[et-mgmt-tools] Cobbler profile behavior when using same ks file name

[Aaron Lippold]

Hello All,

While doing some installs this week I noticed a strange quirk in the
cobbler profile add and or cobbler sync work flow. Here's what
heepened.

[aaronl at localhost ~]$ rpm -q cobbler
cobbler-0.8.3-3.el5

 If I add a profile "x" with distro "d" and kickstart "k". Cobbler
sync. All Good.

Now, if I  test out my install notice some issues and edit my
kickstart k to k' and keep the file name the same - let;s say
d600-lab-workstation.ks, then add a new profile X1 with distro "d" and
kickstart "k'" ( i.e. the modified ks file k' ) a cobbler sync will
add the new profile and render k' in the ../kickstarts/X1/ks.cfg.
However, it will also render k and replace ../kickstarts/X/ks.cfg as
well.

I have used this method before with cobbler - its a great way to keep
a history of your build and tweaks during the refinement of a system -
but now it seems that the profile object is linked to the ks file by
path. Ok, I can see how this works given that cobbler sync most likely
doesn't have an "activity log" on a profile. But I can see issues with
this. Profile "x" didn't change since I didn't issue any commands to
profile "x" so cobbler sync shouldn't modify it. At least, that is
what I would expect. I can see issues with this - I think - if you had
a distributed or even more than one SA working with profiles. If two
folks took the baseline ks file for their company, made some changes,
saved and created a profile, the last one in wins, This could cause
issues right? Or like me where I really don't want to do a :w myname1
:w myname2 ... when I am doing quick changes and testing...

Just thought I would bring it up for discussion.

Yours,

Aaron