Upgrading FreeBSD to use the NEW pf syntax. (Copied from freebsd-pf)

[Olivier Smedts]

2012/11/20 Gary Palmer <gpalmer at freebsd.org>:
> On Tue, Nov 20, 2012 at 11:43:04AM +0100, Olivier Smedts wrote:
>> 2012/11/20 Paul Webster <paul.g.webster at googlemail.com>:
>> > I am aware this is a much discussed subject since the upgrade of PF, I
>> > believe the final decision was that to many users are used to the old
>> > style pf and an upgrade to the new syntax would cause to much confusion.
>>
>> But a change like this is expected in a new major branch, ie.
>> 10-CURRENT. Not so in -STABLE branches of course. I don't see the
>> problem here.
>
> So you don't expect people to upgrade boxes in place?

I expect that before upgrading to a *major* version you should read an
updating or "what's changed" documentation.

> I also guess you've never been 5,000 miles away from a box and typo'd something
> in the firewall and locked yourself out.  The think how tons of FreeBSD
> users would feel if the default pf syntax was changed to be incompatible and
> they find themselves in a similar situation after an upgrade.  Defaulting to
> open, while it could solve the problem (although I would suspect there could
> be edge cases where it doesn't), could be bad for other reasons.

This already happened to me but, no, not during a major upgrade
because I won't do this kind of work without at least someone on-site.

> The other question that I haven't seen answered (or maybe even asked), but
> is relevant: what do we gain by going to a later version of pf?  I.e. as an
> administrator, what benefit do I get by having to expend effort converting
> my filter rules?
>
> Gary

At some time we'll surely *have* to upgrade our pf, because the legacy
version won't be supported upstream. I say that a major release is the
most appropriated place for such a change.

Another question : how did OpenBSD managed this change ?

Cheers

-- 
Olivier Smedts                                                 _
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