Date: Thu, 9 Jul 1998 06:07:36 -0500 From: NOC-IPAD <sysadmin@greeves.mfn.org> To: "freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>, "'rafie@innocent.com'" <rafie@innocent.com>, "'Greg Lehey'" <grog@lemis.com> Subject: RE: Availability & Cost Message-ID: <01BDAAFF.DF885C40@noc.mfn.org>
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You may want to note that it is also 0100 here, and at the site (I seem to
recall it was in Texas, if not, it is *still* not exactly "primetime").
I have had nothing but poor response times from the main server, and in
fact don't even use it any more if I can avoid it. When I see a notice telling
me that I am user 2990 of 3000, and the response time is cruddy (at best),
my first thought is the machine. BUT: I have done the requisite traceroutes,
and as I said, MCI's pipe *stinks*. Nevertheless, as a *user*, I have noticed
correlations between trivial response times and user count: extreme ones.
My *last-ever* encounter with this *very overloaded* server was when it took
me over an hour to (a) get a free port to log in to, and then (b) load a trivial
(fixit image) via ftp. I have seen that box scream, but only during the wee
hours of the morning, on weekdays.
It is unfortunate that the FBSD ppl take these observations as personal
attacks (as you seem to have done), they are not meant that way. However,
your like or dislike of these do not invalidate them. When the user count is
high, response time stinks to high heaven.
Of course, that's one of the main reasons for mirrors in the first place. Don't
get bent outta shape, just add a box to even the load (or deal with it when
people say that mirrors are the only way to go)...
J.A. Terranson
sysadmin@mfn.org
----------
From: Greg Lehey
Sent: Thursday, July 09, 1998 12:49 AM
To: NOC-IPAD; freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG; 'rafie@innocent.com'
Subject: Re: Availability & Cost
On Thursday, 9 July 1998 at 5:02:22 -0500, NOC-IPAD wrote:
> On Wednesday, July 08, 1998 10:51 PM, Rafie wrote:
>>
>> Hi, I am interested in trying FreeBSD. The CD from Walnut Creek is too
>> expensive and I have been downloading it at home now for over a week.
>> It seems like I will never get a chance to install it. Is there less
>> expensive way to get the CD?
>
> If you have been downloading for a week, then either:
>
> (a) you are using a 1200 baud modem (not likely), OR
> (b) you are downloading from {ftp,www}.freebsd.org (very likely).
>
> Use a mirror site! Freebsd's main server is
> (/FLAMESUIT ON)
> very overloaded,
> (/FLAMESUIT OFF)
> and on a connection which dies going through MCI's teeny-tiny
> little pipe!
It's a good thing you have your flame suit on. This advice is
completely off the point. What evidence do you have of your claims?
I've always had excellent response times from both ftp.FreeBSD.org
(really wcarchive.cdrom.com, the world's largest ftp server), and
www.FreeBSD.org (really freefall.FreeBSD.org). I've just tried again,
and again I had excellent response times.
On freefall, I see:
> last pid: 6943; load averages: 0.47, 0.59, 0.69 22:45:50
> 82 processes: 1 running, 80 sleeping, 1 stopped
> CPU states: 5.8% user, 0.0% nice, 9.3% system, 2.7% interrupt, 82.1% idle
> Mem: 71M Active, 9452K Inact, 20M Wired, 16M Cache, 8343K Buf, 7984K Free
> Swap: 320M Total, 13M Used, 307M Free, 4% Inuse
>
> PID USERNAME PRI NICE SIZE RES STATE TIME WCPU CPU COMMAND
> 6039 cvsup -5 0 1860K 1568K getblk 0:17 2.71% 2.71% cvsupd
> 6566 cvsup -5 0 1860K 1572K getblk 0:05 2.48% 2.48% cvsupd
In other words, it's 85% idle.
I consider that it's much more likely that your problems are network
path related. Since I have no trouble getting there from Australia,
I'd guess that it's a local problem for you.
> I always have great luck with ftp2.freebsd.org and ftp3.freebsd.org!
And so you should.
> Hoping to see you loading in a couple of HOURS!!!
I'd guess that Rafie's problems lie elsewhere.
Greg
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