On 8/19/07, Brianna Laugher <brianna.laugher(a)gmail.com> wrote:
Re: the discussion about an API and external tools,
We have a bit of a problem in that we are using both the toolserver
and the regular servers in ways they were not intended for. They are
both really intended for Wikimedia-internal use. If we use them for
external tools, Wikimedia does not directly benefit. If we were to
have any great success, it would likely backfire and result in the
thing being shut down or restricted.
So, do you think we should (sometime in the future, not tomorrow :))
consider approaching a chapter or outside org to donate hardware
specifically for this purpose?
Call it the Commons thumbcache server.
I'm not sure I see a clear need at this point.
Commons traffic levels just aren't significant enough to be an issue
and maintaining an additional database replica is a substantial
labor... some of the commons tools require access to copies of all the
sites as well.
I think that for specific high traffic tools with well defined needs,
like search, there might be a stronger case. Especially if the tools
wouldn't require running another full database slave.
For general grab-bag tools thats pretty much what toolserver is for
and it provides a lot of infrastructure to make those efforts easier.
We shouldn't let system capacity be a limiting factor in our actions,
however, if we do build something that needs more resources than
toolserver can handle, I will be standing beside you asking for more
resources. I don't see any reason that they shouldn't be provided if
needed.