[plug] Mirrors - Ben

[James Elliott]

Thanks Ben

James

----- Original Message -----
From: "Ben Jensz" <jensz at wn.com.au>
To: <plug at plug.linux.org.au>
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2003 3:02 PM
Subject: Re: [plug] Mirrors


> James Elliott wrote:
>
> >How do mirrors work (not the glass ones but the ones we download from)?
> >
> >I gather the major downloads are not only stored on the source server but
> >also on "mirrors" in other countries.
> >
> >1.  Since we pay no more for Internet use if we download from within
> >Australia as distinct from overseas, why use mirrors? - what is the
> >advantage?
> >
> >
> Well the end user pays no more anyway, it costs wholesale data carriers
> more for international traffic generally than domestic (Australian)
traffic.
>
> For users of ADSL in particular, most people in WA would be using a WAIX
> connected ISP and most are offering free data from WAIX connected
> servers, including some file mirrors.  So thats an advantage of using
> WAIX/Local ISP mirrors, as the data doesn't go towards your limit.
>
> Also the closer the mirror (as long as its well connected), the faster
> sustained speeds you'll generally get from it also.
>
> >2.  Who pays for the mirror sites if the downloads are free?
> >
> >
> Well the theory for the company that hosts the mirror, is if more than
> one of their users downloads the file from the mirror instead of from
> outside, then its data they are saving.  So instead of 5 users
> downloading the same 10Mb file each and using 50Mb of external
> bandwidth, the ISP or whoever the ISP sponsors to run the mirror
> downloads the 10Mb file once over the ISP's external bandwidth and the 5
> users download from that local mirror instead of from external.
>
>
> / Ben
>
>
>