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ยท 5 min read
Kjeld Schouten

We're back with some thrilling announcements that promise to enhance your experience with our platform. From revamped train names to key team appointments and even experimental support for TrueNAS SCALE 24.04 DragonFish, there's a lot to unpack. Let's dive right in!

Train Name Refresh: Introducing Premium and System Trainsโ€‹

First off, we're thrilled to introduce our revamped train names: Premium Train and System Train. Say goodbye to the old names; these new labels better align with the quality and breadth of resources you'll find within. You'll find both an automated script and a one-by-one version to deal with this name change for you, for both SCALE and Helm platforms, at the bottom of this article.

Enterprise out, Premium inโ€‹

This change reflects the fact that this train no longer specifically targets enterprise customers, but in general stands for higher-quality charts.

Hello, Operator? No, this is Systemโ€‹

This name change reflects this train no longer just containing operators, but now also includes additional important system charts.

Meet Our New Team Appointmentsโ€‹

  1. @bitpushr Assumes Role of Docs Maintainer: Join us in welcoming @bitpushr as our new Docs Maintainer, succeeding @JagrBombs (Steven). With their expertise and dedication, we're confident our documentation will remain top-notch.

  2. @kofeh Takes Charge as Support Coordinator: Say hello to @kofeh, our new Support Coordinator, succeeding @Xstar97TheNoob. With his stellar communication skills, he's ready to ensure you receive the assistance you need.

  3. @Xstar97TheNoob Transitions to Stable Train Maintainer: We're proud to announce that @Xstar97TheNoob is now our Stable Train Maintainer, ensuring the stability and reliability of our platform.

Experimental Support for TrueNAS SCALE 24.04 DragonFishโ€‹

In a bold move, we've added initial prototype support for TrueNAS SCALE 24.04 DragonFish. However, it's crucial to note that this support is still highly experimental. As such, we do not offer staff support or guarantee data integrity for the BETA or TC versions of TrueNAS SCALE 24.04 DragonFish. You can read more on the steps required for running TrueNAS SCALE 24.04 Dragonfish here.

Our Successful Bounty Programโ€‹

We're thrilled to share that our new bounty program has been incredibly successful! This initiative allows contributors to earn rewards for their valuable contributions to our project. If you'd like to learn more or get involved, check out our bounty program on Open Collective: TrueCharts Bounties.

A Note on Donations

While our bounty program has seen fantastic results, it's important to note that bounties do not replace donations. Our project relies on the continued support of our loyal donors to thrive. If you'd like to contribute to our cause, consider making a donation via our Open Collective page: Donate to TrueCharts.

Conclusionโ€‹

With these updates and additions, we're committed to providing you with an unparalleled experience on our platform. As always, your feedback is invaluable to us. Reach out with any questions or suggestions, and stay tuned for more exciting developments!

Thank you for being part of the TrueCharts community.

Note: Automated Migration Script for train name changesโ€‹

To ensure a seamless transition to the new train names, we've developed a script that automates the process across all relevant namespaces. Here's the code! Please be aware we do not give guarantees and this script may need adapting to your environment and/or additional permissions.

Helm Platform - Automated Migration Scriptโ€‹

save as nameupdate.sh and run chmod +x nameupdate.sh before running it

#!/bin/bash

# Loop through all namespaces prefixed by "ix-"
for ns in $(kubectl get namespaces -o jsonpath='{.items[*].metadata.name}' | grep '^ix-'); do
# Check if the namespace has "catalog_train" label set to "enterprise" or "operators"
catalog_train_label=$(kubectl get namespace "$ns" -o jsonpath='{.metadata.labels.catalog_train}')
if [[ "$catalog_train_label" == "enterprise" ]]; then
# Patch the namespace to change the "catalog_train" label to "premium"
kubectl patch namespace "$ns" -p '{"metadata":{"labels":{"catalog_train":"premium"}}}'
echo "Namespace $ns updated from enterprise to premium."
elif [[ "$catalog_train_label" == "operators" ]]; then
# Patch the namespace to change the "catalog_train" label to "system"
kubectl patch namespace "$ns" -p '{"metadata":{"labels":{"catalog_train":"system"}}}'
echo "Namespace $ns updated from operators to system."
fi
done

SCALE Platform - Automated Migration Scriptโ€‹

save as nameupdate.sh and run chmod +x nameupdate.sh before running it

#!/bin/bash

# Loop through all namespaces prefixed by "ix-"
for ns in $(k3s kubectl get ns --no-headers | grep "^ix-" | awk '{print $1}' ORS=' '); do
# Check if the namespace has "catalog_train" label set to "enterprise" or "operators"
catalog_train_label=$(k3s kubectl get namespace "$ns" -o jsonpath='{.metadata.labels.catalog_train}')
if [[ "$catalog_train_label" == "enterprise" ]]; then
# Patch the namespace to change the "catalog_train" label to "premium"
k3s kubectl patch namespace "$ns" -p '{"metadata":{"labels":{"catalog_train":"premium"}}}'
echo "Namespace $ns updated from enterprise to premium."
elif [[ "$catalog_train_label" == "operators" ]]; then
# Patch the namespace to change the "catalog_train" label to "system"
k3s kubectl patch namespace "$ns" -p '{"metadata":{"labels":{"catalog_train":"system"}}}'
echo "Namespace $ns updated from operators to system."
fi
done

Manual Migration Scriptโ€‹

Use this script to manually migrate your existing SCALE apps to the new trains. Replace blocky with the app name in question and premium with the new train-name.

k3s kubectl patch ns ix-blocky -p '{"metadata":{"labels":{"catalog_train":"premium"}}}'

ยท 2 min read
Kjeld Schouten

We're thrilled to announce a significant update that we believe will make contributing to TrueCharts even more rewarding and engaging for all of you.

Introducing TrueCharts Bounties! We're revolutionizing the way you can support TrueCharts development and be directly involved in shaping its future.

While our traditional chart-order system served us well, we've listened to your feedback and are now transitioning to a dynamic and transparent bounty system. With TrueCharts Bounties, you now have the opportunity to directly influence the development of our charts and contribute to our collective mission in a more impactful way.

What does this mean for you?

๐Ÿ” Greater Flexibility: You can now place bounties on GitHub issues or submit chart requests, both of which will be seamlessly integrated into our development pipeline.

๐Ÿ’ฐ Earn Rewards: By placing bounties, you not only support the development of the charts you care about but also have the chance to earn rewards for your contributions.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ Empowered Collaboration: TrueCharts Bounties foster a collaborative environment where community members can actively participate in shaping the future of TrueCharts.

We want to emphasize the vital role of donations in sustaining TrueCharts. ๐Ÿ’– Your generous support is the lifeblood that keeps our project thriving and enables us to continue providing valuable resources to the community. ๐Ÿ’ช

To get started with TrueCharts Bounties, visit: TrueCharts Bounties

To make a donation, please visit: Donate to TrueCharts

Whether you're a seasoned developer, a passionate user, or someone with a great idea, we welcome you to join us in this new chapter of TrueCharts development.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication. Together, we'll continue to make TrueCharts the best it can be.

Happy charting!

The TrueCharts Team

ยท 2 min read
Kjeld Schouten

Exciting news! TrueCharts is taking a leap forward by officially adding support for KubeApps, Rancher, and FluxCD to our deployment options. This expansion complements our existing support for Normal "Native" Helm Charts and TrueNAS SCALE Apps, offering you a broader range of choices for seamless application deployment.

A Quick Recap of the Tiers:โ€‹

Tier 1: Normal "Native" Helm Charts Our versatile foundation! While not the origin, this tier serves as the baseline for Helm Chart functionality. All features work smoothly, and our team, particularly the developers, are well-versed in Helm.

Tier 2: Welcoming KubeApps and FluxCD In this tier, we introduce KubeApps, Rancher, and FluxCD โ€“ like the cool cousins of Helm Charts. They come with optional GUI elements, and we're currently configuring KubeApps and Rancher via YAML through the web GUI, with plans for UI enhancements in 2024.

Tier 3: TrueNAS SCALE Apps and Rancher The third tier introduces TrueNAS SCALE Apps, where a bit more abstraction comes into play. While we strive for the best, 100% stability isn't guaranteed due to the added layers. Expect some limitations, like fewer features, no direct YAML edits, and a few more bugs.

Not Supported (yet): ArgoCD Currently we've one planned future addition: ArgoCD. But due to technical issues from ArgoCD, we cannot yet support it and it will not work reliably yet with TrueCharts Helm Charts either.

Behind the Expansion:โ€‹

This expansion is about offering you more choices while maintaining the excellence you expect from TrueCharts. It's about enriching your deployment experience with flexibility and reliability.

There is moreโ€‹

But there is more, in addition to supporting KubeApps on Normal Kubernetes, we've also released KubeApps as a TrueNAS App. Allowing you to install everything in both Bitnami and TrueCharts Repositories, straight onto your TrueNAS Kubernetes system, using KubeApps!

What's on the Horizon?โ€‹

The journey doesn't stop here! Throughout 2024, we're delving deeper into KubeApps, Rancher, and FluxCD. Additionally, we're committed to providing more comprehensive documentation for every Helm Chart and supported platform. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue growing together. ๐ŸŒโœจ

ยท 3 min read
Kjeld Schouten

There have been some minor changes to how some things are done on SCALE. None of them will require a reinstall and the migration steps are not going to cause any likely breakage.

Nextcloudโ€‹

Nextcloud has moved to the enterprise train. To migrate from stable to enterprise train versions, run the following command in SCALE terminal: k3s kubectl patch ns ix-nextcloud -p '{"metadata":{"labels":{"catalog_train":"enterprise"}}}'

If not using the root user, please prefix this with sudo

GPUsโ€‹

We've decided to remove the SCALE-specific way of handling GPU loading, in favor of the "normal" way it's done in kubernetes. One of the reasons why we've decided to do this, is the fact that the language used by iX-Systems is very confusing for the user and adding their custom middleware on-top of normal kubernetes makes it less reliable.

In short, this means you will have to specify the number of GPU's to assign to an App under Resources and Devices and then the Resource Limits section, with your specific GPU type (either AMD, NVIDIA or Intel) as below:

GPU

From an end-user perspective, the option has just moved to a slightly different place and instead of a drop-down you'll have to enter a number of GPU's to assign, 1 in most cases.

Pre-DragonFish Storageโ€‹

To make it easier to migrate to DragonFish, all users are adviced to set any-and-all references to "StorageClass" to SCALE-ZFS for any existing charts/apps. This option is found under the Storage and Persistence section as below:

SCALE-ZFS

This ensures those charts/apps stay working after migrating to TrueNAS SCALE DragonFish in the future.

If you do not do this, we cannot guarantee your data stays in tact when you move to DragonFish in the future.

Technical Common Changesโ€‹

These changes do not affect end-users of the charts/apps, but are breaking changes in the common library if used directly by DIY/experienced users building their own helm charts.

Removal of SCALE certificates supportโ€‹

After removing SCALE Certificates support from our GUI setup, we've now also removed it from the common library chart.

Removal of iXVolumesโ€‹

iXVolumes was the weird storage solution designed by iX-Systems that created hostPath mounted datasets, automatically. A bit like PVC, but without complying to any industry standards.

We've never been using it, nor ever supported it in our charts. Hence we've decided to remove it from the common library chart as well.

Removal of SCALE GPUโ€‹

Besides the removal of SCALE GPU GUI from the end-user GUI, it's also completely scrubbed from the common library-chart as it is completely replaced.

ยท 2 min read
Kjeld Schouten

We've made some important updates regarding the licensing of our Chart Repository and associated Helm-charts. After careful consideration, we have made decisions that we believe will better align with the needs of our OpenSource user base and contribute to the continued growth of the TrueCharts ecosystem.

Transition to AGPL Licensingโ€‹

One of the primary changes involves transitioning the licensing of the majority of our Chart Repository from BSD-3 to AGPL. This shift reflects our commitment to fostering open collaboration and ensuring that derivative works are also open-source. We believe that this move will contribute to a more vibrant and participatory community around TrueCharts.

Open-Sourcing Charts Under AGPLโ€‹

In addition to the change in repository licensing, we are excited to announce that many of the charts, previously licensed under the Business-Software-License, are now open-sourced under AGPL as well. This decision is in line with our dedication to open-source principles and providing the community with greater access and freedom.

Commercial Licensing Optionsโ€‹

Recognizing the diverse needs of our users, especially our commercial friends, we are introducing a commercial licensing option. This AGPL-less license is designed for use in or with a single cluster. This commercial license comes with a Service Level Agreement (SLA) that includes guaranteed response times, ensuring a reliable and responsive experience for our valued commercial users.

How to Explore Commercial Licensingโ€‹

If you are interested in exploring our commercial licensing option, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Our team will be happy to discuss your specific requirements and work with you to find a solution that fits your needs.

We believe that these changes will contribute to the continued success and sustainability of TrueCharts. As we evolve, we are more-than-ever committed to open communication and transparency. We value the continued support greatly and look forward to a future of collaboration and innovation within the TrueCharts community.

Thank you all for being part of the TrueCharts journey!

ยท 2 min read
Kjeld Schouten

In recent weeks, there has been considerable speculation regarding the future of TrueCharts Apps for TrueNAS SCALE, particularly following comments from iX-Systems staff that were interpreted as suggesting a potential shift away from Kubernetes.

Acknowledging the concerns and uncertainties raised by users, we want to clarify our commitment to providing a reliable experience over the next year.

Our primary focus is to enhance the reliability of our Charts and Apps. While there is apprehension about iX-Systems' stance on Kubernetes, our thorough analysis leads us to believe that a complete removal of Kubernetes-based SCALE Apps from TrueNAS SCALE is unlikely to occur within 2024. We understand the importance of transparency regarding the direction we are headed.

Recognizing the desire among SCALE users for a user-friendly GUI for deploying Helm-Charts as Apps, without grappling with intricate networking and storage issues, we are addressing this gap. Currently, there is a void for such users, and we acknowledge the legitimacy of their concerns.

To address this, we are actively working on supporting another "Helm as Apps" platform by the end of this year. Additionally, we are developing fail-safe solutions to facilitate smooth migration between different Kubernetes backends, with or without Apps, in the event of unexpected disruptions. This includes investments in standardized backup and restore technologies.

Looking beyond 2024, our vision is to continue supporting our robust SCALE Apps for as long as practical. To achieve this, we plan to replace some iX-Systems solutions with more standardized alternatives. Simultaneously, we aim to offer valid alternatives for SCALE Apps without imposing a specific direction on users, fostering a diverse and user-centric ecosystem.

ยท One min read
Kjeld Schouten

As 2023 comes to a close, we're excited to introduce TrueAI, our new support AI for TrueCharts, TrueNAS, and HeavyScript users. This is our way of stepping into 2024 with a focus on enhancing user support through technology.

TrueAI is now available on our Discord server for everyone to use. To interact with the bot, simply mention @TrueAI in your message. The bot is programmed to create a thread in the channel where it's mentioned, or reply within an existing thread.

Here are some tips for interacting with TrueAI:

  • Indicate whether you're using TrueNAS or HELM, and mention the version you're using.
  • Clearly describe what you're trying to achieve.
  • Mention any specific issues you're facing.
  • If applicable, include any error messages you've encountered.

Please note that TrueAI cannot interact with images or files sent in messages.

If you need more help after using TrueAI, we encourage you to open a support ticket. Our team is ready to assist you.

We hope TrueAI will be a valuable resource for you all. Wishing everyone a happy and successful 2024!

ยท One min read
Jeff M.

We are delighted to announce the successful integration of Homepage into our charts.

To fully utilize this new feature, there are two initial steps that need to be performed: installing Homepage on your system and enabling integrations for Homepage in application deployments for the apps you want to show. Our comprehensive Homepage Integration Guide provides detailed instructions for both of these processes, ensuring a smooth setup.

Once these steps are completed, you can activate Kubernetes support in Homepage. This allows you to view your applications and their statuses on a customizable dashboard. Additionally, the code-server addon can be used to organize and arrange applications by editing various YAML files.

Don't forget to check out the Homepage project site.

Here's a small example showcasing a mix of manually defined options and TrueCharts integration features for Homepage:

Homepage

ยท 3 min read
Kjeld Schouten

We're glad to announce that shortly we will release a big update to all our Apps. This will be a complex update that technically includes a few changes that might break some specific features for some users. While we do not foresee any data loss, it's imperative to back up your data.

Standardization of PVC Storageโ€‹

A number of new storage options are being released. These are all optional and should be considered somewhat experimental.

Redesign of Cloudnative-PGโ€‹

Our Cloudnative-PG backend has been completely rewritten. This should provide more stability, but also carries the risk of introducing new bugs.

Required Migration Stepsโ€‹

If you want to update, here are the instructions:

All Platformsโ€‹

  • We strongly advise upgrading all charts and not just a select few as the new version of ClusterIssuer might not be fully compatible with charts on old versions.
  • Ingress: In some cases it might be prudent to disable ingress prior to update and enable it again afterwards.
  • Statefulsets: Be sure to remove any statefulsets made by TrueCharts Helm Charts before or after update. See instructions below.

Helmโ€‹

SCALEโ€‹

  • Ingress: Most of the cert-manager settings have been moved to "integrations" and they are reset.
  • Ingress: All of the Traefik settings have been moved to "integrations" and they are reset.
  • Ingress: This means you likely will lose TLS and security middlewares after the update, until adapted.
  • CNPG: If present in the old GUI, Instance number and storage size have been moved and reset to defaults.
  • Traefik: After updating, you will need to check a checkbox at the bottom, with a warning confirmation, before you will be able to do any further updates or edits.

Stateful Set Instructionsโ€‹

The charts with statefulsets have a manual step. but it wont require reinstall. make sure to refresh your catalog. We do not have many statefulsets in our catalog, so expect it to be mostly OpenLDAP and/or Redis related.

SCALEโ€‹

To check which have statefulsets:

k3s kubectl get statefulsets -A | grep "ix-"

Then to delete the statefulset:

k3s kubectl delete statefulset STATEFULSETNAME -n ix-APPNAME

Example:

k3s kubectl delete statefulset blocky-redis -n ix-blocky

Once deleted you can attempt the update (or if you were already updated to latest versions, then edit and save without any changes)

Helmโ€‹

To check which have statefulsets:

kubectl get statefulsets -A

Then to delete the statefulset:

kubectl delete statefulset STATEFULSETNAME -n APPNAME

Example:

kubectl delete statefulset blocky-redis -n blocky

Once deleted you can attempt the update (or if you were already updated to latest versions, then edit and save without any changes)

ยท 2 min read
Steven McElligott

As the holiday season sparkles around us, we at TrueCharts want to extend our warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas to our incredible community. This year has been a remarkable journey, and we couldn't have done it without you!

๐Ÿš€ Major Milestone Achieved! ๐Ÿš€โ€‹

We're thrilled to announce that we've successfully transitioned hundreds of our Charts from incubator to stable! This massive endeavor includes dozens of gameservers, ensuring more stability and fun for everyone.

๐ŸŽฎ Game On! ๐ŸŽฎโ€‹

To all the gaming enthusiasts, get ready for enhanced gaming experiences with our latest and more robust gameserver offerings.

๐Ÿ™ Support Our Journey ๐Ÿ™โ€‹

As we continue to grow and improve, we kindly remind you that donations are always welcome. Your support fuels our passion and helps us maintain and develop even more exciting projects. Consider making a contribution this festive season!

๐Ÿšจ Transition Notice: Ending support for TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin (22.12) ๐Ÿšจโ€‹

Please note, we will be ending support for TrueNAS SCALE Bluefin 22.12.X starting today on 19 December 2023. To continue receiving support and updates in the New Year, we encourage users to upgrade their systems to TrueNAS SCALE Cobia (23.10), which released it's first update to 23.10.1 on December 19th 2023. We have a large community who can assist you through this important transition on our Discord with channels for #truenas-scale and #scale-apps.

Special Thanksโ€‹

We want to take a moment to appreciate those who have made our journey so fruitful and new contributors (both directly and indirectly) to bringing TrueCharts to more platforms:

  • Our Staff: For their unwavering dedication and hard work.
  • Code Contributors: Your contributions are the backbone of our progress.
  • Our Community: For your enthusiasm, feedback, and support.
  • Our Donators: Your generosity keeps our mission alive.
  • OpenSource Collective: A big thank you for managing our finances (OpenSource Collective).
  • Ich777: Your game server builds have been invaluable (Ich777 on GitHub).
  • SideroLabs Team: For TalosOS, which we're excited to support more (SideroLabs).
  • Budimanjojo: For your proactive work on TalHelper, aiding our documentation and support efforts for TalosOS (Budimanjojo on GitHub, TalHelper).

As we look forward to the new year, we're excited to bring you more updates, enhancements, and surprises. Stay tuned!

Wishing you a joyful and peaceful holiday season.

๐ŸŒŸ Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year from all of us at TrueCharts! ๐ŸŒŸ