The "Server 1.0" is just what was in beta for a while, a multi-session
capable version of the current Win4Lin. "C" drives cannot be shared
between users, at least no simultaneously, so each simultaineous user
needs to use their own installed Windows and applications.
For the next server version we are working on "copy-on-write" schemes
to allow both disk space sharing (and the performance improvments that
come from this) and ease of administration. The copy-on-write scheme
gives you many choices on how to go. One interesting situation is when
you want to have an "instant on" Windows that gets removed once
you log out. This would work for a school situation where students
get a Windows with the apps they need already installed, and you
don't have to worry about them messing it up, because each new
start starts with a fresh copy. (The users would have a drive letter
set up for a place to save their documents.)
But there are other interesting scenarios that involve more permanent
setups, and those two can be done with copy-on-write to make the
adminstration easier as well as saving on disk space (and backup space!).
-David
Jens Benecke wrote:
>
> On Mon, Apr 30, 2001 at 05:20:55PM -0400, Mike Badger wrote:
>
> > Each user must have a personal installation of windows. By Design,
> > Win4Lin will not install a personal copy of windows for root. Each user
> > will however, install their copy of windows from a core installation of
> > the windows cab files (stage 3 of the install). The Release Notes
> > contain a good break down on the disk space requirements.
>
> Did you solve this problem in the server version? When I asked I was told
> that "win4lin server" needed only one installation and symlinked all the
> common files from a central location, so that only the files that were
> changed are duplicated.
>
> Win4lin _would_ be an ideal solution for my former school (1200 pupils),
> we'd need a version that supports about 50 running copies at any one time,
> but we simply don't have 1200x150MB = 180 GB of hard disk space available
> for the pupils, PLUS applications.
>
> Plus, this would somewhat kill the advantage we see in win4lin, which is to
> configure, install, fix, decontaminate, and reinstall *ONE* windows on
> *ONE* machine all the time, instead of fifty.
>
> One solution would be to create group accounts, i.e. one win4lin account
> for pupils, one for admins, one for teachers, etc - but I don't know how
> win4lin reacts if several copies share one ~/win directory.
>
> Another solution might be "union mounts", this is a kernel module/patch
> that basically allows you to mount a CDROM onto a directory with
> "copy-on-write" policies, i.e. changed files go to the HDD directory, while
> reads come from CDROM. Pavel Machek (?) did this, perhaps it's still in
> the linux-kernel mailinglist archives.
>
> I'd appreciate if someone from Netraverse could comment on this.
>
> --
> Jens Benecke "Und deshalb sollte man ja auch immer _alle_
> Editoren installieren: XEmacs _und_ Vim."
> -- Sven Guckes
> http://www.hitchhikers.de/ - Die kostenlose Mitfahrzentrale f�r ganz Europa
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Part 1.2Type: application/pgp-signature
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