%META:TOPICINFO{author="RayLink" date="1122495755" format="1.0" version="1.18"}%
---++ NAMEI vs. inode based file server

There are two different flavours of the AFS file server (the fs process): One uses inodes to store AFS data (volumes, files, metadata), the other uses real files.

The inode-based server needs a file system which supports access by inode and usually a special fsck is required so that the AFS data is not corrupted (since the server does some behind-the-scenes stuff with the file system). The NAMEI file server does not pose any unusual constraints on the underlying filesystem - it's an ordinary userspace program working with (silly-named) files.

You can easily see that you are using an NAMEI file server if there is a directory named =AFSIDat= and with subdirectories like =+= and =+1= in your =/vicep*=.

-- Main.TinoSchwarze - 25 Jul 2003

---++ Recommended Partition Types for use with OpenAFS

| *namei Server* | *Server vicexx Partition Types* |
| Any system type | Basically any filesystem you like, as the new namei file server does not do any fancy stuff behind the scenes but only accesses normal files (their names are a bit strange though). |

| *inode Server* | *Server vicexx Partition Types*|
| sun4x_5[789] | =ufs= w/o logging |
| aix_4[345] , aix_51 | =ufs= |
| sgi_65 | =XFS= |
| ppc_darwin_14 | ??? |
| alpha_dux[40,50,51] | =ufs= , no =AdvFS= support|

| *Client* | *Cache (=/usr/vice/cache=)Partition Types* |
| i386_linux24 | =ext2=, =ext3= |
| sun4x_5[789] | =ufs= without logging or dedicated ufs cache partition with logging, =vxfs= |
| aix_4[345] , aix_51 | =ufs=, =JFS= |
| sgi_65 | =XFS= |
| ppc_darwin_14 | ??? |
| These Don't Work | ReiserFS, =vxfs= (HP-UX, Solaris), =AdvFS= (OSF1/DigitalUnix/CompaqUnix/Tru64Unix) |

Further, Tru64Unix 5.1 has only server support on ufs. The client is supported under Arla including =AdvFS= (but no server support as of Apr 2002). Server and client should work under DU4.0 and Tru64Unix 5.0.


	* *Question:* Does this table imply that clients can't use the NAMEI backend and still need a specific filesystem? Will this ever change?

-- Main.ToddLewis - 06 Nov 2002

	* *Another Question:* Does this mean that you can use an NFS mount point as a /vicexx if you use a NAMEI fileserver?

-- ChrisMcClimans - 25 Jul 2003