Remove support for Docker in runner with CentOS 6

Problem to solve

As discussed at #2609 (comment 58048231), with additional detail at #2176 (comment 26596486), supporting Windows container executors requires a more modern version of the Docker library in the runner. The minimum required version to support Windows also deprecates support for CentOS 6.

CentOS 6 was released on 10 July 2011, stopped receiving full updates on 10 May 2017, and will stop receiving maintenance updates on 30 November 2020.

We would of course retain support for CentOS 7 and above, which is the current version.

Target audience

N/A

Further details

N/A

Proposal

• Upgrade to Docker library which supports Windows. !1148 (merged)
• Update documentation (such as https://about.gitlab.com/install/) will not be done since we are only deprecating docker support #3905 (comment 133952304)
• Deprecate support ahead of time (11.7: gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com!17766 (efc4c13d))

What does success look like, and how can we measure that?

N/A

Links / references

changed milestone to %12.0

added deprecation devopsverify + 1 deleted label

changed the description

marked this issue as related to #2609 (closed)

added to epic &535 (closed)

mentioned in epic &535 (closed)

marked this issue as related to #2176 (closed)

marked this issue as related to #3488 (closed)

changed milestone to %11.9

@jlenny This is only for the runner not for GitLab-CE/EE as discussed in #3488 (comment 132184595) so we should move this in the runner project, unless you have a specific reason why it's under the ce project?

Yes, you're absolutely right @steveazz. Thanks for the heads up.

changed milestone to %11.9

mentioned in merge request !1130 (merged)

I'm using Centos 6, but don't use docker runner, but instead use shell execution. Does it mean, that gitlab-runner will stop working altogether on centos 6, even for shell executions?

I believe the answer is no @sashk, but would ask @steveazz to confirm. Once confirmed I'll update the description here.

Does it mean, that gitlab-runner will stop working altogether on centos 6, even for shell executions?

The short answer is no, not yet.

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Depends how aggressive we want to be, and what we mean by support. It will not stop working for the shell executor no, but this all depends if we still plan to publish packages for centos 6, it would be weird not supporting centos 6 but then we still publish packages for it, we can leave it and mark it Deprecated if we wish to do so.

We are using RHEL/Centos 6 because our customers do so and will surely do so until November 30, 2020, and probably after that since Redhat does provide "End of Extended Life-cycle Support" until June 30, 2024. I understand the desire to not having to support old systems, I sure have that myself, but please keep support for as long as possible, even if it is partial (we too don't use Docker and don't care the slightest bit about it).

Losing CI on a still-supported and perfectly working setup, just to add support for a feature you don't want on a distro you don't develop for feels bad.

The short answer is no, not yet.

I don't like the "not yet" part. As enterprise product, Gitlab should support all supported versions of OSes it once started to support. This includes RHEL 6, which is very wide used nowadays.

Ha, to my surprise, RHEL 4 and 5 are still supported in some way!

changed title from Remove support for CentOS 6 to Remove support for Docker in runner with CentOS 6

Thanks for the feedback everyone, I've updated to clarify that this support is being deprecated for RHEL6 when it comes to the docker executor in the runner specifically.

Hi,

One question: Does this mean

• A) the GitLab runner will no longer work on CentOS 6

or

• B) CentOS 6 will no longer be able to run on GitLab CI?

Hello @patrikhuber, this means that if you are using the docker executor on a centos 6 machine it will no longer work. If you are using any other executor everything is going to be working as is. So to specifically answer your questions:

the GitLab runner will no longer work on CentOS 6

It will keep working unless you are using the docker executor

CentOS 6 will no longer be able to run on GitLab CI?

You can still run CentOS 6 on GitLab CI

mentioned in commit gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com@210ca7ee

mentioned in merge request gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com!18651 (merged)

@steveazz Okay, thank you for the clarification! So this change will only affect where GitLab runner can run (or its docker executor, to be more specific), and not what types of OSes the GitLab runner can run.

That's really great then, and looking forward to the Windows container support!

marked this issue as related to #3488 (closed)

mentioned in issue #3488 (closed)

assigned to @steveazz

mentioned in merge request !1148 (merged)

marked the checklist item Upgrade to Docker library which supports Windows. as completed

changed the description

mentioned in commit 19723af6

mentioned in merge request !1187 (merged)

marked the checklist item Update documentation (such as https://about.gitlab.com/install/) as completed

changed the description

marked the checklist item Update documentation (such as https://about.gitlab.com/install/) will not be done since we are only deprecating docker support #3905 (comment 133952304) as completed

mentioned in commit c19483e7

closed via merge request !1187 (merged)

mentioned in commit 2fcd79ae

mentioned in merge request gitlab-com/www-gitlab-com!18225 (merged)

mentioned in issue #3473 (closed)

mentioned in epic &1238 (closed)