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Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 4:14 pm
by entity
UBT - wbiz wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 5:37 am
entity wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 3:55 am
Unfortunately, there are some of us that can't get 2 days worth of work due to the number of threads per machine, the WU runtime, and the 1000 WU BOINC client limit. It is even worse with A@H because they have a 400 WU limit. 400 WUs on a 128 thread machine don't last that long. I guess each contributor has to decide whether it is worth battling all the obstacles.
True! But again that is your chosen strategy which is highly beneficial in many instances but less so in other circumstances. However, I can't understand their rational for a 400 limit, especially as they have a reasonably long deadline.
The 1000 limit is client side and not entirely a hard limit, there are ways round it but I don't know what most server limits are set to, I've been above 1200 on some projects occasionally (by fluke, not by design).
I didn't chose anything other than the number of threads on a machine I purchased. All other limits are forced on me.
The 1000 limit is a hard limit and hard coded in the client. The reason you get more than a 1000 on some occasions is because the client logic isn't sophisticated enough to totally enforce it.
EXAMPLE: you have 998 runnable tasks on the client and the client now makes a scheduler request. This is a normal request because you are under the 1000 limit. The server returns 200 tasks as a result of the request. You now have 1198 tasks. No more WUs will be fetched until you drop below the 1000 limit. The limit is invoked before the scheduler request not after it. The server sent 200 because it knows nothing about the 1000 client limit. To the server, it was just another client request. The interesting part is 200 WUs were sent because the client asked for that much which goes back to the sophistication of the limit. The client should have only asked for 2 WUs
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 7:28 pm
by UBT - Timbo
Hi all
There's been an interesting post on the Asteroids message board here:
https://asteroidsathome.net/boinc/forum ... ostid=8295
which states:
Posted: 9 Mar 2024, 16:14:28 UTC
I have some news from admins, there was a DOS attack from China's network on the website 1000 to 8000 connections at a time. They took some preventive measures. It's hard to say if there's any connection with the Challenge though, it could be just a coincidence.
So, this seems to be a sad coincidence...but at least it gives some insight into the perverse way in which hackers and others want to cause damage and distress to genuine internet users.
This seems to be more prevalent in recent times, with hackers from various countries doing their best to unsettle and disrupt the internet just because they want to.
Hopefully, these "bad actors" can be found and efforts are made to block any future problems.
regards
Tim
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:00 pm
by scole of TSBT
Oh it's no coincidence. You can cool believe whoever was doing it did so to interfere with the sprint and reading all the forum posts as well. They just uses a proxy server based in China or with an IP address assigned from a domain in China
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:45 pm
by UBT - wbiz
Asteroids is on the University network so there could have been a multitude of reasons not necessarily Boinc.
At least attacks are fairly short these days because the cost of buying an attack has risen a lot, a few years ago a DDOS attack could be bought for less than kids pocket money which resulted in attacks lasting a number of weeks or months sometimes.
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:51 pm
by UBT - Timbo
scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:00 pm
Oh it's no coincidence. You can cool believe whoever was doing it did so to interfere with the sprint and reading all the forum posts as well. They just uses a proxy server based in China or with an IP address assigned from a domain in China
Hiya
OK - well, if this is the case then perhaps the next time a FB Sprint is taking place, then I announce the chosen project ONLY in this forum, having first switched the forum to "members only" (just before the announcment).
But this will not stop FB members from broadcasting this information on their own websites, so any "bad actors" might find out and still take it into their own hands to generate difficulties for the Sprint to continue.
If anyone can come up with a better idea, please let me know !
regards
Tim
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:23 pm
by scole of TSBT
It's worth a try to see if it stops it from happening again
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:32 pm
by UBT - Timbo
scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 10:23 pm
It's worth a try to see if it stops it from happening again
Yup
But thinking laterally, there might be a slightly different way - I wonder how many members the forum software allows an admin to PM the membership directly (on the forum by sending a single message)? As there's fewer than 100 members on the forum, who are registered for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Then only registered members will be advised, though of course they can still broadcast it far and wide (unless we ask them very nicely not to !!).
And this could also have a negative effect, as some teams rely on un-registered members to improve their BOINC credits on Sprint events.
regards
Tim
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sat Mar 09, 2024 11:56 pm
by megacruncher
I’m pretty sure the DDoS came from the BOINC community. Maybe supporters of a rival BOINC competition wanted to discredit Formula BOINC? Possibly someone hoped to cramp the style of one or more sprint specialist teams?
Who knows?
Whatever, I don’t see any point in limiting the announcement of the sprints. Teams and their members need to know asap what the sprint project is and the best way of doing that is by putting it on the website for the world to see.
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 3:06 am
by scole of TSBT
Unfortunately, I agree. The project can't be hidden. They'll find out what it is. They have to live with their shame though. It will cost them sleep some day.
Re: Sprints for 2024
Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2024 3:30 pm
by UBT - Timbo
scole of TSBT wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 9:00 pm
Oh it's no coincidence. You can cool believe whoever was doing it did so to interfere with the sprint and reading all the forum posts as well. They just uses a proxy server based in China or with an IP address assigned from a domain in China
Hi all
So, I've been in contact with one of the admins at Asteroids project and he has advised me the following:
1) There *was* a DDOS attack that was launched from a single IP address that is (supposedly) in China - most likely a VPN assigned to carry this data from another IP.
2) The attack started at 19:30 UTC - just *30 minutes* after the start of the Sprint.
There is probably no way of ascertaining who was responsible...so, I will not point any fingers at anyone...but if they are reading this, please do not do this again. It is unfair to ALL of the volunteers donating their resources to any project, so you are not just screwing anyone involved in the Sprint but you are also affecting thousands of other people, as well as disrupting the project itself.
And I am lead to believe that can be construed as an illegal act that can lead to imprisonment...
regards
Tim