[Typo3-typo3org] Comments on the mirroring concept

[Robert Lemke]

Hi folks,

this is what Jürgen wrote to me directly, I just post it here so I can give
the answers publicly:

--- Jürgen Egeling wrote: ------------------------------------------------

I have one suggestion for the "Downloading an extension with the Extension
Manager"

As a server admin I would like to have the chance to let people
only connect to *one given* mirror. E.G. in a big hosting, I probably want
to have some "supported" EXT where the hoster
has tested and will answer questions to the EXT, ...
Same in a big company, where people might be able to install
their own EXT, but only from a pool.
IMHO this could be easily achived if there is a configuration in the
install tool like "all EXT, or own EXT".
Also it might make sense to limit the server access region wide,
as if you suggest "the ext manager tries to connect to the fist..."
there is the chance that this first server is behind a 64k line, ...
(beeing the first in the list, does not mean beeing the fastest
to respond to one specific user.)
So it might be an idea to let people choose which server they want.
I quite like the concept of sourceforge, where I can choose the 
download location of my own (and where lucky to pick fast ones, ...)

Better we have a few good ones, where people can choose, than
letting *all* setting up a server and supporting it with the EXT,
with the EXT that has no chance to guarantee any performance.
  As a bad competitor I would buy 20 64kBit leased lines and
  put them in as supporting mirrors ;-)))
Or even uglieer: Have VMWare simulate 20 servers on my old
IBM 386 ;-)) (OK, enough)

another thing: The MD5 is ok, but if you provide this as "typo3.org"
for the people, you are close to guaranteeing something. I would not
try to be put in this corner, ...
Tell them these are mirros, and thats it.

Setting up a supporting mirror:
  I would let people get in contact with us, and try to find good
  supporting sponsors, not "anyone". Look at the sourceforge list.
  I bet there is a reason why there are so few servers.

I would not push the EXT to the mirrors, I would let the mirrors
*get* the files. This might get into non consistent EXT repositories,
but this is what I would fix by letting the EXT client manager connect
to a repository and get all information from there. Than after getting
the EXT there *could* be an MD5 check, but there is no need. If you have
an FTP session to a mirror, you get the snapshot. But as they are
usually mirrored in the night, is is fast enough I think.

My summary: It goes very much in the direction I wanted to set this
up, but I really want to discuss some details. This is for me hard
in E-Mail, especially in english. 

have fun
Juergen