Difference between revisions of "Mesh/Distributed Services"

Add a section on centralized vs. distributed architecture, and governance
(→‎Services: Fuller description in intro; remove unneeded header)
(Add a section on centralized vs. distributed architecture, and governance)
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The [[mesh]] network should provide communication services, so that it offers value to its users beyond mere connectivity to the Internet. What can be done to help it strengthen ties among Oakland residents, and to benefit the community? This wiki page is here to collect ideas about what services could/should be offered.
The [[mesh]] network should provide communication services, so that it offers value to its users beyond mere connectivity to the Internet. What can be done to help it strengthen ties among Oakland residents, and to benefit the community? This wiki page is here to collect ideas about what services could/should be offered.


(email, contacts, calendar, phone). The services can be integrated into a user account distributed database with master-master replication and low latency (ex. [http://www.datastax.com/resources/whitepapers/benchmarking-top-nosql-databases Cassandra]). These services will use existing open source projects.
Services (such as file sharing, email, contacts, calendar, and phone) should be provided based on existing free/open source software. Orientation & setup could be built into the introductory process for new mesh users.
 
Some general aspects worth considering:
* Security
* Integration into a user account distributed database with master-master replication and low latency (ex. [http://www.datastax.com/resources/whitepapers/benchmarking-top-nosql-databases Cassandra]).
 
== Architecture: Centralized & decentralized services ==
A central philosophical and practical consideration is how services will be provided. Do we fundamentally want the mesh to be a centralized entity which offers certain services to all members? Or a platform on which individual members can offer services? Or a hybrid?
 
As it stands now (summer 2015), the mesh offers some opportunity for individual members to offer services. For instance, it's possible for anybody on the mesh to offer services that are accessible elsewhere on the mesh. Should there be (for instance) a central, community-curated file server? Or should it just be up to anybody who wants to, to offer up file shares?
 
Are there certain kinds of sharing we want to discourage or prohibit, and if so, what will be the social and technical means for enforcement? How will we respond if people start openly sharing copyrighted music and movies? Proprietary software? Child porn? It's worthwhile to think through these scenarios, as a successful network that lacks any kind of governance would become an attractive resource for those whose illegal activities cannot be pursued in the open on the Internet.


==Storage / File Systems==
==Storage / File Systems==