Join as a Mirror

Instructions for joining the SourceForge.net mirror network

SourceForge.net maintains a mirror network with locations around the world. The SourceForge.net mirror network is used to offload Open Source software download activity from the SourceForge.net servers, and by nature of the geographic distribution of the servers to provide faster downloads to users.

Hosting a mirror is a great way to show support for SourceForge.net and the Open Source community. We acknowledge this commitment in our documentation and by showing the logo of the mirror provider during the download process (where possible). Please provide a 550x300 logo for this purpose.

Mirror providers supply hardware for the mirror, host and maintain the server, and provide the bandwidth for keeping the mirror in sync and for users to download from the mirror. SourceForge.net provides oversight of the mirror sync process and sends traffic to the mirror. This is a no-fee arrangement.

Mirror requirements

Providing a mirror requires reliable equipment and hosting, and an ongoing commitment to maintain the server and remain responsive as our mirror network evolves. New SourceForge.net mirrors must meet the requirements of our mirror agreement.

The mirror agreement provides the official requirements for hosting a mirror (summarized here). Providers will need to supply:

• A minimum of 20TB of storage. Our full data set now exceeds 50TB; a typical 20TB mirror will contain a portion of the file set.
• A minimum of 500Mbps of bandwidth. Please run a simple speed test and send us the results.
• An availability guarantee, physical security, log data handling, redundancy and network performance guarantees as detailed in the mirror agreement.
• A Linux installation of the current stable Ubuntu Server LTS release.
• Full administrative (root) access to the server you provide.

Make an offer

To join the SourceForge.net mirror network, providers should:

• Review the mirror agreement and confirm that they can meet the requirements.
• Contact the SourceForge.net team at mirrors@slashdotmedia.com to make an offer to host a mirror. When contacting us, please provide:
  • The name and email address of the technical contact who would be handling the server deployment.
  • Your location, and any relevant details about major network peerings.
  • The name of the company or organization that is sponsoring the mirror.

Not all mirror offers are accepted. Since mirrors require our time to prepare and keep synced, SourceForge.net staff analyze the value of the potential mirror before accepting the offer. SourceForge.net staff will typically respond to your offer within three business days. If accepted, preparations for the new mirror will proceed as detailed in the mirror agreement.

How it works

1. Mirror provider makes an offer.
2. SourceForge.net responds to the offer (typically within 3 business days). If accepted:
3. Mirror provider completes the necessary paperwork, including the mirror agreement, and the agreement-required logos, and the logging policy. SourceForge.net staff assist in this process as needed. Paperwork can take between a day and a month to complete, depending on provider readiness.
4. Once the paperwork has been settled, the mirror provider deploys the server and lets SourceForge.net staff know when it's ready. If the server is already on hand, this may only take a day; in some organizations, it takes upward of a month to acquire and deploy hardware.
5. SourceForge.net staff coordinate the setup details with the mirror provider so SourceForge.net staff may access the server and start the mirror syncing process. This exchange typically takes a few days. A countersigned copy of the mirror agreement is provided.
6. The mirror sync process is initiated using SourceForge.net's master mirror server and other mirrors on the network. Sync time varies based on available bandwidth and connection performance. This process typically takes at least a month. Some providers with more limited connectivity have taken upward of four months to sync the full file set.
7. Once the mirror is fully synced, we coordinate a launch date with the mirror provider and review any press releases they want to issue.

Getting Help

• Mirror Agreement and Mirror Agreement Terms and Conditions
• Contact SourceForge.net staff to offer a mirror
• Overview of the mirror network