[erlang-questions] Implementing an erlang server to host organizational data

[Khitai Pang]

Hi,

I am writing an erlang server to host organizational data, e.g. the 
hierarchy of a company.  Every organization has a root node (the top 
branch), a branch node can have zero or multiple child nodes, a child 
node can be an employee node or a branch node, an employee node has no 
children... Basically, it's tree-like data.  All organization data is 
hosted on the erlang server, every client has it's local copy of the 
data.  A client (mobile app) connects to the erlang server to operate on 
the data (create an organization, add a branch, add an employee, rename 
a branch, add a subbranch to a branch, etc.), the change of the tree 
should be instantly synced to all clients.

Out of pure passion, I decided to do this with erlang.  I am new to 
erlang, new like couple of weeks.

How to store the data on disk? Mnesia?  How to organize the data? Does 
erlang has some OTP-fu to handle tree data?  Does erlang has a way to do 
mutex?  How do erlang server and clients talk to do data syncing?  Can 
the syncing be done by communicating with raw Erlang terms?

Sorry to ask so many questions, some may be off-topic in an mailing list 
for Erlang the programming language.  I really need some guidance before 
start working on it.  And I want to know in what way erlangers' would 
tend to implement this.


Thanks
Khitai