15 replies to this topic

[grrrd]

So mainly thanks to the support of this forum i have a system up and running across about 800 machines which involves TFTpd32 and WinPE3.0 which allows the remote 're-image' of about 4000 terminals when the dreaded BSOD hits. To get the windows image to re-image the device to the remote locations i had to send hundreds of usb keys with the images to sites for them to be ready if the case needed.

 

This has been a fantastic tool for support and has been in use for about 2 years now. In two years the images for the devices have progressed quite a lot and as such a complete refresh needs to happen.

 

I would LOVE to get away from using snail-mail to send out my data and would love to get to a nice solution. Each site has an ADSL connection but of varying quality. My idea came about of using the technology of P2P to distribute the information out to all sites (time isn't the greatest of issues) allowing a private swam of distribution.

 

My hurdle came when i got to Google, type anything about P2p,Bit Torrent 'sharing' and you pi$$ off the music/film industry.

Does a private/corporate/centrally controlled P2P application/sollution exist or do i have to had a single server distributing directly to each and every site?

 

Any ideas would be greatly recieved!

[erwan.l]

Hi grrrd,

 

There must P2P opensource software out there but they'll probably run under linux systems.

if you are in an MS world, it could complexify your setup. (the linux guys may shoot be for having said that).

 

Had you have a look at MS BITS ? I believe there are scripts outthere.

This is the techno behind windows patches.

MS BIts will use bandwidth when available.

 

A FTP server at each site with controlled bandwidth could also be the solution.

Some FTP servers even include the exec method which allows remote scripting like unzip, verify crc, etc...

It would actually be my preferred solution

 

Regards,

Erwan

[grrrd]

Thanks erwan, but wouldn't this still mean one server to 'rule them all' utilising that single pipe to connect to 800 pipes, the nice thing about p2p is that all the pipes get used.

 

Looks like p2p maybe just a headache for Hollywood

[Wonko the Sane]

Somethng like these?
http://www.pcworld.c...p_networks.html

Or maybe Distribrute (Commercial):
http://4sysops.com/a...p2p-technology/
http://4sysops.com/a...ows-deployment/
http://www.4m88.com/distribrute.html

Or Swallow (java/Open Source):
http://sourceforge.n...ojects/swallow/


Wonko

[Brito]

Thumbs up for Wonko. Didn't knew the "swallow" libraries and this really seems something interesting to keep in mind.

 

[grrrd]

Somethng like these?
http://www.pcworld.c...p_networks.html

Or maybe Distribrute (Commercial):
http://4sysops.com/a...p2p-technology/
http://4sysops.com/a...ows-deployment/
http://www.4m88.com/distribrute.html

Or Swallow (java/Open Source):
http://sourceforge.n...ojects/swallow/


Wonko

Wonko you are the member in the know, likely the look of DistriBrute, seems to have been designed for my needs, but i would have to take a closer look.

 

I will inform of my findings

[grrrd]

First findings is that Distribrute's, ironically, download page is dead

[Wonko the Sane]

First findings is that Distribrute's, ironically, download page is dead

It works allright from here.

Maybe you have Network issues?

 

http://www.4m88.com/software.html

Direct link to the .iso:

http://download3.dis...ute_2.2.0.1.iso

and to the updates (cannot say if useful for the demo/trial):

http://download3.dis...te_v2.2.0.2.zip

http://download3.dis...te_v2.3.1.1.zip

 

Wonko

[grrrd]

Thanks for the links Wonko, honestly tried on 3 different computers/browsers all dead.

 

Any idea if this is still a supported application? Seems like there hasn't been any updates or work done on it for a few years? Also the website seems a little bit in disrepair?!?!

[grrrd]

Distribrute is now Griddeploy - http://www.iquisoft.com/support.aspx 

[Wonko the Sane]

Thanks for the links Wonko, honestly tried on 3 different computers/browsers all dead.

 

Any idea if this is still a supported application? Seems like there hasn't been any updates or work done on it for a few years? Also the website seems a little bit in disrepair?!?!

Maybe some strange settings.

I assure you that everything is fine from here.

 

 

Distribrute is now Griddeploy - http://www.iquisoft.com/support.aspx 

Are you sure?

They do seem like different products. (though with similar use/intended usage)

 

Wonko

[grrrd]

"Thanks for your inquiry.

DistriBrute is continued as GridDeploy.

Please check out www.griddeploy.com. You can download a trial version.

 

Please mail me if you have any questions.

 

Kind regards,

 

 

4M88 BV

Marco Schmitz"

[grrrd]

So been playing with GridDeploy for a couple of days, and on paper it is great (documentation is a little crap) but did most things that i wanted until i came across a big issue that has meant me removing the application now.

 

The issue is that I want to share information across a WAN and not to use a single point for the 'seed' of information, but by design GridDeploy only works within a LAN, and if it can not see a seed in the LAN, it will connect back to the Server for its information. The only solution is to broadcast arcoss all the routers requests on a specific port number, which isn't ideal unfortunately.

 

Great looking product apart from that

[grrrd]

So as i have been looking a Beta of a application has been released which, in principle, will address all my needs:

 

BitTorrent Sync. This uses the protocol of P2P but in a secure manor (AES128bit). It is still early days, and at the moment there isn't a silent install / service for window s(seems to be for Linux).

 

Seems that BitTorrent are attempting to take on Cloud storage providers.

 

http://labs.bittorre...ments/sync.html

 

Anybody have any experience in using this application yet?

[Wonko the Sane]

Naah, noone here (exception made for you) has hundreds or thousands of *anything* that needs to be synced.

 

Maybe "Murder" would do?

http://blogs.cornell...ode-deployment/

https://blog.twitter...sing-bittorrent

 

Wonko

[grrrd]

Did read about that - but i am a 'Off the Shelf' sort of guy