> I just want to get rid of the volume names _also_ being used and
> looked up as an integral part of file access operations.
> 
> Such usage requires the presence of a corresponding reliable
> "volume names to volume numerical ids mapping" service.
> 
> This service can be otherwise dropped, without losing any functionality.
> 
> Mapping between the numerical volume ids and the human-oriented volume
> comments can be done at mountpoint creation/management time by separate
> means (those means not being necessary for the regular file service).
> 
> As an example, in a very small installation even a _paper_ sheet with
> "ToMountOn                     volume#
>  home        personal areas    1
>  home/bob    my home dir       2
>  home/alice  wife home dir     6
>  mail        mailboxes         4
>  mail/bob    my mail           5
>   ..."
> could be sufficient. :)
> 
> I do not mind implementing better tools than a paper sheet, but it is
> important to implement them separately.

I think you just re-invented DNS

Is there any reason not to use DNS? If having the coda server be able 
to make updates is important, then make it a delegated subdomain and
have the coda server run a process that answers on port 53 with human
readable file-to-number mappings.

... but what if someone wants a number to name mapping?.. hrrrm...
https://sites.google.com/a/kluge.net/mkrdns/

Why not make a DNS server that uses Ubik as the back-end database?
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpls/abs_all.jsp?arnumber=109269

Is there anything better *in practice* that is widely deployed, simple,
and reliable?
 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Troy Benjegerdes                 'da hozer'                  hozer_at_hozed.org
7 elements      earth::water::air::fire::mind::spirit::soul        grid.coop

      Never pick a fight with someone who buys ink by the barrel,
         nor try buy a hacker who makes money by the megahash