I am deploying a large set of perl/shell/sql code on AIX. these could be (and are) different applications with their own dev teams, source control repos, etc.
I am lazy and want to make deployments/roll-backs easier - and I am digging towards rpm packaging with all it's +/- benefits.
AIX native system of packaging is installp (with bff files). am I on a right track with rpm? oss4aix.org uses rpm FWIW. any input/best practices is appreciated.
thanks
I never had to develop instalp packages. I am under the impression that IBM is going to buy a major Linux distribution and stop all their proprietary business sometime soon. I think for the long term moving to rpm is getting ahead of the curve.
"installp" is a bit of a black art. For a long time it was impossible to get the build software without spending non trivial amounts of money so very few people outside IBM (and Bull) bothered with it.
"rpm" on the other hand has been freely available for years. For scripty type stuff there should be no special considerations for AIX so the large body of experience, knowledge and example code available for Linux will be useful to you.
I dont think IBM is dropping AIX anytime soon, but, they are actively porting the standard linux tools to AIX and some of the AIX tools to Linux so the environments are converging. I think its only a matter of time before installp become "depreciated" in favour of rpm.
Aix 4,5,6 use the RPM v3.0 - 1998 circa, iirc RedHat 6.2. A zillion of resolved bugs and new functionality are in rpm nowdays. So use it but don't aspect that you can do with it what other do in a moderm linux rpm distro.
Or, as a good alternative to build yourself rpm 5 - which other on aix ? - try openpkg http://www.openpkg.org/
I found one document to build rpm 5.0 and yum on AIX.
http://www.tekwire.net/joomla/building/rpm/rpm%5FAIX%5F5.2.htm
Have a look at the polypkg tool we wrote; it's a shell script that does the hard work of making packages for you.