Skip integration test that compares remote and local version on release branch (#3561)

## Changes
Skip integration test that compares remote and local version on release
branch.

The `databricks.labs.ucx.__about__.__version__` is bumped on the release
branch BEFORE the git tag is bumped. The git tag is bumped during
release AFTER merging the release branch. Therefore, there this test is
expected to fail on a release branch that introduces a major or minor
version bump.

### Linked issues

Resolves #3533

### Tests

- [x] modified integration tests
`test_compare_remote_local_install_versions`

Author: JCZuurmond

tests/integration/install/test_installation.py

@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 import dataclasses
 import json
 import logging
+import subprocess
+import sys
 from datetime import timedelta
 from typing import NoReturn
 
@@ -392,14 +394,29 @@ def test_check_inventory_database_exists(ws, installation_ctx):
         installation_ctx.workspace_installer.configure()
 
 
-def test_compare_remote_local_install_versions(installation_ctx) -> None:
-    installation_ctx.workspace_installation.run()
+def is_on_release_branch(checkout_root: str) -> bool:
+    """Check if running on a release branch"""
+    release_branches = {"prepare/"}
+    try:
+        current_branch = subprocess.check_output(
+            ["git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"], cwd=checkout_root, encoding=sys.getdefaultencoding()
+        )
+        return any(current_branch.startswith(release_branch) for release_branch in release_branches)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError:
+        return False
 
-    @retried(on=[NotFound], timeout=timedelta(minutes=2))
-    def wait_for_installation_to_finish():
-        installation_ctx.installation.load(WorkspaceConfig)
 
-    wait_for_installation_to_finish()
+def test_compare_remote_local_install_versions(installation_ctx) -> None:
+    """This test is known to fail on a branch with a major or minor version bump.
+
+    The databricks.labs.ucx.__about__.__version__ is bumped on the release branch BEFORE the git tag is created. (The
+    git tag is created during release AFTER merging the release branch.) Therefore, this test is expected to fail on a
+    release branch that introduces a major or minor version bump, because the local `__version__` has been updated in
+    anticipation of the tag that will shortly be created.
+    """
+    if is_on_release_branch(installation_ctx.product_info.checkout_root()):
+        pytest.skip("Version compare is never equal on a release branch.")
+    installation_ctx.workspace_installation.run()
 
     error_message = "UCX workspace remote and local install versions are same and no override is requested. Exiting..."
     with pytest.raises(RuntimeWarning, match=error_message):