[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: If Not Systemd, then What?



On Wednesday, October 22, 2014 3:20:05 PM UTC+5:30, Miles Fidelman wrote:
> Scott Ferguson wrote:
> > On 21/10/14 15:10, Miles Fidelman wrote:
> >> Scott Ferguson wrote:
> >>> Good question Patrick - top posted as I'm referring to the Subject.
> >>> On 21/10/14 06:45, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> >>>> After much vitriolic gnashing of teeth from those opposed to systemd,
> >>>> I wonder...  What is a better alternative?  And it can't be sysvinit.
> >>>> Yes.  Syvinit still works, but it is after all 20 years old. It's been
> >>>> patched and bolted onto and jury-rigged to get it to do things that
> >>>> weren't even around (or dreamt of) at its inception.  It's long past
> >>>> due for a contemporary replacement.  Whatever that may be.
> >>>> So, what would you all propose?  For a server?  Or for a user desktop?
> >>>> Or something that fulfills both scenarios?  And why?
> >>> One of the difficulties is that there is no clear distinction between a
> >>> desktop and a server - just degrees.
> >> Um, yes, there is.  Typically different hardware (headless for
> >> starters), storage area networks, clusters, high availability, as well
> >> as different role, and so forth.
> >> Miles
> > With respect, you're just repeating your claim that there is a clear
> > distinction between server and desktop - not proving it, which doesn't
> > advance the discussion.

> Ok, let's start with:
> - it's the rare desktop that has a fiber channel interface
> - it's the rare desktop that has an interface for dual-ported disk drives
> - it's the rare desktop configuration that splits processing and storage 
> (e.g., blade servers + storage servers)
> - in servers, large RAID arrays are common, desktops might have a pair 
> of mirrored disks, never seen anybody set up a desktop for RAID5,6,10
> - these days, servers are generally run in clusters, with cluster file 
> systems, and environments like openstack on top of them
> - when it comes to performance, desktops generally emphasize graphics 
> performance (e.g., for gaming, video editing, and such); servers are 
> designed more for how many virtual machines they can run
> - high-availability clustering is a big data center concern, not a 
> desktop concern (anybody run DRBD, or Corosync on a dekstop?)
> - when it comes to virtualization, on desktops its mostly for running 
> programs in other environments; for servers its mostly about supporting 
> lots of independent users and services
> - when's the last time you saw a desktop or laptop with an IPMI BMC (or 
> for that matter, had a BMC infected by a virus - not pretty) (note: if 
> you don't know what BMC stands for, then go away and learn something 
> about serious data centers, before weighing in on the distinctions 
> between desktops and servers)
> - scalability, optimization for transaction processing, high-volume mail 
> processing, etc., etc., etc. - not issues that one worries about on the 
> desktop

> > Samba is a server, as is NFS, and apache. If you run them on a desktop
> > is it still *just* a desktop?
> > Can you not run a desktop on server hardware?

> Generally not - except remotely - given that most servers are headless 
> and don't have graphics boards.  Yeah, one can X- into a server, if you 
> install the software.  Many (most?) don't - CLI and various management 
> tools is plenty good for server admin (along with lots of bash scripts - 
> one of the reasons that a lot of sysadmins don't like systemd).

> > Can you not run a server on desktop hardware?

> Not if you're supporting a serious load - unless you're clustering lots 
> of machines (but once you cluster a few hundred motherboards, you're 
> talking a desktop machine, you're talking a cluster).

> > I don't "believe" you've thought this through... :
> > I'll leave pulseaudio out, just to make things simpler (and acknowledge
> > that "simple" is a synonym for "dumb").

> I don't believe you have any knowledge whatsoever about data centers or 
> real servers - and are talking through your hat.  That you even mention 
> audio in the same conversation as
> servers says you're in a different universe.

Are you guys just having fun talking past each other?
Or seriously dont know the two meanings of 'server'?

First two here: http://whatis.techtarget.com/definition/server


Reply to: