It occurs to me that some folks might not quite get how it all goes, especially when it goes wrong, and so I offer this Fast Food analogy.
So, you step up to the counter (open Content Manager) and order a Cheeseburger (an asset). The Cashier (Content Manager) shouts into the microphone (Internet) what you want.
If all goes well, the kitchen (DLS) hears you and immediately throws a cheese burger to the Cashier (Content Manager) he catches it (Download Complete) and hands it to you (Asset Installed).
Now sometimes when the Cashier shouts into the microphone - the kitchen can't understand what was said (packet loss) or was too busy to get the item (server overload), in which case, you order again (retry) and then it all goes though. Or it starts a long exchange of the Cashier and Kitchen nattering back and forth to get your order right (Slow Download).
Sometimes the fry cook has left the building (DLS server offline).
Sometimes the cashier drops your burger (corrupt download) so you have to order another one (reinstall the asset).
The one thing that one must keep in mind is that connection between the Cashier and the Kitchen. It is composed of everything from your computer's network connect, modem, your ISP, the actual Internet it's self, the routers where the N3V Servers are up to the actual server it's self.
So that makes bad communications possibly the fault of [Your Gear] - [Your ISP] - ["The Internet" including numerous computers that the connection passes though] - [ISP used by DLS servers] - [Whoever hosts the DLS server].
It's good to keep that chain in mind (in fact, all Internet traffic travels like this, which makes it kind of amazing it works as well as it does) - and when in doubt do things like
I hope this helps someone get a better understanding of the scope of possible causes for their DLS woes. It's in no way meant to be making excuses for N3V, or certainly their choice of Server Hosting, but sometimes it might not be their (either N3V or their host's) fault.
- The Content Manager program? That's the cashier.
- The DLS? That's the kitchen.
- The Internet? Once instead of computer screens, the cashier spoke the order into a microphone and what they said came out of a speaker back in the kitchen - that will work for the Internet.
- Assets? That's the different foods you can order.
- And the DLS "Black Pages" (or white)? Well, that's kind of the Drive though.
So, you step up to the counter (open Content Manager) and order a Cheeseburger (an asset). The Cashier (Content Manager) shouts into the microphone (Internet) what you want.
If all goes well, the kitchen (DLS) hears you and immediately throws a cheese burger to the Cashier (Content Manager) he catches it (Download Complete) and hands it to you (Asset Installed).
Now sometimes when the Cashier shouts into the microphone - the kitchen can't understand what was said (packet loss) or was too busy to get the item (server overload), in which case, you order again (retry) and then it all goes though. Or it starts a long exchange of the Cashier and Kitchen nattering back and forth to get your order right (Slow Download).
Sometimes the fry cook has left the building (DLS server offline).
Sometimes the cashier drops your burger (corrupt download) so you have to order another one (reinstall the asset).
The one thing that one must keep in mind is that connection between the Cashier and the Kitchen. It is composed of everything from your computer's network connect, modem, your ISP, the actual Internet it's self, the routers where the N3V Servers are up to the actual server it's self.
So that makes bad communications possibly the fault of [Your Gear] - [Your ISP] - ["The Internet" including numerous computers that the connection passes though] - [ISP used by DLS servers] - [Whoever hosts the DLS server].
It's good to keep that chain in mind (in fact, all Internet traffic travels like this, which makes it kind of amazing it works as well as it does) - and when in doubt do things like
- Check your connection using speedtest.net
- Check the N3V servers by entering their address at isitup.org
I hope this helps someone get a better understanding of the scope of possible causes for their DLS woes. It's in no way meant to be making excuses for N3V, or certainly their choice of Server Hosting, but sometimes it might not be their (either N3V or their host's) fault.