Multi-Engine Functionality

[kampkrusty]

I would love to be able to run multiple instances/daemons of Sabnzbd on my home network, with the ability to control which engine is downloading at a time.

Upstairs is my Ubuntu desktop running Sabnzbd, which is where my cable modem resides.  Downstairs is my NMT.  I can only connect between the two floors via wireless G.  When I download a large file on my desktop, I need to transfer it via wireless (or portable USB) to my NMT to watch on my TV.

Here is my intended scenario:

Install a ShevaPlug, Nettop, or similar headless Ubuntu server downstairs, and install an instance of Sabnzbd on it.  Storage will be local to the server, via USB or whatnot.  I would then like to decide whether to download a file to my desktop upstairs, or downstairs using the second instance of Sabnzbd.  Wireless download speed is not an issue.  In other words, if it takes 3 hours to download a file, it will do so in both locations.  But if I download upstairs first, and then need to transfer the file wirelessly, well, you may as well add another 3 hours to that.

Here are the features I would like to see:

Have a master instance of Sabznbd running upstairs that controls all instances located on the same network.  This contains all configuration information, such as servers and server connection limits.  He contains the main queue, and can hand off a download to a particular slave.  He will show what's downloading and where.
Have a slave instance running downstairs.  Think of him more as an agent rather than a full-blown installation.  He can be controlled by the master.

I do not need concurrent downloading, as I will be capped by my ISP.  Since I end up moving large files downstairs anyway, this would help resolve that bottleneck.  But there are still things I wish to only download upstairs.

I considered linking a subfolder to a share located downstairs, but I figured between the cache, incomplete, and complete folders, there would be numerous bottlenecks via wireless.  If the only remote folder would be complete, it would not transfer until the entire download has actually completed.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

I think the biggest benefit to this is that as the price of small, quiet, low-powered devices capable of running Linux come down, distributed home networks (such as cable company multi-room DVR's) will be common-place.  This would be a great way to get in the game.

Thanks!

[shypike]

Building this into SABnzbd is an awful lot of work for a very limited user group.
So there's not much chance that we'll implement this.