[Beowulf] since we are talking about file systems ...

[Joe Landman]

Methinks I lost lots of folks with my points ...

Major thesis is that on well designed hardware/software/filesystems, 
50000 files is not a problem for accesses (though from a management 
point of view it is a nightmare).  For poorly designed/implemented file 
systems it is a nightmare.

Way back when in the glory days of SGI, I seem to remember xfs being 
tested with millions of files per directory (though don't hold me to 
that old memory).  Call this hearsay at this moment.

A well designed and implemented file system shouldn't bog you down as 
you scale out in size, even if you shouldn't.  Its sort of like your 
car.  If you go beyond 70 MPH somewhere in the US that supports such 
speeds, your transmission shouldn't just drop out because you hit 71 MPH.

Graceful degradation is a good thing.

Joe


-- 
Joseph Landman, Ph.D
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