Re: FreeBSD ftp mirror sites and pkg_add

On 11/14/2011 12:45 PM, Mehmet Erol Sanliturk wrote:
> In Arch Linux , package manager Pacman is using a configuration file
> /etc/pacman.conf with its included files .
>
>
> It is using a file such as the following ( some parts are deleted for
> message ) :
>
> ( obtained from
> http://www.archlinux.org/mirrorlist/all/ftp/
> ) :
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> ##
> ## Arch Linux repository mirrorlist
> ## Generated on 2011-11-13
> ##
>
> ## Any
> #Server = ftp://mirrors.kernel.org/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>
> ## Australia
> #Server = ftp://mirror.aarnet.edu.au/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://ftp.iinet.net.au/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.internode.on.net/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.optus.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>
> ...
>
> ## Canada
> #Server = ftp://mirror.csclub.uwaterloo.ca/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.its.dal.ca/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://less.cogeco.net/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>
> ...
>
> ## Great Britain
> #Server = ftp://mirror.lividpenguin.com/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.cinosure.com/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirrors.uk2.net/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>
> ...
>
> ## Turkey
> #Server = ftp://ftp.linux.org.tr/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>
> ...
>
> ## United States
> #Server = ftp://archlinux.supsec.org/pub/linux/arch/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://cake.lib.fit.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://cosmos.cites.illinois.edu/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://ftp.archlinux.org/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://ftp.gtlib.gatech.edu/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.ancl.hawaii.edu/linux/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.us.leaseweb.net/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://locke.suu.edu/linux/dist/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://ftp.osuosl.org/pub/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
> #Server = ftp://mirror.rit.edu/archlinux/$repo/os/$arch
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> The advised action is to edit this file and activate nearest or
> suitable mirrors by removing comment sign ( # ) in front of
> the relevant mirror .
>
> During package install , this file is used and traversed up to
> an available mirror , when a mirror fails from beginning .
>
> .................
>
>
> In FreeBSD , pkg_add
>
>
> http://svnweb.freebsd.org/base/head/usr.sbin/pkg_install/add/main.c?view=markup
>
> the ONLY package site is taken by
>
> getpackagesite(void)
>
> from
>
> if (getenv("PACKAGESITE"))
>
> which it is ONLY ftp.FreeBSD.org .
>
> When the statement
>
> if ((packagesite = getpackagesite()) == NULL)
>
> fails , it is necessary either to wait up to a working state of the
> ftp.FreeBSD.org
> or edit the "PACKAGESITE" environment variable up to a success which
> is NOT an expected action from the beginners .
>
>
> Instead of this , it is possible to use a pkg_add.conf
> and insert into a list of ALL available ftp.*.FreeBSD.org sites
>
> http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors-ftp.html
>
> AND
>
> OTHER mirror ftp sites synchronized by central FreeBSD ftp sites .
>
> Every site will be commented out , but
>
> ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.org...
>
> will be available .
>
> For example :
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> # From
>
> # http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/mirrors-ftp.html
>
> :
>
> # The official sources for FreeBSD are available via anonymous FTP
> # from a worldwide set of mirror sites.
> # The site ftp://ftp.FreeBSD.org/pub/FreeBSD/ is well connected and
> # allows a large number of connections to it,
> # but you are probably better off finding a closer mirror site
> # (especially if you decide to set up some sort of mirror site).
>
>
> # The adviced action is the following :
>
>
> # Move the nearest mirror site link to top ,
> # and second nearest mirror to second line ,
> # up to mirrors suitable to use ,
> # AND remove comment signs in front of them .
>
> ## Australia
>
> #ftp://ftp.au.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
> #ftp://ftp2.au.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
>
> ...
>
> ## Canada
>
> #ftp://ftp.ca.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
> #ftp://ftp2.ca.freebsd.org/
> #ftp://ftp3.ca.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
>
> ...
>
> ## Turkey
>
> #ftp://ftp.tr.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
> #ftp://ftp2.tr.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
>
> ...
>
> ## United Kingdom
>
> #ftp://ftp.uk.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
> #ftp://ftp2.uk.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
>
> ...
>
> ## United States
>
> #ftp://ftp1.us.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
> #ftp://ftp2.us.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
>
> ...
>
> ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/
>
> ---------------------------------
>
> This feature and what to do advise will be stated in the release notes .
>
> When pkg_add is started , it will load pkg_add.conf list
> into an array , AND traverse this array from element one to
> end , last being the ftp://ftp.freebsd.org/pub/FreeBSD/ .
>
> If a mirror site is successful , the package will be installed from this
> one ,
> and the loop will be discontinued .
>
> The suggested structure does NOT change anything from the new
> user point of view .
>
> It is very likely that , experienced users will adhere to
> use nearest mirror usage advise to reduce load currently
> carried by the default FreeBSD ftp site .
>
> I think , the default ftp site is incurring cost for
> internet band width usage .
>
> Then any cost is saved may be transferred to projects to
> improve FreeBSD features .
>
> .................
>
> I do NOT know such suggestions are irritative or useful ,
> because sometimes it is possible to hear that
>
> "if you do ( or can ) not supply a patch ,
> then shut up , ... , shut up"
>
>
> ( where "shut up , ... , shut up" is from "Titanic is sinking" ) .
>
>
> Thank you very much .
>
>
> Mehmet Erol Sanliturk
With the new pkgng  tool, you can change the ftp site in a configuration 
file.
Please also note that the distribution method might change in the near 
future (a CDN?).