Bear with me, I have multiple questions revolving around a single idea...

1. Once a client begins a workunit, is it owned exclusively by that client?

2. Can multiple clients share the same directory (i.e., on a network drive)?

3. Can multiple clients take turns crunching a single workunit?

I would like to have a single pool of WUs shared by several physical machines/thin clients on a LAN with a shared data drive. I expect that this is only possible if the BOINC client is capable of locking out WUs while they are in use and returning them to the pool with a checkpoint/state file that allows a different client to resume the work properly. Even if this were possible under the BOINC framework (of which I am doubtful), I also expect that individual projects may have QA/QC restrictions that couldn't cope with multiple clients having their hands in the cookie jar of a single WU.

Despite increased network load (which is my decision to accept), I see the major advantage being fewer abandoned WUs due to unanticipated machine downtime. In my situation, this is a significant problem, as the machines in question are only used for BOINC and as a laboratory for playing with obscure and obsolete hardware & software. This tinkering often results in extended periods of downtime to deal with configuration issues and such.

Yes, I know that I have the option of attaching them only to projects with very short WUs. But I am an idealist, not a pragmatist.

Bear with me, I have multiple questions revolving around a single idea...

1. Once a client begins a workunit, is it owned exclusively by that client?

2. Can multiple clients share the same directory (i.e., on a network drive)?

3. Can multiple clients take turns crunching a single workunit?

Answer to Question 1: YES Each each project and it's associated workunit(s) are EXCLUSIVE to the PC running it.

SIMPLE ANSWER to Questions 2 & 3: NO.

EACH running instance of BOINC is designed to work with a singe machine be it real, virtual or networked.

If multiple "clients" were to attempt to access the SAME DATA DIRECTORIES (even if the PC's were identical in specs) it would NOT have any way to know which PC is doing what task/project and there would be total chaos along with data corruption.

You CAN however use network shared storage space for BOINC but each running INSTANCE will need it's OWN DATA DIRECTORY. What you can do is create a networked stored MAIN BOINC DATA DIRECTORY [exammple > "M:\BOINCDATA" can be the main data directory] and create "USER" SUB-DIRECTORIES [such as "M:\BOINCDATA\USERNAME1", "M:\BOINCDATA\USERNAME2",or "M:\BOINCDATA\%COMPUTERNAME%", etc within that main directory for each PC on the network to store their project settings/tasks/etc...

Someone with more in depth knowledge of the technical workings/background or a "mega power user" of BOINC can most likely provide more details of how to setup BOINC in a MULTI-USER/MULTI-PC/NETWORKED environment.