Web File Servers

[wongadob]

Hi, I would like some advice and recommendation on Web File servers. I am in the process of creating a site (I am a bit of a newbie, but want to realise my idea before presenting and getting investment to re-engineer the right way. (if I dont get it right myself) I am a reasonably experinced programmer, mainly low level assemblty languages, C,, Javascript, PHP. I am less experienced in server side technologies. I have created software from scratch using XAMPP written in PHP and accessing a MY-SQL server, but what I am planning is a lot grander. I plan on having a master mysql server to store user infromation that then points to other servers that will store that particular users data. A lot of this data will be again SQL databases, I know I can handle that bit, but the bit I have not done before and I am usure about is the storage of users files. i.e. jpg's etc. They will have the ability to upload picture and video files. I know I need to store these on a file server that is independant of the SQL server, but what I don't know if the technology to use for a file server. What software should I be using for a file server. bare in mind I am familiar with Xampp in a WAMP set-up. I want something that is SUPER robust. I know I may need to change solurtions in the future if this takes off, but I don't want that transition to be too painful (as we all know the pace the web moves if it takes off. I think I have my architecture OK for server expansion, but need a tech that will allow me to set up multiple file servers if necessary. Any advice would be much appreciated. Regards

[boen_robot]

You may want to consider using a CDN service for the files (or a Cloud service for the whole thing), but if you insist on using your own architecture, fine...It's generally a good idea to have a central distribution server that would do the job of copying files across all of your servers (which, obviously, would be listed there, with sufficient permissions, credentials, etc.). Each of your web servers, once it receives a file from a user, will upload the file to the distribution server, so that it can go to all other "mirrors". To keep the web application responsive, the upload to the distributor should happen by a separate application on that server, which would monitor the upload folder.To spread the load between your server, you'd need to have at least one "load balancer" device, through which all connections will pass. The only job for this device is to spread the TCP connections it receives across all of your servers listed in it. I say "at least" one, because you can have few, and your DNS servers (of which, AFAIK, you can have up to 5) could point all clients to any and all of them.The DNS servers themselves, although always equal in weight, may, and should, be located on different parts of the globe, and contain only the IPs of your servers that are near them. They could of course check if the servers are reachable, and use distant servers otherwise.