LizardIRC-JDNet network merge/Finalization

This subpage describes what network users can expect during and after the LizardIRC-JDNet network merge. All questions should be directed to the talk page, or #networkmerge on LizardIRC.

The Merge

The network merge has been completed. Please take a look at the "After the Merge" section below for more information on what to expect now that the merge is completed.

Checklist

Here are the things that will be done immediately before the merge, to prepare for it, and during the merge process itself:

1. Ensure both JD and FastLizard4 have access to the irc accounts on all servers
2. Remove no longer needed X-lines from JDNet servers
   • Remaining X-lines will automatically sync to LizardIRC, and vice-versa
3. Get new SSL certificates for all servers (since all servers will have their names changed as part of the merge)
4. Setting both sets of services read-only
5. Update IRC server configurations, which will consist of:
   1. Importing into a LizardIRC server's configuration, the configuration for JDNet modules that are being added to LizardIRC
   2. For JDNet servers, taking this new LizardIRC server configuration and installing it on the JDNet IRC servers, updating values (such as server name and links) as necessary
      1. Removing JDNet's services from operation
   3. For LizardIRC servers, updating to the new LizardIRC server configuration and making changes as necessary (such as updating the server names)
6. Merge the IRC services databases, manually resolving conflicts as necessary (services on both networks will be shut down at this point)
7. Restart all IRC servers (but not necessarily the physical servers running the IRC servers). All users will be disconnected at some point during this step, but only one server will be restarted at a time.
8. Link the servers together in the new topography
9. Bring IRC services with new merged database online
10. Update DNS records

• Done!

After the Merge

Here are some things to expect once the merge is completed:

Technical

Configure your IRC client appropriately.

• The new combined network will remain branded as LizardIRC.
• The JDNet domain names will be CNAME'd to the appropriate LizardIRC domain names and will be deprecated; they will be maintained for backwards compatibility only.
• There will be only one set of IRC services with a services database merged from both networks. If you had an account on both, your records will be merged into a single account.
• The IRCd will be basically the same. However, servers will be renamed:
  • LizardIRC servers ridley and phazon will be renamed to diamond and emerald, respectively. As with the JDNet domains, the old ridley and phazon domains will be deprecated but maintained as CNAME's to the new server names.
  • JDNet servers sfo, hwan, and ruby will be renamed to jasper, sapphire, and ruby, respectively (yes, ruby will not be renamed).
  • The base second-level domain name for all of the new names will be lizardirc.org. The recommended method of connecting will remain using irc.lizardirc.org.
• This may seem obvious but you will no longer need to maintain connections to two networks at once. Modify your client's autoconnect settings accordingly.

Social

• You will meet new people! Although a significant number of users use both networks, others do not.
• Everyone will be subject to LizardIRC rules, which are somewhat more restrictive than JDNet rules but still very common sense.
  • JDNet users only: if your cloak on JDNet does not comply with LizardIRC's vhost policy, it will be prefixed with JDNet/. For example, if your vhost were example, your new vhost is JDNet/example. The prefixing will occur after services are shut down, during the database merge process. You may avoid this prefixing by requesting a LizardIRC-compliant vhost in advance of the merge.
• You will find new channels.
• All current network staff members from both networks will form the new (combined) network's staff team.
• #JDNet will be merged into #lizardirc and redirected there.