Topology

[eanon]

Hello. Just finished to install a MantisBT for test on my own machine and I'm at the step to decide about the final topologie I'll implement. Here is my context and ideas :

For the project I'm talking about (and which requires issue tracking ; both bugs report, ideas or suggestions, questions or request, and tasks to do), I'll be the only one developer (and maybe a designer later), but there will be some tenth of testers (with "reporter" status).

So, I'm wondering what would be the ideal Mantis topology. Here are the three ways I've in mind :

1) local Mantis <---(scheduled master-master database synchronization)---> online Mantis

A local Mantis integrated with my local SVN repo and an online hosted one for my testers. Periodically, I run a two-way synchronization (for example using http://www.rubyrep.org or http://bucardo.org/wiki/Bucardo/Documentation/Overview ; both seem to manage master-master replication) to do the two Mantis MySQL databases contain the same things. Of course, it requires to decide what to synchronize (what tables) and how to solve conflicts (like issues and notes with same identifier, but which are obviously differents).

2) online read-only Mantis <---(master-slave replication)--- local Mantis <---(XML import)--- online front-end to email

A local Mantis integrated with my local SVN repo and an online read-only hosted one for my testers to be able to view the advancement. Every tester is able to submit issue report or note (indicating the concerned issue) through web form that send email with XML attachment ; until received here, I import the issue using the XML import plugin (about note, I don't know if it's possible). Periodically the online database is updated with a one-way replication from my local database. Of course, this topology does that testers do their submission outside of Mantis itself and see them in Mantis with a certain delay.

3) own public web server containing the only one Mantis

I simply install a dedicated PC to become a public web server containing my Mantis. Everyone (me included) accesses this same Mantis and I've not any problem of synchronization or front-end building. Of course, being on a dynamic IP address, I've to use a dynamic DNS service and secure on LAN side to do my own machines be not compromised. This way, I move the Mantis and database issues toward a network one...

What do you think about these three differents solutions ? Do you see obvious pros and cons ? Do you have another one matching my own context ?

[atrol]

I would prefer 3) as I dont't like dealing with issues caused by redundancy, synchronizing, conflict detection, ....

Maybe also an option for you if you think about 2): http://www.mantisbt.org/wiki/doku.php/m ... lreporting

[eanon]

Thinking in the meanwhile, I agree : I'll adopt the solution #3 ; and maybe I'll add the email feature using the EmailReporting plugin you pointed me (two ways are better than one and it will allows my testers without permanent connexion to submit report anyway). Thanks, atrol.