Resolve "Blog Pitch: How To Preview Amazon Linux 2 Distro Specific Packages"

Closes #13228 (closed)

Checklists for resolving outstanding technical and change management questions

For All: @dorrino

• [RSVP Question] Cutover date for AL2 packages. May 22nd with GitLab 15.0 Release
• [RSVP Question] NOT DOING: Announce AL2 support before cutover date (and “see this blog to use them now”) or along with cutover date? We don't necessarily need to wait for cutover of these automation dependencies script.rpm.sh for instances and runners) to announce that packages are available and you can use this blog post to test and adopt them before our automation dependencies (script.rpm.sh for instances and runners) are cutover to AL2 permanently.

For GitLab: @balasankarc & @twk3

• [RSVP Question] Is installing AL2 packages over an EL7 installation a tested and acceptable way of moving to the distro specific packaging? If yes, should they force an install of the same version after upgrading to a common version of EL7 or is an upgrade also OK?
  • Answer (DJ): Yes they can be installed over EL7 and it can be an upgrade (DJ)
• [RSVP Question] Is it fair to say that EL7 packages will eventually not be tested with Amazon Linux 2 and therefore staying on them for AL2 will carry a long term compatibility risk?
  • [RSVP Question] If yes, can we establish a generous date on which EL7 packages are no longer tested on AL2 - generally a generous amount out from the script cutover dates.
    • Answer (DJ): AL2 packages are the only ones that are tested on AL2. EL7 testing was a one time validation.
• [RSVP Question] Verify that there are not any ARM packages for EL7 (this is the first ARM RPM packages usable on AL2).
  • Answer (DJ): Yes, EL7 Does not have ARM packages.

Checklist for writer

• Link to issue added, and set to close when this MR is merged
• Due date and marketing milestone (e.g. Mktg: 2021-03-28) added for the desired publish date
  • Publish Date: May 2nd, 2022
• Please suggest a target keyword for your post for SEO: "AWS Amazon Linux"
• Please add links to three related blog posts, GitLab issues, documentation or other related content so the reader can learn more at the bottom of the post. (We will take care of the formatting.)
  • https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2021/08/17/100-runners-in-less-than-10mins-and-less-than-10-clicks/
  • https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2021/10/06/gitlab-cnh-for-50k-users/
  • https://about.gitlab.com/blog/2018/11/28/gitlab-achieves-aws-devops-competency-certification/
• If time sensitive
  • Added ~"priority" label
  • Mentioned @vsilverthorne to give her a heads up ASAP
• Blog post file formatted correctly, including any accompanying images
• All relevant frontmatter included
• Review app checked for any formatting issues
• Reviewed by fellow team member
• If approval before publishing is required
  • Any required internal or external approval for this blog post has been granted (please leave a comment with details)
• Assign to @vsilverthorne OR the Editorial team member who reviewed your pitch issue for final review (If they are on PTO and your post is time sensitive, please share your MR in #content on Slack to ask for another reviewer.)

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