18Aug-2016Meeting

Statements made by PT at the 8/18/2016 meeting, and responses.

1. Students now use cloud-based storage more than or instead of filesystem-based storage

   For storage of word processing documents, slide deck presentations, spreadsheets, graphic images, and e-mail, that may be true. This is driven by mobile app-based computing.

   However, for the workflows required for a robust research-focused academic experience, various aspects of course work, web pages querying against academic Oracle and MySQL databases, collaboration, data security (Outsourcing data storage), long-term backups, and providing core institutional services, an institutional file system is required.

2. MIT hardly uses AFS anymore

   AFS continues to be essential to the operation of CSAIL (Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory), and Lincoln Labs at MIT. CSAIL uses OAFS, Lincoln Labs use AuriStorFS.

   CSAIL
   Lincoln Labs

3. The continued use of AFS at CMU is in question

   The CS and ECE departments at CMU, historically the main users, have no plans to leave AFS. Both departments want to deploy AuriStorFS.

4. AFS paths used by instructors and students can be mapped in NFS/CIFS

   There are probably thousands of these paths. The discovery alone of these paths would be a major. very labor-intensive task.

   Apropos of this topic, any prospective moving from AFS to another storage method should be thoroughly vetted with faculty.