[cgl_discussion] [Fwd: Linus & clustering]

[Mika Kukkonen]

As per my clustering meeting AR, here is the link to the article
where Linus talks about clustering:
http://www.oetrends.com/news.php?action=view_record&idnum=277

For lazy, here is the relevant part (hope the writer of the article
does not mind):

Linux and Clustering 
Q: There seems to be a drift ... towards clustering. I noticed there
aren't a whole lot of really successful kernel space clustering
exercises or projects. What's the right way to do [clustering with
Linux]? 
 
Linus: In the clustering space, the main issue, I'm convinced, is a
coherent file system. And there are no well-behaving, easily installed
coherent file systems that most people are interested in. Once again,
with a coherent file system, pretty much everything else can just be
done with, um... You don't have to do the full kernel-level SSI like a
lot of companies have historically done, 
Compaq being one. 
 
In fact, you don't want to do that. But you want to do tools to make it
look pretty closed to a single system image. You may have some kernel
hooks to distribute IP addresses or TCP connections better. Things like
this. But, those are the details. The big thing is the cluster file
system isn't there. And people are working on several. Some of them
actually work today. Some of they are cumbersome enough to actually use
[it]. I'd like to have a cluster file system at home. 
 
How many people have more than a few computers at home? And find NFS
kind of annoying? So I'd like to have something that's useful at home
just because it's nice to have a transparent coherent file system. But
none of the offerings out there are useable enough and easy enough to
set out that it's worth doing. 
 
--MiKu