http://bugzilla.wpkg.org/show_bug.cgi?id=91 Summary: Do not execute wpkg.js on a slow network connection Product: WPKG Client Version: unspecified Platform: PC OS/Version: All Status: NEW Severity: enhancement Priority: P2 Component: WPKG Client AssignedTo: mangoo at wpkg.org ReportedBy: skybeam at users.sourceforge.net QAContact: wpkg-users at lists.sourceforge.net I have a small feature suggestion for WPKG-Client... Windows itself supports detection of slow network connections and suspends synchronization of roaming profiles on slow connections. Imagine that you're on the road (probably connected using GPRS) or another slow and usually expensive (volume) line. Then you probably don't like to install software in the backtround. Imagine you're at customer side with your laptop and using a 56kbps modem connection and WPKG starts to install a new version of MS Office in the background; an absolute no-go. Of course this is quite a rare case since WPKG will probably run as service and already canceled software installation due to the new ping feature in WPKG Client 1.0 RC. But there are numerous situations where a remote-office might be on a small/overloaded link where it might be wise to suspend installation. Microsoft has described their algorithm to detect slow links within <http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/reskit/gp/17.mspx?mfr=true>. Basically they expect a data-rate of 500kbps or more and a ping time less than 120ms. The ping is anyway already supported in WPKG client. Additionally the available bandwidth needs to be detected (or at least estimated/approximated). I found the following article: <http://smtp25.blogspot.com/2007/09/how-to-detect-slow-link-with-formula.html> There it is suggested to use ping packages of 2048 bytes length to detect the link speed. Then using the following formula: LinkSpeed = 16000 / (average ping for 2048 byte packet) I did not verify it in detail but I think it would allow a good approximation of the link speed. As WPKG Client is currently already taking an address to be pinged for availability I would suggest to extend that check and add a field for "ping time threshold" and "data rate threshold" while both are optional values. Since software installation usually includes quite a lot of data to be transfered I would suggest to set the default values somewhat higher than Microsoft uses for roaming profiles synchronization. I would suggest to check for a ping time of 50ms or lower and an estimated link speed of 5000kbps. Both values should make sure that synchronization only takes place when the client is connected to some kind of LAN connection. Therefore I propose to add two fields to the Client configuration: - Ping time threshold (ms) - Bandwith threshold (kbps) In the GUI is suggest to insert a checkbox to enable these limitations or disable them (gray out the values if disabled). If enabled its required to specify a host which is ping-able. Probably a test button which does a test ping and prints the average detected speed and ping time should be added as well. Especially since it might happen that a host refuses to answer to large 2048-byte ping packages. Due to the same reason I would suggest to do the pings in two steps: 1. send "normal" ping requrest with 32 bytes of data to check if host is available (I think that's the way it is already implemented now) 2. if 1. succeeds send some (probably 10) 2048-byte ping packages and collect answer times. Calculate average answer time and determine bandwidth (formula see above) 3. check if bandwidth is higher than threshold and average ping time is lower than threshold. I hope this information gives enough information to be able to implement this feature. I already thought about implementing it in wpkg.js but I think the right way to do it is WPKG client. wpkg.js should'nt even be fetched from the server on slow connections. Awaiting your comments and opinions. -- Configure bugmail: http://bugzilla.wpkg.org/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are the QA contact for the bug. Easy Software Deployment >> http://wpkg.org _______________________________________________ wpkg-users mailing list wpkg-users at lists.wpkg.org http://lists.wpkg.org/mailman/listinfo/wpkg-users |