Today xTuple announces the release of the xTuple Admin Utility (xTAU), a toolkit for administering xTuple databases, including Web-enabled database servers. A web-enabled xTuple database allows users to access the database via the xTuple web client, and also includes the REST API, which is necessary to integrate with xTupleCommerce.
xTAU allows a database administrator to provision a server with required applications and install xTuple databases. It also includes tools for making database backups, renaming databases, restoring them, and so on. The xTAU code repository is maintained on GitHub, where we also provide a guide to using xTAU.
xTAU replaces a tool we released last year called “xtuple-server,” which we have retired. xTAU is similar in purpose and functionality to xtuple-server, but there are a few important differences:
- Fewer external code dependencies. Written primarily in bash, xTAU requires less infrastructure to run.
- Finer control over activity. xtuple-server encoded some ideas on the ideal way to configure and run the full xTuple technology stack. In practice, though, there are times when we need to step in and do some things manually.
- Reduced reliance on the Internet. xtuple-server required reliable Internet connectivity. Real-world experience taught us this is unrealistic.
xTAU in its current state is an “alpha release.” The features are complete in many areas, but not all. In particular, it can currently be used to provision a new xTuple database server application stack, including (if desired) all the components for a web-enabled database server. It can perform routine database maintenance chores such as adding, renaming, copying and removing databases. It is not currently able to perform an in-place update on an existing database. In other words, if you want to update a database from xTuple version x.x to x.y, you will need to perform the steps manually. We will be adding features to xTAU to support in-place updates in the future.
As an aside, you might not be aware that the Greek letter tau represents "the circle constant," and there are those who argue that tau is an even more important mathematical constant than pi. You can judge for yourself, but we here at xTuple are celebrating (x)Tau Day all the same.
BC Wilson
With the explosive movement of cloud strategies, BC was promoted to director of cloud services in 2014. Previously, he oversaw operations and hiring of managers for critical lines of business for the Product Management Group, driving return on investment (ROI) for all xTuple products and managed ongoing engineering and development of the xTuple Classic GUI product, including all customer-sponsored enhancements, as well as the xTuple Web Portal product. Prior to xTuple, BC was a senior product manager for Trader Electronic Media, where he directed the development of websites for the classified advertising market. He has also worked as a partner in a web design agency, and a content producer for the Road Runner and Starband broadband service providers. BC began his career as a writer and editor for the Ziff Davis computer magazines.
He holds a B.A. in Theology from Georgetown University, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Old Dominion University. In 2012, BC was appointed as a commissioner of Bicycle and Pedestrian Trails in Norfolk, Virginia.