eth, eth/downloader: handle sync errors a bit more gracefully

eth/downloader/downloader.go

@@ -24,12 +24,12 @@ var (
 	blockTtl            = 20 * time.Second // The amount of time it takes for a block request to time out
 
 	errLowTd               = errors.New("peer's TD is too low")
-	errBusy                = errors.New("busy")
+	ErrBusy                = errors.New("busy")
 	errUnknownPeer         = errors.New("peer's unknown or unhealthy")
-	ErrBadPeer             = errors.New("action from bad peer ignored")
+	errBadPeer             = errors.New("action from bad peer ignored")
 	errNoPeers             = errors.New("no peers to keep download active")
 	errPendingQueue        = errors.New("pending items in queue")
-	errTimeout             = errors.New("timeout")
+	ErrTimeout             = errors.New("timeout")
 	errEmptyHashSet        = errors.New("empty hash set by peer")
 	errPeersUnavailable    = errors.New("no peers available or all peers tried for block download process")
 	errAlreadyInPool       = errors.New("hash already in pool")
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ type Downloader struct {
 	getBlock getBlockFn
 
 	// Status
-	synchronizing int32
+	synchronising int32
 
 	// Channels
 	newPeerCh chan *peer
@@ -119,15 +119,15 @@ func (d *Downloader) UnregisterPeer(id string) {
 	delete(d.peers, id)
 }
 
-// Synchronize will select the peer and use it for synchronizing. If an empty string is given
+// Synchronise will select the peer and use it for synchronising. If an empty string is given
 // it will use the best peer possible and synchronize if it's TD is higher than our own. If any of the
 // checks fail an error will be returned. This method is synchronous
-func (d *Downloader) Synchronize(id string, hash common.Hash) error {
+func (d *Downloader) Synchronise(id string, hash common.Hash) error {
 	// Make sure only one goroutine is ever allowed past this point at once
-	if !atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&d.synchronizing, 0, 1) {
-		return nil
+	if !atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&d.synchronising, 0, 1) {
+		return ErrBusy
 	}
-	defer atomic.StoreInt32(&d.synchronizing, 0)
+	defer atomic.StoreInt32(&d.synchronising, 0)
 
 	// Abort if the queue still contains some leftover data
 	if _, cached := d.queue.Size(); cached > 0 {
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@ out:
 			// the zero hash.
 			if p == nil || (hash == common.Hash{}) {
 				d.queue.Reset()
-				return errTimeout
+				return ErrTimeout
 			}
 
 			// set p to the active peer. this will invalidate any hashes that may be returned
@@ -282,7 +282,7 @@ out:
 			glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Hash fetching switched to new peer(%s)\n", p.id)
 		}
 	}
-	glog.V(logger.Detail).Infof("Downloaded hashes (%d) in %v\n", d.queue.Pending(), time.Since(start))
+	glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Downloaded hashes (%d) in %v\n", d.queue.Pending(), time.Since(start))
 
 	return nil
 }
@@ -384,7 +384,6 @@ out:
 			}
 		}
 	}
-
 	glog.V(logger.Detail).Infoln("Downloaded block(s) in", time.Since(start))
 
 	return nil
@@ -404,11 +403,10 @@ func (d *Downloader) AddHashes(id string, hashes []common.Hash) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("received hashes from %s while active peer is %s", id, d.activePeer)
 	}
 
-	if glog.V(logger.Detail) && len(hashes) != 0 {
+	if glog.V(logger.Debug) && len(hashes) != 0 {
 		from, to := hashes[0], hashes[len(hashes)-1]
-		glog.Infof("adding %d (T=%d) hashes [ %x / %x ] from: %s\n", len(hashes), d.queue.Pending(), from[:4], to[:4], id)
+		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("adding %d (T=%d) hashes [ %x / %x ] from: %s\n", len(hashes), d.queue.Pending(), from[:4], to[:4], id)
 	}
-
 	d.hashCh <- hashPack{id, hashes}
 
 	return nil

eth/downloader/downloader_test.go

@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ func newTester(t *testing.T, hashes []common.Hash, blocks map[common.Hash]*types
 
 func (dl *downloadTester) sync(peerId string, hash common.Hash) error {
 	dl.activePeerId = peerId
-	return dl.downloader.Synchronize(peerId, hash)
+	return dl.downloader.Synchronise(peerId, hash)
 }
 
 func (dl *downloadTester) hasBlock(hash common.Hash) bool {
@@ -217,13 +217,13 @@ func TestThrottling(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	// Synchronize the two threads and verify
+	// Synchronise the two threads and verify
 	err := <-errc
 	done <- struct{}{}
 	<-done
 
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("failed to synchronize blocks: %v", err)
+		t.Fatalf("failed to synchronise blocks: %v", err)
 	}
 	if len(took) != targetBlocks {
 		t.Fatalf("downloaded block mismatch: have %v, want %v", len(took), targetBlocks)

eth/handler.go

@@ -19,9 +19,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	peerCountTimeout    = 12 * time.Second // Amount of time it takes for the peer handler to ignore minDesiredPeerCount
-	blockProcTimer      = 500 * time.Millisecond
-	minDesiredPeerCount = 5 // Amount of peers desired to start syncing
+	forceSyncCycle      = 10 * time.Second       // Time interval to force syncs, even if few peers are available
+	blockProcCycle      = 500 * time.Millisecond // Time interval to check for new blocks to process
+	minDesiredPeerCount = 5                      // Amount of peers desired to start syncing
 	blockProcAmount     = 256
 )
 
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ func (self *ProtocolManager) handleMsg(p *peer) error {
 			}
 			self.BroadcastBlock(hash, request.Block)
 		} else {
-			go self.synchronize(p)
+			go self.synchronise(p)
 		}
 	default:
 		return errResp(ErrInvalidMsgCode, "%v", msg.Code)

eth/sync.go

@@ -12,10 +12,8 @@ import (
 // Sync contains all synchronisation code for the eth protocol
 
 func (pm *ProtocolManager) update() {
-	// itimer is used to determine when to start ignoring `minDesiredPeerCount`
-	itimer := time.NewTimer(peerCountTimeout)
-	// btimer is used for picking of blocks from the downloader
-	btimer := time.Tick(blockProcTimer)
+	forceSync := time.Tick(forceSyncCycle)
+	blockProc := time.Tick(blockProcCycle)
 
 	for {
 		select {
@@ -24,27 +22,22 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) update() {
 			if len(pm.peers) < minDesiredPeerCount {
 				break
 			}
-
-			// Find the best peer
+			// Find the best peer and synchronise with it
 			peer := getBestPeer(pm.peers)
 			if peer == nil {
-				glog.V(logger.Debug).Infoln("Sync attempt cancelled. No peers available")
+				glog.V(logger.Debug).Infoln("Sync attempt canceled. No peers available")
 			}
+			go pm.synchronise(peer)
 
-			itimer.Stop()
-			go pm.synchronize(peer)
-		case <-itimer.C:
-			// The timer will make sure that the downloader keeps an active state
-			// in which it attempts to always check the network for highest td peers
-			// Either select the peer or restart the timer if no peers could
-			// be selected.
+		case <-forceSync:
+			// Force a sync even if not enough peers are present
 			if peer := getBestPeer(pm.peers); peer != nil {
-				go pm.synchronize(peer)
-			} else {
-				itimer.Reset(5 * time.Second)
+				go pm.synchronise(peer)
 			}
-		case <-btimer:
+		case <-blockProc:
+			// Try to pull some blocks from the downloaded
 			go pm.processBlocks()
+
 		case <-pm.quitSync:
 			return
 		}
@@ -59,11 +52,11 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) processBlocks() error {
 	pm.wg.Add(1)
 	defer pm.wg.Done()
 
+	// Take a batch of blocks (will return nil if a previous batch has not reached the chain yet)
 	blocks := pm.downloader.TakeBlocks()
 	if len(blocks) == 0 {
 		return nil
 	}
-
 	glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Inserting chain with %d blocks (#%v - #%v)\n", len(blocks), blocks[0].Number(), blocks[len(blocks)-1].Number())
 
 	for len(blocks) != 0 && !pm.quit {
@@ -77,7 +70,7 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) processBlocks() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (pm *ProtocolManager) synchronize(peer *peer) {
+func (pm *ProtocolManager) synchronise(peer *peer) {
 	// Make sure the peer's TD is higher than our own. If not drop.
 	if peer.td.Cmp(pm.chainman.Td()) <= 0 {
 		return
@@ -89,12 +82,21 @@ func (pm *ProtocolManager) synchronize(peer *peer) {
 		return
 	}
 	// Get the hashes from the peer (synchronously)
-	err := pm.downloader.Synchronize(peer.id, peer.recentHash)
-	if err != nil && err == downloader.ErrBadPeer {
-		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infoln("removed peer from peer set due to bad action")
+	glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Attempting synchronisation: %v, 0x%x", peer.id, peer.recentHash)
+
+	err := pm.downloader.Synchronise(peer.id, peer.recentHash)
+	switch err {
+	case nil:
+		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Synchronisation completed")
+
+	case downloader.ErrBusy:
+		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Synchronisation already in progress")
+
+	case downloader.ErrTimeout:
+		glog.V(logger.Debug).Infof("Removing peer %v due to sync timeout", peer.id)
 		pm.removePeer(peer)
-	} else if err != nil {
-		// handle error
-		glog.V(logger.Detail).Infoln("error downloading:", err)
+
+	default:
+		glog.V(logger.Warn).Infof("Synchronisation failed: %v", err)
 	}
 }