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Making Use of Terabytes of Unused Storage

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the something-to-think-about dept.

kernspaltung writes "I manage a network of roughly a hundred Windows boxes, all of them with hard drives of at least 40GB — many have 80GB drives and larger. Other than what's used by the OS, a few applications, and a smattering of small documents, this space is idle. What would be a productive use for these terabytes of wasted space? Does any software exist that would enable pooling this extra space into one or more large virtual networked drives? Something that could offer the fault-tolerance and ease-of-use of ZFS across a network of PCs would be great for small-to-medium organizations."

10 of 448 comments (clear)

  1. Porn by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's the obvious choice.

  2. vista? by stillb4llin · · Score: 5, Funny

    install vista on them, that would fill up that space and give you something to manage your time a little better than wondering about what you could manage..

    1. Re:vista? by Mantaar · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, Vista is useless. Here's something that makes a lot more sense:

      http://www.uniquepeek.com/viewpage.php?page_id=1517

      :-)

      --
      I'm an infovore...
  3. easy! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Does any software exist that would enable pooling this extra space into one or more large virtual networked drives?

    Absolutely! Just hook them up directly to the internet before you update the machines, wait a few minutes, and voila! They'll be filled up with extra files in no time! Hey, you didn't say anything about wanting to be in control of what gets put on the machines...

  4. Download and mirror the Internet... by SiegeTank · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...just in case your connection fails.

  5. Re:not enough info by BeanThere · · Score: 4, Funny

    100 computers in his mom's basement? That's a big basement.

  6. Re:Not without heavy *use* of other resources by fretlessjazz · · Score: 5, Funny

    Well, you sound like a troll. I seriously doubt anybody misunderstood what he meant because he used the word "utilization". Or, should I say he utilized it? UTILIZE UTILIZE UTILIZE UTILIZE UTILIZE UTILIZE UTILIZE UTILIZE Does it hurt yet?

  7. Re:Not without heavy *use* of other resources by Dogtanian · · Score: 5, Funny

    Read George Orwell's essay on this topic. Going by his dislike of overused, cliched phrases expressed in that essay, today's "businessspeak" (mindless repetition of words and phrases that have long since been driven into the ground by thoughtless, banal, stupid repetition) would have him spinning in his grave so much that we could use him as a form of renewable energy.

    The solution is obvious. We need to think outside the box and raise the bar when it comes to language... someone needs to step up to the plate and bring something new to the table. I'm thinking of someone I have synergy with, not just the type that goes for the low-hanging fruit.

    Ooh.... he's spinning nicely. Another couple of Orwells and we'll have enough electricity to power the world :)
    --
    "Slashdot - News and Chat Sites Deviant". (Click "homepage" link above for details).
  8. Re:Not without heavy *use* of other resources by dreamchaser · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think what you're saying is we need to leverage a new paradigm in order to take things to the next level. Am I right?

  9. Re:It's been done by Microsoft: DFS NameSpaces by Spokehedz · · Score: 4, Funny

    Even a blind squirrel will find a nut every once in a while.