Linden Lab begins testing Class 6 servers
by Tateru Nino 
Oct 7th 2008 at 9:00AM
Filed under: News items, Second Life, Virtual worlds
As expected, Linden Lab has begun testing 64-bit builds of Second Life server software, deploying a 64-bit version of the software intended for the new Class 6 servers onto an internal test grid. The software appears to be a straight 64-bit build of 1.24.9(98659), which should be able to function as a 64-bit binary, pending any oddnesses.
Those 'oddnesses' would include implicit or explicit assumptions about the size of storage types, as well as the possibility of sending unrepresentably large values to other systems that only support 32-bit storage types. Additionally there are potentially increased disk, file and memory storage requirements.
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The Massively Magical Prognosticative Dart Board™ suggests that given the overall progress on Class 6 testing, that we might conceivably see Class 6 servers deployed on the main grid as early as 1 November, though we'd perhaps pick 1 December as a more likely date, if pressed.
However, you all probably know how projects go at the Lab by now. There wouldn't be any surprises if testing and deployment of Class 6 systems took considerably longer.
We can't even begin to guess just what Class 6 systems will do to Second Life pricing and cost models.
When Class 5 systems were due to be rolled out originally, a user who was purchasing a new island (late in the week before the prices were due to change) was told by a Linden Lab staff member over the phone that the prices were changing early in the following week and that it would be cheaper to buy right away, rather than to delay. This information quickly became public, changing the behavior and economic activities of users. It caused quite a furor.
It is unlikely, therefore, that there will be any advance notice of any pricing changes before they take 'immediate effect' this time around.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Erbo Evans said on 11:28AM 10-07-2008
Well, THAT didn't take long! I expected this sort of thing less than two weeks ago...
With regard to pricing models: I'd expect the sim prices to rise somewhat to accomodate the C6 hardware for new orders, but, since they dropped not too long ago, the net effect might be a wash. I expect the mainland will probably slowly migrate to C6, if it does at all. (Remember how long it took for everything older than C5 to be taken off the Grid?) On the other hand, I don't know that LL will want to maintain both 32- and 64-bit builds of the server software for that long.
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Nock Forager said on 2:10AM 10-08-2008
Current class5 server has 64bit capability too. So if 64bit application works fine, they can move all server software to 64bit version. but it'll take some more time to be so anyway.
http://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/User:Babbage_Linden/Office_Hours/2008_10_01#chat103
Tateru Nino said on 2:12AM 10-08-2008
Yes, that's correct, Nock. The current class 5 systems are 64 bit hardware - though they only ever run in 32 bit mode. The new class six servers are supposed to be updated 64-bit hardware.