Reducing Unemployment (Apr 25 2007)

Author	Message
Matt Lebofsky Volunteer moderator Project administrator Project developer Project scientist Send message Joined: 1 Mar 99 Posts: 1444 Credit: 957,058 RAC: 0	Message 553599 - Posted: 25 Apr 2007, 22:37:15 UTC Yesterday afternoon I mapped out a bunch of ethernet cables in the closet. Still stumped by stymied splitters I went ahead and started moving all the BOINC backend servers to the new gigabit switch. Right off the bat there were no obvious gains by doing this, except for the much nicer monitoring tools. This is not to say the switch is useless - the problem is we are currently running mostly on servers that can't speak faster than 100 Mbit. This will vastly change once bruno/sidious/et al. are brought into the closet. Jeff and I re-routed some of those cables this afternoon - cleaning up some of the spaghetti. Back to the splitters: I pretty much determined the bottleneck is strictly CPU. Some tests this afternoon (which caused even less work to be created/distributed) more or less proved this. We can only run splitters under solaris and those machines are almost tapped out. Jeff is close to compiling the splitters under linux, and then more servers can come to our rescue. We'll get you more work, I promise. Bob fixed the replica problems I was having last night. Simple configuration stuff. Now I know so I could fix the problem myself next time. But then it failed when trying to sync up from the vast master backlog. Turns out one of my donation-processing scripts was still writing to the replica, so this caused it to barf on updates from master with duplicate IDs. Luckily I was able to track this down and clean it up rather easily, so the replica is back on line and probably caught up by the time you read this sentence. Or maybe this sentence. By the way, after the outage yesterday I purposefully didn't restart the web server on kryten, so bruno is now officially the only upload/download server. Kryten was still getting a few hits here and there, but enough is enough already. Some pesky search engine robots (from livebot) were causing our web servers to slow to a crawl - a link to our cvsweb.cgi utility sent them into a frenzy. I firewalled them (for now) and updated my robots.txt. - Matt -- BOINC/SETI@home network/web/science/development person -- "Any idiot can have a good idea. What is hard is to do it." - Jeanne-Claude ID: 553599 ·

KWSN THE Holy Hand Grenade! Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 20 Dec 05 Posts: 3187 Credit: 57,163,290 RAC: 0	Message 553987 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 5:24:38 UTC - in response to Message 553599. Last modified: 26 Apr 2007, 5:28:36 UTC [snip] Back to the splitters: I pretty much determined the bottleneck is strictly CPU. Some tests this afternoon (which caused even less work to be created/distributed) more or less proved this. We can only run splitters under solaris and those machines are almost tapped out. Jeff is close to compiling the splitters under linux, and then more servers can come to our rescue. We'll get you more work, I promise. [snip] - Matt Matt: this may be posted elsewhere, but, if so, I haven't seen it... Is there a simple table of which computer has which OS and version number (if available)? (and if so, where? [as a link]...) I'd just like to understand the setup a little better, not that I'm any great shakes as a Unix/Linux geek... (I've never used any flavor of those OS's) . Hello, from Albany, CA!... ID: 553987 ·

kittyman Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51492 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004	Message 554021 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 6:42:58 UTC Thanx for the splitter update Matt. I have noticed that the cache on me quaddy be dwindling. Managed to snag 23 WUs today, but hardly enough to keep a hungry cruncher going. Glad you're on the job! "Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once." ID: 554021 ·

Justin M. Morford Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 23 Sep 99 Posts: 36 Credit: 2,539,975 RAC: 0	Message 554033 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 6:58:14 UTC - in response to Message 553987. Matt: this may be posted elsewhere, but, if so, I haven't seen it... Is there a simple table of which computer has which OS and version number (if available)? (and if so, where? [as a link]...) I'd just like to understand the setup a little better, not that I'm any great shakes as a Unix/Linux geek... (I've never used any flavor of those OS's) The physical server stats are on the server status page, but it doesn't list OS. A stabbing guess says the Sun machines using 400-440MHz Sparc CPUs run Solaris (they're all listed as running a splitter process up top) and the other newer machines (with Xeon and Opteron CPUs) run Linux. I notice a splitter listed under the tape section (kang) that isn't listed anywhere else. It's either another Solaris box or possibly a test-bed for a Linux splitter process. Justin ID: 554033 ·

Nick Fox Send message Joined: 5 Jan 04 Posts: 46 Credit: 2,834,922 RAC: 0	Message 554084 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 8:16:49 UTC - in response to Message 553599. ... Back to the splitters: I pretty much determined the bottleneck is strictly CPU. Some tests this afternoon (which caused even less work to be created/distributed) more or less proved this. We can only run splitters under solaris and those machines are almost tapped out. Jeff is close to compiling the splitters under linux, and then more servers can come to our rescue. We'll get you more work, I promise. ... - Matt Hi Matt, I made the mistake of updating BOINC last night. (I knew I shouldn't, I was seduced by the message in the BOINC Manager message window). All went well until the new version fired up and tried to connect to S@H to get the current status... I sat for ages pressing the retry button but sooner or later I'll have to go to work, leaving my old laptop idle. Is there anything I can do to get round this problem or do I have to wait until everyone has filled their workunit queue? Cheers, - Nick ID: 554084 ·

AKTigger99645 Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 28 Sep 99 Posts: 6 Credit: 1,466,368 RAC: 0	Message 554097 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 9:01:02 UTC - in response to Message 554084. Last modified: 26 Apr 2007, 9:01:30 UTC Is there anything I can do to get round this problem or do I have to wait until everyone has filled their workunit queue? Cheers, - Nick Crunch for another project. You can set resource use per project. Set the other project(s) at 5 or lower (I use 1 for other projects and 99 for SETI) and you'll crunch way more SETI work when it's available, but other projects when it's not. MRB Motorsports #37 1937 Chevy Sedan (Legends) www.northstarspeedway.com ID: 554097 ·

Dr. C.E.T.I. Send message Joined: 29 Feb 00 Posts: 16019 Credit: 794,685 RAC: 0	Message 554175 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 13:55:51 UTC Well Done Matt . . . You guys are doing a great job . . . BOINC Wiki . . . Science Status Page . . . ID: 554175 ·

Robert Ribbeck Send message Joined: 7 Jun 02 Posts: 644 Credit: 5,283,174 RAC: 0	Message 554194 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 14:54:48 UTC - in response to Message 554084. Hi Matt, I made the mistake of updating BOINC last night. (I knew I shouldn't, I was seduced by the message in the BOINC Manager message window). All went well until the new version fired up and tried to connect to S@H to get the current status... I sat for ages pressing the retry button but sooner or later I'll have to go to work, leaving my old laptop idle. Is there anything I can do to get round this problem or do I have to wait until everyone has filled their workunit queue? Cheers, - Nick Not to mention the dialup interfaceing in the new "WONDER VERSION" is seriously broken. After you force it to connect the pop up says it couldn't connect. Then when it finishes transfers it never disconnects. Way to go. Anybody know where to get the previous version that worked for dial-up ?? ID: 554194 ·

Swibby Bear Send message Joined: 1 Aug 01 Posts: 246 Credit: 7,945,093 RAC: 0	Message 554198 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 15:10:06 UTC Last modified: 26 Apr 2007, 15:11:54 UTC Wow! I don't know where "Kang" came from (see Status Page, Splitter Info), but it is really ripping through the tape images to be split. It seems to be single-handedly building a backlog of WUs ready to send. Hurrah! Matt promised more WUs, and he has fulfilled! Thanks, Matt (and others) Let me guess! Is Kang the first Linux splitter? ID: 554198 ·

Matt Lebofsky Volunteer moderator Project administrator Project developer Project scientist Send message Joined: 1 Mar 99 Posts: 1444 Credit: 957,058 RAC: 0	Message 554213 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 16:01:40 UTC - in response to Message 554198. Let me guess! Is Kang the first Linux splitter? Kang is the complete opposite of the first linux splitter, and won't be used for very much longer. I'll explain when I get around to my tech news item later. - Matt -- BOINC/SETI@home network/web/science/development person -- "Any idiot can have a good idea. What is hard is to do it." - Jeanne-Claude ID: 554213 ·

Demiurg Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 2 Jul 02 Posts: 883 Credit: 28,286 RAC: 0	Message 554214 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 16:14:37 UTC What can be the exact oposit of a Linux Splitter? COMPETITION TIME I would guess that it is my long lost MicroBee superserver with it's stunning 4 multiplexing Z80s and a whopping 4 * 256KBs of internal memory, five MB HDD and DRs CP/M running on two eight inch floppies (5 1/4 optional). All bundled with four stunningly monochrome workstations. It was sold to my hometown for a gazillion around 1980, and it was the system to last untill the year 2000. In may 1983 my hometown gave it to me and a friend as long as we hauled it away... sigh reminiscing of the golden days Or is it my Intel 4004? So what do you guys guess? Carl ID: 554214 ·

Swibby Bear Send message Joined: 1 Aug 01 Posts: 246 Credit: 7,945,093 RAC: 0	Message 554224 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 16:54:23 UTC - in response to Message 554214. Last modified: 26 Apr 2007, 16:58:57 UTC What can be the exact oposit of a Linux Splitter? COMPETITION TIME I would guess that it is my long lost MicroBee superserver with it's stunning 4 multiplexing Z80s and a whopping 4 * 256KBs of internal memory, five MB HDD and DRs CP/M running on two eight inch floppies (5 1/4 optional). All bundled with four stunningly monochrome workstations. It was sold to my hometown for a gazillion around 1980, and it was the system to last untill the year 2000. In may 1983 my hometown gave it to me and a friend as long as we hauled it away... sigh reminiscing of the golden days Or is it my Intel 4004? So what do you guys guess? Carl My TI99/4A!!! Whit ID: 554224 ·

DaveSun Send message Joined: 17 Jun 00 Posts: 110 Credit: 13,713,289 RAC: 2	Message 554228 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 17:00:35 UTC - in response to Message 554214. What can be the exact oposit of a Linux Splitter? COMPETITION TIME I would guess that it is my long lost MicroBee superserver with it's stunning 4 multiplexing Z80s and a whopping 4 * 256KBs of internal memory, five MB HDD and DRs CP/M running on two eight inch floppies (5 1/4 optional). All bundled with four stunningly monochrome workstations. It was sold to my hometown for a gazillion around 1980, and it was the system to last untill the year 2000. In may 1983 my hometown gave it to me and a friend as long as we hauled it away... sigh reminiscing of the golden days Or is it my Intel 4004? So what do you guys guess? Carl My Heathkit H89A ID: 554228 ·

speedimic Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 28 Sep 02 Posts: 362 Credit: 16,590,653 RAC: 0	Message 554235 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 17:39:42 UTC <<------------ this one! What can be the exact oposit of a Linux Splitter? COMPETITION TIME I would guess that it is my long lost MicroBee superserver with it's stunning 4 multiplexing Z80s and a whopping 4 * 256KBs of internal memory, five MB HDD and DRs CP/M running on two eight inch floppies (5 1/4 optional). All bundled with four stunningly monochrome workstations. It was sold to my hometown for a gazillion around 1980, and it was the system to last untill the year 2000. In may 1983 my hometown gave it to me and a friend as long as we hauled it away... sigh reminiscing of the golden days Or is it my Intel 4004? So what do you guys guess? Carl mic. mic. ID: 554235 ·

kittyman Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51492 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004	Message 554244 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 17:59:29 UTC - in response to Message 554213. Let me guess! Is Kang the first Linux splitter? Kang is the complete opposite of the first linux splitter, and won't be used for very much longer. I'll explain when I get around to my tech news item later. - Matt Well, whatever Kang is, it sure seems do be doing the splitting job handily!! A fresh brace of WUs all around! Thanx, Matt! We be doin' the Kang-o Tango. "Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once." ID: 554244 ·

Nick Fox Send message Joined: 5 Jan 04 Posts: 46 Credit: 2,834,922 RAC: 0	Message 554254 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 18:35:08 UTC - in response to Message 554097. Is there anything I can do to get round this problem or do I have to wait until everyone has filled their workunit queue? Cheers, - Nick Crunch for another project. You can set resource use per project. Set the other project(s) at 5 or lower (I use 1 for other projects and 99 for SETI) and you'll crunch way more SETI work when it's available, but other projects when it's not. I didn't want to do that because my laptop is old and slow... So I ripped out BOINC 5.8.16 and re-installed 5.4.11 and away she went! I have the 5.8.11 package in my recycle bin so I might try that later... Cheers - Nick ID: 554254 ·

Swibby Bear Send message Joined: 1 Aug 01 Posts: 246 Credit: 7,945,093 RAC: 0	Message 554288 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 19:53:54 UTC - in response to Message 554213. Let me guess! Is Kang the first Linux splitter? Kang is the complete opposite of the first linux splitter, and won't be used for very much longer. I'll explain when I get around to my tech news item later. - Matt The OPPOSITE of Linux? No, No, No!!! Don't even tell me it is a Windoze box! ID: 554288 ·

Dr. C.E.T.I. Send message Joined: 29 Feb 00 Posts: 16019 Credit: 794,685 RAC: 0	Message 554473 - Posted: 26 Apr 2007, 23:36:41 UTC Last modified: 26 Apr 2007, 23:38:08 UTC see Matt's Post here BOINC Wiki . . . Science Status Page . . . ID: 554473 ·

Fuzzy Hollynoodles Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 3 Apr 99 Posts: 9659 Credit: 251,998 RAC: 0	Message 554584 - Posted: 27 Apr 2007, 2:35:23 UTC - in response to Message 554244. Let me guess! Is Kang the first Linux splitter? Kang is the complete opposite of the first linux splitter, and won't be used for very much longer. I'll explain when I get around to my tech news item later. - Matt Well, whatever Kang is, it sure seems do be doing the splitting job handily!! A fresh brace of WUs all around! Thanx, Matt! We be doin' the Kang-o Tango. Here's a tango for the kitties with the neighbor's ugly mut of a dog: Kitty tango "I'm trying to maintain a shred of dignity in this world." - Me ID: 554584 ·

kittyman Volunteer tester Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51492 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004	Message 554657 - Posted: 27 Apr 2007, 5:51:54 UTC - in response to Message 554584. Let me guess! Is Kang the first Linux splitter? Kang is the complete opposite of the first linux splitter, and won't be used for very much longer. I'll explain when I get around to my tech news item later. - Matt Well, whatever Kang is, it sure seems do be doing the splitting job handily!! A fresh brace of WUs all around! Thanx, Matt! We be doin' the Kang-o Tango. Here's a tango for the kitties with the neighbor's ugly mut of a dog: Kitty tango And the kitties dance! "Time is simply the mechanism that keeps everything from happening all at once." ID: 554657 ·

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