Thursday, October 05, 2006

BOINC Server Planning

The MyISAM engine requires the least amount of computer resources can be used where there is a low DB activity requirement. For example with query rates lower that 5/sec this table type may be adequate. Also if one does not have a dedicated DB server this may be a good choice for all the tables since it consumes much less computer resources. It has the advantages of allowing long text indices against tables which Innodb does not allow.

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Innodb tables/indices are usually stored in large OS physical files and the tables and indices are managed internally within these OS/Innodb files. It is important that these files are located on high performance devices. The transaction log files should be located on independent high performance media (away from the Innodb files) for sustained high transaction rates. At DB shutdown all modified buffers have to be flushed into the transaction logs before MySQL goes away, so slow performance drives for the transaction log could delay shutdown for over 30 minutes when there are a large number of .modified buffers. to be flushed.

Configuring MySQL for BOINC

While the page quoted above is called Configuring MySQL for BOINC, the title should have something about server capacity planning. There is much information on the physical requirements of the server hardware given the loads placed upon it by SETI@home. These loads are also documented. So the planner should be able to extrapolate something about the hardware that should be needed. The SETI@home Server Status page also lists the various servers used, as well as, their software and hardware configurations.

In contrast to SETI@home, Einstein@Home uses a single server, of unknown configuration. There is an Einstein@Home Server Status page as well. The EAH status page also makes reference to four download mirror sites. This may account for the project being able to use a single server, if the data driving the project is distributed across five different sites (including the main site).

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