Introduction
The Linux Foundation Networking umbrella consists of multiple projects. This document describes the lifecycle of those LFN projects.
Each LFN project governs itself. LFN projects may consist of multiple subprojects with their own lifecycles. This document's scope is limited to top-level LFN projects.
Project Lifecycle
LFN projects have a lifecycle. That lifecycle is characterized by Project States and State Transitions.
Project States
| Project State | State Summary |
|---|---|
| none | Project does not exist or exists outside of LFN. |
| Sandbox | Project is admitted to LFN but does not have direct funding from LFN. The intent is to enable new projects to gain visibility and participate in the LFN with minimal impact on existing projects until they are ready for a subsequent state. |
| Incubation | Project has matured beyond sandbox and may receive funding (while not impacting TAC projects) but does not yet have a representative on the TAC. |
Graduated | Project is granted TAC representation. |
| Archived | Project is no longer active. |
Project State Transitions
| From State | To State | TAC Review | Board Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| none | Sandbox | LFN Entry Review Quarterly Health Rvw | LFN Entry Review |
| Sandbox | Incubation | Incubation Review | Incubation Review |
| Incubation | Graduated | TAC Admission Review | Graduated Admission Rvw |
| Graduated | Incubation | Incubation Reversal Review | |
| Archived | Archival Review | ||
| none | LFN Exit Review | LFN Exit Review |
Project Benefits by Lifecycle Stage
| LFN Services | Unfunded | Sandbox | Incubation | TAC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Committees | |||||
| - LFN committee engagement | ✔ | TAC and SPC | |||
| Budget | |||||
| Project Specific requests for the upcoming year | ✔ | ✔ | Incubation and TAC Projects will be able to submit requests in for Project Specific line items for the upcoming budget year. Requests should focus on Project Specific needs (typically IT tooling) versus cross-Project categories (e.g. Digital Marketing) | ||
| TAC project Project Discretionary Budgets | ✔ | TAC Projects each provided a line item of $10,000 for discretionary spending, outside of the standard budget request process (and outside of items already approved for the current budget). This can include items such as a Community Awards program, Project specific digital marketing, Prizes for Hackathons, and Additional funding for TSC F2F meetings) | |||
| Training | |||||
| EdX Courses | ✔ | As requested TAC Projects provided a budget to develop an EdX Courses (example https://www.edx.org/course/business-considerations-for-edge-computing). Projects will need to identify the member/s to develop the content, and work alongside the LF Training Team | |||
| Project Certifications | ✔ | Project level knowledge and skills demonstration | |||
| Marketing | |||||
| - Listing on LFN Website (Projects drop-down) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | TAC Sandbox acceptance triggers addition to the LFN project list | |
| Standalone Websites | ✔ | ✔ | Maintaining/updating of stand-alone websites are the responsibility of the Project(s) (with minimal Linux Foundation support). Any costs associated with stand-alone websites (hosting, 3rd party, other) are subject to budget approval process, and any potential funding only available to Incubation and TAC Projects. | ||
| Events (Hard Dollars spent) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Unfunded LF Projects will have lowest priority for trade show / event demo showcases in LFN booth space. Outreach Committee shall prioritize booth demos based on 1st) TAC Project Demos, 2nd) Incubation Project Demos, 3rd) Cross-Project Collaborative Demos, 4th (space/timeslot availability pending) Sandbox Project Demos. The Voting Members of the Outreach Committee have voting authority over the Event Schedule each year. Kiosks in any LFN/LF pavilions subject to Linux Foundation sponsorship parameters/requirements. | |
| Release Support | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Sandbox Projects: major release | |
| Webinars | ✔ | ✔ | Projects invited to participate in LFN Webinar Series (Inbubation: max of 1 per year, TAC Projects: max of 2 per year) | ||
| Design and Aesthetics | ✔ | ✔ | When new projects join LFN, they have the ability to have a logo designed by the LF in house creative services team. This service is available to new projects, or established projects who wish to refresh/update their logo | ||
| Project Website | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | When an established project joins LFN, the LF can provide website hosting, or can migrate the project's website to the LF project CMS that includes management, security updates, etc. For new projects, in addition to hosting and management, the LF can design an introductory brochure-style website. ***Hugo + github + Netlify as a zero marginal alternative*** |
| Communications | Policy: Incubation and TAC projects receive LFN staff support. Everyone else is encouraged to use self-managed channels. | ||||
| Press Releases | ✔ | ✔ | For Incubation and TAC Project Major Releases, LF PR will build/execute a PR Release Plan to include Analyst calls/distribution (working closely with Marketing representatives from the Project). Earlier stage Major Releases may be combined with other news items (e.g. new Members). | ||
| Blog | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | LF PR teams will proactively reach out to Incubation and TAC Projects for Blog entries. | |
| Direct Email | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Quarterly LFN produced newsletter, member report |
| ✔ | ✔ | LF PR teams social tools flag Tweets across all Projects under the LFN umbrella. Individual projects have self-managed twitter accounts. MAC as coordination point and best practices. | |||
| ✔ | ✔ | Individual projects have self-managed Linkedin accounts. MAC as coordination point and best practices. | |||
| YouTube | ✔ | ✔ | LF YouTube for broad open source topics | ||
| IT | |||||
| GitHub | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Available to all projects |
| Standalone Jenkins/Gerrit | ✔ | ✔ | Legacy system - gitlab target | ||
| Docker Hub | ✔ | ✔ | Minimal cost to add additional Projects | ||
| GitHub Wiki | ✔ | github-based wiki or github MD for unfunded (freely available to all) | |||
| Confluence Wiki subspace | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | a wiki space on existing instance for sandbox and incubation under wiki.lfnetworking.org - optional instance for TAC | |
| Wiki TAC projects | ✔ | dedicated Confluence instance (optional) | |||
| support.linuxfoundation.com | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Standard LF IT support channel for all projects |
| LF Release Engineering | * | ✔ | LF Release Engineering support budgeted to actively support ( * Incubation on occasion) TAC projects | ||
| Defect tracking unfunded | ✔ | github issues and gitlab equivalent | |||
| Defect tracking young projects | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | use a github issues or a project under https://jira.lfnetworking.org/ - use "component" property for subprojects | |
| Defect tracking TAC project | ✔ | Optional dedicated jira instance | |||
| ReadTheDocs | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Give all LFN proejct a uniform toolchain - $600/yr per project | |
| General Tooling | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Access to Zoom (shared bridges for young projects/dedicated for TAC), LastPass, Slack |
| LFx support | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | All LFX services are currently available to all projects. Costing and allocations may follow in the future. |
| Program Management | |||||
| Onboarding assistance and ad hoc requests | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | PM assistance is limited to helping the project get on-boarded at the various level - NO ON-GOING PM support | |
| General Program Management Support | ✔ | ✔ | Limited basis for Incubation projects | ||
| Executive/Leadership | |||||
| Presentation(s) for the Community | ✔ | TAC projects only | |||
| 1x1 strategy calls with project leadership | ✔ | ✔ | Once a quarter | ||
| Project health reviews (TAC) | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Up to once a quarter | |
| Legal | |||||
| Project formation docs | ✔ | ✔ | On-boarding docs | ||
| Ad Hoc legal issues | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | As determined by PM |
| Developer Certificate of Origin (DCO) system that integrates with GitHub. | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Applies to CLA as well |
| Project Trademark hosting | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | |
| License scans of the code base | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | Scheduled with LF legal plus per release scanning |
Project Reviews
For each review, the project must instantiate the Project Data Template. If the project has already submitted a template for a past review, they can update it (taking in to account any changes to the base template) for the new review.
Additionally, a project must publicly announce its intention to undergo a review at least two weeks prior to the date of the review. The announcement must include a link to the instantiated Project Data Template for review. The public may comment on the document. The project must engage with comments, answer questions and address feedback.
Reviews must be conducted in a manner that allows a global community to participate. For example, at a time that is amenable to as many stakeholders as possible and using tooling that is generally accessible.
LFN Entry Review
The Board and the TAC both review proposals for new LFN projects.
TAC LFN Entry Review
Review by the TAC for creating new projects under the LFN or admitting existing non-LFN projects into the LFN.
TAC LFN Entry Reviews should happen before, and provide input into, Board LFN Entry Reviews.
Required Information for TAC LFN Admission Review
An up-to-date instantiation of the Project Data Template is required for an LFN Entry Review.
Criteria for TAC LFN Admission Review
Mandatory criteria for successful completion of the LFN Entry Review is documented governance that is clear, complete, and easily and obviously accessible (such as a link from of the project's main page). That governance must minimally specify:
- Project Roles.
- How people come to fill project roles.
- How people are removed from project roles.
- Who currently fills all project roles.
- How disputes are definitively resolved (usually by majority vote).
- How governance evolves over time.
- What is the top-level technical decision-making body for the project, analogous to a TSC, to which the TAC should look for interfaces?
Additionally, the review will confirm that the incoming project scope is within the scope of the LFN.
Outcome for TAC LFN Admission Review
As an outcome of the TAC's LFN Entry Review, the TAC will provide the following feedback to the LFN Governing Board for use as input to the LFN Board's LFN Entry Review:
- Summary of findings
- Recommendation to accept the project into LFN or not.
Board LFN Entry Review
It is up to the Board to define its own criteria and process of the Board's LFN Entry Review. Such review may include legal, trademark, and license reviews. The TAC strongly recommends the Board make its LFN Entry Review criteria and process public and accept design input from the public.
Budget Guidance: The TAC recommends that the governing board allocate no funding to Sandbox projects and that those projects cannot use cross-project funding buckets. Sandbox projects should still be able to take advantage of LFN membership that does not require additional funding, such as logo inclusion in marketing materials or attendance at LFN events.
Quarterly Sandbox Health Review
The TAC should review all projects in the Sandbox state on a quarterly basis. The goal of the quarterly health review is to assist the projects in their participation in LFN and ensure the project's community remains healthy.
Incubation Review
The Board and the TAC both review proposals for projects to advance to the Incubation state.
TAC Incubation Review
TAC Incubation Reviews should happen before, and provide input into, Board Incubation Reviews.
Required Information for TAC Incubation Review
An up-to-date instantiation of the Project Data Template is required for an Incubation Review.
Criteria for Incubation Review
Mandatory criteria for successful completion of the Incubation review is the documented demonstrable progress since induction toward open source best practices. This would include but is not limited to contributor diversity and open governance.
As an additional (non-mandatory) guideline, the project should show demonstrable progress in marketplace adoption. This may be measured by instances of the project in production or the project being embedded in other open source projects.
As part of the Incubation Review, the TAC should identify how the project fits with other LFN projects, including any overlap or harmonization potential.
Outcome for Incubation Admission Review
As an outcome of the TAC's Incubation Review, the TAC will provide the following feedback to the LFN Governing Board for use as input to the LFN Board's Incubation Review:
- Summary of findings
- Recommendation to accept the project into the Incubation stage or not.
Board Incubation Review
It is up to the Board to define its own criteria and process of the Board's Incubation Review. The TAC strongly recommends the Board make its Incubation Review criteria and process public and accept design input from the public.
Budget Guidance: The TAC recommends to the board that any new Incubation project not erode existing TAC project budgets.
Annual Incubation Health Review
The TAC should review all projects in the Incubation state on an annual basis. The goal of the annual health review is to assist the projects in their participation in LFN, ensure the project's community remains healthy, and, where appropriate, assist the project in advancing to the TAC stage (or alternatively choose to remain in incubation).
TAC Admission Review
The Board and the TAC both review proposals for projects to advance to the TAC project state.
TAC Admission Review
The TAC Admission Review is intended for the TAC to consider whether an Incubation Project should have a representative on the TAC. It is initiated by a TAC Admission Request from an Incubation Project.
Required Information for TAC Admission Review
An up-to-date instantiation of the Project Data Template is required for a TAC Admission Review.
Criteria for TAC Admission Review
Mandatory criteria for successful completion of the TAC Admission Review are maintenance of the mandatory criteria for LFN Entry and demonstration of adequate project Diversity, a clear statement of how the Project will select its TAC Representative and adherence to the LFN Principles.
The project should also show demonstrable progress in integrating with other LFN projects, participating in cross-LFN initiatives and/or contributing to extending or strengthening the total scope of the LFN.
As an additional (non-mandatory) guideline, the project should show continued progress in marketplace adoption.
Outcome for TAC Admission Review
As an outcome of the TAC Admission Review, the TAC will provide the following feedback to the LFN Governing Board for use as input to the LFN Board's TAC Admission Review:
- Summary of findings
- Recommendation to accept the project into the TAC Project stage or not.
Board TAC Admission Review
It is up to the Board to define its own criteria and process of the Board's TAC Induction Review. The TAC strongly recommends the Board make its TAC Admission Review criteria and process public and accept design input from the public.
Budget Guidance: The TAC recommends to the board that any new TAC project receives funding through the existing board and TAC process for determining budget priorities.
Incubation Reversal Review
A TAC Project may be placed into the Incubation state if the TAC believes (by majority vote) that the project no longer meets the criteria to be a TAC Project or by a majority vote of the Project's TSC to request the project be moved to Incubation state. Prior to TAC initiation of an Incubation Reversal Review of a Project, a good faith effort must be made to contact the Project's TSC and initiate a dialog about the future of the Project.
Criteria for Incubation Reversal Review
Mandatory criteria for moving a TAC project to Incubation State are one of:
- A clear request from the Project to be moved to Incubation.
- Clear evidence of a decrease in project activity causing the project to no longer meet TAC admission criteria, such as project diversity, adherence to LFN principles or overall LFN participation. Additionally, demonstration of a good faith effort by the TAC to contact the Project's TSC and come to a positive resolution.
Outcome for Incubation Reversal Review
The TAC will notify the Board immediately of any decision to move a TAC project back to the Incubation state.
Archival Review
A Project may be Archived if it has received no significant commits within the previous 12 months or by a majority vote of the Project's TSC to request the project be Archived. Prior to TAC initiation of an Archival Review of a Project, a good faith effort must be made to contact the Project's TSC and initiate a dialog about the future of the Project.
Criteria for Archival Review
Mandatory criteria for Archiving a project are one of:
- A clear request from the Project to be archived.
- Clear evidence of the project has received no significant commits within the previous 12 months and a demonstration of a good faith effort by the TAC to contact the Project's TSC and come to a positive resolution.
Outcome for Archival Review
The TAC will notify the Board immediately of any decision to Archive a project.
LFN Exit Review
A Project may request to leave the LFN by a majority vote of its TSC.
Should a project request to leave the LFN, it is the obligation of the TAC to forward that request to the Board immediately upon notification.
The Board may cause a project to exit LFN at their discretion.
Recommendations to Candidate Project
The TAC will provide the following feedback to the candidate projects for all reviews.
- If TAC recommends that the candidate project lifecycle state transition be approved, the TAC will provide recommendations for improving the project.
- If TAC recommends that the candidate project lifecycle state transition not be approved, the TAC will give feedback about which criteria the project did not adequately meet and what changes to the candidate project would be required to change the TAC's recommendation.
Disposition of Existing Projects
As of July 17, 2019, OpenDaylight, OPNFV, FD.io, and ONAP are in state Graduated (TAC). PNDA, SNAS, and Tungsten Fabric are in state Incubation. OPX, XGVela, and ODIM are in a state of Sandbox.
Amendment of Technical Governance
This Technical Governance may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the TAC subject to approval by the LFN Board.