updating lots of servers

[Andrew McNaughton]

I've used rsync for backups and server replication for a few years.  It's
very good, but when file systems get large scanning the entire system for
changes can get very IO intensive, tying up most of the disk IO capacity
for hours at a time.  I've generally had to make complex arrangements to
exclude parts of the file system from daily updates, and include some
parts of the system in lower frequency updates.

It's possible to feed rsync a list of files to update based on info about
changes to the system, which would help a lot.

A simple approach to locating changes based on file update times recorded
in the file system is adequate in some cases, but it's not always
reliable.  Probably just fine for /usr/src and /usr/obj trees though.

I'm hoping that kernel support for fam (/usr/ports/devel/fam) will happen
some time soon.  I can see a whole raft of uses for it, particularly in
areas of replication, backup, and versioning systems.

Andrew McNaughton


On Mon, 28 Jun 2004, Gustavo A. Baratto wrote:

> hello guys...
>
> Thanks for all your suggestions...
> After much thinking and google search, I came up with rsyicing (over ssh)
> /usr/src and /usr/obj, and then make installworld (and kernel) as we would
> normally do.
>
> Very fast and secure
>
> Thanks
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Emre Bastuz" <info at emre.de>
> To: <freebsd-isp at freebsd.org>
> Cc: <gbaratto at superb.net>
> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 2004 4:53 PM
> Subject: Re: updating lots of servers
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Zitat von "Gustavo A. Baratto" <gbaratto at superb.net>:
> > > Is there any other simple way to track many freebsd boxes other than the
> one
> > > in the handbook?
> > quite some time ago I read this article from the guys att xs4all.nl who
> describe
> > how they do keep their farm up to date with a combined PXE/Rsync/TFTP/etc.
> > environment:
> >
> > http://www.pix.net/software/pxeboot/archive/SANE.pdf
> > http://www.xs4all.nl/~scorpio/sane2002/
> >
> > Hope this helps.
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Emre
> >
> > --
> > http://www.emre.de                        UIN: 561260
> > PGP Key ID: 0xAFAC77FD
> >
> > I don't see why some people even HAVE cars. -- Calvin
> >
>
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Andrew McNaughton           Living in a shack in Tasmania
andrew at scoop.co.nz          Between the bush and the sea

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