On Thu 05 Jun 2003 at 11:32:01, Michael L Torrie said:
> A segmented file system sounds good in theory until you start running
> out of space on one segment.  How do you move data around in a
> transparent way?  You can't.

So?  The same thing happens when a monolithic server fills up.  I
guarantee you that all the space that the new CS server has won't last more
than 4 years; they will eventually have to get a new one, or an
additional one.  Building a modular system at the beginning forces you
into the plan-for-expansion mindset.  If you're starting with 6 NFS
servers, it's easy to design the system to accomodate 8 or 20.  However,
if you start with the mindset of having only one server, then try as you
might, there will be some design fallacies that make migrating to 2 or
more difficult, if not impossible.  Nobody takes the time to set up a
load-balancing system for just one webserver, and always ends up kicking
themselves when they have to re-design their network when adding the
second server becomes necessary.

On top of that, there's the financial aspect.  A lot of small servers is
almost always cheaper than one big server, and believe it or not,
they're almost always easier to maintain.

-- 
Soren Harward
[EMAIL PROTECTED]

____________________
BYU Unix Users Group 
http://uug.byu.edu/ 
___________________________________________________________________
List Info: http://uug.byu.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/uug-list

Reply via email to