50 Client 1 Server

[bluumi]

Hi ...
I have 1 IntranetWebserver with Internet-Access and updateproxy on it.
I also have 50 PC behind a very strong firewall, and i'm the admin and don't open it ;-)
On all 50 PC will be a client local in the c:\df\ Folder (or somthing like).
The PC are from a school, and the PC will have a "SoftwareReset" every time it reboot ... (and most time it reboot all 40min [1 School - hour] ;)
There is NO Way to store data longer as to the next reboot.

The DFClient can access the IntranetWebserver without proxy beetween ...
The DFClient will start as NTService, Autoupdate every reboot, and begin to work.

IS it possible, that the Client can send the Results to the Intranet-Server, this cache the Results... and send ALL Results of all 50 PCs to the MainServer of DF?
If so, how do i configure it?

In the Moment the AtoupdateProxy has download all Patches.. (nice) but the Client don't see the AutoUpdateProxy, say "update unaviable" or so.. and work but can't send the units....

The 'foldtraj_fileserver.cfg' exist.

Do you see where the Problem can be, or is it NOT possible to use the autoupdate server as CacheServer?

cya Bluumi

*SoftwareReset:
All PC have a Card called "reborn". No Access to the hdd go realy to this. All Access to 500Mb are redirected to a Cache and are lost after a reboot. In this way a student can delete all, and after reboot nothing changed ...
* No long life for temporary dates of DC-Projects ;-) *

[wirthi]

AFAIK the auto-update deamon does not act as a caching proxy for the results. It only handles the updates ...

[bluumi]

:bang:

And there is no "send-though - way" that ONLY let DF-Wu though?

:notworthy

I really don't write in every client.cfg security related infos.

[wirthi]

I guess not. You can use a "real" proxy on the server, but I don't know if that would work on your environment (or if you would not like it due to security reasons, etc.)

Anyway, if the "auto update" deamon could be "upgraded" to a Distributed-folding-Proxy for updates AND workunits would be great. The only problem is, I have not seen anybody else who had a similar problem (network connection but no proxy), so I guess Brian won't implement it.

[bluumi]

the only that i can do is make a very uncommon Proxy ... Ah, and filtering ...

Ok i can try to make a proxy on port 49786 or something like, and it let only communication to the df-servers through ... Hmm :crazy:

i will think about it... but sure i don't write some user/pwd in any way in a cfg. The User/Pwd is only on the server secure, not on the Client. :)

i will try ... perhaps... "on vera ..."

cya Bluumi

(Thanks for your help)

[Brian the Fist]

If you setup a HTTP proxy for the clients to use on some unusual port that should work. You can restrict the proxy to access www.distributedfolding.org only, as all uploads go here.

[runestar]

<Thinks> If the system is forcibly reset... wouldn't you lose data? But I'm guessing you're running it as a service in which case, it would shut down properly from what I hear.

Couldn't you also create a script to copy to the server the correct work, namely .bz2 files and filelist.txt, and then copy back?

The proxy idea should work though. If you really wanted to, you could periodically change the port, say when a new protein comes out. That's just if you're feeling particularly paranoid. =)

Just one suggestion, you might want to at least hide, if not bury, the directory so students don't go playing around with it. =)

TTFN,

RuneStar½

[bluumi]

hide the Directory is no problem, if i run as Service, i can say run it as user distfold, and only System, distfold and admin can use this directory .. :p

Now a old problem came up... i don't understand how the autoupdateproxy work... Or... it only don't work... :)

In the Client directory i have:
service.cfg:
useram=1
priority=20
uploadfreq=999

handle.txt
9vxxxxxc

foldtraj_fileserver.cfg
http://akutan/df/

autoupdate.cfg
1

proxy.cfg
[some numbers] :D
[some port] :D

If i start foldit.bat and NO proxy.cfg is there the client should use the updateProxy... because both are in the same subnet, same DNS and in the webbrowser the url work ok...

Client say [error.log]
ERROR: [000.000] {foldtrajlite.c, line 1157} Unable to check server status
ERROR: [777.000] {ncbi_socket.c, line 989} [SOCK::s_Connect] Failed pending connect to www.distributedfolding.org:80 (Unknown)
ERROR: [777.000] {ncbi_connutil.c, line 640} [URL_Connect] Socket connect to www.distributedfolding.org:80 failed: Unknown


Clientwindows:
Unable to check for new version, will try again later...

Does it need more at the client side? The updateProxy side work, it place the actual updates on the webserver...

[Brian the Fist]

hi,

Your clients still need a proxy.cfg and access to a http proxy and need internet access, to upload their data and check for main server status. The update proxy only serves to download the updates for you, when they occur so it wil only get downloaded once. It is not a replacement for an HTTP proxy server.
Hope that makes sense.
The machines still have to access OUR server to check for updates, though they will then download it from your server. This is because at the same time, they also check if our server is up or down and get other status messages.

If you cannot or will not give the clients HTTP proxy access, you can put the '-i f' flag in the foldit script but then you would have to manually upload the data, or do it with a script or something.

[bluumi]

:(

Now i don't know if you not understand me, or if i not understand you :-)

To check if the updateproxy work i rename the proxy.cfg in the client directory ... If there is a update, the updateProxy dl it, and the client should dl it from the proxy...

How do i check if the client will use the updateProxy?

If the Proxy.cfg is in the Client directory, he use your internet-Server for update, if i missconfigure something... But i want be SURE that all is correct... if i copy the client to 50 PC, and it don't work... i'm very unhappy :bang:

I "accept" now, that i need inet-Access at every Client..
Every Client go throug my "special-Port"-Proxy to the iNet, can check serverstatus, can send result.... Did the Client check on updates on YOUR Server, and only Download from my local??? :confused:

hear ya

[bwkaz]

proxy.cfg contains the instructions for how to access the main DF servers to upload results and to check for new versions (but not to download new versions, that's the function of the update proxy). If your clients have no Internet connection (or HTTP is blocked, like it is in your setup), then you HAVE to have this file there, with the address of your proxy server, for the client to work.

The foldtraj_fileserver.cfg file is what tells the clients to look somewhere other than the main DF servers to actually download any updates. This is the file that points to your update proxy. If this file exists during an update, the client WILL use the update proxy.

The update proxy and an HTTP proxy are two separate functions...

I don't know if that helps, or not...

[bluumi]

Originally posted by bwkaz

The update proxy and an HTTP proxy are two separate functions...


I know..

I think the next step will be distribute the Client on the Clients ... i hope it works .. :cheers:

[Scoofy12]

One part i missed until i reread the original post..
did you say the computers were going to reboot and reset their drive contents every 40 minutes? if so, you want to make sure you set the upload interval as low as possible.. or maybe try to time it so it uploads before the class period ends, based on a benchmark. it would be a shame if you made 4500 structures, only to have them be erased on reboot :)

[bluumi]

Originally posted by Scoofy12
One part i missed until i reread the original post.. it would be a shame if you made 4500 structures, only to have them be erased on reboot :)

I see :D you read only the originalPost

Originally posted by Bluumi
In the Client directory i have:
service.cfg:
useram=1
priority=20
uploadfreq=999


I think uploadfreq=999 and not 5000 say enough

See ya

[Brian the Fist]

Actually you want uploadfreq=1000. 999 is a 'special' value meaning 'get this value from the server'. 1000 is the minimum upload frequency.

As for the configs, let me try one more time.

proxy.cfg tells the client what proxy to use to access our web site over HTTP, to check for updates and upload data.

the updateproxy runs on another machine, and downloads updates (there haven't been any updates for a while - the next one will be after we reach 10 billion structures). that's all it does, is download updates and ensures it always has the most recent updates.

The foldtraj_fileserver.cfg on the clients telles the clients 'when you see there's an update, get it from here instead of from the main server'. This avoids 50 machines having to download from our site. Instead they download teh update from your proxy. That's all it does.

[Darkness Productions]

Sorry to butt in, but is there a *maximum* number you can set on the upload frequency? I know that dfGUI won't let you set the frequency over 10k. Is there a reason for it being that small?


Originally posted by Brian the Fist
Actually you want uploadfreq=1000. 999 is a 'special' value meaning 'get this value from the server'. 1000 is the minimum upload frequency.

[tpdooley]

DP: In one of the topics dealing with reducing the size of the uploads, Howard mentioned the reasons behind the 1k minimum and 10k maximum. The 1-10 choice was lifted from a Date Rating Addon for The Sims. ;)
Okay, so it was based on the size of the sets that would be sent back to the DF server.

[bluumi]

A new bad Problem is born ....

the 50 PC à 500Mhz have only 128MB ram ...
the class period ends end after 40min. (erased)

I need a uloadfreq of 400 or most time the buffer will be erased at 800 - 900.
And if there is a Protein update it install every boot! this first, and this need time too.

Is there a possibility to REDUZE the uloadfreq ????

i can't use this client if most time the PC erase without upload.

:mad: :(

[wirthi]

Originally posted by bluumi
Is there a possibility to REDUZE the uloadfreq ????

There is not; That's simply because the more structures are in one "workunit", the lower the bandwith consumption of the upload is (per strucutre), due to an overhead per workunit; it doesn't seem to be worth while uploading only tiny packets.

If I remember right Howard changes the upload for the next protein (so you don't upload every strucure but only the best (and the number of produced). I guess then this limit could be changed (or removed).

[bluumi]

:bang:
Bandwith ...
:bang:

Sorry, IF there is a Personal-Proxy, and this will make bigger packets ... the personalproxy can add tiny packets to Bandwith saver bigger packet ....

:swear:
Hell .... i need tiny packet ... and i need persproxy ... and i need ...
:crazy:

why no preject won't my idle cpu :|party|: :D

[m0ti]

I've started preliminary work on a project for people who have similar needs to yours.

I have very little free time now, but it should be in a usable stage in a month or two.

The client portion will auto-upload work loads to the server (configurable times/intervals). It will probably be installed as a service for Win machines. In any case on shutdown it'll upload any remaining info to the server (configurable option, too).

I think that there are enough people who would run DF on (many) more systems if they didn't have to sneaker-net things around. In your case, even sneaker-net won't work though.

If anyone's interested, just reply to this message, or head over to http://forums.anandtech.com and send me a personal message (or post on the distributed computing board).