[mythtv-users] Disk utilization on slave backend questions

[Chad]

On 7/8/05, Alex Brekken <brekkal at gmail.com> wrote:
> Hey all, I'm currently running a combo frontend/backend machine which
> has a 200 GB hard drive, and one PVR-250 tuner card.  I'd like to add
> a slave backend which would also have a PVR-250 tuner card and a 160
> GB drive.
> 
> I feel like I have an OK understanding of how a distributed Myth
> system will work, but I'm a little confused about the best way to
> configure the drives.
> 
> Does it make sense to put the 160 GB drive in the slave backend?  I
> assume that whatever recording is done on the slave, whether it's live
> TV or just a standard recording, will get written to that local drive.
>  So therefore, if the slave is down for any reason, then I obviously
> won't be able to watch whatever shows were recorded on it.
> Additionally, can the master backend/frontend machine just "see" the
> 160G drive on the slave?  Or do I need to set up an NFS or
> something...?
> 
> On the other hand, if I put the 160G drive on the combo
> frontend/backend box (along-side the 200G drive), then any recording
> the slave does has to be pushed across the network to the combo
> machine.  Is this a big deal?
> 
> I guess I'm mainly wondering what other Myth users feel is the best
> way to set this up as far as disk usage is concerned.  Thanks!
> _______________________________________________

I've recently ran into the same circumstance.  I however chose to make
use of the slave backend as a slave backend.  I stuffed a capture card
in there, setup the hard drive, and used it as a slave backend.  It
works great, when I switch cards locally before, it switched just as
you would expect, and now when I switch cards, it includes the card
stuffed in the slave backend, and if I wasn't a hardware nut, there
wouldn't be an easy way to tell the difference!

I really like this setup.  But you mentioned "if the backend is down,
I can't access my recordings from that machine".  This is absolutely
true.  I however don't plan on having it down.  If it 'goes to sleep'
I can always wake it.  I find it quite... nice to have 2 seperate
backends rather than everything thrown into 1 box.  It's more
attribution to Myth's awesome features, plus it gives me the ability
to expand much easier.

In the end, the answer you really need is that it's just personal preference.

Good Luck!