[Zope] 2GB Limit & Best Zope Platform

[Bill Anderson]

On 18 Jun 2001 13:14:03 +0000, Garry Steedman wrote:
> Hi Oliver,
> 
> interesting article at:
> 
> http://www.sysadminmag.com/articles/2001/0107/0107a/0107a.htm
> 
> which (in part) addresses your questions. i quote:
> 
> "Our benchmarks demonstrate a 12x performance difference between 
> process-based and asynchronous task architectures. Significantly, we 
> found up to a 75% overall performance difference between OSes when 
> using the most efficient asynchronous architecture. We found Linux to 
> be the best performing operating system based on our metrics, 
> performing 35% better than Solaris, which came in second, followed by 
> Windows, and finally, FreeBSD."
> 
> the 2GB file size limit is not an OS limit on linux: it is a limit on 
> the Ext2 file system. several journalling file systems for linux 
> offer max. file sizes beyond 2GB (at least in theory). check out 
> reiserfs, xfs etc.

*sigh*

The 2Gb file size limit was a problem with the Linux kernel 2.2 and
below VFS. it is NOT a limit of a particular filesystem.

XFS Rocks. I have a number of production and file system stress machines
running it at work (where I do heavy Filesystem testin on Linux a spart
of my job).

ReiserFS is fine to, though between XFS and ResierFS for a Data.fs
9hehe) I would choose XFS. On a 32bit intel system, using XFS, you won't
have to worry about siz elimitations until your filesize is ~16
terabytes. someting tells me you will have other things to worry about
long before that.

JFS for Linux is not ready for prime time.

Ext2 on kenrel >= 2.4.0 will be fine (otehr than long fsck times when
that happens). File size ther eis likewise in the terabyte range.

For performance, I would recommend XFS on Linux v2.45 or higher
(preferable 6 when it comes out, there will be an important patch i
expect to be in)


To give a rough idea of filesystem performance of XFS (BTw, this is the
only journalling filesystem for Linux that is past the beta stage):

Format a 13.7 GB partition:
 .133 seconds (yes, the decimal is in the right place!)

Fill it with a single DD command until filesystem full:
 18.9 minutes

Above with 4 paralell dd commands:
 10 minutes

Delete files that fil up said 13.7 Gb partition:
 1.2 seconds.
 

There is no 'in theory' involved with suprassing a 2Gb filesize on Linux
kernel version >= 2.4. It works. I've verified it. Repeatedly. In fact,
tomorrow I shall be doing multiple terabyte sized files. Again.
There are other, far more important, things to consider than this, when
choosing a platform four your zope.

Bill