MongoDB that isn't ancient?

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MongoDB that isn't ancient?

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MongoDB that isn't ancient?
MongoDB that isn't ancient?
2021-09-02 05:41:06
Hardware Version: V4
Firmware Version:

Is there any plan to update the controller to support a version of MongoDB that isn't past EOL? Like ideally 5.x, so this doesn't happen again in a year?

I was just about to pull the trigger on some new EAP620s at work, but after attempting to spin up a test Omada controller and seeing this ridiculousness of needing Java 8 and MongoDB 3.x I'm strongly reconsidering this. I shouldn't have to make a custom install of an out-of-date OS to be able to install an out-of-date database to run a "modern" controller.

FWIW this isn't my first dance with TPLink, you may remember me as "DocJones" on the old forums; I helped figure out how to hack an external SSL cert into the software back in the day (when it was still just called "EAP Controller"). I was hoping that in the intervening years TPLink would've made some strides in software development but... I guess not? frown

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Re:MongoDB that isn't ancient?
2021-09-17 16:52:19

@JessicaJ Hi, Omada is using the latest version of MongoDB that still supports Windows 7.

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Re:MongoDB that isn't ancient?
2021-09-17 17:28:09

@MD_DE that's nice for backwards compatibility for major enterprises that have glacially slow upgrade cycles... but
 

  1. I'm not running Windows at all
  2. Windows 7 was EOL'ed over a year and a half ago

 

Trying to get that old a version of Mongo running on a Linux server is a PITA. Either I use an ancient (and thus potentially vulnerable) OS on a dedicated host/VM to get an "appropriate" version of MongoDB, or I have to try to build it myself. I don't like either solution.

 

Why not fork off "Omada Legacy" or something like that, and offer it for those who for whatever byzantine reason need that old of a system (and no longer offer upgrades to it beyond security fixes) and bring the mainline into this decade with support for a more modern software version? It seems silly to me to hobble your entire product because of a few customers' legacy needs. Or at least just develop a translation layer that allows Omada to use newer versions of MongoDB if they're available (though that still leaves much to be desired on the Java front)?

Between this, and Ubiquiti's security atrocities, I'm about to just say eff it and get Netgear access points and manage them manually. Then (hopefully) by the time our office has grown large enough to need more than a handful, where central management becomes more necessary, maybe TP-Link will have sorted this out. Or should I expect that, by 2025 when MongoDB 4.4 is EOL, they'll just be getting around to including support for MongoDB 4?

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Re:MongoDB that isn't ancient?
2021-09-20 16:17:31

@JessicaJ 

 

If TP-Link were hella fast and would already support MongoDB 5.0, there have already been 2 security fixes and 3 updates to 5.3.

 

But as an Omada user, I wouldn't profit from any of the MongoDB updates, as they are for the direct usages of mongoDB, which as a user I don't. If any security flaws would affect the controller, it would probably get fixed timely when the CVE is published.

Also I think most users, including me, prefer function upgrades instead of DB-Updates and I'm guessing this is probably another reason.

 

According to google search result 15% percent of Windows users world wide (some regions 20-30%+) are still using windows 7 and it doesn't seem to be decreasing anytime soon. The only way it seems to be decreasing is by new versions gaining.

 

I've heard Omada 5 is on it's way with lots of new functions ;-) .

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Re:MongoDB that isn't ancient?
2021-09-21 16:25:56

@MD_DE here's hoping Omada 5 includes support for more modern dependencies. I mean I can't imagine what the Omada software itself uses in 3.x that magically breaks in 4.x or 5.x, so to require 3.x seems rather arbitrary and silly to me... and honestly they should just abstract away the DB entirely so people can use whatever they're comfortable with/already have provisioned as long as it meets certain basic requirements; I could see possibly even using sqlite3 for simpler configurations where you're only managing a small handful of APs (like up to 3 or maybe 5). I'd really love to see them ditch Java (and its obscene memory requirements) altogether, too, but somehow I think I have a better chance of winning the lot⁢tery.

As far as Windows 7, that's a desktop OS and there's no meaningful, reliable way to distinguish home/personal users from business/enterprise users... and we all know home users on the whole are terrible about upgrading unless absolutely forced to, so I suspect a significant portion of its market share is home use.

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