[lug] Clustering and GFS

[Jeff Schroeder]

D. wrote:

> But what is GFS? Is it the base filesystem, or is it a layer over the
> real filesystem? For example, NFS is called a filesystem, but it
> always has something else *under* it, e.g., an exported ext2
> partition. Or is GFS natively a base filesystem that also does
> something more?

GFS is a layer over, say, ext3.  When installed on each client machine, 
it provides a "seamless" filesystem interface so all clients can access 
the same global disk (which may, in fact, be a single ext3 partition, a 
RAID device, or even something like a solid-state storage device).

Unfortunately, the hardware storage for this system is beyond my 
control, and I'm at the mercy of the Powers That Be, who have decided 
to use GFS... while I could propose alternative technologies (and even 
a test period, as you suggested) it would probably appear that I was 
only trying to endanger a solution they've already accepted.  I've been 
asked to "integrate", not "redesign". ;)

My original post on this topic was simply to find someone with 
clustering (and GFS) experience... although we've reached quite a 
tangent at this point.  Nonetheless, this is good information and very 
useful.  Many thanks.

J.