Phil Henshaw wrote: > The network manager might be really 'out to lunch' some times though, and > the users needed to share the resource without that global view and central > control. What could they accomplish just between themselves, is the > question. That's a reasonable question to think about in some other context, but it simply doesn't need to apply here.
It is unfortunately the case that many computer systems are not configured and maintained to the level I am describing. In these situations, users may be forced to do load balancing in some semi-negotiated way, but that's because of a Bad Situation, not because of technical necessity. Bring the Bad Situation to light and get it fixed. > They'd have virtually none of the information the manager uses > and none of the control. If left to themselves, how would they do it? > The operating system, queuing system, or network switch firmware can do that just fine. If any of this software is not up to the job, it's not a structural constraint of the universe, it's just a bug. Bugs should be fixed. Network managers usually don't fix bugs themselves, but instead decide to change vendors. That has the same sort of effect. Marcus ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org
