14 DAY TRIAL // A month ago, someone asked Snappy Ubuntu developers if it was possible to host private snaps (snappy apps), the packages used in the Snappy Ubuntu Core operating system for IoT devices and embedded hardware, and system updates in a software repository that can be controlled and reviewed before those packages arrive to customers.
Philipp Lorenz explains in an email sent to the Snappy Devel mailing list on September 16, 2015, that he works for a company that wants to implement an IoT (Internet of Things) infrastructure where they will use a Raspberry Pi 2 single-board computer (SBC) powered by the Snappy Ubuntu Core operating system as a central controlling unit for reviewing package updates for their own snappy apps before they are sent to customers.
"We are a company that aims to provide an IoT infrastructure. We'd like to use Snappy Ubuntu on the Raspberry Pi 2 as a central controlling unit and we'd like to review system updates ourselves before providing them to customers. For providing updates of our own software we'd also like to have an own snap repository. Is there a way to host own snaps and system updates for Snappy Ubuntu?" said Philipp Lorenz.
Mark Shuttleworth's reply comes after one month with good news
After one month, Mark Shuttleworth replies on October 15, 2015, that the Snappy Ubuntu team will concentrate their efforts on providing better security and performance to the core snap delivery mechanisms, and that the system's kernel will be split out from the image allowing us to use their kernel of choice.
Additionally, the founder of the popular Ubuntu Linux distribution confirms that the ability for device vendors to review and approve updates for their own snappy apps is on their to-do list, along with support for private snaps in the Snappy Store, but it won't be available until the release of Snappy Ubuntu Core 16.04 LTS.
"I think the team's focus right now is on the core snap delivery mechanisms, security, and performance. We're splitting out the kernel from the system image, for example, to enable people to use the kernel of their choice," says Mark Shuttleworth. "We've got on the roadmap the ability for a device vendor to certify updates before they are applied to their devices, but that will only come along for 16.04 LTS. The store will also support private snaps in that timeframe."