Re: [ros-general] networks

[Aliberti Emanuele]

Rex Jolliff wrote:

>   I think keeping client information on the server is a
> better idea 
>  also.  Perhaps the appropriate
>  directories (like the user settings directory) can be mounted at a 
>  given directory a la unix.  The
>  mount functionality might be doable with a filter driver.  Or perhaps 
>  some appropriate registry
>  settings could be changed to support client data remotely. 

Hi Rex,

nice to hear from you from time to time.

Keeping any kind of user information in a database (database approach) 
is the better thing to do, IMHO, in the long term. The database approach 
brings almost for free the replica concept. Why do we need replicas? Do 
not forget mobile devices are what is ahead (what we use today, even in 
Japan and Europe is just an experiment, real spread computing will be 
here about 2010/2020...), but even if bandwidth is not a problem (or it 
won't be), time will continue to be a big one, I'd say it is THE 
problem. How long does your Win/Lin box take to bootstrap? With 
replicas, user information is always available locally and can be 
accesses in no time. It may be in you laptop, in your pda, in your 
mobile phone, in the cruise control of your car or in the control panel 
of your washing machine... With IPv6 this need of possible spread 
availability of user information will even increase, because network 
sessions can be freezed, restored and moved among devices on the fly.

Emanuele