Re: Network File serving options

From: Stuart J. Browne (stuart_at_promed.com.au)
Date: 10/30/03 

Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 09:18:25 +1100

"Justin Robbs" <justin_robbsNO@SPAMhotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bnrhfg$5o7$1@news.tdl.com...
> My company has a POS system that we are updating. Currently, we have two
> Openserver machines acting as cash registers and one machine that
interfaces
> to our gas pumps and our corporate office via dialup. The machines are a
> mix of 5.0.5 and 5.0.6.
>
> Right now the machines are basically stand alone in regards to the
> transaction and price files. We are want to make our gas interface
machine
> a file server (it doesn't have nearly as much activity as the registers).
> Basically we want the registers to write all transaction information to
the
> file server and get all pricing information off of the file server. I
know
> how to do this with NFS, but I am wondering if the are some other better
> options. For example, is there something with less overhead, more
> reliability, etc, or is NFS the perfect way to go?
>
> Security is not a big issue. The only outside access to the system is
via
> dial up and the number is not published anywhere. Also, the only access
the
> user's have to our system inside the store is with a touch screen. The
only
> other input devices available are the UPC scanner or credit card/check
> reader.
>
> The network is a 10mb/s network. I would like to avoid replacing the
> network hardware if possible. With only two clients, it shouldn't be
very
> busy, plus none of our store layouts would allow anymore registers, save
one
> that would allow 4. If that changed, it would be a new installation with
> new hardware.
>
> BTW, there will be built in fail safe measures to write locally if the
> network failed for some reason.
>
> Any ideas, comments, or concerns, not related to porting to linux because
> "SCO sucks" would be greatly appreciated. The linux port is coming but
that
> is a separate project.

Given your description, I'd have to say Yes.. NFS is the way to go.

Nothing else would be as invisible to the client machines, requiring much
more customization.

NFS should be very stable, so long as the server it's self is. I've not
had any issues with NFS under OSR505 or 506.

bkx

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