From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 To: 9fans@cse.psu.edu From: peter huang Message-ID: <9811cp$n6b$1@web1.cup.hp.com> References: <20010305104324.DDAF719A02@mail.cse.psu.edu>, Subject: Re: [9fans] off-wall idea, file server and SAN Date: Mon, 12 Mar 2001 09:56:34 +0000 Topicbox-Message-UUID: 6f949486-eac9-11e9-9e20-41e7f4b1d025 thanks for the reply. However, there was a point missing from my posting. The purpose of file server is to serve files, while plan9 file system is better than other file systems in many regards but it can only serve system running plan9. While this may not be a problem for most users in plan9 fans but if I built a good nice file system, I want the other machines on the network able to use it, that include mswindows system, linux system, BE .... I can't spend $3500 just to show I have the coolest file system on earth. I know there is an IDE version of the file server in work and that may suit my need (low cost). However, the bigger question remain, how do I reduce redunancy and have one file server doing the right job in a hetergenous environment. It is possible to write a ifs (install file system) on NT, but without implement 9p, I don't think it is useful, the same goes for linux ext2. The idea of SAN in my mind is quite similar to plan9 file server but more target for a hetegrenous environment. It would be cool to take some SAN hardware, port plan9 file server on it, add support for smb protocol and dvd-ram drive and become the one and only one file server on the network. It could be the file system for my Tivo box ;-) Anyway, I like to see plan9 network as the backbone of a small network (such as home network), machines boot from it or store files on it and never worry about backup disaster or obsolete hardware (which was the vision). regards peter huang