CNT3004 – Socket-Based Networked File Sharing Cloud Server

Project Objective

The primary objective of this collaborative project is to design, implement, and evaluate
a distributed file sharing system in the cloud employing a server-client architecture. The
system should facilitate efficient and secure file transfer between multiple clients
connected to a central server.

Project Requirements

Server-Client Architecture: Implement a robust server-client architecture using
Python where clients initiate connections to a central server for file requests and
transfers.

File Transfer Protocols: Utilize appropriate network protocols (e.g., TCP, UDP)
for reliable and efficient file transmission.

Multithreading: Employ multithreading on the server side to handle concurrent
client requests and improve system performance.

File Types and Sizes: Support a variety of file types (e.g., text, audio, video)
with minimum specified size ranges:

• Text files: 25 MB
• Audio files: 0.5 GB
• Video files: 2 GB

File Operations: Implement the following Client file operations:

• Connect [server IP Port]: Initiates connection from client to server with the specified files.
  • Authentication: (extra credit 5 points) Implement a secure authentication mechanism (e.g., username/password) to restrict access to the file sharing system. Do not transmit password in clear text. Encryption is recommended.
• Upload [server IP]: Clients can upload files to the server. Server will prompt client if file already exists and requires user input to be overwritten.
• Download [filename]: Clients can download files from the server. Server will respond with error message if file does not exist.
• Delete: Clients can delete files from the server. Server will respond with error message if file is currently being processed or does not exist.
• Dir: Clients can view a list of files and subdirectories in the server’s file storage path.
• Subfolder [{create | delete} path/directory]: Clients can create or subfolders in the server’s file storage path

Performance Evaluation: Collect and analyze performance metrics such as:

• Upload and download data rates (MB/s) of upload and download
• File transfer times
• System response times

Version Control: Use a Git or Github repository to manage version control,
development branches and collaboration. All team members will have access to
repository and make meaningful updates to the code base reflected by commits.

Project Design

Server Side Application Design

• Create a multithreaded server to handle multiple client connections simultaneously.
• Implement data structures (e.g., file system, client connection pool) to efficiently manage files and client information.
• Utilize logical file naming conventions that identifies the file type (ie text vs video) while avoiding duplicate file names. (ie TS001 for Text-Server file)
• Implement file transfer logic using appropriate network protocols.
• Handle authentication and authorization requests.
• Server-Side application must be deployed to Google Cloud Platform - Compute Engine.
• FTP is not permitted

Client Side Application Design

• Implement a user interface for clients to interact with the file sharing system.
• Implement network communication logic to connect to the server and send/receive file requests.
• Handle file uploads, downloads, and directory operations.
• Provide feedback to the user regarding the status of file transfers and operations.
• Client-side applications may be used from students’ personal computers or deployed to a separate Google Cloud Platform Compute Engine instance.

Network Analysis Application Design:

• Implement a module that collects statistics from either server and/or client applications
• Module should start with the server application.
• Network statistics including upload/download data rates, file transfer times and a third metric of your choice will be stored (ie dictionary or dataframe) to be reviewed offline. This data will be used for the report.

  Project Evaluation

• Performance Analysis: Conduct experiments to measure the system's performance under various load conditions. Analyze the collected data to identify bottlenecks and areas for optimization.
• Security Assessment: Evaluate the system's security measures to ensure that it is protected against unauthorized access and data breaches.
• Operation: All testing should be performed from the client-side application issuing specific commands to produce the expected file operations.

  Project Submission

  Report: Submit a comprehensive project report in doc or pdf, that includes:

• Cover page that includes name of project, date, course section and each member’s name
• Introduction and project objectives (1 page)
• System architecture and design (1 -2 pages)
• Implementation details (3 pages)
• Experimental results and analysis presented in captioned diagrams, graphs and screenshots. Each should be supported with 1 – 2 paragraphs each. (3 -4 pages)
• Problems faced (1 -2 paragraphs)
• What was learned (1 – 2 paragraphs from each team member)
• Individual contribution table (displays activity type and percentage of effort for each team member)
• Conclusions and future work (3 paragraphs)

Code: Submit well-commented and organized source code for the server, client
and analysis components. This should be at minimum 3 python modules.

Git log: Git log from git repository that demonstrates multiple commits and
activity from all the team members.

Video Presentation: Prepare and narrate a concise presentation summarizing
the project's key aspects and demonstrating the system's functionality
specifically:

• Discussion of each component (server, analysis, client). Narration should be equally distributed to each team member.
• Significant code snippets (not entire codebase). This should include:
  • Authorization method (extra credit) including obfuscation or encryption
  • Analysis method including how data is stored
  • Server-side logic
  • Client command input logic
  • Socket setup on client or server
• Client operation showing connect, Upload, Download, Dir, and Subfolder actions.
• Overall, demonstrate client operation from two or three clients connected simultaneously. (two clients for three person group, three clients for four person group)
• Note, faces are not necessary, only screen recordings and audible narration is required.
• Overall video submitted in .mp4 container with a time of 8-12 minutes. Use the Sim Lab for video assistance.