Distributed Computing

Distributed Computing, Putting them all together

VP6-Board.com RC5 Team

SMP Monkeys

What is RC5? Well it is a distributed computing effort to crack a 64bit hex code encryption. You can read about it at the DNET web-site. First thing to get you rolling is to download the client program. Once you have downloaded and unzipped the client into a folder you have made for it, double click on the DNET Application.

Now for a little help setting it up.

In the config utility (dnetc -config), Choose 1)General Client Options then 1)Your e-mail address. Make sure this address is valid and error free. This is especially important when configuring multiple machines. A machine with an incorrect e-mail won't be included in your stats. Should this unfortunate event happen, you can talk to the DNet admins to get the error corrected. Hint: You can copy the dnetc.ini file from a single correctly configured machine to any number of other machines, assuming that the firewall/proxy settings are the same, and that you've chosen "autoconfigure" for the CPU specific selections.

For dial-up users, it is recommended that you let the client lurk until you are online. For always on users, let the client initiate the connection. However, to maintain efficiency, it's recommended that you still buffer work. In the config utility (dnetc -config), Choose 2)Buffer options then 6)Keyserver<->Client connectivity then 7)Dial-up Link detection. For modem users, option 2 is recommended, due to previous problems with the client trying to initiate a dial-up connection (option 1). Option 0 works well for always on connections.

All distributed.net projects use the same client. Optimal Golomb Rulers (OGR) is another project which is currently live on DNet (though for how much longer is in question). By default, your client will run every project that is live. You may change this by configuring the Load-work precedence. In the config utility (dnetc -config) choose 2)Buffer options and 9)Load-work precedence. To disable a project, simply set its value =0 (ex: RC5,OGR=0,CSC,DES). In the config utility (dnetc -config) choose 2)Buffer options then 14 Fetch Time threshold. Simply tell the client the number of hours of work it should grab. It will figure out the rest. This method works so that the maximum amount of work in the buff-in.<project> is X hours, where X is the value you set.

After you have set up the client hit 0 and enter until you have backed out of the setup menu and the client starts. Under the "Client" menu option select "Update Buffers". This will connect you to the DNET server and upload and download "packets" for you to work on and return ones you have completed. You will have to crunch and have returned some packets and wait for over 24 hours before you show up on the DNET stats. The pages are only updated every 24 hours. You must check your stats to get you password. Check your stats by entering the e-mail address you used to setup the client. When your stats come up, at the bottom of this screen is the button "Mail my password". Hitting this will e-mail you your password.

Ok so your ready to join the VP6-board.com RC5 team SMP Monkeys. Once you have your stats password, you need to go to the SMP Monkeys Team Stats Page.
To join SMP Monkeys Team click on the "I want to join this team" You will then be prompted for your email address and your stats password. Once you enter this information, you will be signed up for SMP Monkeys . If you were not previously on a team then all your current blocks will be attributed to SMP Monkeys . Either way, your subsequent work will be credited to SMP Monkeys during the next stats update and you will officially join in the stats race.

I would like to thank all the Members of the RC5 teams for Anandtech And Ars as most of this info was gained from their forums and Help pages;)

"SETI@home is a scientific experiment that uses Internet-connected computers in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI). You can participate by running a free program that downloads and analyzes radio telescope data", as quoted from the SETI site, listed above.

BP6/VP6 User Group

I'm sure most of you know about the BP6 User Group SETI Team. Colin (the Groups Leader) has recently changed the group's name to BP6/VP6 User Group.

What is SETI? Well, you can read all about it here. Basically, we are using our computers to help analyze data from radio telescopes to look for intelligent life off world.

How do you join our infamous group? It is real easy. Go here and download either the graphical version or command line version. Create a "user" name, give SETI your e-mail address and start crunching a work unit. SETI will send you a password for your user account. Once you have that come here and click join under the groups name. Provide the same user account you signed up with and the password SETI gave you.

Welcome aboard!! You are know a member of the Team. Make sure you keep up with the SETI Forum. There will be allot of tips and tricks to knock out works units faster.

Team STATS page

Yes, this is another site's Team but we can only spread ourselves but so thin and still kick ass. Genome@Home is a Stanford Universities project into gene design. You can get all the scoop from the Genome@Home web-site. It you would like to download the client, you must do so through their home site. I guess it is their way of trying to control illegal patching and distribution of the code.

When you start the client, it will ask for a username (ID), use what ever name you want. This will be the name listed in the stats pages. The next line will ask for the team number, plug in 983928120. You can just hit enter for the next line about server, and then take care of the firewall if you have to get through one. Thats to setting it up!

The client will automatically connect and download a wu and start crunching away. 30 packets per gene. To close, just like RC5 ensure you hit "ctrl-c". If you aren't online when it completes the gene it will automatically restart using the downloaded sequences which will create a new gene, so it acts like a cache. MashRinx has developed a rather useful tool similiar to setispy to watch the progress. You can get that from Dyyryath's site, and the instructions for it are under the readview file on the right of the screen shot..

Let Gene creation begin!