NethServer 8 Cluster - How does it work?

I would like to know how the Nethserver 8 clustering works. Is there a special Filesystem, is it possible to stretch it over the WAN etc.?

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you decide of your filesystem because you install first a debian, fedora server centos9 stream or rocky linux then you trigger a script to initiate the cluster

the cluster uses wireguards to encrypt communication between nodes

This sounds cool, may it will work on a Filesystem like this:

What do you think, how many Nodes at most could the Cluster have?

we speak about 2 or 3 nodes but I am certain that we will have some good surprise

as I said, you install first a debian or a rocky9 linux (my preferred way) with the filesystem you want then you trigger the script

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ATM I am thinking how the Installation should looks like because AFAIK XtreemFS is not suppurted during the debian installation… Maybe a 2nd hdd with XtreemFS mounted to the ibay folder could do it…

No hijacking intended, but what is the latest status on NS8 please? ( @alefattorini ?)

2 posts were split to a new topic: What is your preferred OS to run NS8?

I think the main questions were already answered, but I’d like to remark some important concepts of NS8

Think about NS8 as a platform to administrate and run applications on many machines.

This NS8 platform does not provide any special filesystem for both internal and external applications…

…but a NS8 module could do it in theory!


Yes, cluster nodes can be spread across the world. The only shared resource a NS8 cluster provides is the Wireguard VPN for inter-node communications. This one and other core features, like user domains, centralized logs, backups and configuration in general, constitute the base to build useful applications, and maybe in the future also multi-node applications. But in this case, their requirements on network latency and availability may be more strict!

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NS8 is still on alpha stage. In Nethesis, we are replacing some NS7 based systems with NS8 and testing the migration tool. The project roadmap is in this Trello card.

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I always wonder how application scalability comes into play in this architecture. Maybe I am over asking/questioning, but let’s say I have Nextcloud for 50 uses on a node and I need to scale up to 100 users, but can not upgrade the node resources. Can I add a new node to share the load and thus scale up, or are applications installed on 1 node confined to that 1 node?

Thanks.

@LayLow

Hi

As far as I understand it, you can.

But not “share” the load…
You can install a node on a newer hardware (eg Proxmox underneath). Migrate the duties (services) of that node (or migrate the whole node).
That node now has more powerful hardware underneath…

But no sharing, as NethServer (Small and Medium Enterprises) does not need or provide multi-tennant capabilities… No AD Master / Slaves or similiar (for the moment, at least)…

My 2 cents
Andy

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you could add a node elsewhere with bigger ressources and move the module to this new node

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Thanks. Yes, that is what I thought, replacing complete node with a bigger one. But no mechanisms like ballooning memory (Xen stuff) and increasing processing power on an existing node. It can only be replaced.

Built in in Proxmox…

But I would not suggest using ballooning on any server (no matter what OS!) handling databases… :slight_smile:

The memory gets taken away, the database becomes effectively corrupt…

With Proxmox you can also allocate more resources - on the fly even - if you have any to spare on the host…

No need for reinstalling or moving a node…

My 2 cents
Andy

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The ‘problem’ is that I am looking at data centers with VPS’s as nodes in a virtual network. No Proxmox on a VPS and bare metal or dedicated is too expensive.

And neverthless the tireless effort from developers and containers fan, still not convinced about the size of the “container overhead” on VPS.

@LayLow

Hi

Sounds like a fairly big backup risk, and an even larger disaster recovery risk…

My 2 cents
Andy

You call CDN also the same way? Or Cluster? :sweat_smile:

No, a professional CDN will have the budget for Backups, and most likely, also not use VPS…

And I’m running a Proxmox Cluster, with several PBS - 'nuff said.
Best, most reliable and backup safe cluster ever!

But, agreed, there are “lesser” Clusters out there…
And others, like the french OVH, provides Hot Backups free…

As to hardware installs nowadays: If I see the owner use an Ox-cart, I agree it’s suitable.

:slight_smile:

My 2 cents
Andy