I still don't see how that gets around the perception, and the reality, that development is being done outside the list.
So I don't see that proposal as helping out at all... On Sep 16, 2010, at 3:27 PM, Scott Deboy wrote: > I understand the concern raised by the use of real-time communication for > Apache projects - that decisions may be made off-list, and that folks who > aren't a party to the real-time communication do not have the opportunity to > benefit from or impact the decisions that result from the real-time > communication. > > The proposal does offer what seems to be a reasonable compromise: 'we would > send the logs daily to the mailing list.' > > Daily chat logs posted to the dev list, coupled with good mentoring and > guidance that decisions need to be made on the mailing list, would seem to > minimize the risk. > > I'm interested in what others think of their proposal for supporting > real-time communication, and curious what others are doing, if anything, to > support the growing interest in real-time communication between project > participants. > > Scott > > > On Thu, Sep 16, 2010 at 10:49 AM, Craig L Russell > <craig.russ...@oracle.com>wrote: > >> Hi Urs, >> >> My only concern is the request to have a chat channel. There's wide use of >> chat channels in Apache (the periodic board and members' meetings make use >> of them, and infrastructure uses channels to advantage). >> >> But for an incubating project, I'd strongly discourage use of chat as a >> communication channel. >> >> +1 >> >> Craig >> >> >> On Aug 26, 2010, at 9:09 AM, Urs Lerch wrote: >> >> Hi, >>> >>> I would like to call a vote for accepting "ALOIS" for incubation in >>> the Apache Incubator. The full proposal is available below and on the >>> proposal wiki page (http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/AloisProposal). We >>> ask the Incubator PMC to sponsor it, with Scott Deboy volunteering as >>> Champion and Mentor. Additional mentors are warmly welcome. >>> >>> Please cast your vote: >>> >>> [ ] +1, bring ALOIS into Incubator >>> [ ] +0, I don't care either way, >>> [ ] -1, do not bring ALOIS into Incubator, because... >>> >>> This vote will be open for 72 hours and only votes from the Incubator >>> PMC are binding. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> Urs >>> >>> >>> -------------------------------------------- >>> >>> >>> = Preface = >>> >>> ALOIS is a log collection and correlation software with reporting and >>> alarming functionalities. It has been implemented by the Swiss company >>> IMSEC for a customer about five years ago. GPL-licenced, implemented in >>> Ruby and completely based on other OSS-licensed components, it was >>> designed for the open source community right from the start. Now that >>> the software has shown its functioning over several years in production >>> with the one customer and one IMSEC-internal installation, it seems to >>> be the right time to open it to a wider community. >>> >>> >>> = Abstract = >>> >>> ALOIS stands for „Advanced Logging and Intrusion Detection System“ and >>> is meant to be a fully implemented open source SIEM (security >>> information and event management) system. >>> >>> >>> = Proposal = >>> >>> While almost all other SIEM software, be it closed or open source, >>> concentrate on the technological part of security monitoring, ALOIS is >>> aimed to monitor the security of the content. It intends to be >>> pro-active in the detection of potential loss, theft, mistaken >>> modification or unauthorized access. ALOIS works on log messages and >>> thus contains all the basic functionality of a conventional SIEM, as >>> centralized collecting, normalizing, aggregation, analyzing and >>> correlating of all log messages, as well as reporting all security >>> related events. Therefore it can be used as any other SIEM. >>> >>> ALOIS consists of five modules interacting to ensure a scaleable >>> functionality of a SIEM: >>> >>> * Insink is the message sink, which is the receiving entry point for >>> all the different log messages into ALOIS. It is partly based on the >>> syslog-ng software. Insink listens for messages (UDP), waits for >>> messages (TCP), receives message collections (files, emails) and >>> pre-filters them to prevent from message flow overload. >>> >>> * Pumpy is the incoming FIFO buffer, implemented as a relational >>> database tables. which contain the incoming original messages (in raw >>> format). In a complex system setup, there may be several insink >>> instances, e.g. for a group of hosts, for specific types of messages, or >>> for high-avaliablity. >>> >>> * Prisma contains logic to split up the text of log messages into >>> separate fields, based on regular expressions. Actually, "prisma" is a >>> set of "prismi", each one prisma for one type of log message (apache, >>> cisco etc. Several prismi can be applied to the same message. This >>> allows for stacked messages, i.e. forwarded log messages contained in >>> compressed files contained in e-mail messages. The data retrieved form >>> the log messages is stored in a database called Dobby. Due to prisma >>> being written in Ruby, prismi can be applied interactively (when having >>> system access). >>> >>> * Dobby is the central log database. It should be separated from the >>> Pumpy database for availability and performance reasons. The current >>> implementation is based on MySQL. >>> >>> * The Analyzer contains the two sub-systems Lizard and Reptor. Lizard >>> is the analysis engine and user interface of ALOIS, implemented in Ruby >>> on Rails using AJAX. It allows for interactive browsing through the >>> collected data, exclusion/inclusion/selection of data, data sorting, >>> data filtering, creation of views, ad-hoc textual and graphical >>> reporting. Reptor allows for automatic activation of views and >>> comparison of these views' results to a predefined result (pattern >>> matching). In case of mismatch, Reptor sends the result to predefined >>> e-mail addresses. >>> >>> Its modular design guarantees ALOIS to scale from little to large >>> organizations. Since there exists a Debian package, it's easy to build a >>> test system or even a productive system for small environments. >>> >>> Although the software has been in productive use for a few years, there >>> is still a lot of desired functionality missing. The plugability of new >>> connected systems is given, but needs some revision. It is a given goal >>> of the project to allow modules in other programming language. >>> Furthermore, it has been discussed if parts of the existing >>> implementation may be replaced with other proven open source software, >>> e.g. the correlation engine or the web frontend. The other way round, it >>> has been discussed that the filter creation engine would make a good >>> tool for any kind of structured data, and thus could be separated from >>> ALOIS and standardized as a stand-alone tool. >>> >>> >>> = Background = >>> >>> It's not simple to know what happens in a bigger network. There's a >>> multitude of applications, services and appliances working together. >>> Many of them provide some kind of events or state information. The >>> network administrator needs to get hands on all of them. But they come >>> in many different flavors and multiple canals. Therefore, it's hard to >>> get the big picture. Furthermore, we have learned that it's impossible >>> to protect a system against all malicious attacks and to keep all the >>> possible faulty handling away. A monitoring of the systems to guarantee >>> a pro-active handling is therefore needed.. >>> >>> Therefore, more and more organizations collect and analyze all logfiles >>> in a centralized system, called a SIEM (security information and event >>> management). The technology provides two major functions for security >>> events from networks, systems and applications: log management and >>> compliance reporting (SIM – security information management) and >>> real-time monitoring and incident management (SEM – security event >>> management). >>> >>> >>> = Rationale = >>> >>> Why another security information and event management system? It's true, >>> there's already plenty of them. While the proprietary software is way >>> too expensive for smaller to mid-sized companies, we find that the open >>> source solutions are either too simple or not completely open. For >>> example, behind each of the well known systems “OSSIM” and “Prelude”, >>> there is a company that either closes central functionality for its own >>> business or has dual licensing and therefore asks the full copyright for >>> all contributed code. >>> >>> ALOIS is aimed to be totally free and open for all contributions. The >>> openness provided for other programming languages is certainly proof of >>> this. The plug-ability - yet to be further developed - is meant to >>> guarantee that individual needs can be realized without stressing the >>> whole system too much. In our opinion, the Linux kernel is a good >>> example that this can work very well. >>> >>> Since we are in accordance with „the Apache way“, we would be very >>> pleased if ALOIS could become part of the Apache community. In Addition, >>> the Apache Logging Services would be a perfect home for the software. >>> Furthermore, it's not the intention to compete with the already existing >>> log viewer and analyzing tool „Chainsaw“. Since Chainsaw is a relatively >>> easy tool, it meets a rather different need. Nevertheless, if the two >>> projects use synergies, both can profit. >>> >>> >>> = Initial Goals = >>> >>> When this project started ins 2005, there was no proven SIEM open source >>> software and the commercial tools were way too expensive for the needed >>> environment. Therefore, we decided together with a customer of ours to >>> implement an open source SIEM tool from scratch. Now the software has >>> run in a production environment for several years and has proven its >>> functionality and reliabilty. >>> >>> >>> = Current Status = >>> >>> == Meritocracy == >>> >>> As already mentioned, ALOIS is already in production use in two >>> organizations. All the code has been written by two persons of the same >>> company in a paid employment relationship. It is obvious that this is >>> way different from the open source approach within Apache. But >>> nevertheless, the two developers have always worked as a team and the >>> decisions were made in consensus whenever possible. But it is no secret, >>> that these developers have to learn to behave in an open community. >>> Understanding this potential problem, they already got support by a >>> freelance consulter, who has the corresponding experience and knowledge. >>> >>> == Community == >>> >>> Until today there is no real community, because the project hasn't been >>> published officially, although it had been completely published on the >>> web site for a couple of months (until a server relaunch). Convinced by >>> the concept and design of the software, we are open and hope to reach >>> many contributors and users. We think that it is realistic, because the >>> SIEM issue has yet not been resolved in the OSS space. >>> >>> == Core Developers == >>> >>> ALOIS was developed by Simon Hürliman and Flavio Pellanda, both employed >>> by the company IMSEC. Concerning Design and Architecture, Marcus >>> Holthaus, owner of IMSEC, gave his input as security specialist. Since >>> the beginning of this year, Urs Lerch, a doctorate on the subject of >>> commercial open source software development, supports the team with his >>> knowledge. Simon Hürlimann has left the company three years ago, but is >>> still active in the OSS environment (although not for ALOIS). Current >>> employee Daniel Lutz (a Debian Developer) has also contributed to the >>> project. >>> >>> == Alignment == >>> >>> Besides that we strongly believe in the „Apache way“, we think that >>> although that Apache hosts the Logging Services and different security >>> projects, there is a gap when it comes to a superordinate security view. >>> We therefore think it a good idea to add our SIEM project to the Apache >>> repository. On the other side, Apache would become an even more complete >>> software repository. >>> >>> >>> = Known Risks = >>> >>> == Orphaned products == >>> >>> Since the software is only maintained by employers of one company, there >>> is a severe risk of being orphaned. But, on the one hand, the company >>> has a sustained interest in keeping the project alive, because there are >>> plans to offer services on top of ALOIS, and IMSEC uses the software for >>> SIEM on their own systems. For this reason there exists a budget for the >>> development and support of ALOIS. On the other hand, we believe that >>> ALOIS is of great interest for other people and companies tied to IT >>> security. Therefore, our step to the Apache incubator is also a step to >>> a bigger community. >>> >>> == Inexperience with Open Source == >>> >>> While ALOIS has always been licenced under the GPL, access to the source >>> code, bug tracker and version control system has been restricted to >>> internal users for most of the time. But the company has a strong >>> believe in the open source movement and therefore engages its employees >>> to take part in the community. Furthermore, it is also a strategic >>> decision to build services on top of linux. >>> >>> We understand that the Apache Incubator is a great opportunity for us to >>> get assistance, when it comes to specific questions on the open source >>> development. Even more, the company has created a part time position for >>> the open source community work. >>> >>> == Homogenous Developers == >>> >>> Although ALOIS has been developed by employees of only one company, >>> there is a thorough openness. The company is designed to stay small and >>> therefore works with several independent partners. Furthermore, its >>> employees work in geographically different parts of the country. >>> Therefore, it is no new experience for the developers to work in a >>> distributed environment and argue rather than to command. Already today >>> the employees are enforced to document all face-to-face communication in >>> the internal wiki. Sketches are photographed and stored in the project's >>> digital folder. >>> >>> == Reliance on Salaried Developers == >>> >>> Until today all the development of ALOIS has been made in a paid >>> emplyoment. Therefore we know that this brings a significant danger. >>> Since it is our stated aim to encourage participation and recruit >>> commiters, we hope to eliminate this risk as soon as possible. >>> Furthermore, the employees of IMSEC are all open source enthusiasts and >>> are in one way or another active in the community. Although we have no >>> certainty, there is good indication that the current commiters would >>> continue their work on ALOIS, even if they wouldn't be paid for it. >>> >>> == Relationships with Other Apache Products == >>> >>> The Apache Logging Service would be a perfect home for ALOIS as a >>> centralized logging collection and analyzing tool. Furthermore, we think >>> that we could share part of the code with the Chainsaw subproject, since >>> both need similar functionality in the web frontend. Since it is our >>> statet aim to replace our own code with proofen open source libraries, >>> we are open for any collaboration with other projects. For example, the >>> replacement of the MySQL with a NoSQL database might be useful for >>> performance reasons; therefore HBase is a good candidate. >>> >>> == An Excessive Fascination with the Apache Brand == >>> >>> The Apache brand is in fact for its own a very good reason to join the >>> Incubator. But much more our desire to become part of the Apache >>> Incubator is our strong believe in open source software in general and >>> in the „Apache way“ in particular. We would love to learn from the >>> experience and knowledge of the foundation's members and participants, >>> which is an important part of the brand as well. The foundation has >>> shown many times, that it has the processes and people to succeed in >>> launching a project. We would be very proud to be part of this success >>> story. >>> >>> >>> = Documentation = >>> >>> The documentation is rather weak and scattered. It has mainly been >>> maintained on a wiki and is open to improvement. Since we are totally >>> aware that this is a killer for a successfull open source project, we >>> have already started an internal project with its own budget to improve >>> this shortcomming. Once the project has been launched, writing a blog or >>> open a forum are other possibilities we already thought of. >>> >>> Furthermore, as the employees are used to work in a geographycally >>> distributed environment, a lot of the internal communication happens in >>> a chat. Thus, opening a new chat channel for the community is scheduled. >>> (To document the discussions for all those who were off-line, we would >>> send the logs daily to the mailing list.) >>> >>> >>> = Initial Source = >>> >>> Although the initial source comes from a project for a customer. it has >>> an open source licence since the beginning. Therefore it doesn't have >>> any propriatary code in it. A thorough revision before releasing it to a >>> public repository is recommend and is also in planning. >>> >>> The initial source will be a snapshot of the version control system, >>> accompanied by a related debian package. >>> >>> >>> = Source and Intellectual Property Submission Plan = >>> >>> ALOIS is currently under a GPL licence. Since there are only two >>> contributors so far, both from the same company, there is no problem to >>> re-licence the code and contribute it to Apache. The commitment of the >>> company's owner has been granted. >>> >>> >>> = External Dependencies = >>> >>> So far, no external dependencies are known. As mentioned before, a >>> thorough revision of the codebase is in planning. There it can be >>> controlled, that no other licence is affected by the code. >>> >>> >>> = Cryptography = >>> >>> ALOIS does not involve cryptographic code. >>> >>> >>> = Required Resources = >>> >>> == Mailing lists == >>> >>> The following mailing lists will be required: >>> >>> * alois-private >>> * alois-dev >>> * alois-commits >>> * alois-users >>> >>> == Subversion Directory == >>> >>> https://svn.apache.org/repos/asf/incubator/alois >>> >>> == Issue Tracking == >>> >>> JIRA ALOIS (ALOIS) >>> >>> == Other Resources == >>> >>> We would like to open a chat channel. If this isn't possible within the >>> infrastructure of Apache, we would love to do this in our own already >>> existing infrastructure. >>> >>> >>> = Initial Commiters = >>> >>> * NAME EMAIL AFFILIATION CLA >>> * Flavio Pellanda flavio.pellanda at logintas dot ch IMSEC no >>> * Urs Lerch mail at ulerch dot net IMSEC no >>> * Daniel Lutz daniel.lutz at logintas dot ch IMSEC no >>> * Marcus Holthaus marcus.holthaus at imsec dot ch IMSEC no >>> >>> >>> = Sponsors = >>> >>> == Champion == >>> >>> * Scott Deboy <sdeboy at apache dot org> >>> >>> == Nominated Mentors == >>> >>> * Scott Deboy <sdeboy at apache dot org> >>> >>> == Sponsoring Entity == >>> >>> The Incubator PMC (requested) b >>> >> >> Craig L Russell >> Architect, Oracle >> http://db.apache.org/jdo >> 408 276-5638 mailto:craig.russ...@oracle.com >> P.S. A good JDO? O, Gasp! >> >> >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe, e-mail: general-unsubscr...@incubator.apache.org >> For additional commands, e-mail: general-h...@incubator.apache.org >> >> --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: general-unsubscr...@incubator.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: general-h...@incubator.apache.org
