[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       openbsd-misc
Subject:    Re: nfsv4?
From:       Marco Peereboom <slash () peereboom ! us>
Date:       2010-10-30 13:08:33
Message-ID: 20101030130833.GX31303 () peereboom ! us
[Download RAW message or body]

On Fri, Oct 29, 2010 at 10:55:50PM -0700, Sean Kamath wrote:
> On Oct 29, 2010, at 7:43 AM, James A. Peltier wrote:
> > As for SFTP or any other method that would duplicate data, I have already
> discussed why it is not a possibility.  SSHFS *was and still is* a possibility
> but it was ruled out because of our HPC needs.
> 
> I run something that could be considered (and is often referred to as) an HPC
> cluster.  We leverage NFS heavily.  We'd melt our filers if they weren't
> front-ended by NFS caches.
> 
> You can't seek() using sftp.  You can't lock a file using sftp. It's a bitch
> to code in sftp support to every application that expects to operate on a
> file. And it scales for shit: Suck down a file and wait for the whole thing?
> Run sshfs on the cluster to a centralized sshfs-based fileserver?  I don't
> think so.
> 
> We are using NFSv3.  We'd love to have delegations in NFSv4 because it would
> significantly enhance the ability to locality-based locking/caching.
> 
> Thousands of machines sharing the same multi-petabyte dataset won't work with
> sftp.  Or sshfs.
> 
> My point is not to suggest what the OpenBSD developers should or should not
> implement.  That is there decision.  But it annoys me that people think sftp
> (or any other non-block-based file transfer mechanism) is a replacement for
> NFS.  It's not.
> 
> And it's not to suggest NFSv4 is the bees knees.  Some people may need/want
> it.  Some may not.

I don't think there is a debate for the need of a multi-arch networked
filesystem.  It is a pity there isn't anything good enough out there.
It is either hacky or crappy.  You can buy one and pay money out the
butt and it won't work on most arches to boot.  Now there is a fine open
source project that could be done NOT by committee but a dedicated
person who prefers functionality over bloat.

> 
> Sean
> 
> PS I can't believe I got sucked into this thread.

All your threads are belong to us!

[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]