WinXP Env - successfully using repos WITHOUT SVNServe.EXE running. OK to do?

Hi,
 
I'm using Subversion for Win32, version 1.4.5
 
We've been using Subversion (using the SVNSERVE.EXE running as a Windows
service) for a team of 5 people to manage version control. Due to huge
file sizes, we're about to shift across to a dedicated SAN with massive
storage volume. The WinXP desktop machine that is currently running the
SVNSERVE.EXE service will be taken off-line.
 
The SAN storage space (mapped to "Y:\" on my machine) does NOT have the
SVNSERVE.EXE running as a service since it's apparently just an array of
hard drives without an operating system. My client machine doesn't have
the SVNSERVE.EXE service running either (though subversion is installed
in Program Files\Subversion). Despite this, I can (using TortoiseSVN),
create a repository on the Y:\ drive and successfully checkout, add,
commit and update changes to this repository via my repository. The
only difference I can see is that the repository path is now "
file:///Y:/Test Repository <file:///Y:/Test Repository> " where it used
to be svn://ACOMPUTER/AFOLDER.
 
I can't find anything in the documentation about using SVN in this
manner - essentially, the only two documented methods I can see is a)
APACHE and b)SVNSERVE.EXE. I'm mystified as to how the software is
actually functioning if it's not running as a service on either of the
two machines that are a) hosting and b) communicating with the
repository.
 
Am I OK to use Subversion in this fashion? Is there anything I need to
be aware of?
 
Looking forward to any comments,
 
Thanks,
 
  

Michelle Smith
Senior Database Geologist
Uranium - Olympic Dam Expansion Project
BHP Billiton

55 Grenfell St, Adelaide, 5000, Australia
Mailto michelle.smith_at_bhpbilliton.com
Internet http://www.bhpbilliton.com
<http://www.bhpbilliton.com/>
Phone +61 8 84052043
Mobile n/a
Fax +61 8 81125200
 

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