On 1/31/2011 3:00 PM, Ron Leach wrote:
All we want to do is not lose emails.
What does everyone else do? Lose emails?
regards, Ron
I've followed several of the filesystem threads here with interest - and tips & insight on improving performance are always exciting. But I'm very confused with regards to some of the questions about data integrity. Filesystem selection can be at least as serious a commitment as marriage - but if the goal is to avoid data loss due to power failure, it seems the solution to the problem is not having the problem in the first place.
I'm responsible for running a massive server farm (1 box) for an extraordinary number of users (at least 5 active accounts) so I may have a distorted view of reality. But I will say the only time I've lost mail has been through OP error (at least since I left MS Exchange behind...shudder). And since that idiot IT guy looks an awful like my mirror image...
I'm sure those OPs with larger budgets might have some hardware suggestions for reducing the chance of hardware failure leading to data loss (I mean, other than using good components, installed properly with oversized cooling - and possibly proactive upgrade/replacements prior to anticipated lifetime failure - how can you ELIMINATE the possibility of a CPU/controller/HD just deciding to blow up?)
My first exposure to the wonders of UPS's had nothing to do with keeping the system on while the lights were out. Having moved from a location where the power was relatively stable, I came to a new city and it turns out power quality sucks - and so do the grounds. I had constant failures, crashes, and general unstable behaviour from my PC. As soon as I added a UPS (with line conditioning) - problems magically disappeared.
If you have a proper-sized UPS, combined with notification from the UPS to the servers to perform orderly shutdowns - including telling the application servers to shutdown prior to the storage servers, etc. - doesn't that render the (possibly more than theoretical) chances of data loss due to power interruption a moot point?
-- Daniel