Hi folks,
it appears we have a problem (or at least an inconvenience) with AFS as it stands.
So why not ask around, wether someone else has already solved it.
We are currently installing a cluster of workstations to in the long run replace
the traditional time sharing service. Obviously files and data will be shared
within the cluster via AFS. Two of these machines will act as AFS file servers as
well. Now the point is, that all these machines have more than one network adapter
and hence more than one network address. The reasoning is that besides being
connected to the campus ethernet to reach them from outside, these machines should
be networked together by a faster FDDI subnet. Hence the client cache managers on
these cluster machines should use a different network addresds to talk to the
servers than all the other clients in order to utilize the faster connection.
The problem is, that in this setup we have one physical machine which can be
reached and referenced by different names/addresses reflecting the different
network interfaces.
As far as the data base servers are concerned, one would just need to change
CellServDB, but the really interesting part is the transfer of file data.
Clearly what is needed is a feature by which one can tell the client to use, for
contacting a server, an address different from the standard one listed in the VLDB.
This could eg. be done by giving the client a translation table for address
substitution. Why not have the feature of a preferred network address for a
specific server like we now have the preferred server for a specific R/O volume.
It could actually even add redundancy by allowing different network pathes to a
server, if they exist.
I do not believe that we are the first to encounter this problem. Hence I post
this as a question to the world hoping to hear from other people how they solved it.
Otherwise it might well be considered by Transarc as a request for improvement.
Dieter
--
Dr. Dieter Mack Phone : +49 711 685 5788
Systems Section Fax : +49 711 682357
Computer Center Email : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
University of Stuttgart Mail : Allmandring 30
7000 Stuttgart-80
Germany
