GitLab Runner on POWER9 - ppc64le architecture (Linux OS)
Release notes
Several GitLab customers use IBM's Power9 (ppc64le compute architecture) systems for compute-intensive workloads. As there has not been a GitLab provided and supported runner package for the ppc64le architecture, customers have had to rely on an IBM-built and maintained runner for ppc64le. While this allowed customers to run their GitLab CI/CD jobs on Power9, it was less than ideal as the binary was not part of the GitLab Runner's team release and support lifecycle. Now in 14.3. that has changed. Customers can now install and use a GitLab built and supported runner to execute GitLab CI/CD jobs on IBM Power9 (Linux OS).
Overview
Several GitLab customers use IBM Power9 systems. Also, one scientific organization, a GitLab customer, needs to build, test, and deploy code to many systems. They are in the process of building a new supercomputer that will be using the Power9 architecture. They have smaller test systems and users who want to use GitLab for their entire software life cycle through these systems.
Customers today are relying on the IBM built and maintained runner for ppc64Ie. However, customers are needing a GitLab delivered and supported version of the runner.
Proposal
- Release a GitLab built and maintained runner for IBM POWER9.
- Linux OS
Out of scope for MVC release
- Support for AIX OS
- Support for IBM i OS