Portainer has published an article titled “GitOps - The Path Forward” that explores the concept of GitOps and how it can be implemented using the Portainer platform. The article begins by discussing the importance of adhering to compliance standards like GDPR and the need for secure cloud environments. GitOps is presented as a recommended operational framework for implementing infrastructure and development methodologies that ensure compliance and effective infrastructure management.

The article goes on to explain the fundamental concepts of GitOps, including automation, version control, continuous integration/continuous delivery, auditing, compliance, version rollback, and collaboration. It highlights the requirements for implementing GitOps, such as Infrastructure as Code (IaC), pull request reviews, CI/CD pipelines, automation, version control, auditability, rollback and forward capabilities, and collaboration.

The article then focuses on how Portainer facilitates the implementation of GitOps. It mentions that Portainer offers a suite of tools designed specifically for GitOps, including RBAC, automation, and visibility. It highlights the role-based access control (RBAC) feature of Portainer, which provides precise access control to Kubernetes platforms and container runtime environments. Portainer also integrates with authentication providers like LDAP and Microsoft AD. The article further explains how Portainer enables GitOps automation by connecting with Git repositories and allowing for automated application deployment to Kubernetes clusters and container environments. It also mentions how Portainer provides updates and monitoring solutions for GitOps operations through container logs, authentication logs, and event lists.

In conclusion, the article emphasizes that GitOps is a contemporary methodology for managing infrastructure and applications, and leveraging GitOps strategies like auditing, rollback, and roll forward can enhance operational agility, reliability, and compliance. The article highlights the benefits of using the Portainer platform for implementing GitOps, including RBAC, automation, and monitoring capabilities.

Gitea has released version 1.21.0, which includes numerous new features and improvements. The release consists of 962 pull requests and marks the departure of Gitea Actions from the experimental state. Users can download the new version from the Gitea website.

The release includes several breaking changes that may affect users. One change involves moving public asset files to the proper directory. Previously, these files were served under a different directory, causing confusion for users. To resolve this, the default assets folder has been changed, and users with custom asset files will need to transfer them to the new location.

Another breaking change involves the configuration option for SSH authorized keys backup. Previously, this option was set to automatically create backups of the authorized keys file when a new SSH key was added. However, this caused the backup folder to become excessively large on instances with many users. As a result, the default value of this parameter has been changed, and users who still want backups should manually set it to true.

Additionally, the release removes the CHARSET configuration option for MySQL and always uses utf8mb4. Using utf8 as a charset for MySQL can lead to issues, and as Gitea only supports MySQL v5.7+, support for utf8 is no longer necessary. Existing utf8 databases will continue to work, but users are strongly encouraged to convert them to utf8mb4.

The release also includes improvements to Gitea Actions. Several new features have been added, including scheduled workflows, disabling workflows, and downloading raw task logs. Additionally, the admin page has been enhanced with capabilities such as manually rebuilding the issue index and a details page for each user.

Other notable improvements include the ability to select a specific commit range when reviewing a pull request, notifications for recently pushed branches, support for CODEOWNERS files, and the ability to pre-register OAuth2 applications for git credential helpers.

The release also introduces archived labels, a new concept that allows users to retire labels without deleting them. Gitea Actions have received various enhancements, making them a mature component of Gitea. The blame view has been simplified, and it is now possible to retry failed pull mirror creations.

Furthermore, the release includes improvements to the admin page, the ability to see if the CI is currently successful for all branches, and optimizations to reduce database deadlocks.

Looking ahead, Gitea 1.22 is expected to bring changes to the default themes and drop support for older database versions. The default themes will be renamed, and a new dark theme will be introduced. Users are encouraged to update their database versions for compatibility and security.

Overall, the release of Gitea 1.21.0 brings a range of new features and improvements that enhance the functionality and user experience of the platform. Users are encouraged to update to the latest version to take advantage of these enhancements.

Here are the new additions to the awesome-selfhosted repository during the month of October 2023:

• inlets - Expose your local endpoints to the Internet - with a Kubernetes integration, Docker image and CLI available. (Source Code) ⊘ Proprietary Go/Docker
• Servas - A self-hosted bookmark management tool. It allows organization with tags, groups, and a list specifically for later access. It supports multiple users with 2FA. Companion browser extensions are available for Firefox and Chrome. (Clients) GPL-3.0 Docker/Nodejs/PHP Software and tools to help with resource and supply planning, including enterprise resource and supply planning (ERP).
• Cluster Control - Setup many databases in few clicks with monitoring, load balancing and more. ⊘ Proprietary deb/Ansible/Shell/Docker
• Dashpress - Generate fully functional admin apps in seconds from your database information, with a single command. (Demo) AGPL-3.0 Nodejs/Docker
• Galette - Galette is a membership management web application towards non profit organizations. (Source Code) GPL-3.0 PHP
• rs-short - A lightweight link shortener written in Rust, with features such as caching, spambot protection and phishing detection. (Demo) MPL-2.0 Rust
• BrowserStack Automate TurboScale - Scalable browser automation grid on your cloud (AWS, GCP and Azure) supporting Selenium and Playwright. ⊘ Proprietary Docker
• OctoBot - Open-source cryptocurrency trading bot. (Source Code) GPL-3.0 Python/Docker Video surveillance, also known as Closed-circuit television (CCTV), is the use of video cameras for surveillance in areas that require additional security or ongoing monitoring.
• Owncast - Decentralized single-user live video streaming and chat server for running your own live streams similar in style to the large mainstream options. (Source Code) MIT Go
• CNCjs - A web-based interface for CNC milling controller running Grbl, Smoothieware, or TinyG. (Source Code) MIT Nodejs Software to manage 3D printers, CNC machines and other physical manufacturing tools.
• Fluidd - Lightweight & responsive user interface for Klipper, the 3D printer firmware. (Source Code) GPL-3.0 Docker/Nodejs
• Mainsail - A modern and responsive user interface for the Klipper 3D printer firmware. Control and monitor your printer from everywhere, from any device. (Source Code) GPL-3.0 Docker/Python
• Octoprint - A snappy web interface for controlling consumer 3D printers. (Source Code) AGPL-3.0 Docker/Python
• Deluge - Lightweight, cross-platform BitTorrent client. (Source Code) GPL-3.0 Python/deb
• Specifically Clementines - Grocery shopping app (previously Groceries), providing reliable sync with multiple users/devices (web/Android/iOS), recipes and integration with Tandoor. (Demo, Source Code) MIT Docker

awesome-selfhosted is a repository on GitHub, which contains ton of software for you to self-host. The repository describes itself as “a list of Free Software network services and web applications which can be hosted on your own servers.”

BookStack has released version 23.10 of its software, introducing several new features and improvements. The update includes a new “My Account” area, which provides users with a centralized location to manage their account settings and preferences. Additionally, the release adds support for the Uzbek language, thanks to the contribution from the user @mrmuminov.

Other notable changes include the addition of basic Progressive Web App (PWA) support, making it easier for users to access BookStack from their mobile devices. The update also includes new header bar partials for easier customization, as well as a “View Tags” button on non-default homepage views.

The page editor interface has been updated with a new design, providing a more intuitive and user-friendly experience. The app’s caching behavior has also been improved to avoid expiry scenarios, ensuring a smoother performance.

Several bug fixes have been implemented in this release, addressing issues such as an awkward sidebar scroll behavior at mid-level screen sizes, a buggy dark/light mode button, and the incorrect clearing of the tag input field when pressing the enter key.

BookStack v23.10 also includes various updates to improve the codebase and optimize the software’s performance, such as updating the HTTP calling, language handling, and icon handling. The release also enables new translations for Albanian, Finnish, and Norwegian Nynorsk languages on Crowdin.

Users should be aware that this update includes changes to the URLs, paths, and interfaces for user-self management. Documentation and user guidance may need to be updated accordingly.

For more information about the release, including a video overview and update instructions, please refer to the provided links.

Source: BookStack

PhotoPrism, the AI-Powered Photos App for the Decentralized Web, has just released its latest version: October 21, 2023. This app utilizes cutting-edge technologies to automatically tag and find pictures, all while staying out of your way. The best part is, you can run PhotoPrism at home, on a private server, or in the cloud.

The new update brings several exciting features and improvements. One of the highlights is the addition of search filters, allowing users to find pictures based on ISO number, focal length, aperture, and altitude. This enhances the search functionality and makes it easier to locate specific photos.

In addition to the search filters, the update also includes various user interface enhancements, updated translations, and fixes for recently discovered issues. The PhotoPrism team expresses their gratitude to all the contributors who submitted pull requests, helped with testing, and contributed in other ways.

Here’s a breakdown of what’s new in this version:

• Search: Added filters for ISO number, focal length, and aperture range. This enhances the search functionality, allowing users to find pictures based on specific criteria.
• Search: Added the alt:... filter, which enables users to search for pictures within a specific altitude range.
• Search: The cards view now displays ISO number, focal length, aperture, and exposure details, providing users with more information at a glance.
• Live Photos: Fixed Google HEVC motion photo playback and transcoding, ensuring a seamless experience for users.
• Live Photos: Improved indexing of related files with vendor-specific naming schemes, making it easier to organize and view live photos.
• Metadata: Updated offline map data for more accurate timezone lookups, ensuring precise metadata information.
• Metadata: Creation time is now calculated with UTC offset if the timezone is unknown, improving accuracy in metadata.
• Config: The creation of the default certificate is now skipped if HTTPS/TLS is disabled, streamlining the configuration process.
• Translations: German, Greek, and Romanian translations have been updated, providing a better user experience for users who speak these languages.

PhotoPrism continues to evolve and provide a powerful solution for managing and organizing photos. With its latest release, users can enjoy enhanced search capabilities, improved user interface, and various bug fixes. Whether you’re a server enthusiast, a Linux user, a DevOps professional, or simply someone who loves managing their photos, PhotoPrism is worth exploring.

For more information and to download the latest version, visit the PhotoPrism GitHub page.

Netdata has released version v1.43.0, which is the most robust and reliable version of Netdata yet. This release includes several improvements and new features that enhance the performance and functionality of Netdata.

One of the major improvements in this release is the enhancement of the systemd-journal logs. Netdata has rewritten the systemd-journal plugin to improve its performance and visualization capabilities. This allows for better visualization of critical systems and security information. Additionally, Netdata is standardizing the way logs are handled as part of the platform, which enables support for more log management engines like Loki and Elasticsearch.

Another notable improvement is the changes made to the way metrics are collected and exposed in the Netdata Agent UI. This allows for easier slicing and dicing of data and better compatibility with OpenTelemetry specifications. The apps.plugin now exposes charts in the Applications section of the dashboard using the NIDL framework, while systemd units charts have been updated to have an instance for each systemd unit. Disk charts also have additional labels to help identify disks from the charts.

The Netdata Health engine has also undergone changes to improve integration with the new dashboard. These changes include better multi-node alerting on parents and the ability to evaluate and configure alerts directly from the UI.

In terms of performance, Netdata now has lower resource utilization, including lower memory usage and disk footprint. The self-vacuuming of SQLite databases has also been implemented. Notably, Netdata now requires only 1 pointer for each use of a label name-value combination, significantly improving memory requirements in setups like busy Kubernetes clusters.

Other improvements include the ability to run a 32-bit Netdata on a 64-bit IoT operating system, the availability of Netdata Cloud to be installed on-premises, and enhancements to VMware vSphere monitoring.

Looking ahead, Netdata is working on several areas for future releases. These include the development of a Logs Explorer for Loki and Elasticsearch, allowing for exploration, querying, and visualization of logs from these sources. Netdata is also working on making all integrations configurable via the dashboard and allowing alerts to be configured directly from the UI. Additionally, Netdata is preparing to release a mobile app for receiving push notifications and exploring alert statuses. The scalability of Netdata in larger environments is also a focus for future improvements.

As part of the release, there are also deprecation notices for certain components and changes that will be implemented in future releases. These changes aim to improve the functionality and usability of Netdata.

Overall, the release of Netdata version v1.43.0 brings significant improvements and new features that enhance the performance, functionality, and usability of Netdata for server monitoring and management.