ScyllaDB Developer Hackathon: Docker-ccm

The ScyllaDB Developer Hackathon focused on improving testability by using Docker instead of Kubernetes to streamline the process of running Cassandra Distributed Tests (dtests) with the Cassandra Cluster Manager (CCM). Historically, setting up these tests required complex compilation and configuration steps, which Docker simplifies by providing an isolated environment with network addresses and dependencies pre-installed. The team explored using the Docker-ccm setup for their dtest suite to reduce operational complexity and improve efficiency, with plans to integrate it into their Continuous Integration (CI) processes. While Kubernetes was considered, its automatic cluster management was seen as a barrier to the level of control needed for functional testing. The hackathon also included contributions from various team members across different departments, and ongoing efforts are in place to further optimize the testing infrastructure, including potential use of EC2 spot-fleets for distributed test execution.