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What is a server deploy?


Rose Mackie
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Can some please explain exactly what is meant on the http://status.secondlifegrid.net/ by Second Life Server Deploy or point me to the Wiki answer?


Simply stating "Its when SL deploys the servers" is not an exact explaination. I need to be able to explain what "Server" means in an SL context, what is meant by "deploy" and how it affects residents. I am willing to go to the Wiki and read about it, I just can't find it.


Thank you in advance for your kind responses.

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I beleive that is the Every Tuesday Server deploy to the main server channel. They deploy all the bug fixes and new goodies that have been stewing on the beta channels for the past week.

 

Every Tuesday the main Server Channels get rolled. Wednesdays is the Beta Server Channels ( Server Meaning the Servers that house the regions )

 Betta Server Channels consist of 4 types

Every week Oskar will announce the Weekly Server Deploys in the Second Life Server forums

http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Second-Life-Server/bd-p/SecondLifeServer

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A "server" is a program that sits on one or more computers that are responsible for running a sim.  Each sim ( a "simulator") in Second life is a virtual construct.  The land and all of the objects on it are described in computer code that is executed by the servers.  All movements, lighting, and communication are also handled by them.  Finally, the servers have to keep track of each avatar in the sim --- where it is, what it's doing, and what it's carrying or wearing.

Servers are "deployed" by switching them on.  Linden Lab technicians monitor server behavior all the time, watching for things that are going wrong.  They are also constantly working on upgrades to the server code -- sometimes to fix problems and sometimes to introduce new features or enhance performance.  Each time they change the server code, they need to restart or reboot the servers.  Recently, they have been doing a scheduled "redeployment" like this every Tuesday.  There have also been several unscheduled redeployments as emergencies have come up.

You can see what's involved in each week's deployment of the servers on the main grid (where most SL sims reside) and on the handful of sims that are running experimental versions of the server code (Release Candidates) by checking at http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Second-Life-Server/bd-p/SecondLifeServer.  The summary is always one of the top items on the list there.

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Rolig's answer is pretty good. I'll add a little.

There is the dictionary meaning of the word 'deploy'. That is the general meaning for the use you are asking about. 

Rolig describes a server pretty well. I'll give you another definition. A server in the computer world is like a waiter in a restaurant. It is a hardware and software combination that servers data or services to another computer. Your viewer in your computer is a client which the servers serve.

When we start to talk about computers things start to get ambiguous. One has to take some idea of the meaning from the context. One may mean a new computer is being added to help support SL. Or they may mean new software is being 'deployed' to the hardware, in which case it just means old software is likely being replaced with new software.

The Lab tests software before putting it into service. All software runs through Quality Assurance testing. The first tests are run in the Preview Grid and in house within the Lab. Eventually it makes it to a pre-beta and then beta where SL users can try it out and report problems. 

Once the software is in Beta we see it as the Beta Viewer or the server software running in the Release Channels, of which there is usually 3; Blue Steel, Le Tigre, and Magnum. Once the server software passes those tests it is rolled out (deployed) on the main channel, meaning all of the standard Second Life grid and also added to the release channels where new software to be tested is added in too.

The Lab announced that they would be replacing the servers/hardware that runs SL. This is a large upgrade. We have few details on what it actually consists of.

So, in all of this work, a server deploy may mean new hardware, a new Operating System version, or a new version of simulator software is being put into service... or all of those.

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