Run BOINC on a headless Linux server
BOINC is installed on my home server running Debian. I elect to use the latest stable *.deb packages from the project's repository vs the (older) packages provided by Debian.
To monitor/manage the service I either SSH into the server and use the command line tool boinccmd or access remotely from my desktop using the graphical BOINC Manager.
This is how I do it...
1. Prepare the system
Before installing BOINC:
- Add GPG key from keyserver
- Add the BOINC repository to package sources
- Set a preference for installing BOINC's own packages over the default package in Debian
This is outlined in Steps 1 through 3 in Install BOINC on Debian.
2. Install
sudo apt install boinc-client
Installation creates a new user and group, both labelled boinc. All created files and running processes belong to this user.
Add your username to the boinc group:
sudo adduser <your_username> boinc
3. Account key
Example: I crunch data for Einstein@Home. There are many to choose from: Choosing BOINC projects
To attach BOINC to a project I've already registered with requires the account key.
Either login to my account and go to Account->Credentials, or lookup using the boinccmd command:
boinccmd --lookup_account https://einsteinathome.org <email_used_with_account> "<password>"
status: Success
poll status: operation in progress
account key: <long_alphanumeric_string>
Note: Be sure to put "<password>" in quotes or command will fail.
4. Attach project
Attach to project with --project_attach URL account_key:
$ boinccmd --project_attach https://einsteinathome.org <long_alphanumeric_string>
Check tasks:
$ boinccmd --get_tasks
$ boinccmd --get_task_summary
5. Manage from command line
See boinccmd --help or Boinccmd tool for options.
6. Preferences
By default, BOINC runs on 100% of the CPUs at 100% capacity. Global preferences are maintained on a project's server, edited via a web interface, and downloaded from the server.
To edit BOINC preferences locally, modify the "preferences override file" located at /var/lib/boinc/global_prefs_override.xml. This file is read by boinc-client after it reads the preferences from the server, and it overrides those preferences.
Example global_prefs_override.xml:
- Do not run the client when system is powered by the battery
- Run the client when user is active
- Client allowed to use 25% of the CPUs, and run them at 100% capacity
- If non-BOINC CPU usage >=25%, suspend the client
<global_preferences>
<run_on_batteries>0</run_on_batteries>
<run_if_user_active>1</run_if_user_active>
<max_ncpus_pct>25.0</max_ncpus_pct>
<cpu_usage_limit>100.0</cpu_usage_limit>
<suspend_cpu_usage>25.0</suspend_cpu_usage>
</global_preferences>
Load the new preferences into the client:
boinccmd --read_global_prefs_override
For a complete list of options:
7. Manage remotely using the graphical BOINC Manager
7.1 On the server
Add the IP address of the remote desktop that will be running BOINC Manager to /var/lib/boinc/remote_hosts.cfg (example: 192.168.1.23):
# This file contains a list of remote host names or IP addresses (one per line)
# that are allowed to connect to the BOINC client via the GUI RPC interface.
# Only the hosts listed in this file will be allowed to connect.
# Lines starting with '#' and ';' are comments and are ignored.
192.168.1.23
Restart:
sudo systemctl restart boinc-client.service
7.2 On the desktop
Note: BOINC password is stored in /var/lib/boinc/gui_rpc_auth.cfg and is blank by default.
Launch BOINC Manager and go to File->Select computer....
Enter the server's IP address (omit password unless one has been set). BOINC running on the server can now be monitored/managed identical to a BOINC setup running on localhost.
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