WU Distribution Influenced By Download Speed

Ned
Ned
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Topic 189752

Very recently, I've been getting "singlton" work units the each require a data download of 7.96 MB... This is NOT GOOD in a 26.4 dial up environment where it takes ten minutes to download 1.5 MB of data. Does the WU distribution system take the maximum upload and download speed indicated in the preferences into account??? Suggestions on how to cope welcome.

Ned

Ol' Retired IT Geezer

gravitysmith
gravitysmith
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WU Distribution Influenced By Download Speed

Ned,

I don't know the official answer to your question, but a very old post(http://einsteinathome.org/goto/comment/2999) indicates that only high-bandwidth users are likely to get the most urgent WU. It is the most I have seen on the subject.

As a dialup user myself, it is something I am concerned with too and if connection speed isn't taken into account, I hope it could be. So far I have been very lucky with downloads that seem to last for at least 8 units.

Unfortunately my best suggestion is to hold out a little longer and hope the next one has a lot of work.

smith

Ned
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I checked a couple of things

I checked a couple of things to see what parameters the server could be using...

First, there are fields in the computer summary for each computer you have: Average upload rate and Average download rate. These were very high compated with reality, but up till the begining of May, I was on high speed internet... But in this case, they are adapting to the new reality very slowly... (Perhaps a reset would fix this value.)

Second, in the Einstein General Preferences, are the fields: Maximum Upload Rate, and Maximum Download Rate. Their default value is unlimited... I've now set them to 2.64 which reflects my current dial up speed here in the wilds of the Kawarthas. Hopefully the server will see this and send me multiple WU for the same data for as LONG AS IT CAN before sending me another data file.

This morning I got a new config file which I suspect means a new set of data has arrived for the project to process...

Smith: Thanks for the pointer to the other forum entry

Ned

Ol' Retired IT Geezer

gravitysmith
gravitysmith
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I don't think it is the

Message 15868 in response to message 15867

I don't think it is the general preference setting because I have "no limit" set for my transfer rates. As for average download/upload rates, my system shows an 84k average download rate which is too high for my 56k connection, but in the grand scheme of things not too unreasonable. Strangely my upload rate is only about 312.

There probably aren't too many people switching from faster connection to slower one! ;) I wonder if a reset would in fact reset your rates?

smith

P.S. I have to say Kawarthas looks like a spectacular place!

Ned
Ned
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Good news... The server is

Good news... The server is demonstrating that it keeps track of the data files that are sent to the computer... With the change in configuration that was sent earlier, it is now downloading WU's for data files that have been downloaded in the past, so I don't have to spend an hour of so of dial-up time to get data (which is GREAT!!!!).

Still no answer on which field the server looks at, but the new config/ new WU's are avoiding the issue for now.

Smith: Oops... Thanks for the "no limit" versus unlimited update...

Ned

Ol' Retired IT Geezer

Ned
Ned
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I'm limiting my downloads by

I'm limiting my downloads by only allowing new work every other day, but I upload more often.

One thing I notice is that the server seems to schedule work in lots of four WU's, even when its asked for double that amount. At least this is better than one or two at a time.

Ned

Ol' Retired IT Geezer

Heffed
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RE: Good news... The server

Message 15871 in response to message 15869

Quote:
Good news... The server is demonstrating that it keeps track of the data files that are sent to the computer... With the change in configuration that was sent earlier, it is now downloading WU's for data files that have been downloaded in the past, so I don't have to spend an hour of so of dial-up time to get data (which is GREAT!!!!).


This is simply a coincidence. The server doesn't care about your download speed. You will get a new input file (the big files) if it decides you need it. Generally this will last you a while before you need to download another big one. However, you can get stretches where you download a new input file for every WU.

gravitysmith
gravitysmith
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RE: This is simply a

Message 15872 in response to message 15871

Quote:

This is simply a coincidence. The server doesn't care about your download speed.

I actually think it does matter. I've been with this project since alpha and although I only recently started recording it, my last 4 downloads have given
26 Work Units = 20 days (June 29 - July 18)
26 WU = 21 days (July 18 - Aug 7)
8 WU = 7 days (Aug 7 - Aug 13)
34 WU = 28 days (Aug 13 - Sept 9)
Based on experience, 20 work units from a single download is pretty typical for me and the "low" value of 8 is annoying but rare. I think the 34 WU was probably my record high.

Perhaps there is something lucky/strange about my system? It is an older 1.5GHz P4 running only Einstein (about 17hr. per single WU) and a few regular applications (word processing, etc). I am running the old 4.19 core client using dialup to connect and I disable the network access unless Einstein is ready to send/receive data. In short, it only connects when I am around, and believe me, I am aware when it downloads a new file since it takes so long.

I will admit that at this point, my answer that download speed matters is based on speculation along with the post I referenced earlier in this thread. The interesting thing is that just yesterday I got a fast DSL connection. Maybe in another few weeks/months I'll have some hard data telling if the WU/download ratio actually changes significantly with download speed. In the mean time, believe what you will.

Maybe others have experience with download rate?

Finally, since this is in the wish list section, I do very much wish that the work unit assignment would be heavily dependant upon download speed if it doesn't already. As a (former) dialup user, I can tell you that downloading daily would be an incredible pain and despite my great interest in the project, I may have had to give it up if that were the case.

smith

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I'm on dial up, and I simply

Message 15873 in response to message 15872

I'm on dial up, and I simply think you've been lucky. I've had moments when I've downloaded three input files at once.

gravitysmith
gravitysmith
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RE: I'm on dial up, and I

Message 15874 in response to message 15873

Quote:
I'm on dial up, and I simply think you've been lucky. I've had moments when I've downloaded three input files at once.

Ouch! Sorry to hear it. Hopefully the devs will take notice and perhaps do something about the priority for assignments.

smith

Ned
Ned
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I'm seeing more evidence that

I'm seeing more evidence that the server or the client likes to download WU's in lots to four (at least in my case, ymmv). Twice I've seen request for downloads be split into two requests, each almost equal halves of seconds of the original. I'm not sure where the split occurs (the client after it calculates what it wants, or at the server).

Perhaps others can comment on how they receive their WU downloads when connections for downloads are not close together...

Ned

Ol' Retired IT Geezer

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