Experimenting de-centralized grid

3 March 2012 | Lab

OpenSim is supposed to be working with de-centralized server, that’s the goal of a grid, right? So, theorically, I should be able to run a region in a grid, while using another grid’s authentication server. And inventory and assets servers.

OpenSim is supposed to be working with de-centralized server, that’s the goal of a grid, right? So, theorically, I should be able to run a region in a grid, while using another grid’s authentication server. And inventory and assets servers.

This is particularly experimental, some did try before and failed (but HG was not as efficient as today). So we would really appreciate to share our and your thoughts, advices, experiences and ideas. Comment at bottom of the page or mail us (magic@speculoos.world, gudule@speculoos.world).

Why should I do such a fool thing? Imagine you maintain your own grid, and you also maintain some regions in another grid. With hypergrid links from one to other, of course, and some common content.

If you use standard configuration (each region use the hosting grid authentication, inventory and assets servers)

  • You need a separate account in each grid
  • If you want to use common content in regions in different grids, you have to give it to your (offline) alter-ego or user iar save/load stuff
  • Alternative is to make a copy of your region in your main grid, then use oar save/load to put it on the other grid. Not smoother
  • If you meet people in one grid and make friend with them, you have to re-ask them when you log in with your other account in the other grid
  • Same thing with groups, of course
  • If your configuration needs separate accounts (landlord, banker, etc…) all of them need to be duplicated in each grid.

So I came to the idea. What if I use the same auth, inv, and asset server of all my regions, and change the grid/region/gateway settings for the regions that are on another grid. The de-centralized architecture of opensim should permit that. Theorically. Particularly since hypergrid is efficient.

In de-centralization mode:

  • You don’t have to duplicate your accounts
  • All assets are shared between all the regions you maintain (oh, that’s precisely between these  regions that they move more often)
  • As you have one account your social contact don’t have to add you twice (or more times) in their contact list. Same for groups of course.
  • Simplier management, less mistakes…

Of course there are some (already known) issues. And (most annoying) some unknown at this stage.

  • The “mixed” regions are acting like if foreign on their geographical grid. Users landing here from surrounding regions experience same kind of experience as if they hypergridded, minus the time of teleport. However, if HG is correctly set up, all basic functionalities do work correctly. Can be slower sometimes, though.

So, let’s give it a try. I set up a region in OSGrid (called “Belgium Jump”, OSGrid link, HG link) where I only set a few setting with OSGrid values.

The settings

Nearly all settings in GridCommon.ini are set as if the region was in its “home” grid (let’s say, the one hosting auth, inv and assets servers), except a few ones:

  • GridServerURI
  • Gatekeeper
  • AvatarServerURI
  • PresenceServerURI

As for now, this is working just fine. But we would love if you jump in our region, make some tests and give feedback.

The links