## Summary Roll out [the feature](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/work_items/23874) currently behind the `orbit_promo_access_gate` feature flag. Orbit goes GA and becomes paid on GitLab.com. With the gate on, only top-level groups with the `orbit_promo` add-on or an active Orbit trial get Orbit. Groups still on a beta enrollment lose it through an hourly cleanup job (!261155), so the flip needs a few extra steps below. - DRI: @dgruzd - Team Slack channel: `#f_orbit` > [!note] > Process and guidance live in the docs — this issue is just the commands and a place to track the rollout. > "Rolling out" means incrementally enabling the flag on GitLab.com to validate stability — it is not the same as releasing the feature, which happens when the flag is removed. > [Feature flag controls](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/) · [Feature flag lifecycle](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product-development/how-we-work/product-development-flow/feature-flag-lifecycle/#feature-flag-lifecycle) ## What could go wrong? - The cleanup job deletes beta enrollments once the gate is fully on. Turning the gate off later does **not** restore deleted enrollments. See the Recovery section of !261155 (re-enable within 30 days, before the indexer purge). - Turning the flag on or off (`feature set`) wipes the `Feature.opt_out` actors for `gitlab-org` (9970) and `gitlab-com` (6543). - Use a boolean flip only. A percentage-of-actors rollout never starts the cleanup, and a percentage-of-time rollout gates and cleans up groups at random. ## Events <!-- Replace feature flag name in the link--> - [Exceptions with orbit_promo_access_gate:1](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/discover#/?_g=(time:(from:now-1d,to:now))&_a=(index:'7092c4e2-4eb5-46f2-8305-a7da2edad090',query:(language:kuery,query:'json.exception.feature_flag_states.keyword:%22orbit_promo_access_gate:1%22'),columns:!(json.exception.class,json.exception.message,json.extra.workflow_id,json.meta.caller_id),sort:!(!(json.time,desc)))) - [Events with orbit_promo_access_gate:1](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/discover#/?_g=(time:(from:now-1d,to:now))&_a=(index:'7092c4e2-4eb5-46f2-8305-a7da2edad090',query:(language:kuery,query:'json.feature_flag_states:%22orbit_promo_access_gate:1%22'),columns:!(json.meta.caller_id,json.feature_flag_states),sort:!(!(json.time,desc)))) - [Error rate and other graphs by modifying the examples in the Visualization Library](https://log.gprd.gitlab.net/app/visualize#/?_g=h@358d019&s=FF%20Observability) Feature Flag events are only logged by default for feature flags marked for the current or future milestones. To enable while the feature flag is active, see https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#logging ## Rollout Run all production `/chatops` in [`#production`](https://gitlab.slack.com/archives/C101F3796) and cross-post the results to `#f_orbit`. Background: [incremental rollout process](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#process), [feature actors](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#feature-actors). The flip is planned for Oct 30. The purge date is the flip time plus 30 days (around Nov 29). Flipping the flag on or off wipes the `Feature.opt_out` actors, so the opt-outs have to be applied **after** the flip. Do the flip right after a `:30` cleanup run, and apply and verify the opt-outs before the next `:30` run. **Preparation** - [ ] Count beta enrollments on a replica: `SELECT source, count(*) FROM orbit_namespace_enrollments GROUP BY 1`. Record the numbers here. - [ ] Confirm the last `:30` cleanup run just finished, so there is a full hour to apply the opt-outs. **Non-production** ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set orbit_promo_access_gate true --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref /chatops gitlab run feature optout orbit_promo_access_gate --group=gitlab-org,gitlab-com --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref ``` **Production** (boolean only, no percentage): - [ ] Turn on `orbit_trial` and `orbit_promo_access_gate` together on the flip date: ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set orbit_trial true /chatops gitlab run feature set orbit_promo_access_gate true ``` `orbit_trial` is still `type: wip` and needs its own type change and rollout issue before the flip. - [ ] Immediately opt out the GitLab-owned groups: ``` /chatops gitlab run feature optout orbit_promo_access_gate --group=gitlab-org,gitlab-com ``` - [ ] Check `Feature.opted_out?(:orbit_promo_access_gate, group)` for both groups (9970 and 6543) before the next `:30` run. - [ ] After that run, check the job log for `disabled_count` and `converted_count`, and that the beta rows are gone. ## Before global rollout Confirm the relevant gotchas before going to 100% — see [enabling a feature for GitLab.com](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#enabling-a-feature-for-gitlabcom): - [Docs + version history](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/documentation/feature_flags/) updated - [Breaking changes](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/documentation/release_notes/#deprecations-removals-and-breaking-changes) announced, if any - [Change management issue](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/infrastructure-platforms/change-management/#feature-flags-and-the-change-management-process) opened, if required - [External API consumers](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/#do-not-use-feature-flags-in-external-api-consumers) handled with a fail-open mechanism, if applicable ## Cleanup Remove the flag once [deemed stable](https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product-development/how-we-work/product-development-flow/feature-flag-lifecycle/#feature-flag-lifecycle) — see [cleaning up](https://docs.gitlab.com/development/feature_flags/controls/#cleaning-up). Track it here, or open a follow-up [Feature Flag Cleanup issue](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/work_items/new?description_template=Feature%20Flag%20Cleanup). Remove the flag and its YAML definition from the codebase, then: ``` /chatops gitlab run release check <removal-MR-url> <milestone> /chatops gitlab run feature delete orbit_promo_access_gate --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref --production ``` ## Rollback Turning the gate off does not bring back beta enrollments the job already deleted. Follow the Recovery section of !261155 to re-enable them within 30 days of the delete. `feature set ... false` wipes the opt-out actors, and `feature delete` drops everything. Turning the flag back on also wipes them, so re-apply the opt-outs for `gitlab-org` and `gitlab-com` **after** turning it on again (`feature optout ... --group=gitlab-org,gitlab-com`) and check `opted_out?`. ``` /chatops gitlab run feature set orbit_promo_access_gate false # production /chatops gitlab run feature set orbit_promo_access_gate false --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref # non-production /chatops gitlab run feature delete orbit_promo_access_gate --dev --pre --staging --staging-ref --production # remove entirely ```