Multiple Client Service for NT/2K/XP

[MathGuy]

the following link will get you a zip file containing all you need to install the SB Client as a service under Windows NT/2K/XP. It will also run multiple clients (up to 32) for those of you with either duallies or hyperthreaded P4's. Let me know how it works for you...

http://kerryjones.home.mindspring.com/sobsvc.zip

Free! Guaranteed to work or double your money back!

[OberonBob]

Thank you very much, we have been looking forward to this. This should give the whole project quite a jump.

:thumbs:

--
OberonBob
Team ORU

[jjjjL]

i followed the instructions in the ReadMe and it took me just a couple minutes to setup the service on my dual proc celeron running windows 2000.

anyone else tried this?

here are some answers i'd like to know from people who try it out:

Does this work on workstations where no one has logged in? It should... and that would be sweet, but someone should test it.

As a service, does this fix the "multiple users on a single machine" error where several users using the same windows machine accidentally start multiple copies of the same client processing the same block? My guess is yes, but I'd like to know.

Hyperthreading on Xeon and 3GHz P4s? Does the second virtual processor really have enough resources to increase SB throughput by running extra clients? Prelim results based on the ReadMe suggest that it may. P4 arch is insane and hyperthreading completely boggles my mind... and I've taken comp arch classes at U of M from people who worked at Intel. It doesn't look like the service gives an easy way to benchmark, but just run the "optimize" param when you install the service and report how many processes the service decides to spawn.


BTW, if any of you use BeOS, there is a similar 3rd party app for it located here (with source):

http://www.bebits.com/app/3161

and while I'm mentioning Be, there is also a 3rd party GUI for the command line client that I just noticed over on bebits:

http://www.bebits.com/app/3192

If anyone tries the GUI, post a screenshot here or something. I know loonz' multi-cpu app is VERY impressive. Made me sorry I use XP as my main OS. ;) Maybe the new GUI is as beutiful too.

Anyway, post about your experiences with these apps as you test them out.

-Louie

[OberonBob]

anyone else tried this?

>>
Yes, only on one machine so far.
>>

here are some answers i'd like to know from people who try it out:

Does this work on workstations where no one has logged in?

>>
Yes, it works.
>>

As a service, does this fix the "multiple users on a single machine" error where several users using the same windows machine accidentally start multiple copies of the same client processing the same block?


>>
Yes, problem solved.
>>

Hyperthreading

>>
I can't speak to that.
>>


--
OberonBob
Team ORU

[MAD-ness]

There is a large demand for something like this and finally that demand has been fulfilled! :)

I downloaded it and tested it on an XP system. Seems to work fine, though I don't have anything fancy like SMP systems to throw at it.

The documentation is great (and helpful). This looks like a fully featured and robust solution.

I (and my teammates and others who run the SoB client) can't begin to thank you enough.

/me gives this two thumbs up.

:)

[MathGuy]

You're very welcome...glad to hear it's working for you. I'd also like to mention that Louie (kindly and quickly) provided a special version of the SMP client that enabled me to provide the functionality of clients beyond the second. Thanks, Louie!

Any questions, comments, requests, etc. just use this forum or e-mail me directly.

[igor]

When you start talking multiple instances of SB on the same computer, CPU affinity enters into the picture. In my experience as a sysadmin, a process not bound to a CPU tends to run longer. I've seen cases where a job would take 3 times longer than expected because of jumping CPUs throughout its lifetime. Solaris is the only platform I know where control over CPU affinity is implemented within user space. Linux requires kernel patches, and I am in the process of testing where they work at all. On Windows, I found instructions on how to bind a process to a CPU on NT, which I don't have. The same instructions don't work on Win2k, which I do have, so if anyone is planning to run multiple instances of SB on SMP-enabled Win2k, make sure you invest some time into figuring out how to bind, and if you do find a working solution, please share :)

Igor

[MathGuy]

The service install has CPU affinity setting built into it. It will take care of the problem you describe. In fact, that's the main reason I wrote it - to automate affinity setting.

[David A. Braun]

SetProcessAffinityMask
and
SetThreadAffinityMask

This info is in MSDN - online and offline. These work on NT/Win2K/XP.

Also: As a "user" you can set affinity with the task manager.

CTRL-SHIFT-ESC
'processes' tab
right click / choose "Set Affinity"

David