def __init__(self, host, port, timeout=2):
        """
        Args:
            host: parameter server host
            port: parameter server port
            timeout: how long should the the client wait
                if the parameter server is not available
        """
        self.host = host
        self.port = port
        self.timeout = timeout
        self._current_info = {}
        self._last_hash = ''
        self.alive = False

        self._client = ZmqClient(
            host=self.host,
            port=self.port,
            timeout=self.timeout,
            serializer=U.serialize,
            deserializer=U.deserialize)

        Args:
            host: parameter server host
            port: parameter server port
            timeout: how long should the the client wait
                if the parameter server is not available
        
surreal/distributed/parameter_server.py