ISO distribution with metalink

twanj · 2006-08-02 21:40:28

Has anyone tried out metalink for ISO distribution?

It lists all mirrors, p2p locations, checksums, & other stuff in one file used by download managers.

twanj · 2006-08-05 18:17:22

I've created .metalinks for all arch 0.7.2 ISOs at http://www.metalinker.org/samples.html#isos

http://www.metalinker.org/samples/arch- … o.metalink

All you have to do is install aria2 then use it with the command

aria2c http://www.metalinker.org/samples/arch-0.7.2.iso.metalink

(or try out wxDownload Fast, another client).

Here's what the metalink looks like in case you're interested:

<xml>
<metalink>
  <publisher>
    <name>archlinux</name>
    <url>http://www.archlinux.org/</url>
  </publisher>
  <description>Arch Linux, a lightweight and flexible linux distribution that tries to Keep It Simple.</description>
  <files>
    <file>
      <version>0.7.2</version>
      <os>Linux-x86</os>
      <verification>
        <hash>aa7ded55704d6d9f982f68f9872fac79</hash>
      </verification>
      <resources>
        <url>ftp://archlinux.puzzle.ch/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://cle.linux.org.tw/pub/ArchLinux/iso/0.72/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.estpak.ee/pub/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.heanet.ie/mirrors/ftp.archlinux.org/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.hosteurope.de/mirror/ftp.archlinux.org/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.iasi.roedu.net/mirrors/archlinux.org/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.nethat.com/pub/linux/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/metalab/distributions/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.ntua.gr/pub/linux/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.pangora.org/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.surfnet.nl/pub/os/Linux/distr/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp.tu-chemnitz.de/pub/linux/sunsite.unc-mirror/distributions/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://ftp-linux.cc.gatech.edu/pub/linux/distributions/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://mi.mirror.garr.it/mirrors/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://mirror.cs.vt.edu/pub/ArchLinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://mirror.icis.pcz.pl/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://mirror.pacific.net.au/linux/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>ftp://sunsite.icm.edu.pl/site/linux-sunsite/distributions/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
        <url>http://darkstar.ist.utl.pt/archlinux/0.7.2/iso/i686/arch-0.7.2.iso</url>
      </resources>
    </file>
  </files>
</metalink>

twanj · 2006-09-03 18:38:23

Here's some more information on Metalink:

'Metalinks make complex download pages obsolete by replacing long lists of download mirrors and BitTorrent trackers with a single .metalink file. As you might have already guessed, a .metalink file is a file that tells a download manager all the different ways it can download a file. The file itself takes the form of an open XML standard that can list an unlimited number of HTTP and FTP sources as well as BitTorrent trackers and ed2k and magnet links.'

http://www.downloadsquad.com/2006/08/28 … downloads/

twanj · 2006-10-18 18:47:16

Metalink tools are now available for easily making metalinks. They generate every conceivable checksum & import mirrors/p2p.

I guess people have seen the metalinks on the Arch download page by now.

Romashka · 2006-10-18 21:56:34

Arch already has .metalinks: http://www.archlinux.org/download/
It was already announced by Judd Vinet.

twanj · 2007-01-31 19:57:43

The newest version of aria2 (0.10.0+1, out yesterday) supports chunk checksums. This means it verifies each chunk/segment of the download during transfer, so errors are automatically corrected.

If anyone wants to test these out:

http://www.metalinker.org/test/arch-0.7 … o.metalink
http://www.metalinker.org/test/arch-0.7 … o.metalink
http://www.metalinker.org/test/arch-0.7.2.iso.metalink

http://www.metalinker.org/test/arch64-0 … o.metalink
http://www.metalinker.org/test/arch64-0 … o.metalink
http://www.metalinker.org/test/arch64-0 … o.metalink

Last edited by twanj (2007-01-31 19:58:27)

twanj · 2007-02-27 03:37:19

Here's a slashdot post about metalink...

http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/02/25/144209

"Metalinks collect information about files in an XML format used by programs that download. The information includes mirror lists, ways to retrieve the file on P2P networks, checksums for verifying and correcting downloads, operating system, language, and other details. Using Metalinks details the Free Software programs you can use to download them with. There are also clients on Mac and Windows. With a list of multiple ways to download a file, programs can switch to another method if one goes down. Or a file can be downloaded from multiple mirrors at once, usually making the download go much faster. Downloads can be repaired during transfer to guarantee no errors. All this makes things automatic which are usually not possible or at least difficult, and increases efficiency, availability, and reliability over regular download links. OpenOffice.org, openSUSE, and other Linux/BSD distributions use them for large downloads."

twanj · 2007-06-08 17:37:08

Updated metalinks for Arch ISOs are at http://www.metalinker.org/samples.html#arch

There's also DownThemAll, a Firefox extension that supports metalinks in their nightly builds but it's not super stable yet. the icon/logo, description, publisher, license, OS/arch, & other info are taken from the metalink.

Any ideas/suggestions for other useful stuff?

twanj · 2007-12-12 17:44:51

the newest aria2 supports downloading from torrents and mirrors at the same time.

twanj · 2008-01-17 09:30:31

is Arch up for using metalinks for ISOs again if we create them?

metalink-library can be used to automate metalink creation. it can also create torrents.

cactus · 2008-05-01 02:49:54

twanj wrote:

is Arch up for using metalinks for ISOs again if we create them?
metalink-library can be used to automate metalink creation. it can also create torrents.

Sure.
Torrents are easier for us (the devs) to create, but if the community wants to create (and test) metalinks for us, I don't see why we couldn't put the resultant files up somewhere.

twanj · 2008-05-02 23:27:58

cactus wrote:

twanj wrote:
is Arch up for using metalinks for ISOs again if we create them?
metalink-library can be used to automate metalink creation. it can also create torrents.
Sure.
Torrents are easier for us (the devs) to create, but if the community wants to create (and test) metalinks for us, I don't see why we couldn't put the resultant files up somewhere.

great!

someone has also offered to create a list of mirrors in the metalink commandline client format and write a small spider to do the metalinking.

you could also create torrents & metalinks at the same time w/ metalink-library.

I'll let you know when they're done.

twanj · 2008-05-03 17:37:35

here are the .metalinks for recent ISOs: http://www.metalinker.org/samples.html#arch

cactus · 2008-05-03 20:32:56

Added the metalinks to the latest two isos.
They are in the ftp iso dirs. It will take a while for them to mirror out.

thanks.

twanj · 2008-05-05 15:34:16

thank you sir

Arch Linux

#1 2006-08-02 21:40:28

ISO distribution with metalink

#2 2006-08-05 18:17:22

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#3 2006-09-03 18:38:23

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#4 2006-10-18 18:47:16

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#5 2006-10-18 21:56:34

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#6 2007-01-31 19:57:43

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#7 2007-02-27 03:37:19

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#8 2007-06-08 17:37:08

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#9 2007-12-12 17:44:51

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#10 2008-01-17 09:30:31

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#11 2008-05-01 02:49:54

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#12 2008-05-02 23:27:58

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#13 2008-05-03 17:37:35

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#14 2008-05-03 20:32:56

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

#15 2008-05-05 15:34:16

Re: ISO distribution with metalink

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