F@H without internet connection

[FlightRisk]

I'll be honest, I know I'm being super lazy. I have at least done a very brief google search. For what that is worth.  

  

TL;DR can I setup F@H without a constant connection? Or maybe a way to pool the results to a single PC for upload etc.
 

I've been meaning to get involved with F@H for some time but just never have and I actually work within IT at a pretty large Engineering company, albeit incompetently...
Because of this, I know of quite a few workstation's ( probably about 50 locally. But hundreds, maybe even thousands globally) just sat around in storage not doing a whole lot right now. for a variety of reasons.

 

So hey, what better time to get involved than a global pandemic?

I want to approach at least the local managers about using these idle PC's to contribute. But the issue is networking, it's a large company. Anything takes a long time to achieve. and I literally couldn't just up and decide to let them talk across the LAN network. (Even if I did want to lose my job and maybe face legal action.) 

 

So I'm wondering, is it possible to setup F@H without a constant connection? I get it would require a little more nannying, collecting data etc. But maybe?

Or maybe, I could probably get a few PC's or switch ports out to the great open yonder. Maybe I could almost have a collector type machine running? Even if that does sound like the most complicated answer.  

  

EDIT: The PC's locally are OEM modeling workstations. So you are talking 6700's with a smattering of Quadro P2000's and K2200's. I'm very new to F@H, not really sure what that would contribute to F@H

 

[piratemonkey]

i would only recommend using a couple, as there are more workers then there are WUs for the covid19 projects. im not an expert in f@h, but i believe there is a way to control computers via the software f@h control. i think it only works on local networks and youll need the ip address or hostname. having a master computer and the others reporting to it might work, but it seems janky. it only runs on the gpu, and the ones you listed sound like they would be great, cuz quadros are great for modelling. i will investigate further. i hope this helps

edit: it doesnt seem like it, as you need some way to upload the results, and using another computer to control it requires internet. again with the whole not enough WUs, it doesnt seem like its worth the hassle, even if you could. you need to be connected to both download the project and upload results. using only a couple connected to the internet could be an option, or putting it on a segmented part of the network too. or maybe taking them home. hope this helps