in reply to Re: Total speculation?
in thread Total speculation?

The notion that keeps buzzing around in my head is COW! Copy on Write. Have the test server access the live database (readonly), but tweak the reads so that a look aside table is accessed first. If the request can be satisfied from there, it is, and any modified nodes would be trialled into the lookaside table.

If the requested node is not in the LAT, then it is taken from the live table. If the request results in an update(s), these are made to the LAT not the live DB.

Hmm. How easy is that to set up? Probably not at all, but the thought kept buzzing, so I mentioned it.

Examine what is said, not who speaks.
"Efficiency is intelligent laziness." -David Dunham
"When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." -Richard Buckminster Fuller
If I understand your problem, I can solve it! Of course, the same can be said for you.

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Re^3: Total speculation?
by Aristotle (Chancellor) on Oct 03, 2003 at 15:39 UTC
    That's an interesting idea, but - where is authorization for node accesses done? If it happens on the development server (and I don't see how you could feasibly do it elsewhere, ie on the live site), anyone who can apply patches can patch the authorization code and so grant himself full access..

    Makeshifts last the longest.

[reply]

      I'm not sure of what mechanisms are currently in place for updating nodes, but that same mechanism would still be used. (ie. on the live site).

      The difference would be that non-god authorised users updates would be made into the look-aside table rather than the real database. There would also be a list of prohibited nodes. Attempts by non-god authorised users to read prohibited nodes fails. Updates to a node can only be made if the user has previously read the node.

      All of the authorisation and node update nodes are on the prohibited list and can only be run from the live system. The LAT is only used from the test system, so no updates can be made there.

      That's not very well described, is probably flawed, but it's almost certainly a waste of effort to even think about it further.

      Examine what is said, not who speaks.
      "Efficiency is intelligent laziness." -David Dunham
      "When I'm working on a problem, I never think about beauty. I think only how to solve the problem. But when I have finished, if the solution is not beautiful, I know it is wrong." -Richard Buckminster Fuller
      If I understand your problem, I can solve it! Of course, the same can be said for you.
[reply]

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