Overview

The release manager role in Apache MXNet means you are responsible for a few different things:

Preparing for release candidates:

informing the community of timing
prepare release notes (bug fixes, features added)
making code changes with necessary version updates
cutting a release candidate

Running the voting process for a release:

calling votes and triaging issues, revote if necessary

Finalizing and posting a release:

marking & publishing the official release
updating the MXNet website
announcing the release

Pre-requisites:

You are a current project committer
You’ve gained access to configure build jobs at builds.apache.org as a part of the jobsadmin group (ask a PMC mentor to add you)

1. Preparing for release candidates:

1. prepare release notes (bug fixes, features added)

Draft release notes which should include the list of new features and bug fixes, along with limitations, known issues, credits, etc.

2. informing the community of timing

After every release, the community should decide on a list of features to deliver for the following release. When the clear target date for a release has been estimated, the release manager should inform the community of the release schedule. All features which the community wishes to include in the release should be merged and tested successfully before the date of the first release candidate. Below is a template for the information:

To: dev@mxnet.apache.org

Subject: Release plan - MXNET 0.11

We are starting the process to prepare for MXNET $release release. We have drafted release notes ($link) to cover the tasks under this release.

A release candidate will be cut on $utc_date and voting will commence $utc_date_vote0 - $utc_date_vote1. If you have any additional features in progress and would like to include it in this release, please assure they have been merged by $utc_date-24 comment so we may update the release notes.

Feel free to add any other comments/suggestions.

Thanks,

$RM

3. making code changes with necessary version updates

Bump up the version number. An example can be followed here: https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/pull/6462
Update NEWS and README. An example can be followed here: https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/pull/6471
Create a RSA GPG key of length 4096, upload it to the public server, and add it to the KEYS file (do this process once for each release manager): https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/blob/master/KEYS See more detailed instructions on creating the key here: https://www.apache.org/dev/openpgp.html#generate-key

4. cutting a release candidate

The release candidate should contain all planned features, bug fixes, and code changes above. The release candidate commit should have passed the merge build, pip builds, nightly tests. Docs should also be manually built locally & checked for correctness. TODO: how to retrieve the commit hash.
Tag release candidate and export source package

- Go to the GitHub repo’s “releases” tab
- Click “Draft a new release”

- Provide the release tag in the form of “v#.#.#.rc0” where 0 means it’s the first release candidate
- Select the commit by clicking Target: master > Recent commits > $commit_hash
- Copy and paste NEWS change into the description box
- Select “This is a pre-release"
- Source packages will be created. Download the .tar.gz to name it "apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz"
Create remaing artifacts for the release and push to the dist folder
- apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz.asc: Create OpenGPG compatible ASCII armored detached signature http://www.apache.org/dev/release-signing.html#openpgp-ascii-detach-sig
- apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz.md5: Create MD5 checksum http://www.apache.org/dev/release-signing.html#md5
- apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz.sha1: Create SHA checksum http://www.apache.org/dev/release-signing.html#sha-checksum
- KEYS: Add your public signing key to the dist folder
- #.#.#-incubating.RC0 folder: Create a folder for this RC in the dist folder

# Checkout the Apache directory in Apache distribution SVN "dev" repo

$ svn co https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/incubator/mxnet

# Make directory for this RC in the above directory

mkdir #.#.#.rc0

# Move artifacts into this folder

TODO

$ svn add mxnet-#.#.#.rc0

$ svn commit -m "Add mxnet-#.#.#.rc0" --username "lxn2"

# Move the sub-directory in "dev" to the

# corresponding directory in "release"

$ export SVN_EDITOR=vim

$ svn mv https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/incubator/mxnet/mxnet-#.#.#.rc0 http://www.apache.org/dist/incubator/mxnet/mxnet-#.#.#.rc0

Verify that the resources are present in http://www.apache.org/dist/incubator/mxnet. It may take a while for them to be visible. This will be mirrored throughout the Apache network. There are a few remaining steps.

3. Validate release package

As per the Apache documentation, verify that the release candidate artifacts satisfy the following:

- PGP signatures and SHA256/MD5 checksum verification

Example (performed on a Macbook Pro: brew install gpg2 coreutils):

$ brew install gpg2 coreutils
$ gpg2 --import ../KEYS
$ gpg2 --verify apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz.asc

$ gsha256sum --check apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz.sha256
$ gmd5sum --check apache-mxnet-src-#.#.#.rc0-incubating.tar.gz.md5

- Build is successful
- DISCLAIMER is correct, filenames include “incubating”
- LICENSE and NOTICE files are correct and dependency licenses are acceptable

1. 1. LICENSE and NOTICE files at the root of the artifact directory must only reflect the contents of the artifact in which they are contained.
  2. See:

- - - LICENSE file requirements
    - LICENSE requirements for distribution artifacts with multiple licenses
    - NOTICE file requirements (Check Copyright year) - see also https://www.apache.org/legal/src-headers.html
    - Apache Legal
    - Acceptable and Unacceptable Dependency Licenses
- All source files have license headers where appropriate, RAT checks pass - TODO - add instructions - see https://creadur.apache.org/rat/
- The provenance of all source files is clear (ASF or software grants)

2. Running the voting process for a release:

1. calling votes and triaging issues, revote if necessary

The full voting process is two phases: 3 days on dev@mxnet.apache.org, 3 days on http://general@incubator.apache.org.

For the dev@ vote, there must be at least 3 +1 votes and more +1 votes than -1 votes. Once that quorum has been reached, the vote then moves onto the general@ vote, where anyone can contribute a vote, but only MXNet PMC votes are binding. To pass, there must be 3 +1 PMC votes and more +1 votes than -1 votes. Send out a notice to vote. Email template:

To: dev@mxnet.apache.org

Subject: [VOTE] Release MXNet version 0.11.0

This is the vote to release Apache MXNet (incubating) version 0.11.0. Voting will start now and close $utc_now+72.

Link to release notes: <Link>

Link to release candidate 0.11.0.rc0: <Link>

Link to pip build: <Link>

Please test and vote accordingly:

+1 = approve

+0 = no opinion

-1 = disapprove (provide reason)

Once each vote is complete, send out a results email:

To: dev@mxnet.apache.org

Subject: [RESULTS] [VOTE] Release MXNet version 0.11.0

This vote passes with 7 +1 votes (3 bindings) and no 0 or -1 votes.

+1 votes

PMC Members:

* $Name

* $Name

* $Name

Committers:

* $Name

* $Name

Community:

* $Name

* $Name

0 votes

* No votes

-1 votes

* No votes

Vote thread:

https://lists.apache.org/list.html?commits@mxnet.apache.org/

I'll continue with the release process and the release announcement will follow in the next few days.

$RM

Should any vote fail to reach quorum, the release manager should triage the issues, create GitHub issues, and move to fix the issues. Once fixed, mark the issues as FIXED in the new README, release notes, and description when drafting a new release for a second release candidate. Repeat until the vote passes.

3. Finalizing and posting a release:

1. marking & publishing the official release

Once the release candidate passes the vote, we draft the official release on GitHub and rename the release candidate as the official release.

Draft official release on GitHub:

- Go to the GitHub repo’s “releases” tab
- Click “Draft a new release”
- Provide the release tag in the form of “v#.#.#”
- Select the commit by clicking Target: master > the passing release candidate tag
- Copy and paste NEWS change into the description box

Download the nightly pip build, rename, and publish:

- TODO

Rename and publish the source package:

- TODO

Build, test, and publish the Docker images:

- TODO
- test multinode and multi gpu (kvstore=1)

2. updating the MXNet website

Now that a new version has been drafted on GitHub with source and pip packages published, we need to update the MXNet website. Go to builds.apache.org and find job “incubator-mxnet-build-site”. Click “Build with Parameters”, select the release tag, and build. The docs will be published to incubator.mxnet.apache.org.

Manually update the website’s download links:

- TODO: link to Apache mirror source, pgp, sha, md5

3. announcing the release

Once everything is working (website docs, website changes, 24 hours after upload) create an announcement on the website and then send an e-mail to the mailing list. http://www.apache.org/legal/release-policy.html#release-announcements

Send an email to announce@apache.org, general@incubator.apache.org, and dev@mxnet.incubator.apache.org with the subject: [ANNOUNCE] Apache MXNet <release number> Release and a body along the lines of:

Apache MXNet (incubating) Project Team is proud to announce Apache
MXNet <release version> has been released.

*Download Link*: <Link>

*About this release*
<Link to release notes>

*HAWQ Resources:*

- JIRA: https://github.com/apache/incubator-mxnet/issues
- Wiki: https://cwiki.apache.org/confluence/display/MXNET
- Mailing list(s): dev@mxnet.incubator.apache.org

*Know more about HAWQ: incubator.mxnet.apache.org

- Apache MXNet(incubating) Team

=====
*Disclaimer*

Apache MXNet (incubating) is an effort undergoing incubation at The
Apache Software Foundation (ASF), sponsored by the name of Apache
Incubator PMC. Incubation is required of all newly accepted
projects until a further review indicates that the
infrastructure, communications, and decision making process have
stabilized in a manner consistent with other successful ASF
projects. While incubation status is not necessarily a reflection
of the completeness or stability of the code, it does indicate
that the project has yet to be fully endorsed by the ASF.

Enjoy an adult beverage (or bubble tea) of your choice, and congratulations on making a MXNet release.

****************************************************

Notes for reference:

*NOTES FROM DOCS FOR REFERENCE:*
http://incubator.apache.org/guides/releasemanagement.html

   - 3 +1 votes from IPMC members (these are the votes that count but we
   should open up to the whole podling community)
   - For podlings, 2 additional constraints:
      - Release artifacts must include “incubating” in final file name (ex:
      apache-mxnet-src-0.10.1-incubating.tar.gz)
      - Release artifacts must include disclaimer in the release artifacts


   - The Incubator PMC expects the source releases to be staged on
   https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/incubator/podlingName so that
   they can easily be moved to the release location via svn mv   (
   http://www.apache.org/dist/incubator/)
   - After graduating, RC’s go into https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/dev/
   and official releases go into https://dist.apache.org/repos/dist/release/


http://incubator.apache.org/guides/branding.html#disclaimers

   - Apache Press Team [http://www.apache.org/press/index.html#whoweare]
   must review and coordinate releases for branding
   - On website and in release DISCLAIMER file:
   - Apache Podling-Name is an effort undergoing incubation at The Apache
      Software Foundation (ASF), sponsored by the name of Apache TLP sponsor.
      Incubation is required of all newly accepted projects until a further
      review indicates that the infrastructure, communications, and decision
      making process have stabilized in a manner consistent with other
successful
      ASF projects. While incubation status is not necessarily a reflection of
      the completeness or stability of the code, it does indicate that the
      project has yet to be fully endorsed by the ASF.
      - Website should include Apache Incubator logo:
      http://incubator.apache.org/guides/press-kit.html


   - Release should include:
      - DISCLAIMER
      - LICENSE
      - NOTICE - attribution notices


http://www.apache.org/legal/release-policy.html

   - A release must contain source package which is cryptographically
   signed by Release Manager with detached signature. It must be tested prior
   to voting for release.
   - Release must only contain appropriately licensed code
   - Please ensure you wait >=24 hours after uploading a release before
   making announcements so mirrors catch up
   - Releases of more than 1GB of artifacts require a heads-up to
   Infrastructure in advance.
   - Which directory for what build?
   http://www.apache.org/legal/release-policy.html#build-directories


http://www.apache.org/dev/release-distribution.html

   - Artifacts MUST be accompanied by:
      - apache-mxnet-src-0.10.1-incubating.asc - contains OpenPGP
      compatible ASCII armored detached signature
      - apache-mxnet-src-0.10.1-incubating.md5 - MD5 checksum
      - apache-mxnet-src-0.10.1-incubating.sha - SHA checksum (SHOULD)
   - Publish KEYS file in distribution directory root
      - Signing keys MUST be published in KEYS file, SHOULD be available in
      global public keyserver
      http://www.apache.org/dev/release-signing#keyserver, SHOULD be linked
      into web of trust
      - Keys MUST be RSA & 4096 bits


http://www.apache.org/dev/release-publishing.html

   - Apache RAT can assist in checking license compliance
   http://creadur.apache.org/rat/
   - Eventually we should set up a build system to sign our releases with
   cryptographic signatures. For now we’ll do it manually.


http://www.apache.org/dev/release-signing.html

   - Create a signature and sign releases as mentioned above

Page tree

Release Process