Planning the implementation

In the serial development example, the company PurpleDoc develops documentation at three sites, using two VOB families.

  • /vobs/doc contains binary files. This VOB has three replicas: boston_hub, tokyo, and sanfran_hub.

    The writers working in /vobs/doc use serial development because the files are in binary format. However, a team of writers in Boston needs control of a certain set of files at all times.

  • /vobs/html contains HTML files and scripts. This VOB has three replicas: boston_hub, tokyo, and sanfran_hub.

    The writers working on HTML files in /vobs/html use site-specific branch types: boston_main, tokyo_main, and sanfran_main. Writers at a particular site cannot use branch types mastered by replicas at other sites.

    The tool developers working on scripts use the main branch. Because the scripts can be merged, the developers can use nonmastered checkouts to do their work.