[Server-devel] Collaboration server for existing network

[Sridhar Dhanapalan]

On 16 March 2010 02:15, Martin Langhoff <martin.langhoff at gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 10:49 PM, Sridhar Dhanapalan
>> There appears to be some a difference in the design assumptions for
>> the XS versus what we see in Australian schools. The XS works great
>> where no other network exists, or where it is acceptable to establish
>> a separate subnet and wireless infrastructure.
>
> That was the design brief when I joined OLPC, and continues to be.
> Locations with existing networks have existing software expertise (you
> ;-) ) that can self-help on this track.
>
> You are not the first to ask for this, and I recognize it's an
> interesting use case.
>
> (And you cannot imagine how snowed under I am with other stuff. I'd
> love to help, and I _can_ help with if someone else -- you? -- takes
> ownership of it.)

I totally empathise. I'm trying to work out a solution, but like you
I've got other tasks as well. It's tricky for me as I'm new to this
OLPC stuff, having only started with OLPC Australia a couple of weeks
ago (and there's a lot for me to learn outside of the XS sphere as
well!). Good times :)

>> Shorter-term, we have identified that the key feature we need is the
>> collaboration. Schools would be very happy if they just had that. It
>> seems like a way forwards is to have a more 'standard' Linux server
>> (running something like CentOS or Fedora). It would run ejabberd to
>> manage the collaboration.
>
> Your conclusion is skipping some key facts -- the nice collaboration
> experience you expect _depends on the integration with registration
> and, in schools with more than ~50 users, on the Moodle integration_.

I'm not clear why Moodle is needed for for the collaboration. Is that
to segregate the children so that the Neighbourhood View doesn't
become too cluttered? So far we aren't using Moodle at our deployments
(it would be nice, but we haven't got to it yet).

As an alternative, we were thinking of having multiple ejabberd
servers going. The children can then connect to the server appropriate
for the class. It's not the most elegant solution, but possibly
simpler to implement. We can get more servers if we need them.

> Maybe my earlier email wasn't clear enough... the kiwi thing of
> understatement sticks to me. In brief: I don't make those
> recommendations lightly.
>
> You will need all the services I outlined for a satisfactory outcome.
> Maybe backup isn't strictly needed, but once you've done the other
> services, you get backup "for free".

Feel free to admonish me for my naiveity :)

> I will be more than happy to review the shell script, advise, and keep
> an eye out for corner cases, gotchas and problems. It's on you to
> write it and test it.
>
>> I'm sure that a solution to this problem would be of great use in many
>> locations worldwide. I don't believe that our use case is particularly
>> unique.
>
> Agreed. In other words -- solve it, and you'll be a hero for the other
> deployments that need it! :-)

Indeed, I'm working on it now. I'm finding it somewhat tricky
understanding everything that's going on underneath, so that's why I'm
asking the list for advice.

Thanks,
Sridhar


Sridhar Dhanapalan
Technical Co-ordinator
OLPC Australia
p: +61 425 239 701
w: http://laptop.org.au