The BOINC Database

BOINC uses a relational database to keep track of participants, work and result. The reference implementation uses MySQL, but any SQL database can be used.

In boinc/html_user/ there is a file called db_name containing only the name of the database for that project. Each BOINC project will have a different database name. This allows for access to different databases through the webpages of projects.

The database tables are as follows:

platform

Compilation targets of the core client and/or applications.

app

Applications. The core client is treated as an application; its name is "core_client".

app_version

Versions of applications. Each record includes a URL for downloading the executable, and the MD5 checksum of the executable.

user

Describes users, including their email address, name, web password, and authenticator.

preferences

Describes preferences. The actual preference information is stored in an XML document in a "blob" field of this table.

host

Describes hosts.

workunit

Describes workunits. The input file descriptions are stored in an XML document in a blob field. Includes counts of the number of results linked to this workunit, and the numbers that have been sent, that have succeeded, and that have failed.

result

Describes results. Includes a "state" (whether the result has been dispatched). Stores a number of items relevant only after the result has been returned: CPU time, exit status, and validation status.