[OpenAFS] AFS design question: implementing AFS over a highly-distributed, low-bandwidth network

[Chaz Chandler]

Hello all=21

I am attempting to implement OpenAFS across a VPN with limited bandwidth =
between sites but relatively mobile users who expect to have their data =
available (and writable) at whichever site they are currently located.

The issue I am running up against is how to organize the AFS volume =
structure so that things like user home dirs, collaboration/group dirs, =
and writable system items (like a Windows profile, for instance) are =
optimally maintained in AFS. =20

The set-up is:
1) Each site has an OpenAFS server (each with vl, pt, bu, vol, fileservers =
& salvager).  Currently, v1.4.8 on Linux 2.6.
2) Clients computers are a mix of Windows XP, OpenBSD, and Linux.  1.5 =
clients for windows, 1.4 clients for Linux, and native openbsd clients.
3) All sites are connected in a full mesh VPN (max of about 30KB/s for =
each link)
4) There's about 600GB of data at the moment.  Although most of it doesn't =
need to be writable most of the time, things that are frequently written =
are not currently segregated from static or infrequently-written =
files/dirs.  Perhaps only a few gigs change on a weekly basis.
5) Users move from site to site, but once there usually spend several =
weeks.  However, two sites are physically very close and users move =
between them more frequently (sometimes daily) although the link bandwidth =
is the same as the others.
6) We have a pretty standard AFS volume layout: separate volumes for each =
user, a few large volumes with relatively static content, a few volumes =
for groups to share.
7) Currently, volume releases are done manually.
8) When a user changes locations for a long stretch, we move their R/W =
user volume to the new location (electronically, not physically), a =
process which is labor- and time-intensive and usually has at least one =
snafu along the way.
9) We have been unable to come up with a working implementation of roaming =
windows profiles on AFS.

I'm seeking recommendations on:
1) How others have set up a regular release schedule to keep a large =
amount of data synced over a slow network (custom scripts, I assume, but =
is there a repository of these things and what are the general mechanics =
and best practices here?)
2) What sort of volume layout would one recommend, and how should =
frequently-updated data be stored?  Take, for instance, three examples:
- A software repository: large volume with relatively static contents, =
occasionally has large additions or subtractions when a new piece of =
software is added or an old one removed.  Ideally, these updates should be =
able to be accomplished from any location.  Users don't need to write to =
it, but may need to read from it frequently at LAN speeds.
- A collaboration dir: several users read and write a small amount (10s of =
MBs) on a daily basis from different locations simultaneously, but they =
expect LAN-type performance.
- A user dir: large amounts of data updated from a single location, but =
user may move to any other site at any time, potentially with up to a day =
of transit time in which a volume could be moved to the destination site.
3) Any concrete recommendations on how to properly implement windows =
integration with AFS (especially folder redirection and roaming profiles =
on AFS).  Yes, I've read the '04 and '05 best practices, however they are =
now quite old and did not work for me.

I've been lurking on this list for a while now and have come to the =
conclusion that while there are a few very knowledgeable and experienced =
folks in the AFS community, there are not any good, current, and =
comprehensive AFS information repositories out there.  The list archives =
are the best option, but I find them almost impossible to use unless I =
know the exact phrase I'm looking for.  Is there something I'm missing?

Cheers,
-Chaz