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Features Explained

• Identification and removal of duplicated binary objects: Server parses all incoming articles and extracts binary attachments (objects) from them. It maintains an index of digital signatures (fingerprints) of binary objects that are already in its storage. If the signature of an incoming binary object already exists in the index, the object is discarded and replaced in the article by a reference (pointer) to the existing copy.
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  But you ain’t seen nothin yet. If the feed is coming from another ANS server, digital signatures of binary objects are sent first, and if the receiving server already has a copy (that has been posted earlier attached to another message), the objects are not sent at all. Thus, no binary object is saved twice, and in the feed between two ANS servers, no binary object is transmitted twice. (go back up)

• Storage and transmission of binary objects in decoded format: Normally, all binary files are posted encoded using Uuencode, Base64 or Binhex formats. This increases their size by 33%, because every 3 bytes are encoded using 4 bytes. Thus, if we just decode binary objects and store and transmit them in decoded format we get savings in disk space and transmission volume. (go back up)

• Storage and transmission of text in compressed format: Server allows you to switch compression option ON, so that textual articles are compressed before storage. It also supports commands that allow retrieving articles in compressed format. (go back up)

• At least 30% savings on bandwidth and disk space: Storing and transmitting binary files in decoded format generates savings of at least 25% in disk space and transmission traffic. Text compresses much better, by at least 50%.
  Illustration:
  Let’s be conservative and estimate that we get a 5% savings by removing duplicated binary objects from storage and transmission traffic. Ignoring any savings from compression, we would have 25% (decoding) + 5% (removal of duplicated binaries) = 30% of savings.
  In reality, savings are much better. By our estimation, in popular binary groups about 30% of the binaries are duplicated, posted by several posters simultaneously. About 70% of the content is reposted at least once within 2 weeks. The situation is even worse in unpopular binary groups. They mostly contain nothing, but spam. The same spam messages copied regularly to multiple groups. So, here savings on removing duplicated binary objects can be very substantial. (go back up)

• Serving of previews of binary objects: Server supports an NNTP protocol extension that allows clients to request small descriptions of binary objects, e.g., thumbnails for images. Presented to users, these samples help to make better downloading decisions, save time and traffic caused by downloading, and remove the unproductive load off the server! We demonstrated this feature at two exhibitions and people just loved it! (go back up)

• An optimized database engine: A custom built database engine is used to support functions of the server. It was specifically designed to optimize performance in the Usenet environment. (go back up)

• Multi-level to improve performance: Multi-level RAM cache is one of the features of the database engine. It allows a trade-off of memory for speed, if necessary. Depending on memory resources, XOVER information, article headers, or even articles can be cached in memory for fast access. (go back up)

• Advanced features to maximize performance and usability of the matching client and Web gateway: BinBuster server supports NNTP extensions that allow previews of binary objects; requesting of binary objects’ digital signatures in order to avoid repetitive downloading, and transmission of binary objects in decoded format and text in compressed format. These features give remarkable advantages to client applications that use them. (go back up)

• Smart article expiration policy: Using a smart algorithm, accesses to news articles are “counted”, and the life of popular articles is made longer at the expense of rarely accessed articles and spam. Binary files that have little popularity rating will expire, no matter how often or how recently they have been reposted. (go back up)

• Interface to Clean Feed spam filter: A commonly used and popular freeware Clean Feed spam filter tool can be “plugged in” to the server to filter out spam. Server administrators who have used it previously will appreciate it. Also, effective filter rules are available for Clean Feed. (go back up)

• Easy to use interactive GUI based Server Administration Tool (SAT): All server administration functions can be accomplished using this Java application. It does not have to be running on the same computer where the server is running. We are routinely using it to manage servers of BinBuster family that are on the other side of the planet. (go back up)

• Remote configuration and control mode: If you don’t like fancy bells and whistles and feel like using telnet, or you want to automate certain administration tasks, like adding new users, you can certainly do it. SAT uses a TCP/IP connection to manage the server, and you can do it as well. Description of the control commands (Internal Channel Protocol) is published in the documentation. The best way to learn them, however, is using SAT for help. You can open SAT console and watch all the commands that SAT sends to the server when prompted by your actions. (go back up)

• Cyclic buffer storage: News articles, binary attachments and preview samples are saved in cyclic buffer files, or linked sets of such files. This prevents disk fragmentation, ensures fast update and retrieval operations, removes the need for garbage collection and ensures that your hard drives are used evenly, preventing early wear. You can dynamically allocate and remove spool space, as required. (go back up)

• Seamless solution to spam problem: Even without using spam filters, spam becomes much less of a problem as it no longer causes a significant resource drain. Remember, we only store binary files once. So, no matter how many times spammers post them, no new disk space will be wasted. Size of textual parts of spam messages is usually small. (go back up)

• Sucking feed mode: If you want to have a small news server with a few newsgroups, there is no need to ask somebody to open feed to your server. BinBuster can pretend that it is a client and “suck” required groups for you from a server that you have access to. A very useful dynamic sucking feed mode is being trialed and will be available soon. Watch our site for this. (go back up)

• Small footprint: It is very small indeed for such a powerful application. A Win 32 version takes up about 5.5 megs of disk space, plus the spool size. Linux and FreeBSD versions take a bit more. (go back up)