systemd instantiated timers are not started when enabled via ignition

[paulnivin]

Bug

Instantiated timers can be enabled and return no error, but when machine boots, timer is not enabled:

variant: fcos
version: 1.1.0
systemd:
  units:
    - name: echo@foo.service
      enabled: true
    - name: echo@foo.timer
      enabled: true
    - name: echo@.service
      contents: |
        [Unit]
        Description=echo service template
        [Service]
        Type=oneshot
        ExecStart=/bin/echo %i
        [Install]
        WantedBy=multi-user.target
    - name: echo@.timer
      contents: |
        [Unit]
        Description=echo timer template
        [Timer]
        OnUnitInactiveSec=10s
        [Install]
        WantedBy=timers.target

Relevant prior issues are #588 to remove presets entirely and #586 which enabled instantiated service units to work correctly; however #586 doesn't address instantiated timer units.

Operating System Version

# rpm-ostree status
State: idle
Deployments:
* ostree://fedora:fedora/x86_64/coreos/stable
                   Version: 32.20200715.3.0 (2020-07-27T11:36:29Z)
                    Commit: a3b08ee51b1d950afd9d0d73f32d5424ad52c7703a6b5830e0dc11c3a682d869
              GPGSignature: Valid signature by 97A1AE57C3A2372CCA3A4ABA6C13026D12C944D0

Ignition Version

ignition-2.4.1-1.git5260a5b.fc32.x86_64

Environment

qemu

Expected Behavior

Enabled instantiated timers start

Actual Behavior

Enabled instantiated timers are not started

Reproduction Steps

1. Create instantiated timer and enable in ignition
2. Boot and observe the timer is not enabled

Other Information

Immediately following a boot, echo@foo.service unit starts as expected; however the echo@foo.timer unit is disabled:

# systemctl status echo@foo.service
● echo@foo.service - echo service template
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/echo@.service; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: inactive (dead) since Fri 2020-08-07 20:36:40 UTC; 28s ago
    Process: 823 ExecStart=/bin/echo foo (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)
   Main PID: 823 (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)

Aug 07 20:36:39 localhost systemd[1]: Starting echo service template...
Aug 07 20:36:39 localhost echo[823]: foo
Aug 07 20:36:40 localhost systemd[1]: echo@foo.service: Succeeded.
Aug 07 20:36:40 localhost systemd[1]: Finished echo service template.

# systemctl status echo@foo.timer
● echo@foo.timer - echo timer template
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/echo@.timer; disabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: inactive (dead)
    Trigger: n/a
   Triggers: ● echo@foo.service

# cat /etc/systemd/system-preset/20-ignition.preset
enable echo@.service foo
enable echo@.timer foo 

The instantiated timer can be enabled with --now after boot to cause it to start:

# systemctl enable --now echo@foo.timer
Created symlink /etc/systemd/system/timers.target.wants/echo@foo.timer → /etc/systemd/system/echo@.timer.

# systemctl status echo@foo.timer
● echo@foo.timer - echo timer template
     Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/echo@.timer; enabled; vendor preset: enabled)
     Active: active (waiting) since Fri 2020-08-07 20:38:24 UTC; 31s ago
    Trigger: Fri 2020-08-07 20:39:02 UTC; 7s left
   Triggers: ● echo@foo.service

Aug 07 20:38:24 localhost systemd[1]: Started echo timer template.

[sohankunkerkar]

This is an upstream bug and needs to be fixed in the systemd repo. I'm planning to work on this in the next sprint.

[sohankunkerkar]

This issue is resolved by the upstream patch: systemd/systemd#16816
I have had a word with one of the maintainers of the systemd project, and it looks like they are planning to backport this change to the stable release. I will update this thread once I get the confirmation.

[sohankunkerkar]

This fix is already backported to v245 (which is used by F-32)https://bodhi.fedoraproject.org/updates/FEDORA-2020-0d29e88946
It's still in the testing phase so needs some time before it reaches thefedora-coreos-pool repos.

[bgilbert]

@sohankunkerkar We could fast-track it to the FCOS next and testing streams if desired.

[sohankunkerkar]

This issue is fixed in the latest testing and next stream releases and will be fixed in the next stable stream release. I'm closing this issue for the time being. Please feel free to open it again if you find any issue.