[Nel] server architecture (front end, load balancing, login service, ....)

Vianney Lecroart lecroart@nevrax.com
Mon, 17 Dec 2001 15:22:30 +0100


Hi nico,

> I've got a little question about the architecture of the server side.
> If I don't make mistake a shard is composed of N front ends and behind
> front ends there is some computers running different services.
> And some where there is a login service (one per shard or one for all
shard
> ?)

Shard is composed of services. There are front end services and back end
services.
Client are connected with on front end service and front end services are
connected with back end services.
There's only one login service for all shards. The client first connects to
the login service that checks the validity of the account, after the client
choose the shard. The login service warn the shard (via welcome service (one
per shard)) that a new client will come. The welcome service chooses the
best front end for the client and sends the choosen front end to the login
service and the login service sends this info to the client. after, the
client connects to the selected front end and authenticates.

> But how clients are balanced between the N front ends of a shard ?

For now, the welcome service does a dumb balancement (try to have the same
player number on each front end).

> It will be done by a generic load balancer (hardware)
> or a specific service from NEL ?

It s the welcome service that do that.

> The source code of the load balancer and the front end are delivered with
> NEL ?

Look the welcome service :-)

> If there a description of all NEL services ?

Look the net part of http://www.nevrax.org/docs/
And also try here http://www.nevrax.org/docs/doxygen/nel/pages.html

Vianney Lecroart
---
lead network programmer / nevrax.com
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