University Uses BitTorrent to Distribute Patches to 6,500 PCs

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
From our front-page news:
It would be impossible for anyone to argue that the most common BitTorrent use is piracy, but stories like the one out of INHOLLAND University may result in a different slew of adopters. This university houses over 6,500 desktop computers in ten different locations, and in order to distribute required patches, over twenty different servers were kept for the purpose. Then, the process of actually distributing the patches to all of the computers took around four days.

After much contemplation, the university decided to go with BitTorrent for the task, and they must be sure glad they did - it cut the time from four days to four hours! If that wasn't great enough, the fact that BitTorrent distributes the files in between clients meant that they were able to cut their server use from two dozen to only two.

It's uses like this that go to show just how incredible the BitTorrent technology is. For this university, it won't only be a time-saver, but an energy saver as well, both on the human and electrical side.

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"Let me put it this way: if INHOLLAND wants to migrate to Windows Vista, they only have to send out an image through BT. All 6,500 desktops can be migrated overnight in two hours' time—with one push of a button. It's a real migration killer. Migration used to mean a lengthy and trying process. At INHOLLAND, we took a different approach."

Source: Ars Technica
 

Merlin

The Tech Wizard
I never used bit torrent, but when I was looking for Ubuntu, it had links to download the OS with bit torrent.
I've never used that, so I just used a mirror.
Bit torrent, what an odd name.

And piracy, it's like buying milk for your children from a drug dealer.
Guys from work have pirated software, but not only do they get the software, they get a bonus, VIRUSES.
Then I am requested to clean their system, usually I have to reload the OS and sometimes even change the hard drive.
I guess live and learn
Merlin
 
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sbrehm72255

Tech Monkey
A legal use for BitTorrent, who would have ever thought....................;)

Never used it myself, I stay as far away as possible.
 

Rob Williams

Editor-in-Chief
Staff member
Moderator
Up to now, BitTorrent was something I took for granted, but it's articles like these that show just how superb the technology is. When you can remove 20+ of your servers and stick with 2 because of how BitTorrent works... THAT is impressive to me.

Of course the end user wouldn't have a need like this, but it's cool as hell regardless, and will hopefully help promote the technology more.
 
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