An important drop in the BOINC
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This project's aims remain as described in the About page. This project is trying to establish what data, metrics and tools are needed to "take a view" on whether a project is well run or not. It may be that some of these are part of a project's software itself such that reports are produced but equally it may be some are say user browser based for the user to "ask" the project about. Time will tell as to what can be achieved. Time will tell whether projects want this sort of exposure and inspection.
For the purposes of this paper some thought needs to be given to when the project moves to Alpha and on to Beta and on to Production. As a general and not too detailed a guide the
following is offered.
The Project Stages
The stages of equate to:
Pre Alpha
- the server configured and settled
- Boinc up and running
- Work unit production underway
- Apps in place that basically exercise the system
- Taking user feedback
- Making sure server software is up to date
Alpha
- This means testing with varying data and WU sizes.
- Refining working applications
- Taking some more users on board
- Ensuring the system runs smoothly
- Considering the strategy for validation and credit awards
- Responding to issues raised by user community
- Ensuring the hardware will support and introduction of more to make a
success
Beta
- Final App changes and testing
- Final server software upgrade and testing
- Production level work unit creation capability
- Taking further users for volume/capacity testing and assessment
Production
- Opening up the project for the target user audience to be recruited
- Hitting the target workload identified for success
- Project rest analysis of data. and system as per "about"
- Identification of new data and tools to help
- Design input and possible production of those tools and data changes for
offering to BOINC team and projects.
What are the targets?
- Some 300-400 users
- Each user producing 20 units per day each less than 30 minutes CPU time
- An active forum
- Regular updates from the project to users
- Regular feedback
- BOINC updates as they become available
- Some injected project downtime such as: - faults with assimilator, validator, scheduler, transitioner, deleter
- network downtime
- failure to produce work
- some regular task not taking place
- All the above leaving signs that new tools will try and detect to establish ongevity and frequency
Do you agree these are the stages?
Do you agree the targets are realistic given the about page direction and project purpose?
Happy to hear from you in the Forum.
Thank you.
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