[Netconf] draft-cole-netconf-robust-config-01

[Martin Bjorklund <mbj at tail-f.com>]

Hi,

I have read this document, and I think the ideas presented are very
interesting.

But I have a comment on the solution you have chosen to trigger the
tests.  It seems you have re-invented confirmed commit, with some
additional parameters.  IMO, the existing confirmed commit operation
is well suited for the things you want to do (maybe it was even
designed to be able to handle this kind of use case).  Why don't you
simply add a new operation <start-test> that can be used to trigger
the tests at the server when the conrimed commit is active?  This
would look like:

            +------------------------------>
             Sets up <candidate> config

            +------------------------------>
             Sets up test control

   ---      +------------------------------>
    |        Sends <commit> <confirmed>
   (set             - timeout
    timeout)
    |        <-----------------------------+
    |                              reply(OK)
    |      +------------------------------>
    |        Sends <start-test>
    |         - test-template:instanceID
    |        <-----------------------------+
    |                              reply(OK)
   (running                                  (run server-side tests)
    client-side
    tests)
    |                                        (server-side test success)
    |        <-----------------------------+
    |         <verifiedCommitStatus = good> notification
    |
    |
    |        +----------------------------->
    |         Sends <commit> (confirming)
    |
    |        <-----------------------------+
    |                              reply(OK)
    |
   ---


One advantage of this is that is can also be used on servers that have
startup instead of candidate, (with the normal disadvantages of this
design):

   make changes to running
   set up test control
   <start-test>
   if test-ok: copy running to startup
   if test-fail: revert running



/martin