Re: [9fans] Plan9 topology

[Duke Normandin <dukeofperl@ml1.net>]

On Fri, 14 Jan 2011, erik quanstrom wrote:

> > > i don't use venti, i use the original file server, but this still holds
> > > true of any worm system.  in the 6 years i've had my worm, i've used
> > > 12gb.  yet the size of my worm went from 18gb to 1500gb.
> >
> > So the sub-partition fossil is mounts a WORM drive/device? or can this
> > sub-partition be another box on the network?
>
> i think there are two misunderstandings here
> 1.  "worm device" these days is a term that denotes how the device
> is used, not its actual properties.  real worm devices aren't used much
> anymore.  plasmon (or whatever they're called today) stll sells udo2, though

Do you mean what is being referred to below as "worm HDD":

http://www.storagesearch.com/view64.html

> 2.  you only need 1 file server accessing block storage.  everyone else
> accesses file storage from the file file server.  this usage is somewhat
> confusing since everything (device drivers, user level services) in plan
> 9 is a file server, but /the/ file server generally means primary, worm
> storage.  you need one of those.  other than the file server, only a tiny
> amount of disk is helpful for the storage of authentication keys in the
> "nvram" partition or dos file.  if the pc had actual usuable nvram, or
> if you don't mind typing keys on each boot, or you're booting as a
> terminal, no local storage is necessary.

I think that I'm also getting confused with the use of the term
"server". I've just beens listening to Tanenbaum:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx3KuE7UjGA

talking about Minix3 and microkernels. Everything is in "user mode" -
except the kernel controls. So the Plan 9 "servers" you are referring
to, are daemons running in user space, and not a separate physical
box, like a machine running *only* "named", and being referred to as a
"nameserver"; or another running only "httpd", and being called a
"webserver". Am I close?
--
Duke