spack-stack is a project which allows sysadmins and users to install correct versions of the many dependent packages that are required to build the Unified Forecast System (UFS) and other models.
spack-stack relies on the open-source spack project. Spack uses package configuration files to manage the building and dependencies of each package in the stack. (For example, the spack netcdf-c package file manages the installation of the netCDF C library.)
All package configuration files used by spack-stack are maintained in the main spack repository, making them available for all users. spack-spack is a thin shell on spack which contains necessary configuration files for our HPC systems, and some utilities which aid in installing the large number of packages managed by spack-stack.
- The NOAA Environmental Modeling Center (EMC)
- The UCAR Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA)
- The Earth Prediction Innovation Center (EPIC)
Each stakeholder will designate a small number of developers to assist in spack-stack development by becoming a code manager of the spack-stack repo.
| Organization | Code Manager(s) |
|---|---|
| NOAA EMC | Alex Richert, Hang Lei, Ed Hartnett |
| JCSDA | Dom Heinzeller, Steve Herbener |
The spack-stack project will follow the processes outlined in this document to allow all stakeholders to get the benefits they need from spack-stack.
New packages must be requested as a GitHub issue. There is a template with relevant questions that must be answered.
New packages must have a working package configuration file in spack. If not present, it must be added - if present, it must be examined and tested for correctness. It must be maintained with each new release of the package. Some package files are quite simple, others are very complex and take more work.
Developing and maintaining the spack package file for each package is the responsibility of the organization that has requested that package. In the case of packages used by all organizations (like netcdf-c), the work of maintaining the spack package file is shared.
Spack package files should be pushed to the spack main repository, not held within the spack-stack project. For quick development and execution, package files can be temporarily housed in the the spack fork used by spack-stack, but all should be moved to the main spack repo as time permits.
The spack-stack stack must be installed on various NOAA, NCAR, NASA, and other HPC systems. Each stakeholder will designate programmers to install on their own systems.
Any stakeholder can perform a release at any time.
The release process:
- Add a new issue explaining the reason for the release, and to notify all other stakeholders.
- Designate any issues that must be fixed before release, and ensure their completion.
- Update the GitHub Release Notes.
- Perform the release on GitHub.
- Update the documentation.
Sometimes tags are preferrable to releases. Tags can be added at any time. Tag process:
- Add a new issue documenting the reason for the tag.
- Tag the repo.
spack-stack is documented with its README.md and Spack Documentation on readthedocs.
All problems are reported as issues on the spack-stack GitHub site.
Problems in stack-spack will be fixed by the code managers.
Problems in spack package files will be solved by programmers of the organization which uses the package. Many packages are shared, in which case the work will be shared by the code managers.