iSCSI and clustering with FreeBSD

[Kip Macy]

I'm currently setting up a small cluster of 8 dual processor machines.
I will be running opengfs over iSCSI. For the time being, this translates 
to meaning that everything but the iSCSI target will be running Linux. I
see a number of things that FreeBSD really needs to be on equal footing
that I would like to see get going and would like to contribute towards,
but realize that I don't have the time to do it myself and still pay my
mortgage. I'm wondering if people are interested in getting together, or
are simply too busy to do anything but bemoan their absence. 

1) Shared storage: iscsi initiator
A while back, I signed up to write an iscsi initiator. After having
written an iscsi target, I now realize that I don't have the time to 
write an initiator by myself (at least not unpaid). 
Time required for development: 3 man months 

2) Shared file system: OpenGFS or LUSTRE
OpenGFS is a shared disk file system for Linux that was initially written
for IRIX but was later ported to Linux. Hence, it has a reasonably clean
separation from OS dependencies. Porting it too FreeBSD looks feasible.
It would have to remain a module as it is GPL. LUSTRE looks like it scales
better but requires more infrastructure.
Time required for port: ~6 man months

3) Process management: bproc
I'm sure everyone on this list is familiar with it.
Time required for port: 3-9 man months - the kernel patch is fairly 
small, but I'm not certain how many Linux dependencies the system has.

5) Process migration: openMosix
This is one colossal 45,000 line patch for Linux. It is obviously 
GPL and could not be put in a module, so it would have to be done 
from scratch.
Time required for port: 2 man years???

On question that I ask myself, even as someone who strongly prefers
FreeBSD to Linux,  is "why does it matter if clustering is done on
Linux or on FreeBSD?". Linux has a huge momentum advantage in this 
area. The only thing that FreeBSD obviously adds is that companies
could add their own mods without being forced to open-source them.

				-Kip