[9fans] sharing the ndb(6) database

[Akshat Kumar <akumar@mail.nanosouffle.net>]

My new auth server is completely standalone:
it uses the kfs file system and boots off its own
(solid state) disk. The rest of the network, for
which it performs the authentication tasks, is
based on a separate file server node. The auth
server also runs dhcpd, tftpd, and a dns server.
As such, its /lib/ndb/local file contains a
description of the whole network, as well as
dns root stuff.

Now, the rest of the network also needs much
of the same info as the auth server, in order to
easily call each computer by sysname, etc..
This means that when a new node is added to
the Plan 9 network, changes will be needed
to be made in two places: the main network's
/lib/ndb/local and the auth server's /lib/ndb/local.
What's a better way to achieve this? Is there
some method by which the auth server can share
its ndb file(s) with the network? Or should it also
rely on the file server for the root filesystem, and
use local disks only for keyfs, secstore, etc.
databases?

Input and other suggestions welcome.


Thanks,
ak