[OpenAFS] Re: Thinking about a different way to distribute configuration.

[Russ Allbery]

David Boyes <dboyes@sinenomine.net> writes:

> Wait a second: I think I see the disconnect here. I don't want the
> configuration service to be unique to AFS. I originally said "a"
> configuration service. That could be DHCP options or TFTP or something
> similar or whatever you choose. You can use Puppet if you want; I just
> object to assuming that local files are the only way.

Configuration files are the most ubiquitous method of configuration of
services available today on UNIX, and therefore essentially all
configuration management systems already know how to deal with them.  By
using them, AFS is staying in the predictable mainstream of
configuration.

I would not prejudge a generalized service for configuration that would
replace configuration files, but I'm skeptical that something like that
would be successful.  I'd be happy to be surprised, however.

But AFS is not where that sort of innovation should happen, IMO.  We
have enough to do in handling innovation in distributed file systems.
If someone wants to tackle the generalized configuration problem and
come up with a better solution, get general traction in the world, get
support for it in multiple other services, and then present it as an
option for AFS once it's widely supported and tested in other contexts,
I'd certainly be interested.

-- 
Russ Allbery (rra@stanford.edu)             <http://www.eyrie.org/~eagle/>