[Linux-cluster] GFS2 performance on large files

[Christopher Smith]

Gordan Bobic wrote:
> On Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:09:23 +0200, Christopher Smith
> <csmith at nighthawkrad.net> wrote:
>>> This is also why quite frequently a cheap box made of COTS components
>>> can complete blow away a similar enterprise grade box with 10-100x
>>> the price tag.
>> In fairness, those enterprise boxes typically have dual redundant 
>> controllers with mirrored cache, and other failure-resistant goodies you 
>> can't really do with COTS hardware. ;)
> 
> Maybe so, but you can still build two complete COTS boxes with
> no internal redundancy for a fraction of the cost and deal with
> mirroring and fail-over on server level. Enter RHCS and DRBD. :)
> Why compromise?

Not every service is failover-friendly at the server level. ;)

Don't get me wrong, I'm 100% behind using COTS stuff wherever possible, 
and setups with DRBD, et al, have worked very well for us in several 
locations.  But there are some situations where it just doesn't (eg: SAN 
LUNs shared between multiple servers - unless you want to forego the 
performance benefits of write caching and DIY with multiple machines, 
DRBD and iscsi-target).

(There's also the labour, maintenance and support costs of DIY vs 
plug-in-and-go to consider, as well.)

-- 
Christopher Smith

UNIX Team Leader
Nighthawk Radiology Services
Limmatquai 4, 6th Floor
8001 Zurich, Switzerland
http://www.nighthawkrad.net
Sydney Fax:    +61 2 8211 2333
Zurich Fax:    +41 43 497 3301
USA Toll free:  866 241 6635

Email:         csmith at nighthawkrad.net
IP Extension:  8163
Sydney Phone:  +61 2 8211 2363
Sydney Mobile: +61 4 0739 7563
Zurich Phone:  +41 44 267 3363
Zurich Mobile: +41 79 550 2715

All phones forwarded to my current location, however, please consider 
the local time in Zurich before calling from abroad.


CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE:   This email, including any attachments, 
contains information from NightHawk Radiology Services, which may be 
confidential or privileged. The information is intended to be for the 
use of the individual or entity named above. If you are not the intended 
recipient, be aware that any disclosure, copying, distribution or use of 
the contents of this information is prohibited. If you have received 
this email in error, please notify NightHawk Radiology Services 
immediately by forwarding message to postmaster at nighthawkrad.net and 
destroy all electronic and hard copies of the communication, including 
attachments.