Re: [9fans] file server problems

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Russ Cox]

> We've got a wizzy file server that supports time travel.  Let's use
> that instead.

In fact, I have a wizzy backup system that
takes snapshots of a local file system every
night (or whenever) but only saves files that have changed.
A ``more work than it's worth per-file dump''
as it were.

Of course there's something to mount them
and poke around as though you had a real
dump file server.

The really Neat Thing™ is you can make
ISO9660 file systems out of them (and then
write them to CDs).  The file systems are
crosslinked up the wazoo, but the directory
structure is what you'd expect:
/2000/0713/usr/rsc, etc.

I've only done small tests, but it's
pretty neat.  Still a couple interface things
to work out.

The CVS port I did was so I could work on a project
here at school without going through Linux to check
out the files.  I'll post a pointer to it as well as some
other random ports (Noweb, Moscow ML) a bit later.

Russ

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[jmk]

As mentioned, there's a fix for the AHA-154x driver in the filesever.
It will be in the next update. In the meantime, mail me if you need it
now. I also plan to put the fix into the main kernel along with a way
to specify the AHA-1542 from plan9.ini, hopefully before too long.

Thanks to forsyth for helping with the fix.

--jim

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[jmk]

 From splite@purdue.edu:
	>Is the AHA-154x driver fully working in the current release?  It isn't
	>mentioned on http://plan9.bell-labs.com/plan9dist/pchardware.html, and
	>plan9.ini(8) says under the "scsiX=value" section, "At the moment the
	>Adaptec 1542 is not supported."

The code is there, it's subsumed in the mylex (buslogic driver). However,
there's currently no code in the sd driver to parse any controller info out
of plan9.ini, I hadn't decided how to do that and it fell through the cracks
doing the release.

That said, it's probably a good thing considering the horrible failure of
vision we (forsyth and i) have found in the ISA bounce-buffer code which has
been affecting people trying to use the AHA-154x in fileservers. We should
have it fixed tomorrow (I'm going to sleep on it).

--jim

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Lucio De Re]

On Thu, Jul 13, 2000 at 12:33:11AM -0400, Scott Schwartz wrote:
> 
> > If Russ has CVS compiled, we may not be far from a public CVS repository
> 
> We've got a wizzy file server that supports time travel.  Let's use
> that instead.

The administration is different, and not necessarily to everyone's
comfort.  But I do appreciate the abilities of the Plan 9 file
system, although I must confess that I have never had quite enough
hardware to try it out.

Heck, I can't even figure out how to run NFS, or the CD-ROM jukeboxes
in any sensible manner :-(

++L

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[ianb]

Yes, please! I don't really want to go out an buy scsi disks and
cards when I have a pile of spare ide machines.

Ian

>> <chuckle>
>> 'had' is somewhat strong, eh?  it's just a software problem.
>> i have an interface that allows using IDE drives for
>> the fileserver.  i have 2 3.5Gb IDEs striped together.
>
>oh yeah, if you'd like a snapshot of it i can provide it.  i don't
>see it getting rolled into the base tree (however that works) but
>it might be useful for some people.
>
>--eld

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Scott Schwartz]

> If Russ has CVS compiled, we may not be far from a public CVS repository

We've got a wizzy file server that supports time travel.  Let's use
that instead.

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Lucio De Re]

On Wed, Jul 12, 2000 at 07:28:13PM -0700, Eric Dorman wrote:
> > 
> > <chuckle>
> > 'had' is somewhat strong, eh?  it's just a software problem.
> > i have an interface that allows using IDE drives for
> > the fileserver.  i have 2 3.5Gb IDEs striped together.
> 
> oh yeah, if you'd like a snapshot of it i can provide it.  i don't
> see it getting rolled into the base tree (however that works) but
> it might be useful for some people.
> 
If Russ has CVS compiled, we may not be far from a public CVS repository
(hint, hint) where we may be able to have a few branches for software
such as your IDE fileserver.

I recall David Butler's extensions to the file server, too, and I was
really hoping to see those in the source tree.

In fact, there is also the issue of externally supporting Alef, although
Limbo may be the better option in this case.  And largely it would be
useful to make available second edition source code which, although
obsolete, may be released either for curiosity's sake or as unsupported
alternatives to newer stuff.

++L

PS: Russ, could I have a copy of the Makefile/mkfile you used to
compile CVS?

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Eric Dorman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Eric Dorman" <edorman@san.rr.com>
To: <9fans@cse.psu.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 6:33 PM
Subject: Re: [9fans] file server problems


> > >i've not had any trouble with my IDE fileserver,
> > I thought that fileservers had to be SCSI?
> > Ian
> 
> <chuckle>
> 'had' is somewhat strong, eh?  it's just a software problem.
> i have an interface that allows using IDE drives for
> the fileserver.  i have 2 3.5Gb IDEs striped together.

oh yeah, if you'd like a snapshot of it i can provide it.  i don't
see it getting rolled into the base tree (however that works) but
it might be useful for some people.

--eld

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Eric Dorman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <ianb@cs.york.ac.uk>
To: <9fans@cse.psu.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 2:04 AM
Subject: Re: [9fans] file server problems


> >i've not had any trouble with my IDE fileserver,
> I thought that fileservers had to be SCSI?
> Ian

<chuckle>
'had' is somewhat strong, eh?  it's just a software problem.
i have an interface that allows using IDE drives for
the fileserver.  i have 2 3.5Gb IDEs striped together.

Eric Dorman
edorman@san.rr.com

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[splite]

On Tue, Jul 11, 2000 at 12:24:08PM +0000, forsyth@vitanuova.com wrote:
> someone from borf.com mentioned a problem with a file server corrupting
> the file system.  i've just seen that myself with the new file server
> code (it didn't happen with the old one).  fortunately it was just
> the scratch file system on an older scsi disc on a x542b.
> it corrupts fairly quickly after i ream it.
> the main file system on a symbios card is fine.  it's an ISA bus card, and
> i might suspect 24-bit addressing problems on the 32mbyte file
> server but the buslogic/adaptec code does attempt to compensate for that.

Is the AHA-154x driver fully working in the current release?  It isn't
mentioned on http://plan9.bell-labs.com/plan9dist/pchardware.html, and
plan9.ini(8) says under the "scsiX=value" section, "At the moment the
Adaptec 1542 is not supported."

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[ianb]

>i've not had any trouble with my IDE fileserver,

I thought that fileservers had to be SCSI?

Ian

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[Eric Dorman]

----- Original Message -----
From: <forsyth@vitanuova.com>
To: <9fans@cse.psu.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2000 12:24 PM
Subject: Re: [9fans] file server problems


> someone from borf.com mentioned a problem with a file server corrupting
> the file system.  i've just seen that myself with the new file server
> code (it didn't happen with the old one).  fortunately it was just
> the scratch file system on an older scsi disc on a x542b.
> it corrupts fairly quickly after i ream it.
> the main file system on a symbios card is fine.  it's an ISA bus card, and
> i might suspect 24-bit addressing problems on the 32mbyte file
> server but the buslogic/adaptec code does attempt to compensate for that.

i've not had any trouble with my IDE fileserver, though this is evidenced
only by heavy multiprocessed builds not real multiuser activity.  my fs is
a P5-200 with 64Mb on a 10BaseT, 2x3.5Gb disks.

Eric Dorman
edorman@san.rr.com

Re: [9fans] file server problems

[forsyth]

someone from borf.com mentioned a problem with a file server corrupting
the file system.  i've just seen that myself with the new file server
code (it didn't happen with the old one).  fortunately it was just
the scratch file system on an older scsi disc on a x542b.
it corrupts fairly quickly after i ream it.
the main file system on a symbios card is fine.  it's an ISA bus card, and
i might suspect 24-bit addressing problems on the 32mbyte file
server but the buslogic/adaptec code does attempt to compensate for that.