split-brain [was ping timeout]

[Ian Rogers <ian.rogers@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[I've snipped all the previous comments just because they were getting 
too long]

Having read all the previous posts I think there's some things we agree 
on wrt. split-brain

1. We wish Vikas would be given more time to finish 
http://www.gluster.com/community/documentation/index.php/Internals_of_Replicate 
:-)

2. The clients could do with some kind of optional quorum system to 
detect split-brain if sufficient sub-volumes are uncontactable (and not 
intentionally downed by the admin). The client could then go into 
read-only or totally-down mode depending on further options

3. ls -laR is just too slow as a method to re-sync large volumes. In the 
case where a sub-volume dissappears but the whole volume is not marked 
read-only (e.g. when a sub-volume is deliberately taken off-line so "sub 
quorum" is not flagged) the clients need some kind of dirty-file list so 
they can spawn off a thread to re-sync them quickly when the 
sub-volume(s) rejoin the client.

Are there any (more) rich companies out there who can buy a few extra 
support licenses to get this done? Or perhaps open up a "small FOSS 
donations" channel in pay-pal or something?...  :-)

Ian