Topic: Just a stupid thought on SME Server updates mirroring

[jester]

I'm just poring out my thoughts here (and be gentle with me because i'm absolutely still a linux noob and no coder)...

I've seen request for mirrors because the contribs.org servers are under a heavy load. I just imagine that most of that load would be from updates downloads. Is there no possibility to have a server sync the updates locally so it can act as a repository for other local servers to update from and act as some sort of mirror for contribs.org with a bandwidth or monthly quota for uploading to be set by the admin. Only checksums being downloaded from the 'official' contribs.org servers so no modified or corrupt packages are distributed.

... is there not already some tool for this somewhere?

[stephen noble]

http://wiki.contribs.org/Yum_offline_updating

this a very simple method, there are others,
feel free to add them to the wiki rather than commenting here

[jester]

Hi Stephen,

This is not what i mean, i am aware of that option. There must be some tool/way for this community to offload the contribs.org servers by donating upload from their servers. More or less in a torrent kind of way. As a side effect having this local mirror of the updates for community upload also could be usable as a repository for local updating if one has several servers.

[stephen noble]

Do you mean become a mirror site listed in the sme mirror lists
But only mirror sme* repositories, not the iso or contribs

raise a bug and see if shad is interested, in this partial mirror alternative
I think it has merit, as long as your in it for the long haul and have the bandwidth

[jester]

I must be talking Chinese....?!

Someone with a similar idea: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=579764 and for Apt they refer to: http://sianka.free.fr/spip.php?rubrique4. Maybe he's more clear on what i'm trying to imagine for easing the load of contribs.org (mirror-)servers. Now if there is something similar for Yum that would come default with SME...

[stephen noble]

I can give you 10 other alternatives, my suggestions were doable now if we wanted to

the torrent idea requires a lot of dev work, when we don't really have a problem

[jester]

Ok... i thought i read a request for mirrors recently ?!
It was just thinking out loud for a solution with involvement (upload capacity) from the community.... just trying to help by spewing ideas that could actually help... but as said 'just a stupid thought' apparently.


...sorry!

[cactus]

Ok... i thought i read a request for mirrors recently ?!

Correct, but providing torrents is not really mirroring. It also lacks control of the SME Server development team as anybody can advertise a torrent with whatever content. On top of that providing a torrent of the ISO might be useful, but providing torrents of the repository or the individual RPM packages certainly is not.

It was just thinking out loud for a solution with involvement (upload capacity) from the community.... just trying to help by spewing ideas that could actually help... but as said 'just a stupid thought' apparently.

The best way to help out, is indeed if you have the bandwidth available, to add your server as a mirror. The more users do this, the more mirrors we have and the lesser the amount of bandwidth is taken up by traffic mirrored from contribs, the lesser the load is on servers and the more users might be willing to provide mirror service.

I for one can not at the moment as the traffic routed from contibs.org will it my private bandwidth up to and over the maximum possible and allowed by my provider.
Opting in as a mirror will provide not only a copy of the iso, but will also copy the repositories from which all servers update.

[jester]

Has anyone read the links i posted?! The programmer from the second link is doing what i was thinking of... he must be waisting his time... I give up trying to explain, i guest thinking/dreaming outside the box is a bit to much to ask.

I'm on a private broadband line as well, upload speed is low so mirroring is not really an option for me.

Kind regards,
jester.

[CharlieBrady]

It was just thinking out loud for a solution with involvement (upload capacity) from the community...

If you have a suggestion for a change in the contribs.org website content or organisation, please make it via the Bug Tracker.

Just in case it wasn't already clear, SME server software is already distributed via mirrors.