Linux-Kernel Archive: FENRIS Final Release for NwFs 1.4.X

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We appreciate the patience of the Linux community with this project. We =
are happy to announce that we are now feature complete on the FENRIS =
NwFs Source Base and all of the final regression tests have been =
completed in all areas for the FENRIS Core. We will post release 1.4.6 =
officially next week at ftp site 207.109.151.240. This release contains =
Volume Suballocation, RapidFATs, Extended Directory Support for OS2 and =
MAC, full Mirroring, Re-Mirroring, Read and Write Hotfixing, NetWare =
Directory Services Support (Databases), Striping, and Fault Tolerant =
Failover for mirror/duplex failures. =20

This release still runs on Linux Stock Kernel 2.0.37, however, it is a =
feature complete NetWare file system. We have also completed the ports =
to the Linux 2.2/2.3 VFS Architecture. The 2.2 version is in system =
testing with (langus@timpanogas.com) for the next several weeks. Anyone =
needing a status on when stuff will be posted should contact Larry. He =
runs the release schedule (we will serve no wine before It's time). =
When these regression tests have run to completion, we will post this =
code base. We have deliberately withheld the utilities that create and =
manage NetWare file systems on Linux. This has been intentional. We =
have numerous licensees of FENRIS for projects other than Linux who have =
come to us with issues about our release of these utilities to the =
public. Most of the folks who license from us use the core file system =
library for SAN switches, disk-cloning products, etc. These licensees =
have voiced their concern that were we to open source the utilities that =
create and manage Netware file systems, that this would harm their =
businesses because it would allow other folks to get access to the =
technology without going through us for a license. TRG has NO =
contractural prohibition that would prevent us from open sourcing these =
tools. As such, we have decided that we will open source the tools, but =
will do so when the FENRIS project has been fully completed and =
integrated into the Linux core. This means that if Linus Torvalds and =
Alan Cox choose to roll NwFs into the Linux Core proper, then we will =
Open Source the tools for everyone to use. If they do not roll NwFs =
into the Linux Core, then we will provide everyone access to binary =
versions of the tools, but will not publish the source code. =20

The performance numbers for FENRIS on Linux are **POOR** in comparison =
to this IDENTICAL code base running under Windows NT 4.0 and Windows =
2000. Both run circles around Linux, even on Linux 2.3 by a factor of =
about 55%. We are attempting to figure out why. Ingo's Page Cache does =
really help get the performance up to the same levels as Windows NT in =
some scenarios, however, when the buffer cache get's heavily loaded, =
Linux seems to get into some serious trouble vs. NT and Netware. We are =
attempting to figure out why. The performance of FENRIS on Linux vs. =
Native Netware from our tests show that Netware is about 240% faster =
than Linux running this identical code base. We created a VSWITCH =
plug-in (Novell's equivalent of an IFS) of FENRIS on Netware to compare =
our identical code base running unde Netware 4.x vs. Linux. Netware =
**KICKS** Linux's butt. Logic analysis with a bus analyzer shows that =
Linus's heavy use of trap gates for system calls and TLB flushing during =
process context switches is a serious factor. Both NT and Netware use =
page level protection, however, these two OS's perform some =
optimizations that are absent in Linux. There are also some severe =
parallelism issues with the Linux code base proper and the way shared =
synchronization is done (or rather isn't done) that reduces the =
parallelsim of Linux and the file systems. =20

We will be locking down final code for 2.0.37 next week. 2.2/2.3 will =
post in about three to four weeks. We may post earlier versions if =
Larry Angus gives us a green light on these code bases. =20

We are also pleased to let everyone know our next Open Source Linux =
project in Novell's Netware Directory Services on Linux as an Open =
Source Intiative. We are about 60% complete on an Open Source NDS for =
Linux.

We want to thank Alan Cox, Linus(x), Al Viro, Steve Spicer, and all the =
wonderul Linux folks who really helped out with this project and helped =
us get it tested and out the door. Special thanks to Ray Noorda, =
founder and former CEO of Novell who funded this Open Source project for =
the benefit of the Linux Community then asked us to Open Source the File =
System portion for all to use and enjoy. =20

This isn't the last time you'll hear from us, stay tuned, NDS is next =
for Linux from us. We will post an announcement next week during the =
Linux show.

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We appreciate the patience of the Linux = community=20 with this project. We are happy to announce that we are now = feature=20 complete on the FENRIS NwFs Source Base and all of the final regression = tests=20 have been completed in all areas for the FENRIS Core. We will post = release=20 1.4.6 officially next week at ftp site 207.109.151.240. This = release=20 contains Volume Suballocation, RapidFATs, Extended Directory Support for = OS2 and=20 MAC, full Mirroring, Re-Mirroring, Read and Write Hotfixing, NetWare = Directory=20 Services Support (Databases), Striping, and Fault Tolerant Failover for=20 mirror/duplex failures.

This release still runs on Linux Stock = Kernel=20 2.0.37, however, it is a feature complete NetWare file system. We = have=20 also completed the ports to the Linux 2.2/2.3 VFS Architecture. = The 2.2=20 version is in system testing with (langus@timpanogas.com) for the = next=20 several weeks. Anyone needing a status on when stuff will be = posted should=20 contact Larry. He runs the release schedule (we will serve no wine = before=20 It's time). When these regression tests have run to completion, we = will=20 post this code base. We have deliberately withheld the utilities = that=20 create and manage NetWare file systems on Linux. This has been=20 intentional. We have numerous licensees of FENRIS = for projects other=20 than Linux who have come to us with issues about our release of = these=20 utilities to the public. Most of the folks who license from = us use=20 the core file system library for SAN switches, disk-cloning = products,=20 etc. These licensees have voiced their concern that were we to = open source=20 the utilities that create and manage Netware file systems, that this = would harm=20 their businesses because it would allow other folks to get access to the = technology without going through us for a license. TRG has NO = contractural=20 prohibition that would prevent us from open sourcing these tools. = As such,=20 we have decided that we will open source the tools, but will do so when = the=20 FENRIS project has been fully completed and integrated into the Linux=20 core. This means that if Linus Torvalds and Alan Cox choose to = roll NwFs=20 into the Linux Core proper, then we will Open Source the tools for = everyone to=20 use. If they do not roll NwFs into the Linux Core, then we will = provide=20 everyone access to binary versions of the tools, but will not publish = the source=20 code.

The performance numbers for FENRIS on = Linux are=20 **POOR** in comparison to this IDENTICAL code base running under Windows = NT 4.0=20 and Windows 2000. Both run circles around Linux, even on = Linux 2.3 by=20 a factor of about 55%. We are attempting to figure=20 out why. Ingo's Page Cache does really help get the = performance up to=20 the same levels as Windows NT in some scenarios, however, when the = buffer cache=20 get's heavily loaded, Linux seems to get into some serious trouble vs. = NT and=20 Netware. We are attempting to figure out why. The = performance of=20 FENRIS on Linux vs. Native Netware from our tests show that Netware is = about=20 240% faster than Linux running this identical code base. We = created a=20 VSWITCH plug-in (Novell's equivalent of an IFS) of FENRIS on = Netware to=20 compare our identical code base running unde Netware 4.x vs. = Linux. =20 Netware **KICKS** Linux's butt. Logic analysis with a bus = analyzer=20 shows that Linus's heavy use of trap gates for system calls and TLB = flushing=20 during process context switches is a serious factor. Both NT = and=20 Netware use page level protection, however, these two OS's perform some=20 optimizations that are absent in Linux. There are also some severe = parallelism issues with the Linux code base proper and the way shared=20 synchronization is done (or rather isn't done) that reduces the = parallelsim of=20 Linux and the file systems.

We want to thank Alan Cox, Linus(x), Al = Viro, Steve=20 Spicer, and all the wonderul Linux folks who really helped out with this = project=20 and helped us get it tested and out the door. Special thanks to = Ray=20 Noorda, founder and former CEO of Novell who funded this Open Source = project for=20 the benefit of the Linux Community then asked us to Open Source the File = System=20 portion for all to use and enjoy.