Changes

== Summary ==

== Summary ==

Easily hop between multiple XS servers. Sugar will be able to register to multiple XS servers easily, without the need of clearing the registrations manually.

Sugar will be able to register to multiple school servers easily, without the need of clearing the registrations or configuring server ssh identity manually.

== Owner ==

== Owner ==

== Current status ==

== Current status ==

* Targeted release: (SUGAR_VERSION)

* Targeted release: (SUGAR_VERSION)

* Last updated: 16 April 2016

* Last updated: 18 April 2016

* Status: Being discussed and draft developed [https://github.com/ManashRaja/sugar/commit/660985d2183416cd3ed758095e92adf82f87a10c link]

* Status: Being discussed in sugar-devel and [https://github.com/sugarlabs/sugar/pull/679 pull requested].

<!--* Percentage of completion: 10%-->

* Percentage of completion: 90%

== Detailed Description ==

== Detailed Description ==

When a user wants to register to a new XS server, they must first manually clear the previous registration details (if present). Then they have to create new registration even if they are returning back to an XS server where their laptop has been registered before. For non-XO laptops, every new registration changes the random serial number of the laptop and serial number is used in backup url and backup paths for that laptop in the XS server. Hence registering multiple times with the same XS server leads to unnecessary change in backup path on non-XO laptops.  

When a user wants to register to a new school server, they must first manually clear the previous registration details (if present). Then they have to create new registration even if they are returning back to an school server where their laptop has been registered before. For non-XO laptops, every new registration changes the random serial number of the laptop and serial number is used in backup url and backup paths for that laptop in the school server. Hence registering multiple times with the same school server leads to unnecessary change in backup path on non-XO laptops.  

Also from the various field reports where a user (generally a teacher) has to register to multiple XS servers on move, it becomes difficult to keep clearing the registration details manually. ([https://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/362 one such report here].

Also from the various field reports where a user (generally a teacher) has to register to multiple XS servers on move, it becomes difficult to keep clearing the registration details manually. (reported [https://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/362 bug] and [http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2016-April/052076.html discussion]). In most of the deployments, the server address is same. [As discussed here http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2016-April/052114.html]

The present system for registering a Sugar laptop with an XS server is depicted below. <br />

The present system for registering a Sugar laptop with an school server is depicted below. <br />

[[File:Sugar-server-present.png|1000px]]<br /><br /><br />

[[File:Sugar-server-present.png|1000px]]<br /><br /><br />

This feature is aimed to enhance the Sugar-Server interaction that would include:

This feature is aimed to enhance the Sugar-Server interaction that would include:

**Automated management of registration data so that a user can connect to an XS server with only one click regardless of the server being new or previously registered, hence enabling quick hop between multiple XS servers.

**Automated management of registration data so that a user can connect to an school server with only one click regardless of the server being new or previously registered, hence enabling quick hop between multiple servers.

**The ssh identity for the servers where registration was successfully done will be added to ~/.ssh/known_hosts so that users (teachers) would not have to face identity errors while trying to establish ssh communication.  

**Creating a new control panel section named "Server" to house the server related settings and provide a reorganized place for future settings to come.

**Creating a new control panel section named "Server" to house the server related settings and provide a reorganized place for future settings to come.

**Retain the registration data required for ds-backup if present in the system so that it can maintain its functionality.

**Retain the registration data required for ds-backup if present in the system so that it can maintain its functionality.

[[File:Sugar-server-modified.png|1000px]]

[[File:Sugar-server-modified.png|1000px]]

*The main advantages of the above flow are:

*The main advantages of the above flow are:

**Manual clear of registration is not required.

**Manual clear of previous registration and ssh configuration is not required.

**Each laptop will have same backup url and backup path (in XS:/library/users) for a particular XS as it was created on first registration with the server. As registration will be done only once. The "Register" button would rather say "Connect to Server". When user connects to an XS where it has registered previously (identified by the presence of pubkey), it would simply set its serial number, uuid and backup-url with the pre-registration data. This would enable better and advanced management of backups.

**Each laptop will have same backup url and backup path (in XSCE:/library/users) for a particular XSCE as it was created on first registration with the server. As registration will be done only once. The "Register" button would rather say "Connect to Server". When user connects to an XSCE where it has registered previously (identified by the presence of pubkey), it would simply set its serial number, uuid and backup-url with the pre-registration data. This would enable better and advanced management of backups. (This is only supported in XSCE due to the presence of xs-authserver)

**No extra input is required from the user. The user just has to connect to the XS server ssid and specify the jabber-server address as before.

**No extra input is required from the user. The user just has to connect to the school server network, specify the jabber-server address and click on "Connect to server"

== Benefit to Sugar ==

== Benefit to Sugar ==

This feature has emerged from a [https://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/362 bug].

This feature has emerged from a [https://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/362 bug].

The feature is supposed to bring Sugar closer to XS server and improve the user experience.  

The feature is supposed to bring Sugar closer to school server and improve the user experience.  

== Scope ==

== Scope ==

''What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?''

''What work do the developers have to accomplish to complete the feature in time for release?  Is it a large change affecting many parts of the distribution or is it a very isolated change? What are those changes?''

* the changes only affect use of Sugar with compatible school servers, such as XS or XSCE,

* The changes only affect use of Sugar with compatible school servers, such as XS or XSCE.

* use of Sugar without a school server shall not be affected.

* Use of Sugar without a school server shall not be affected.

==UI Design==

==UI Design==

{{:{{PAGENAME}}/Testing}}

{{:{{PAGENAME}}/Testing}}

== User Experience ==

== User Experience ==

The user experience is believed to increase quite significantly as it can be judged from the problems that are being faced now in this [https://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/362 bug]

The user experience is believed to increase quite significantly as it can be judged from the problems that are being faced now in this [https://bugs.sugarlabs.org/ticket/362 bug] and [http://lists.sugarlabs.org/archive/sugar-devel/2016-April/052076.html discussion]

== Dependencies ==

== Dependencies ==