DAST variable DAST_DEVTOOLS_API_TIMEOUT will have a lower default value

GitLab customers with an active subscriptions can reach out to GitLab Support when encountering unexpected problems with this change.

Deprecation Summary

The currently undocumented DAST variable DAST_DEVTOOLS_API_TIMEOUT will have its default value changed from a static value of 45 seconds to a dynamic value calculated based on other timeout configuration. This will allow the variable to serve its main function in more cases, which is to allow the scan to continue when responses from the browser are not received as expected. The current value is much too high and in most cases results in the timeout being functionally useless, as the scanner functions which it is designed to protect usually have a lower timeout which is reached first.

Documentation

Product Usage

This variable is at least theoretically in effect for every DAST scan. We currently have no way of knowing if the new value would trigger any scan failures. If the scanner metrics epic is completed and rolled out, we may be able to collect metrics about this before making the breaking change in 18.0.

Breaking Change?

Does this deprecation contain a breaking change? Yes

Although in the vast majority of cases this change is expected to have no impact on customer scans, and in some cases will improve scan coverage, it is theoretically possible that a currently working scan will be negatively impacted by this change. The impact could range from slightly degraded scan coverage to a scan which fails to complete.

Affected Customers

Who is affected by this deprecation:

  • GitLab.com
  • Self-managed
  • Dedicated

Pricing tiers impacted:

  • GitLab Free
  • GitLab Premium
  • GitLab Ultimate

[ ] Internal note outlining details of customer impact has been created

Deprecation Milestone

This deprecation will be announced in milestone: 17.9

Planned Removal Milestone

The feature / functionality will be removed in milestone: 18.0

Links

Lower timeout for interacting with DevTools (#514723) • Unassigned • Backlog

Checklists

Timeline

Rollout Plan

  • DRI Engineers: @DavidNelsonGL, @arpitgogia
  • DRI Engineering Manager: @Kopel
  • Describe rollout plans on GitLab.com
    • Link to a feature flag rollout issue that covers:
      • Expected release date on GitLab.com and GitLab version
      • Rollout timelines, such as a percentage rollout on GitLab.com
      • Creation of any clean-up issues, such as code removal
  • Determine how to migrate users still using the existing functionality
  • Document ways to migrate with the tooling available
  • Automate any users who have not yet migrated, but ensure it's a two-way door decision

Communication Plan

  • DRI Product Manager: @johncrowley

An internal slack post and a release post are not sufficient notification for our customers or internal stakeholders. Plan to communicate proactively and directly with affected customers and the internal stakeholders supporting them.

Internal Communication Plan

  • Create an internal note in the comment thread of this issue with a comprehensive narrative of customer impacts, with the intended audience of internal stakeholders who directly interact with customers.
    • Consider: what will the CSM / AE / SA teams need to tell their customers? What will they want to know about customer sentiment and impact?
    • If customers must take an action, include in this internal note the following information: what action is needed, the steps they can take to complete it, the due date for that action, and the consequences of not completing the action in time.
  • Internal announcement plan (timeline for notifications, audience, channels, etc)
  • Support and enablement plan
    • Support readiness: Document how the support team should handle tickets related to this deprecation / breaking change.
    • Customer Success readiness: Ensure the CS team knows how to bring questions or concerns from clients to the right internal team members.

External Communication Plan

  • Customer announcement plan (timeline for notifications, audience, channels, etc)
  • Ensure you have approvals from legal and corp comms for any communication being sent directly to customers.
  • As soon as possible, but no later than the third milestone preceding the major release, ensure that the following are complete (for example, given the following release schedule: 17.8, 17.9, 17.10, 17.11, 18.0 – 17.9 is the third milestone preceding the major release).
  • On the major milestone:
    • The deprecated item has been removed. Add link to the relevant merge request.
    • If the removal of the deprecated item is a breaking change, the merge request is labeled breaking change.
    • Document the migration plan for users, clearly outlining the actions they need to take to mitigate the impact of the breaking change.

Development

  • DRI Engineers: @DavidNelsonGL, @hbakergitlab
  • DRI Engineering Manager: @Kopel
  • Measure usage of the impacted product feature
    • Evaluate metrics across GitLab.com, Self-Managed, Dedicated
    • add issue link
    • list any metrics and/or dashboards
  • Create tooling for customers to manually migrate their data or workflows
    • add issue link
  • Build mechanism for users to manually enable the breaking change ahead of time
    • add issue link
  • Automate the migration for those who do not take any manual steps (ensure the automation can be reverted)
    • add issue link
  • Develop rollout plan of breaking change on GitLab.com
    • add feature flag rollout issue
  • Dogfood the changes on GitLab.com or a Self-Managed test instance
    • add issue link
  • (Optional) Create UI controls for instance admins to disable the breaking change, providing flexibility to Self-Managed / Dedicated customers. Optional as this depends on the breaking change.
    • add issue link

Approvals

  • Product Manager @johncrowley
  • Engineering Manager @Kopel
  • Senior Engineering Manager @twoodham
  • Group / Director of Product Management @sarahwaldner
  • Product / Eng Leaders in the CPO or CTO organizations, as applicable (optional - depends on scope of change)

Keep in mind that approval check boxes and deprecations notices alone are not sufficient communication about breaking changes. Despite having approvals documented here, the PM/EM will still need to take active steps to partner with internal stakeholders and customers to ensure a positive user experience.

Stakeholder Mentions

  • Product Designer @ProductDesigner
  • Tech Writer @phillipwells
  • Software Engineering in Test @SET
  • Any other stable counterparts based on the product categories:
    • Add Sales/CS counterpart or mention @timtams
    • Add Support counterpart @kategrechishkina
    • Add Marketing counterpart or mention @martin_klaus
    • Add Corp comms if direct customer comms are needed @jmalleo
    • Add Product Security counterpart, if relevant to your deprecation
    • Mention (in internal note) Customer Success Managers / Acount Managers / Solutions Architects for impacted customers

Labels

  • This issue is labeled deprecation, and with the relevant ~devops::, ~group::, and ~Category: labels.
  • This issue is labeled breaking change if the removal of the deprecated item will be a breaking change.

References

Edited by Manuel Grabowski