OpenStreetMap (OSM), the collaborative project to create a free and open map of the world, has migrated its servers to Debian 12 (Bookworm) after 18 years on Ubuntu. This transition brings with it a number of benefits, including improved speed and closer ties with the Debian community.
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Why the Switch?
The decision to migrate was driven by a number of factors, with performance being a key consideration. OSM's infrastructure relies heavily on physical hardware, and the team encountered significant I/O performance issues with certain kernel versions on systems using NVMe storage.
Debian 12 offered a solution by allowing the installation of backported kernels, effectively resolving these performance bottlenecks.
Another motivating factor was the desire to align more closely with the maintainers of the software packages that OSM relies on. Debian boasts a strong reputation for package maintenance, and many Debian maintainers are deeply invested in the software they support, ensuring prompt attention to critical bugs.
A Smooth Transition
The migration process was facilitated by OSM's infrastructure management practices. Their server setup is largely code-driven, and rigorous testing is performed using tools like Test Kitchen and Inspec.
By adding Debian as a test target platform, the team was able to identify and address any compatibility issues early on. The required code changes were relatively minor, primarily involving adjustments to package names and configuration filenames.
The transition involved the following key steps:
- Frontend Server Migration: OSM successfully migrated its frontend servers to Debian 12, resulting in a Ruby version upgrade from 3.0 to 3.1. This upgrade allowed for a corresponding upgrade to the Ruby on Rails framework used for the www.openstreetmap.org website.
- Networking Management Shift: OSM transitioned from using netplan, the default network management tool in Ubuntu, to systemd-networkd, Debian's preferred tool. This change streamlined network management across both Ubuntu and Debian systems, ensuring consistency.
- Custom Package Management: OSM adopted aptly to manage their own Debian package repository. This shift from Ubuntu's Personal Package Archives (PPA) was driven by the need to manage pre-release or custom patches of OSM software.
A Shared Community
The move to Debian also reflects the strong overlap between the OSM and Debian communities. Many OSM contributors are also active within the Debian ecosystem, fostering a shared understanding and collaborative spirit.
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