Enable UC Merced hub users to select between R and Python focused images

[colliand]

Context

UC Merced is working through a pilot with a 2i2c operated education hub service. The pilot involves courses that use R and Python. The software image that 2i2c uses to delivery R and Python is bloated and difficult to keep up to date. The situation is reminiscent of prior experience with the University of Toronto. Merced may wish to move over to multi-hub service after the pilot but wants to complete the current engagement using a single hub. The 2i2c team discussed some scenarios and shared recommendations with Merced.

Proposal

Change from the current single R + Python image to offer an image selector after login with a menu offering Merced hub users to choose between two images: an up-to-date Python-focused image and an up-to-date R-focused image.

Merced personnel have been notified that the menu is likely to create some confusion among hub users. Some students intending to work on Python related work will mistakenly select the R image, etc. Merced is developing communications and local support plans to address these risks. Merced requests that 2i2c provide a precise data and time when this change will be deployed. Merced asked if this change could be done during the week of October 2 or October 9. @colliand indicated he'd respond with a precise date pending a capacity review by 2i2c's Engineering Team. FYI @damianavila.

Updates and actions

No response

[yuvipanda]

Let's use the jupyter/scipy-notebook image for python, and perhaps the rocker/binder image for R. However, neither of these actually have nbgitpuller in them, which can be problematic if they are using it. I had opened jupyter/docker-stacks#2000 to put nbgitpuller in jupyter docker-stacks.

There's no staging hub for UC merced - I think perhaps we should change that too #3150 so we can deploy things there for them to test. I think that's the easiest way to do this.

[yuvipanda]

Here's what I think is the easiest, least stressful thing for engineers to do:

1. Deploy a uc-merced staging hub (Add a staging hub for UCMerced #3150)
2. Set it up to have new images
3. Have UC Merced folks to test it
4. Once they are satisfied, move that to the prod hub

Given the primary reason this is happening is because we're retiring the image we maintain that has both R and python, I think this is the easiest way to do.

[yuvipanda]

I'm happy to provide review but would like someone else to be assigned to this :)

[colliand]

Thanks @yuvipanda! FYI @damianavila I need to reply to Sarvani with a date when the service will change to include the R + Python images drop-down menu. She asked me via text today.

[damianavila]

@GeorgianaElena is going off the support triage cycle on Tuesday, so I assigned her this one to be worked on during the Wed-Fri period of this week. I also count on @yuvipanda to provide Georgina with any help she might need.

[colliand]

Thanks @damianavila. Can engineering forecast a date when the change will be deployed? Or will there be a progress milestone prior to 2i2c's capacity to forecast the deployment? Merced needs a date to plan proactive messaging for their user base.