[plug] Filesystems for slow networks

[Craig Foster]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: plug-bounces at plug.org.au [mailto:plug-bounces at plug.org.au] On
> Behalf Of Bernd Felsche
> Sent: Sunday, 15 February 2009 8:44 PM
> To: plug at plug.org.au
> Subject: [plug] Filesystems for slow networks
> 
> G'day.
> 
> I have a little project involving file synchronisation between users
> of files on servers at opposite ends of Australia; using a link
> that's got a maximum of 512 kbps. Files are served from Linux to the
> 'dozy desktops.
> 
> I've looked at a number of options including Intermezzo, Unison,
> Lustre, ...
> 
> They tend to fall into one or more of the following categories:
> 1) too complicated for the users. (Unison is a steep learning curve)
> 2) no longer supported (Unison)
> 3) probably unsuited for slow (unreliable) links (Lustre)
> 
> What remain are (Open)AFS and Coda.
> 
> I don't have the luxury of uprooting servers and replacing kernels.
> OpenAFS appears to be supported for all the SuSE servers concerned.
> Coda seems to require kernel modules that will have to be compiled.
> 
> Are there other viable options that I may have overlooked?
> $20,000 on new servers and proprietary systems or upgrading the
> network to 10 Mbps wouldn't be considered viable.
> --

What about running the program (not a full wm) with X over compressed
ssh? That way the data never leaves the one location.

CraigF