2.5 Admins 2.5 Admins 253: ImpossibleFS
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Jun 26, 2025 The discussion kicks off with concerns about the future of next-gen filesystems, particularly the dominance of ZFS. They question whether we might hit a cognitive limit in managing increasingly complex systems. A deep dive into Bcachefs improvements highlights the ongoing challenges in filesystem development. The conversation also weighs the pros and cons of switching to third-party firmware for home routers, examining performance trade-offs and personal experiences with options like Fresh Tomato. Innovation and diversity in storage technology hang in the balance!
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Complexity Limits in Next-Gen File Systems
- Next-gen file systems face complexity limits that challenge human mental capacity for design and management.
- ZFS achieved success by modular design and team collaboration to handle this complexity effectively.
ZFS Development Story
- ZFS succeeded after four failed attempts by narrowing scope and starting with one senior and one student.
- Modular components and defined interfaces allowed team collaboration without overload on any single person.
Importance of Modular Design
- ZFS's layered, modular design enables small teams to manage complexity by focusing on individual components.
- Excessive component division risks creating a giant distributed system that’s hard to manage.
