Application - PPU for sso-mib/linux-entra-sso - Luca Boccassi

Community Ubuntu Developer Membership
1

I, Luca Boccassi, apply for upload rights for package(s) sso-mib and linux-entra-sso.

Contact Information:

I am applying because:

  • Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distribution, and used heavily inside Microsoft, where I work
  • I am a Debian Developer and would like to help backporting targeted fixes to LTS Ubuntu releases for packages I maintain in Debian.
  • I’d like to eliminate delays in getting my work sponsored.
  • I’d like to reduce the burden on my sponsors.

The sso-mib and linux-entra-sso packages are fundamental for Linux users inside Microsoft (and any other Linux users that needs to authenticate with Entra). They allow the local browser and applications to acquire single-use conditional access tokens, and inside Microsoft only this type of authentication is now allowed to access resources needed for our every day job such as email, office online, etc.

Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distribution in general, and this is true inside Microsoft too. By helping out maintain these two packages, that I also maintain in Debian, I can ensure Ubuntu users in Microsoft and elsewhere who need Entra auth can have the best out of the box experience.

Who I am

I have been a Debian contributor for many years, and Debian Developer with uploading rights since 2017. I maintain ~75 source packages in Debian, and also I am a maintainer in several upstream projects such as DPDK, ZeroMQ, systemd. I am currently employed as a software engineer at Microsoft, in the Linux Systems Group.

My Ubuntu story

Ubuntu was the first Linux distro I used, back in high school, so must have been Hoary or Breezy. Since then I flipped back and forth between Debian and Ubuntu, depending on the machine. One of the first projects I started contributing to was Bumblebee, using the upstream team’s PPA and then collaborating with the downstream packagers, and that’s how I slowly became a Debian Developer.

Examples of my work / Things I’m proud of

I recently collaborated with sponsors to get SRU and backports uploads for Resolute and Noble for these packages. By having upload rights, I can save time and energy for sponsors, and take care of them myself.

Areas of work

A great collaboration between Debian, Ubuntu and upstream DPDK has been going on for years, and myself and Christian Ehrhardt have been doing great work maintaining this complex stack since 2016. With uploaders right, I plan to further enhance our collaboration for the benefit of both Debian and Ubuntu and their users.

I also closely collaborate with Nick Rosbrook, and have helped onboard him as Debian maintainer for systemd, and we regularly work together both upstream and downstream to reduce the Debian~Ubuntu delta.

Things I could do better

Some of my packages in Debian haven’t been updated in a long time, because there is no new upstream version to package nor pending bugs, so they “just work”. But Debian doesn’t do archive-wide recompiles, so that means they do not benefit from advances in compilers, linting tools, etc.

Plans for the future

General

Upload targeted bug fixes for LTS Ubuntu releases for these packages as they become necessary, given interfacing with Entra sometimes requires updates, in order to provide a better experience for our users.

In the short term, I am working to drive a MIR for sso-mib Bug #2150739 “[MIR] sso-mib” : Bugs : sso-mib package : Ubuntu in collaboration with the Azure CPC team. The purpose of this is to allow the shared library to be used by programs in main, such as freerdp3, providing a seamless authentication experience for Ubuntu users connecting to Azure Virtual Desktops from their machines using freerdp3.

What I like least in Ubuntu

There are many cases where there’s a small delta between Debian and Ubuntu, and it could be eliminated with a little bit of work from both sides, reducing maintenance burden going forward. For example, there’s a few patches in iproute2 (which I maintain in Debian) that are in Ubuntu but not in Debian.

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I would like to provide an endorsement for Luca’s application.

I’ve worked with Luca for many years, initially during my time working for Canonical as well as currently while working for Microsoft. He is exceptionally smart and very dedicated and understands Ubuntu processes (as well as Debian processes) very well. I’ve worked with him on various upstream PRs for systemd, since he is one of the upstream systemd maintainers.

While I haven’t sponsored any SRUs for him, as part of my work on the Ubuntu-Backporters team I have reviewed and approved some of his backported packages, most recently the same 2 packages he’s applying for PPU here:

I am confident he understands the Ubuntu processes very well, and that he would reach out for help with any issues he was uncertain about. I strongly support his application for PPU.

-Dan Streetman (ddstreet)

3

I endorse Luca for PPU for these packages.

Sponsoring feedback

I have not actually sponsored any Ubuntu uploads for Luca, but I have extensive experience working with Luca on packaging in general, and on src:systemd in particular.

Specific experiences of working together

As Luca is the primary maintainer of systemd in Debian, and I am the primary maintainer for systemd in Ubuntu, we very frequently collaborate on that package. Through this collaboration I have seen plenty of good examples of packaging work from Luca, and I have a learned a lot from him.

Luca is active in Ubuntu matrix channels and is familiar with Ubuntu specific processes like SRUs, packages merges, etc.

I trust Luca to apply his Debian Developer experience and use his knowledge of Ubuntu specific processes when working on these packages.

Areas of improvement and next steps

I believe Luca has the required skills and experience to pursue further upload rights if he wants to. But as a DD, getting PPU makes sense too.

4

Sponsoring feedback

  • Please fill us in on your shared experience.
    • In the particular case of this application I have sponsored 0.8.0+ds-1~bpo24.04.1 : sso-mib package : Ubuntu and it was a pleasure to work with
    • In regard to the backport process I only needed to give him the entry to the docs and he handled all of the prep and paperwork himself
    • The quality of the upload was good, making this available to users of the recent LTS

Specific experiences of working together

  • Luca and I have worked together for many years on dpdk, openvswitch, ovn and a few smaller things usually around aligning Debian and Ubuntu efforts. He is an active community member, caring for Ubuntu and helping us to improve.
  • I’ve seen him handle stable releases, backports, adding autopkgtests, creating patches, upstreaming changes and much more
  • In fact I consider him a very experienced packager and whenever either of us is in doubt how process or habit might have changed on Debian/Ubuntu while we have not been paying daily attention we help each other.
  • I trust in his uploads, in the quality to prepare them and to be done for the better of the project and its users

Areas of improvement and next steps

  • Luca already has some PPUs and I think the exposure keeps him going on on that journey to add a few more as needed. Getting to MOTU is IMHO not gated by a lack of skill but by a lack of time to get more uploads in different spots. So what is the point in suggesting it - well that would be the natural next step even though I understand the day has only so many hours.