Decay Alternatives

[Rockinsince87]

I think if there is a dedicated space for "dormant" ruins on the server disk, there doesn't need to be a set storage time before deletion. It should just start deleting when it's full; then the effect is very predictable.

Storage is not the issue in a raw sense. It's database size in general. Database engines use system memory to cache common query data and index information. It's possible that the database can outgrow the system resources, and that's not normally a bad thing in an enterprise environment. Once that happens you start hitting disk really really hard. That disk hit can be mitigated. It's all part of database sizing and design. 

Once it starts hitting your storage subsystems, if you have low IOPs and high disk latency, your in trouble. You can counteract this by using all flash storage in the form of SSDs or NVMe PCI cards. You still also have to make sure you don't have any bottlenecks in your Controllers/HBAs. SATA3 is slow and useless in all flash storage systems. SAS3 and above can handle flash storage systems. If you plan and implement those kind of solutions, the bloated database queries performance hits would be minimal if even noticeable at all. 

It really all depends on your situation though. If you purposely box your self into that situation, that's fine as long as you can front the capital to handle it. So if Haxus is not willing or unable to preform major storage subsystem upgrades, then he'll have to balance the database size and resource usage.

Basically, if you don't do the above. Buckle up and get ready for lag city.