Mentioned at [http://www.mapr.com/doc/display/MapR2/Planning+the+Cluster#PlanningtheCluster-NodeTypes][1]
**Edge Nodes**
So-called Edge nodes provide a common user access point for the MapR webserver and other client tools. Edge nodes may or may not be part of the cluster, as long as the edge node can reach cluster nodes. Nodes on the same network can run client services, MySQL for Metrics, and so on.
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However, I'm still not clear.
a) Why need 'provide a common user access point for the MapR webserver' ?
b) If I want to read/write to MapR-FS. It is just NFS mount point it .. or it is necessary to go thru Edge Nodes?
Thanks in advance.
[1]: http://www.mapr.com/doc/display/MapR2/Planning+the+Cluster#PlanningtheCluster-NodeTypes
If not planning to use NFS, then
It is the Edge node will just install with **MapR Client** http://www.mapr.com/doc/display/MapR2/Setting+Up+the+Client#SettingUptheClient-client
It is need to have cluster of Edge nodes? for fail-over? What will be the configuration so that each Edge nodes awares & know it belong to the Edge cluster?