Multiple sporadic computers on same data dir?

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UltraDMA

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Joined: 17 Jan 19
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Germany
Message 89660 - Posted: 17 Jan 2019, 14:03:49 UTC

Hello *,

I found some hints how to run multiple computers on the same account but they all expect each computer to have its own data directory. This does not fit to my szenario ... which is:

I have some computers and I don't know when which one starts up and stops. But when running they shall do some BOINC work.
One of the computer starts up and starts processing a work unit, shuts down and starts up some days later ... when the partially processed WU would already be overdue and dropped by the server. It is probable that in-between some other computer of the pool started, which easily could have continued processing the already begun WU. But it can't see that WU. It could have done so if the work units of all computers would be situated in the same common data directory.

Is this configurable?

Cheers,
UltraDMA.
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Profile Jord
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Message 89661 - Posted: 17 Jan 2019, 14:35:56 UTC - in response to Message 89660.  

No, that's not possible.
Your problem is that all computers register their own hostID, which is stored in their own client_state.xml file in their own data directory.
While you can run and finish work started on one computer on another computer, it comprises moving the whole data directory between devices, so that the second computer has the same hostID when it runs and uploads/reports the work.

If you just let more than one computer use the same data directory, all these computers register their own hostID at the project and will constantly overwrite the client_state.xml file in the data directory, thereby removing any trace of work the previous hostID had.
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UltraDMA

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Message 89662 - Posted: 17 Jan 2019, 15:27:24 UTC - in response to Message 89661.  

Hello Ageless,

thanks for this insight.

You write "... you can run and finish work started on one computer on another computer ...".

Taking this into account - would the following work?

Install BOINC on all computers ... assigning same BOINC account.

One computer "Master" stays normal and runs permanently. All others ("Slave-x, -y, ...") are forbidden to send data into the Internet but still can see the data directory of the Master.
Now, sporadically ...:
Slave-x boots, checks the WUs in the Master's data directory, and moves one which has not recently been updated into its own data directory.
Slave-x starts BOINC.
At a shutdown request, Slave-x stops BOINC and associated projects, moves the WU to the Master's data directory (leaving its own data directory free of any WUs) and shuts down.

Cheers,
UltraDMA.
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Profile Jord
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Message 89664 - Posted: 17 Jan 2019, 17:24:44 UTC - in response to Message 89662.  

Your biggest problem here is that your slave computer doesn't know which tasks haven't been worked on yet without going through the client_state.xml file. One misread or corrupt bit and you lose client_state.xml and all work presently in cache.

You can only do this if you move the whole data directory, with all sub-maps and files around between the computers. Then only one computer at a time can crunch.
Work from the project is registered against the hostID that downloaded it, that hostID must also upload and report it.
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Message boards : Questions and problems : Multiple sporadic computers on same data dir?

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