[wpkg-users] wpkg software deployment using bittorrent

[Carlos R. Pasqualini]

El jue, 11-07-2013 a las 16:36 -0700, Rob Bos escribió:
> On 13-07-10 01:32 PM, Carlos R. Pasqualini wrote:
> >
> >
> > This transfers the installer of say 'bigpackage', but you need to start
> > the install process per se.
> > how do you manage this two, may be separate, process inside wpkg?
> 
> Two install commands; the first transfers the data, the second runs the 
> installer.
> 
> Here is eg a Matlab installer example.
> 
>      <install architecture='x64' cmd='%TORRENTCMD% 
> "%SDP%\torrents\Matlab#R2012a.x64.torrent" "%LOCALCACHE%\%PKG_PATH%" > 
> %LOG_TORRENT%' />
>      <install cmd='"%LOCALCACHE%\%PKG_PATH%\bin\%ARCH%\setup.exe" 
> -inputFile "%LOCALCACHE%\%PKG_PATH%\installer_input.txt' />
> 
> As for deleting the data, I suppose you'd just do it as an install 
> command. I leave the data on the local computer because disk is cheap, 
> many installers require media for uninstallation, and because later 
> upgrades may also need the full data plus a patch file or something.
> 
> eg
> 
>      <install cmd="cmd /c rmdir /s /q %LOCALCACHE%\%PKG_PATH%" />
> 
> 
> > you put those commands inside the package definition of the 'bigpackage'
> > installer or you use some kind of two packages, one for the transfer and
> > a second one for the install process (that depends on the transfer)?
> >
> > the use of '--bt-exclude-tracker=*' and later using your own tracker is
> > for the client to not search for the torrent on the public internet? we
> > need to specify that we want to search for it on our LAN only?
> 
> I did that so that the tracker specified in the torrent would be 
> ignored, and a department could specify their own. We have campuses in 
> three cities, and the federated package deployment requires that local 
> lan admins have absolute control. So the design lets lan admins run 
> their own torrent server to save bandwidth over inter-campus links. 
> Don't really want city A desktops sharing data with city B desktops.
> 
> I create the torrents with "localhost" as the tracker by default, and 
> let the script pick the correct one.
> 
> >
> > Why only 10 minutes in --seed-time=10? why not more time? is a resource
> > hungry on the workstation? do this seed process create some interference
> > with the user's use of the workstation?
> 
> It seemed right. Also, processes backgrounded from a WPKG prevent 
> wpkg.js exiting, so the package installs, but WPKG doesn't exit until 
> the torrent time is finished. If you figure out how to fix that, let me 
> know.
> 

uhh, wpkg running for 10 minutes, and i am using wpkg-gp on startup...
with a screen locked out saying 'wpkg is installing xyz...' not viable
at all!!!

i was thinking about scheduling a task on login event, but that would be
a thing to think about, we should need to take into account the user's
privileges to launch the seeder and access de LOCALCACHEPATH
i think we need to think more about this...

> 
> >
> > i haven't found any cleanup process of the local save path. how do you
> > manage old installers removal? may be adding a delete subroutine in
> > the :seed section, but we need to check if the program has been
> > installed correctly too, or may be launch the cleanup on the next
> > version of this package... just guessing
> 
> As above, stick the deletion into the WPKG package so you can do it as 
> appropriate for the package. Some require the media to be kept around 
> for uninstall.


Thanks for your tips Rob!

when i come with an implementation, i will document it and provide here
if you get some ideas you can implement.

best regards


Charly