controlling the download transfer rate while updating a system

[NoOp]

On 02/11/2009 07:50 AM, H.S. wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> There have been times where I have wished that I could control the
> download rate while the system was being updated and updates were being
> downloaded. Well, I discovered this on Debian user mailing list and
> tried it with success so I wanted to share the experience.
> 
> To control the default download rate while the updates are being
> downloaded, make the change in /etc/apt/apt.conf (using sudo). I
> inserted the following lines in a machine to cap the download rate
> //-------------------------------------------------------------
> // Options for the downloading routines
> Acquire
> {
>   // HTTP method configuration
>   http
>   {
>     Dl-Limit "20";        // maximum download rate in KB/s
>   };
> 
> };
> //-------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> Note the Dl-Limit number has units of Kilo Bytes per second.
> 
> Now, what if I wanted to utilize larger bandwidth for the transfers? I
> could either change the number in the file and then do the update, or I
> could specify the new limit on a command line itself. The following
> command, as an example, will update the system by capping the download
> speed to 100 KB/s (one could use apt-get instead of aptitude if desired).
> 
> $> aptitude -o Acquire::http::DL-Limit=100 safe-update
> 
> Regards.
> 

H.S., as a followup to this; this /etc/apt/apt.conf file came in *very*
handy when upgrading my intrepid systems to jaunty these past few days.
I used:

//---------------------------
// Options for limiting Update Manager download speeds
Acquire
{
Queue-Mode "access";       // host|access
http
{
Dl-Limit "65";        // 65Kb/sec maximum download rate
};
};
//--------------------------

and the upgrades held at around 72kB/s allowing me to continue to use my
159kB/s DSL line for normal email, lists, web browsing, etc., etc. So
thanks again for the very helpful hint!

Gary