> I have 40 comps and have 2GB free partition each of them.
> I want to manage them on one comp in one directory.
This is not what RAID with NBDs would do. If you want that, use NFS or NBD
without RAID.
> When I asked this question to linux-admin list, somebody told that there
> is a solution on this list with subject raid over network.
> If there is something like that, could anybody explain how I can do that?
Use this Keywords: nbd, knbd, nbdd - search on www.freshmeat.net for them.
Pavel Machek is the original author of nbd. Some support is in 2.2 kernel,
but you need the user mode stuff from his homepage. Some other people did
similar stuff that runs in kernel mode.
nbd = network block device
That means, that you can "export" a block device on each of your 40 PCs
(youīld export your 2GB partition). Then import these nbds on your server.
Use SW raid (0.90) to make some RAID devices out of these block devices.
I tried this in a small experimental installation and it worked with good
performance (better than expected, not more than possible of course). You
should have a 100MBit/s network at least if you expect high performance.
Pay attention to the maximum number of "disks" in a SW RAID array and
for maximum number of RAID devices. Also, nbd has some 2GB limitations AFAIK,
but as you donīt have more than 2GB, you donīt have a problem with that.
If you donīt need all the space, then better go for RAID1 instead of RAID5 -
it transfers less data over the network.
You maybe donīt want to use RAID0, because you would lose all data if one of
your PCs in that RAID array fails.
Of course, all of the PCs in the NBD RAID array have to be running while you
use the RAID device.
For what are the 40 PCs used normally ?
Thomas
