Make BOINC more efficient for corporate networks -

[ranger911]

Hi,

1) Please add to BOINC client menu the following entry "Export BOINC settings to file" or "Save BOINC settings as file". This would help to deploy BOINC in corporate networks faster, as now we have to seek for settings file at local HDD. This would be great to have for network share deployment for multiple PCs in the corporate network

2) BOINC Client for corporate network should be split in 2 parts - deployment and configuration. Upon deployment, it could only calculate certain PC performance upon 1strun, but should be no activity on the PC until 2 (two) files with settings are copied down to that PC from network to let BOINC operate.

3) Deployment should be as package, ideally with pre-configured through wizard initial setup file (e.g. questions and answers file = OEM installation), silent install or hidden install via remote software deployment services. Please be informed, that disk cloning with NORTON GHOST or ACRONIS is very popular thing , so HUNDRED of PCS are not covered, as current BOINC user per-PC basis and need a lot of attention - up to 15 minutes to let it finally tune and run. Disk cloning means impersonalised (unattended) software distribution and deployment. Major issue with that - to download valid settings to each PC to let it be up and running. BOINC NOW USES STAND-ALONE APPROACH, THAT IS THE MAJOR BLOCK WHY LOT OF IT PEOPLE DONT WANT TO DOWNLOAD AND SETUP THIS NICE AND TINY SOFTWARE IN THEIR NETWORKS!

4) Configuration files should be located on the network drive (shared folder) or at webpage at corporate intranet site. If we deploy 50-70 PCs, we can embed BOINC client into the PC image, so after 1st run and PC speed calculations, all other settings should be downloaded rom corporate network or corpoaret server.

5) All PCs are connected to Internet - that assumption is OKAY, but for settings there should be 2 (two) files - 1st conf file should contain the list of projects we would like to run (preconfigured is OK, with logins and passwords in cleartext - is also OKAY), + 2nd conf file should contain typical settings for BOINC overriding or substituting default ones.

6) I'd like to underline, that BOINC client, deployed in corporate network should not work at local PCs, until those 2 configuration files are copied to local PC or autovatically located by BOINC at given path or network share.

Minimum functionality required to support us - to let us copy settings manually to each PC we want to join to the grid, maximum functionality - have BOINC locate it automatically within corporate network, based on initial (OEM setup file) info.

SUMMARY: If you do so - many IT gurus would donate a lot of computing power for GRID projects, as now each PC cfg is required - this is inconvinient and time consuming. Finally this would utilize a lot of empty PC resources, mainly overnight and it would get better results to all projects faster.

Please review and program this or advise! Feel free to contact me at any time +7 (985) 920-01-76 Maxim

[romw]

Punting setup bugs to 6.10.

[romw]

Setup bugs are being punted to a future release. This work item should be completed with the new open source installer.