desktop
application, while retaining the cross-platform support of the HTML
interface.
Overall, my experience with the new interface was positive. In my
first experiences with the new UI, just after Version 5 became
available, I was tempted to say that rPath had pushed the envelope a
bit too far in terms of what's feasible with a Flash-based application,
but the company has managed to iron out most of the early wrinkles I
encountered.
For example, while testing earlier 5.x builds of rBuilder, I
experienced some performance issues with the Flash-based interface,
which tended to result in my browser--and all its open tabs--locking up
for short periods of time. Specifically, I experienced these problems
while connecting to VMware ESX server targets. With Version 5.2.1 of
rBuilder, those particular lockup issues seemed to have been ironed out.
However, there were some Flash issues even in Version 5.2.1. In one
case, I triggered a build of one of my appliance images, but the
operation wasn't reflected in the interface. I clicked a couple more
times to launch the build, but it wasn't until I refreshed the page
that I could see that each of my clicks had indeed added a new build
process to the product's queue. The interface offered no option to
cancel the redundant operations, so I had to either wait for them to
finish or visit a separate rBuilder administration console to cancel
them.
Executive Editor Jason Brooks can be reached at jbrooks@eweek.com.
