Phablet Kernel Maintenance

Registered by Leann Ogasawara

The goal of this session is to discuss the ongoing phablet kernel maintenance and support process. We would like to elaborate on decisions currently being made as well as discuss any additional opens.

Blueprint information

Status:
Started
Approver:
Leann Ogasawara
Priority:
High
Drafter:
Leann Ogasawara
Direction:
Approved
Assignee:
Canonical Kernel Team
Definition:
Approved
Series goal:
Accepted for saucy
Implementation:
Started
Milestone target:
milestone icon ubuntu-13.10
Started by
Leann Ogasawara

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

== Session Summary ==
1. Announce target device(s) to prototype phablet kernel maintenance model
    1a. Initially target Nexus 7 since the device is readily available within the team and we also have a general source and package base to start with via the desktop images for the Nexus 7.
    1b. We will prototype the maintenance recipe for the Nexus 7 and then look to replicate it with a Nexus 4

2. Current status for Nexus 7 phablet kernel support
    2a. We have rebased our Nexus 7 kernel against the phablet Cyanogenmod based kernel. This kernel seems to work ok pretty well for the Ubuntu images thus far. The default configs were pushed a little more 'default' wrt to the default settings we use.
    2b. Following feedback from the config review, we will coordinate with rsalveti to get the builds pointing to our kernel git repo as well as getting this uploaded to the official Ubuntu archive.

3. How will the userspace side of flashing this kernel look like? Can we use the ubuntu flash-kernel way or something else?
    3a. Currently we don’t have any support for this in the phablet images. Currently we are using aboot-tool to generate the specific boot image and dd it on. We use the android partition table, mmc0p2 is the boot image partition. It sounds like the ubuntu kernel model could work well. We need to investigate to confirm. We are unsure how we could support random community devices with the ubuntu model though.

4. Discussed issue with some of the android drivers being very broken in that they do not play well with 'standard' ubuntu userspace. Regulatory support and other iw parts do not work correctly as we stand. They rely on a hacked userspace to handle the brokenness. Do we have a plan for this? (This is the first the kernel team is hearing of this issue.) Are we planning on keeping the delta for wpa supplicant or getting the kernel components sorted. This may be fixable for specific devices but it is likely to be a problem area for any community ports in the near term.

5. Support model for this kernel will be a best effort since these kernel are proof of concept prototypes

6. Nexus7 kernel config review
    6a. http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/configs/raring/reviews/uds-13.03/n7initial-issues.html
    6b. look to enable filesystems crtypo et al
    6c. care to not disable things which are 'y'
    6d. bluetooth to be ignored
    6e. n7: grouper is the basis for the devices

(?)

Work Items

Work items for ubuntu-13.04-month-5:
[timg-tpi] Rebase Nexus7 kernel to CM kernel: DONE
[sforshee] get with tony espy to discuss how we can work out the WPA/kernel driver missmatch: DONE
[leannogasawara] Get Nexus4 hw in hands of kernel team devs: DONE
[apw] initial pass over the config using the rules agreed: POSTPONED
[timg-tpi] Upload rebased CM Nexus7 kernel: DONE
[canonical-kernel-distro-team] ckt to sync w/rsalveti once Ubuntu Nexus7 kernel is ready to be spun into phablet image: DONE

Work items for ubuntu-13.04-month-6:
[timg-tpi] Pull together Nexus 4 Ubuntu kernel: DONE
[timg-tpi] Pull together Galaxy Nexus Ubuntu kernel: DONE
[timg-tpi] Pull together Nexus 10 Ubuntu kernel: DONE
[apw] Nexus 4 Ubuntu kernel config review: POSTPONED
[p-pisati] Test Nexus 4 Ubuntu kernel prior to upload: DONE
[p-pisati] Test Galaxy Nexus Ubuntu kernel prior to upload: DONE
[p-pisati] Test Nexus 10 Ubuntu kernel prior to upload: DONE
[timg-tpi] Upload Nexus 4 Ubuntu kernel: DONE
[timg-tpi] Upload Galaxy Nexus Ubuntu kernel: DONE
[timg-tpi] Upload Nexus 10 Ubuntu kernel: DONE
[leannogasawara] ckt to sync w/rsalveti once Ubuntu Nexus4 kernel is ready to be spun into phablet image: DONE
[rsalveti] create a phablet image using the ubuntu Nexus 4 kernel repository: DONE
[rsalveti] create a phablet image using the ubuntu Nexus 10 kernel repository: DONE
[rsalveti] create a phablet image using the ubuntu Galaxy Nexus kernel repository: DONE
[rsalveti] look at the android build system we are using to see if we can switch to the ubuntu kernel model: DONE
[rsalveti] Check how is the kernel generated across the models supported by CM: DONE
Backport latest apparmor patch-set to Galaxy Nexus Kernel: POSTPONED
Backport latest apparmor patch-set to Nexus 10: POSTPONED

Work items for ubuntu-13.05:
[timg-tpi] Investigate Ubuntu Nexus 7 and Nexus 4 kernel updates on phablet image: DONE
[rsalveti] create a phablet image using the ubuntu Nexus 7 kernel repository: DONE
[ogra] look into possible flash-kernel support (depends on rsalvetis CM review): TODO

Work items for ubuntu-13.06:
[jjohansen] Backport latest apparmor patch-set to mako (nexus 4): DONE
[jjohansen] Backport latest apparmor patch-set to grouper (nexus 7): DONE
[jjohansen] Backport latest apparmor patch-set to manta (nexus 10): DONE
[jjohansen] Backport latest apparmor patch-set to maguro (galaxy nexus): DONE

Work items for ubuntu-13.07:
[jjohansen] investigate apparmor interaction with LXC so apparmor can be enabled by default: DONE
[jjohansen] investigate apparmor traceback on maguro: DONE

Dependency tree

* Blueprints in grey have been implemented.