What's up

Duplicating our success

Rick Wightman — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 21:23:47 +0000

Over the week we’ve gotten the trouble machine (a vm) to use both processors and a scad of memory without much increase in performance, as far as we can tell. To boot the duplicator software install want 10Gb of free space- more than we had anticpated (note to self: RTM next time) So this week we’ll focus on building a new trouble machine that uses the host file system directly on a partition of > 10Gb. Then we can start test production of DVDs!

While that’s busy chugging away we’ll run cable to extend the fax line for the ADSL connection upstairs to the server room - a consolidation move. Anthony put forward the idea of putting our untangle (firewall/router/…) install on a vm with two dedicated host NICs. I like the idea, so pondering the idea.

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Straightening Up

Rick Wightman — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 01:49:31 +0000

One month until the year starts all over again! The thirdThursday will be a desktop night, so there are two NerdNights to try and look after outstanding server issues. Here’s an incomplete list:

Reinstall the internet-side modem, switch and routers
Reconfigure the disk array on the backup server
Resolve the issue of the cron job failing when resampling the audio for the service.

Fearless Leader is offline at present and is likely to continue his Westfalia vacation for the rest of the week. Facebook indicates that David may be turning Japanese (I really think so). We shall toast them with donuts!

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Racking up the media

Rick Wightman — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:55:54 +0000

So now that things have settled down on the data side, I noticed that the floor of the server room is awash with ~~junk~~ stuff that should get put away. In the rack. Things like servers, a power distribution unit, and … (wait for it) … the new Primera DVD/CD duplicator! I tell ya, when Fearless Leader spends my budget he does one heck of a job!

So the mayhem this eve should be contained to the one room and consist of rearranging things so that the heavy stuff is in the bottom, the duplicator is accessible, the operator station is accessible … and it all fits! David is in Japan and Jed is in New York City, so there’s just Fearless Leader and I. Should any other loyal readers feel led, you’re welcome to come by. Coffee and donuts are on!

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We did it, we did it, we did it - Yah!

Rick Wightman — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 01:19:09 +0000

As of last night, or early this morning, we have the major server reconfigurations done. It’s been a long haul since we started just before Christmas, but here’s what we have:

four physical servers for
- data
- backup
- infrastructure services
- applications
four virtual servers for
- authentication
- dhcp, dns, ntp
- web
- network monitoring

Now before my head swells too much I should note that the LDAP (authentication) has not been implemented on every box, most notably the data server, and that the backup server is up and running but has not been configured for backup yet either. None the less I’m breathing easier with where we’re at.

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Server Night

Rick Wightman — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 14:41:37 +0000

Sorry to be so late with this -been a busy week.

We have the data machine online now and that needs configuration. We need to put more memory in the potential firewall/router and see if that is a potential solution toward providing VPN service. Beyond that we have the DVD duplicator machine to put an OS on, firewalls to check on the desktop machines and some odds. It’s also Jed’s birthday so we’ll need a celebratory donut. Or two. Or…

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We have Data!

Rick Wightman — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 01:19:56 +0000

As of this morning the data machine (ne tertius) has been reconfigured from the hardware up and now runs with 11/12 drives under Ubuntu 8.04 . The hardware (Compaq ML570, G-NULL) was aged enough that the standard install install iso had troubles with hardware drivers. The key was to use the minimal install which gets packages from the mirrors instead of the CD. So from here things seem at least straight-forward: move the existing data off the backup server (it’s all been configured with an eye to transportability) and get onto the next set of ~~problems~~ opportunities.

Speaking of which, Fearless Leader and I have agreed that we’ll run Jeos on the new server (DL380-G3) and move the Win vm (aka trouble) to it. This would allow us to use it for not only the optical duplicator, but give us an opportunity to make greater use of the server power and see how openExchange might help us.

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The Last Steps

Rick Wightman — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:55:07 +0000

Perhaps we’re beginning the last of the server re-org that began in January or so. Last week’s plan to begin building the new data server didn’t get much traction with issues around having the Ubuntu 8.04 install unable to get configured at an early stage. We’ll look into that. We’ll also begin formulating a strategy for the newly arrived DL380-G3 to be used as the workhorse for the CD/DVD duplicator. The duplicator is soon to be ordered so it would behoove us to be ready for it.

The third event is to work with Pastor Jodie to get him started on his Joomla! site build. I suspect that this will mostly be finding out what the issues are that need to be addressed so that he can start building :-).

I have a retirement supper until 8:30-9. Fearless Leader, SpiceBoy and Jodie also have commitments until this time, so we’ll start about 9. This means that David, just back from training in Phoenix, may arrive at the start of the evening! We’ll catch up on his travels as well as lots more over coffee and donuts.

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Alas dear Tertius! I knew him well

Rick Wightman — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 04:19:06 +0000

This week we’ll begin looking at the rebuild of the old data server into the new data server. Over the last few months we’ve migrated services to other boxes and in fact shut Tertius down earlier this week in hopes that no-one would notice, meaning we hadn’t missed anything. So far we’re OK. While I won’t be there since I’m at home with the kids, Fearless Leader has offered to bring the machine up on Ubuntu 8.04 and see if we can avoid using the hardware raid in favour of software raid with LVM.

Other notes:

We should be on static IP by the weekend. Friday is The Day, with Kellie offering to come in and do the ceremonial typing of the IP. Go RouterGirl!
We will soon be known not only as brunswickstreet.org and bsbc.nb.ca, but also as bsbc.ca .
I believe that I will soon have directory services operational using secure LDAP. This will mean that we can centrally mange authentication.
I believe our machine to support CD and DVD duplication services will be in by the weekend across the border in Maine. I’ll pick it up and we can oogle it next Thursday. Given the horsepower it’ll have we’ll look at it as our in-house media server as well.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/25500.html

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The Long and Winding Road, part 600

Rick Wightman — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:59:25 +0000

Directory services will be the end of a long and torturous path. Much of it can be attributed to my ability to function on a regular basis at home late at night - that’s when I can find the solid time chunks for put on it. Part of it is that we (well, I) didn’t really have our systems architected very well to begin with. Part of it that we’ve been making a lot of changes (seemingly all at once) since Christmas including backup machines, separation of services onto separate physical servers and onto virtualization technology as well.

What’s on for this Thursday? I’d like to provision a new VM to prove that we can use the directory services for system authentication. We will also hoist donuts to our colleague David, who is away for training in Arizona for the next while in preparation for returning to the Middle East mission field. We shall miss his company and thoughtful conversation on NerdNights. Godspeed!

As an end note we have begun the trek to static IP with a tentative operational date of 6 June - next Friday! I haven’t any plans for how we should celebrate this - certainly only a few will appreciate the significance. Let me know if you have ideas. Perhaps some creamed fiddlehead-filled dounts with salmon glaze?

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A Tell(er)ing Story

Rick Wightman — Thu, 22 May 2008 00:05:52 +0000

Up front and centre this week is the install on the two Dell Insipron laptops of some OS that’ll support OpenOffice for the Tellering Project v2. This project is to begin the first Sunday of June, so we need to have the machines ready to go soon.

Beyond that there’s the backup server to move back to the basement and memory to install on the two DL360s. As added excitement I’m bidding on a Compaq DL380 on eBay and that ends around 11, so maybe we can have celebratory donuts (or drown our sorrows in them)…

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