[OpenAFS] Newbie question - AFS for windows - looking for AFS files locally

[Jeffrey Altman]

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Andrew Richardson wrote:

> Hi there guys -
>
> I am trying to assess whether AFS is a suitable product for a 
> situation I have:
>
> My situation is as follows:
> I have large files which reside on a windows system, but I want them 
> to be visible in the unix world.
> I intend to create an AFS server on the windows side, and have the 
> file accessible to a unix AFS client (I am assuming that this is 
> possible!).

In my opinion, the AFS Server on Windows should be considered 
experimental.  I have not had time to spend
any time to ensure that it works correctly.  It does work but I would 
not trust it for anything serious.

> My problem:
> These large files are used in a windows executable which needs speedy 
> read/write access.

If these files are stored in AFS, they will be accessed by the Windows 
machine via the AFS Client Service (a combination of
SMB server and RX protocol client).  Local access will be much slower 
than if the files were accessed via a native file system
driver in the kernel.

> I have read in the release notes for AFS for windows that file 
> read/write access is very slow (100 times slower) for a file stored in 
> the AFS system when compared to a local disk file in windows.

correct.

> My question is, since I am using windows as the server, aren't these 
> files  stored "locally" in some form? - is there some way that I can 
> view these files "outside" of the afs system and bypass the slow afs 
> client?  is there some way I can go "behind the scenes" to use these 
> files with the native windows file access?

They are locally stored in AFS specific data structures (volumes); they 
are not accessible to the local system except
by the AFS Client.

> When AFS is up and running, I can see the afs drive in windows 
> explorer, and have successfully created a test document and saved it.
>
> This file is visible on the afs drive, but I am thinking that I should 
> be able to find the same document somewhere on my C drive, am I 
> correct? (I have tried but find it!)

It is not there to be found.

> So basically will this solution work:
> My intended solution is that the AFS file is purely there for the unix 
> system to be able to see it, but when reading the file in windows I 
> can bypass the AFS system (which is slow) and use the local file instead?

No.



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