GIT-based Configuration Tracking Utility (GCFG)

The objective of the GIT-based Configuration Tracking Utility (GCFG) is to allow the tracking and versioning of (mostly configuration) files on a system, in a manner that makes it easy to have a global overview of how the system is configured and what changes were made.

By default, it uses a centralized repository in /etc/gcfg (though an alternate directory may be specified when configuring the utility). This directory holds:

• a GIT (sub-)repository (/etc/gcfg/git), used for versioning changes

• an "original" (sub-)repository (/etc/gcfg/original), used to keep a copy of original files

• a "flag" (sub-)repository (/etc/gcfg/flag), used to associate flags to files

• a packages listing file (/etc/gcfg/pkglist), which lists all the packages that are marked as "manually" installed

Before issuing any gcfg commands, one may first configure the utility environ- ment (GCFG_* variables) using the source gcfg command.

When a file is added (gcfg add), copied (gcfg copy) or edited (gcfg edit):

1. It is first moved within the scope of the GIT (sub-)repository. GIT commands (gcfg git ...) then allows to keep track of all changes made to that file.

2. The GIT-tracked file is then linked back to its original/standard location, using either:

   • hard linking, by default
   • symbolic linking, in special directories like /etc/cron.d
   • file copy, when filesystems boundaries are crossed

3. When specified, a copy of the original version is kept in the "original" (sub-)repository. The original version is then always handy thanks to the gcfg orig command, while changes relative to that original version may be seen using the gcfg delta command.

4. Flags can also be associated to the file, for any purpose that may be required by the operator. One such flag is the @EDITED flag, which is set as soon as the file has been modified with gcfg edit. Flags management is performed using the gcfg flag, gcfg unflag and gcfg flagged commands.

A global overview of changes can then easily be obtained using the gcfg list command, or even saved in a Postscript file using the gcfg a2ps command.

All modified files being within the scope of a single GIT repository, backup, versions tracking and collaborative management are easily performed thanks to GIT.

--

usage: gcfg <command>

commands:
  init:
    Initializes the configuration repository

  verify:
    Verify the consistency of the configuration repository (links)

  list:
    List the files in the configuration repository

  add (new), copy (cp), move (mv), remove (rm):
    Add, copy, move or remove a file in the configuration repository

  edit:
    Edit a file (after adding it to the configuration repository)

  permissions (perm, chmod, chown):
    Show/change the permissions of a file

  flag, unflag, flagged:
    Add, remove or check/retrieve a flag to/from a file

  original (orig):
    Show the original content of a file

  delta:
    Show the differences between a file and its original content

  pkglist, pkgsave, pkgdiff:
    Display, save or diff the list of installed packages

  git:
    Perform the corresponding command within the GIT sub-repository

  a2ps:
    Create a Postscript document with all files in the configuration repository

further help:
  gcfg <command> --help