How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Anything "BOINC" specific can be commented on here...such as Project news and announcements etc. Also: any problems with BOINC or maybe you have found something interesting, tell us about it. Chat about the various 3rd party client applications used for some of the projects such as optimised clients.
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chriscambridge
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How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by chriscambridge »

If you have ever wondered how you would go about creating/setting up/running a BOINC project, the following PDF details everything in full. Clients, Servers, Files, Directories, Stats - and everything inbetween.

Basically it explains and documents the BOINC API and its general usage.

(API = Application Programming Interface)

https://boinc.berkeley.edu/boinc.pdf [81 pages long]
Woodles
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by Woodles »

I wonder if you could set up a project, make it invitation only, give ridiculous amounts of credit and be the only cruncher? :D
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Timbo »

Hi Mark

Yes, you could - but then you'd have to ensure that all the statistics websites recognise you as a "genuine" project...otherwise, what would be the point ?

EDIT: Of course you could put in all sorts of dummy names (ie Professor Plum, Ms Scarlett, etc) and some weird sounding science aims (such as counting atoms in Mr Whippy ice cream samples, or measuring gravitational fields around two dissimilar metals, with a view to making a hover board)...but you might find that once on the 'net, such a project website becomes a target for nay-sayers and people disputing your aims and goals...

regards
Tim
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by Woodles »

I knew there'd be a drawback :(
chriscambridge
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by chriscambridge »

Lol I did initially suggest that, but I removed the item as I thought it sounded bad!

Personally I have always wondered how BOINC projects were run..
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Timbo »

chriscambridge wrote:Lol I did initially suggest that, but I removed the item as I thought it sounded bad!

Personally I have always wondered how BOINC projects were run..
Hi Chris

Over the past 15 years or so, we (meaning us old-timers) have seen a lot of BOINC projects "come and then go" - the issue isn't so much about setting up a server, running the BOINC software and administering it - it's more about where to get hold of the data which you can then farm out to volunteers to crunch...and that can take time, money and resources...

So, something simple like searching for Prime Numbers is (relatively) easy, as you just start with a number and see if any other number is a factor. But other projects have run out of resources too early and hence eventually there's no work to do.

regards
Tim
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Chris »

It would be amazing if UBT did have their own project - L'AF have one and Poland do... but the question would be what would the project be?
'UBT - Chris' is my old name - I now crunch as 'CaffeinatedSloth' but I'm still 100% UBT :D
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chriscambridge
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by chriscambridge »

From what I have read, it is no small feat running a BOINC project and indeed so I hear many Universities have actually given up as it takes quite a breadth of skills from network/server administration all the way to through to thick and thin client software development.

I think perhaps someone like the Alan Turing Institute of Data Science, which brings together all the key UK computer science Universities, could liaise between all the Universities and get some good projects off the ground. Although it is my understanding they already have quite a sophisticated data processing network in place for just this reason.

The Turing Institute is run by Dr Andrew Blake, who was head of Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft Research, here in Cambridge.

https://www.turing.ac.uk
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Timbo »

UBT - Chris wrote:It would be amazing if UBT did have their own project - L'AF have one and Poland do... but the question would be what would the project be?
Hi Chris

I have always been fascinated by the "Infinite Monkeys" hypothesis...that is:

"An infinite number of monkeys hitting keys at random on an infinite number of typewriters for an infinite amount of time will almost surely produce any given text, such as the complete works of William Shakespeare."

So, I'd love to "do" something along those lines...though Goofy is doing something similar...

(And this precludes the "Andre Previn theorem".....re: Grieg Piano Concerto...

"I'm playing all the right notes...but not necessarily in the right order !!"

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x31b29r

regards
Tim
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Chris »

Yes, both of those have always interested me too! I wonder if we could speak to Goofy's admins and see if we could run the CPU project? Or jointly run it?
'UBT - Chris' is my old name - I now crunch as 'CaffeinatedSloth' but I'm still 100% UBT :D
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by chriscambridge »

I would perhaps finish the stats web application before you start another, far more complicated one.

Unless you both have experience in C/C++development, including hyperthreaded apps across multiple operating systems.

I would hate to think the amount of RAM and HD you would need to have million of work units on the go, across apps.

Also, I guess you would have to have the servers load balanced due to events such as Formula BOINC.

Like I said, its not the individual skills, but all of them put together; any problem in one, and the whole system goes down.

But hey, who am I to nit pick; I look forward to seeing Project UBT within BOINC. :geek:
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Chris »

That is very true... Yeah, the servers needed to have that many tasks must be pretty beefy! I use about 100mb/hour with Goofy and I have 1000 tasks... Uploading 3,000,000 would be a good few gig at least! And the programming skills... Maybe a venture for another time for me! I'll gladly support UBT on the way if someone here decides to make a project though :D

Chris
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by UBT - Timbo »

chriscambridge wrote:I would perhaps finish the stats web application before you start another, far more complicated one.

Unless you both have experience in C/C++development, including hyperthreaded apps across multiple operating systems.

I would hate to think the amount of RAM and HD you would need to have million of work units on the go, across apps.

Also, I guess you would have to have the servers load balanced due to events such as Formula BOINC.

Like I said, its not the individual skills, but all of them put together; any problem in one, and the whole system goes down.

But hey, who am I to nit pick; I look forward to seeing Project UBT within BOINC. :geek:
Hi Chris

I'm still looking to do "something" on the UBT stats side....it's not got off the ground at all, so it might have to take a "back seat" until next year :-(

I don't think I'd have a problem on the hosting side, for running a project...but the admin side and all the actual app development etc would be way beyond my skill set...so I/we'd need to ring in some specialists to do that...and that will cost real money.

So, a "UBT project" is unlikely to happen, unless a) we can find something that could be worthwhile to do as a project (and perhaps which can lead to results that are worthy enough to offer some "enlightenment" to the world and b) I win the lottery and can fund the development side somehow ;-)

regards
Tim
chriscambridge
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Re: How to create/setup/run a BOINC Project!

Post by chriscambridge »

You have basically summed up my requirements nicely. Substantial money and Purpose. Both are lacking for me at this time! :?
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