peer-to-peerlang (was RE: One Million Processes)

[Bjorn Gustavsson]

"Vlad Dumitrescu" <vlad_dumitrescu@REDACTED> writes:

> 
> The question is whether the standard distribution mechanism *should* be used in
> such a setting at all. I also think the idea of automagically having the nodes
> talk to each other is attractive, using normal socket connections resolves a lot
> of problems. For instance, security can be handled in a library, not by hacking
> the runtime.
> 

I think it is clear that the distribution should NOT be used,
for several reasons.

Security: Anyone that is able to connect (has the cookie) can do
any kind of damage to any other connected Erlang node. (Through
spawn/4 or one of the rpc:call functions.)

Scalability: The distribution was not designed to allow that many
nodes connected to each other.

Distribution is good for communication between a small number of
hosts that that mutually trust each other.

Even without distribution, using standard sockets, you still get
most of the advantages of Erlang. For instance, you can still send
Erlang terms by using the term_to_binary/1 and binary_to_term/1 BIFs.

/Bjorn

> regards,
> Vlad
> 

-- 
Björn Gustavsson            Ericsson Utvecklings AB
bjorn@REDACTED      ÄT2/UAB/F/P
			    BOX 1505
+46 8 727 56 87 	    125 25 Älvsjö