Re: Network File serving options

From: Justin Robbs (justin_robbsNO_at_SPAMhotmail.com)
Date: 10/31/03 

Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 08:47:00 -0700

"Mike Brown" <mike@tkg.ca> wrote in message news:3FA1BF01.A170FFB3@tkg.ca...
> Justin Robbs wrote:
> >
> > 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?
> >
>
> Far from perfect, but it does work on a LAN for copying files. NFS is
less
> suitable for sharing a database, such as a flat file system.

It would be reading and writing transaction information to the various
transaction files that we keep. I am thinking that I will keep the pricing
information locally though as that is a pretty large file that obviously
gets accessed frequently.

--snip--

> There has been some interaction in local file systems performance when
> using NFS, check back to some of Belas posts for the details.

Thanks, I will check that out.

> > BTW, there will be built in fail safe measures to write locally if the
> > network failed for some reason.
> >
>
> That is the most critical concept, in retail rule #1 is take the money.
> The design should allow the register to run even if the network cable
> is pulled.
>

Yes, we always make sales. We have even made sales in power outages (10
min. UPS battery). I will still write the sales information locally, but
the file server part will be for reconciliation purposes. Currently we send
data from register 1 to register 2 and vice versa, the sales information
then matches on both machines. But we are running into situations where we
need a site with 3 or 4 registers. Then it becomes easier for all machines
to send sales to one place, rather than trying to ensure that all machines
have the correct information.

> > 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.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Justin
>
> Mike
>
> --
> Michael Brown
>
> The Kingsway Group

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