Techwrench

FreeNAS... My thoughts.

2011-09-17T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have recently built a FreeNAS server, using some commodity parts. It is a currently running version 8, 64 bit version, on Intel Pentium D 2.8 GHz processor with 4GB memory on board.
The biggest hassle I have had with the installation was the data move. My media server was failing (main board was having issues - network card was dropping packets,and ruining movie viewing experience), but the drives are fine.

Here are the steps I am using:

Move the hardware to the new computer. The original configuration was RAID1, so as long as I could access one drive, I could retrieve the data.
Boot to a Live CD. Using a live CD, I used an Ubuntu 10.04 disk to access the drives that I installed from the Media server. Since the drives were formatted as EXT4, the live CD didn't have an issue seeing the data NOTE: I configured my FreeNAS server to use ZFS formatting, which Ubuntu Live CD's do not support. This is the reason for the next two steps.
Copy the data to another server. I used scp to copy the data from the 'Live CD' computer the temporary storage computer.
Copy back to the FreeNAS. I then rebooted the 'Live CD' computer, in to FreeNAS to perform the final copy.

Frankly, all of this would not have not happened if the media server had not finally taken a dive on me. I tried to boot from a Live CD and attempt the copy, but the hardware on the media server just would not cooperate.

This operation has taken about 18 hours with all the diagnostics and data transfer. it has been a learning experience.

Other lessons learned:

If you are building a FreeNAS server with 4GB of memory, and a processor that supports 64 bit, use the 64 bit version of FreeNAS. I received a kernel panic due to KVM_Mem being too low, due to using a 32 bit version.
Do not upgrade from 32bit to 64 bit version. Just rebuild from scratch and do not use the previous version config files. The report function does not work, and I had no luck with the proposed solutions (other than a rebuild) that were on the FreeNAS forums.

Overall, I am happy with the experience. I originally built this to create a storage for Virtual Machines, and eventually the replacement for the media server. I will update this when I get the VM server up and taxing the storage device.

... And I'm Back.

2011-09-17T14:26:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know I said I was moving to my personal page, but this way to blog is easier.

Check back to for a new post on my FreeNAS adventures.

This Blog is moving...

2011-03-29T09:17:00.000-07:00

I have decided to move my blogging to my website, Techwrench.org.

All of my recent posts (All one of them)are listed there for your viewing pleasure.

I will be migrating my older posts from here to there soon.

DHCP Issues for New Years

2011-01-01T19:28:00.000-08:00

Another post in the on going saga of my home network...

I had a interesting issue arise tonight that left me thinking that I needed to resurrect the DHCP/DNS project again.

Tonight, my network lost connection to the internet. Then I lost connection to the file server. Then, DHCP went away.

What caused this?

My firewall also acts as a DHCP and DNS server. The box that my firewall resides in decided to spontaneously reboot and didn't bring up the DHCP and DNS services, leaving those computers with leases running fine until they expired. Since they all expired within a 20 minute time frame, it looked at first blush that my network was crumbling around me for little reason.

Going to my rack, and accessing my firewall solution by console led me to the culprit: failed services.

A reboot resolved the issue, leaving me the task as to determine the reason for the reboot tomorrow.

Google, here I come!

Back to Old School....

2010-12-30T10:05:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays, Everyone.

Since August, I have fought with my VMware Server 2.0.2 upgrade, and hardware issues on the server.

I sorted the hardware issues (intermittent hard drive failure), and attempted to retrieve the data.

I decided to roll back to VMware Server 1.0.10, and on a completely different platform: Windows 2003 server. Since I have time on my hands, and hardware to play with, I installed Windows Server, and installed a fresh copy of VM Server. The installations went as planned.

Re-converting the virtual machines with VMware's Convertor Tool is easy. Retrieving the VM's was a pain, due to disk corruption.

The main reason I wanted to roll back to Server version 1 was due to huge memory footprint that VM Server 2 reserved for itself, mainly the Web interface. That service alone too almost a quarter of the hardware memory, and would not let if go. The result was that of 1.5 GB of memory, 400 to 500 MB were reserved for the Operating system and VM Server. This foot print is twice as large as the foot print used by Windows Server 2003 and VM Server 1x. As a result, I was unable to run more than on Virtual machine at a time.

VM Server 2 would not properly swap memory, and would fail to start a second VM because the Server would allocate all the memory ( or attempt to, in the case of the second VM) for the VM as they started.

While this is not a step in the direction that I wanted to make, I would rather have stability, then the instability I have experienced with VMware Server 2.x.

Advanced Studies: VMware Server Upgrade

2010-08-23T15:59:00.001-07:00

Well, I finally did it.

I upgraded my VM Server to version 2.0.

I decided a while ago that VM Server 1.0 was not cutting it. VM Server 1.0 is long in the tooth, and required an additional console installed on my computer to access the Server properly.

The Hardware
The Host server is a Compaq Proliant 380, with 2 Pentium 3 933 Mhz processors, and 1.5 GB of RAM. It had 4 19.2 GB SCSI drives, configured in RAID 1 as two volumes of 36.4 GB of space.

The software base consisted of Ubuntu 8.04 Server, and of course VMware Server 1.0.

It was fine, as long as only two VM's were running at a time.

The Upgrade
I received two working 146 GB Hard drives, and two 36.4 GB Hard drives. With these Hard drives in hand, I backed my VM's to the file server and proceeded.

I used Compaq's Smart Start software to create two RAID 1 volumes, 36.4 GB for OS, and 136 GB for the /var partition where the VM images, and ISO's are kept.

I installed Ubuntu Server 10.04, and enabled SSH on a non standard port. I do this so that I don't have to stand in the laundry room and complete the installation.

I was able to install VM Server 2.0 software after locating a script that modified the VMnet creation process to work with the 2.6x kernel. Radu Cotescu had the script, and a patch for the kernel. It seems that the VM software can't create the necessary virtual network connections with out the patch.

After the installation completed, I attempted to connect to the Serve through the web interface.
No Go.
I attempted to use Chromium, and then Firefox, both in Linux. I checked that the Server services were running properly, and attempted again.
No Go.

I checked the Ubuntu forums, the Firefox forums, and the Google.

I tried to access the Server page on Internet Explorer, and 'Viola!' it works.

It seems that Tomcat doesn't like to play nice on Firefox or Chromium. At all. The Javascript that the renders the webpages from Tomcat does not render in Firefox or Chromium.
While there are supposed fixes for this, it is not a game changer, since I have a Windows box I can use for this purpose.

Afterword
I now have a VM Server that is upgraded to 2.0, and allows me to access it through a webpage. I also now can run up to 4 Virtual Machines at a time. Since this is not a production system, just a private test system, the reduction in speed is not a limiting factor at this time.

While I am running this platform on ancient (in IT infrastructure terms) hardware, I am confident that I will not have to upgrade this unit until I retire it.

Advanced Studies: Firewalls

2010-08-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

I have decided to take a vacation this week... Until my personal networks firewall decided to quit working as it should.

A firewall job, simply put, is to keep bad people and packets out of a private network, while allowing good packets to travel through to the internet.

My firewall decided that it was through with that task, and shut off everyones packets. Frankly, I am fine with that.. It is much better to have a firewall shutdown closed, than shutdown wide open.

Well, my wife didn't think so, since she takes online courses for school...

I run my firewall on a dedicated PC, and up until last Sunday, with IPCop software. I decided to install pfSense (http://pfsense.org) software this time around.

Seeing as I have had a working installation for a day, I will not be writing a opinion, other than to say installation is a breeze.

Next post... What I did (or didn't do) on Vacation. :-)

Advanced Studies: Networking on the cheap

2010-07-18T17:48:00.000-07:00

A certain amount of skill is required for this project. See the Disclaimer at the bottom of this post.

When I first moved into my home, I set up a wireless router, it was good.

I soon found out that XBoxen, and computers do not like to play well on a wireless network. OK.... They don't play well at all. The kids start a game on XBox live, and the rest of the connected computers lose connection.

I have since then ran Ethernet cable to four rooms, and still use the wireless router for roaming. Throwing cable in a 120 year old home is quite adventure. First, you get to know all of the nooks and crannies of your home, which is a good thing.

Planning is Essential for a project like this. I truly can not stress this enough. I think this took the most time, finding a location for the cabling, and finding a connection for the DSL drop.

I ended up moving a my DSL connection to a room close to the phone box. Because I had plans (Big plans, meglomaniac plans if you ask my better half...), I had to plan for that also. My plans included a firewall, a File Server, and a Test server. To name a few.

Some items to check for when you choose to move beyond the wireless router+Broadband modem:

Power:
Make sure that your power connection is functioning properly, grounded properly, and if possible, have a dedicated circuit for your growing network... Because it will, if you are a computer nut like me.
The reality is, is that the circuit you choose is likely to have other devices attached. Try to have as least as possible, and use some sort of power conditioning.
Remember in your planning to calcuate the power requirements of each device you intend to attach to the power circuit, including the non-network devices.
Word to the wise: Tripping the Circuit Breaker on the dishwasher or Washer and Dryer do not make your significant other happy, and in turn, they will make sure they let you know.
Not that I know anything about that....

Network:
Remember to get a switch that will meet your wiring needs... And double the ports. Get the best cable you can afford, at least CAT5. This item can be found in bulk spools, and always try to get double the amount you expect to use.
Connectors like keystone boxes (Wall mounting hardware, contains the phone like female connector) and RJ45 connectors (Large phone connectors, contain 8 wire pins) are inexpensive if you buy them in bulk. The best prices are over the internet, as versus your local Home Depot, Lowes, or building supply store.

Other items to think about
If you have enough room, and are extremely detailed, you will run your ethernet cables through conduit. Some things to remember:

Pick up some heavy duty string, and for each cable you lay, run a piece of string with it through the conduit. This will allow you to run more cable (Remember I mentioned expansion?....), and if one of the existing cables are damaged, you have an easy way to replace it. Also remember to attach another piece of string to the new cable.

Planning takes a new dimension when running conduit. You will must ensure that the conduit does to create too tight turns (4 inch radius or better is recommended for CAT5 cable) because it will cause chafing and damage to the cable when it gets pulled through.

Leave about 6ft (2 Meters) extra out of the conduit, because slack is good, when it comes to Do-It-Yourself wiring.

Refer to online sources for other cabling techniques, such as proper RJ45 connector termination, and recommended conduit sizes. Also check your local codes regarding power and cabling installation.

Always have a alternate method to fall back to for your internet, even if it means plugging the wireless router back into the Broadband modem.

Conclusion

I wired most of my home in two weekends, and have been happy with the results. I plan on dropping another cable, and with the planning I did, it will be a breeze.

Disclaimer: Do not attempt any of the tasks mentioned in this post if you are not familiar with electricity, networking, or home repair. If this sounds out of your league, consult a professional electrician and a Home Entertainment specialist in your area. You've been warned.

Malware and Virus' support ... The never ending saga

2010-07-11T07:16:00.001-07:00

It is an never ending saga, one from the ages (at least the personal computing age).

A computer user starts seeing Pop-ups some stating they have a virus, others advertisements. Usually, the user attempts to remove these annoyances themselves, and they give up, since they come back again.

At this point, the user tends to give up, and call in for support. If it is my family or friends, its me.

Remote Access

There are a few tools that I use to combat these nasties, but i would also like to discuss some remote access software that I have used with great success:

http://www.teamviewer.com

This software application has been recommended to me by a colleague, and I have come to rely upon it. The application has two major versions; a commercial, for pay version with some added features, and a free, non-commercial version. The software creates a encrypted channel in which all communications between computers are transmitted.

There are two packages that a user can use:
The Full version package of the software allow for Presentation, Support, and full desktop sharing, along with file transfer.

The Free version package allows two computers to connect for a Quick Connect or Support, but places a time limit on the connection.

I use this software for my distant family and friends, because of its ease of use for a non-technical users, I do not have a 'How-To' for this application.

Anti-Malware/Spyware/Virus

While the argument for which software package for removing the unwanted software rages on, I will be discussing what has worked for me. You Mileage and Experience may Vary, and any suggestions and comments are welcome.

One of the first software packages that I install, either from the internet, or from file transfer, is MalwareBytes.

http://malwarebytes.org

Malwarebytes is a anti Malware/Spyware application that will remove most malware that is missed or not found by conventional Anti Virus applications. The free version of this application allows updates, but the user must perform the updates and scanning.

I have developed a 'How-To' for my 'Technology Challenged' users. The document explains how to update, and run the software in 'Full Scan' mode.

http://techwrench.org/Howto-Malwarebytes.pdf

I recommend Avast Anti-Virus, because it does the job. The install is relatively simple, the Free version will auto update definitions (the database that checks if the scanned file(s) are indeed virus'), and allows for a granularity of scanning options that most of the free versions of Anti-virus software do not.

http://www.avast.com

Some of the features:
Scheduled full scan
Scheduled quick scan
Scheduled removable device scanning.
Real time protection for internet browsing, and removable device connection.

The newest version will allow you register itself for a year... For free. The application will update itself with that registration.

I generally configure the software for full scans once a week, late at night, and daily quick scans.

In Conclusion

Proper use and configuration of Anti-Virus and Anti-Malware tools, along with education of the user in the use of these applications will keep their computing experience a enjoyable one.

Importance of Power

2010-06-13T21:00:00.000-07:00

...Or care and feeding of your electronics.

Those of us living in the Midwest have learned to tolerate the power outages that accompany the weather that occurs here. We live in areas that can and do receive tornado's, snowstorms, torrential rains, and lightning strikes.

We also live in a modern world, with electronics that feed from the power coming into our homes and work. These devices are susceptible to damage from 'unclean' power from sources outside our control.

Brownouts are conditions were the voltage drops in the power lines, and causes light bulbs to dim, and devices to malfunction. This condition lasts usually a few seconds at most, but the resulting spike to compensate can damage delicate circuits in phones, TV, computers, and other devices.

Power spikes occur when an over voltage occurs. This can cause many devices to fail without warning, and cause fires (in extreme cases) caused by electrical components to short circuit.

You can mitigate some of this risk by using surge protectors (power strips), and Uninterruptible Power supplies.

Surge Protectors function as a kind of check valve; the better ones have circuit breakers built in to cut off power before a spike ruins your equipment.
Joules ratings are important here; the higher the better. This is because the more Joules the surge strip can handle, the less can get through to the protected equipment.
Clamping Voltage: This is the voltage limits that the surge protector will allow through. The lower the number, the better. This will also reduce the life of the protector, but that is what it is designed for.

Uninteruptible Power supplies are designed to provide back up power as well as protection afforded from Surge Protectors. UPS's have batteries inside the units; the better units have batteries that can be replaced.
The UPS protection allows the device(s) to be shut down gracefully, and when the batteries run below the rated voltage (110-120 VAC in the US), the UPS cuts off power safely. Most consumer UPS units come with software for your computer, which allows the user to modify the power settings on their computer to shutdown before the UPS runs out of power.
There are also UPS devices designed for Home theater/Entertainment Centers to protect these devices.

Conclusion
Using surge protectors, and/or Uinterruptible Power supplies protect electronic devices from damaging power issues that can occur at any time.

Your electronic devices will thank you.

Facebook

2010-05-24T03:17:00.000-07:00

I have a facebook page, just like everyone else on the planet that is connected to the Internet.

I have noticed that I have so many 'Friends', that i can't keep track of them anymore. I know, 'Friends' are a status symbol in the Social Media world, but I don't see the value of listing them all.

With the new allegations of Facebook and others selling customer information, I am choosing to cull my 'Friends' list, if for nothing else, reduce my 'resell value'. Really, its to remove people that I haven't communicated with in a while, to see if they notice.

Its been a week, and the ones that were culled, haven't.

Long time coming

2010-05-05T17:40:00.000-07:00

So I upgraded my Ubuntu laptop to version 10.04 without issues. I was expecting some, due to some of the hype surrounding the Beta.

Lately, I have been working in my Test network, and trying out PandoraFMS (http://www.pandorafms.org) as a network monitor solution. I downloaded the virtual Machine version of version 3.0, and ran it for the past few months without issue. I find it a bit heavy for my usage, but would probably work well in a small business environment.

Next I am planning on trying Nagios.

I have been using a Asset Management application called OCS Inventory, and combined with another AM application, GLPI, I have have been able to track all the assets on my networks. combined these two applications, both with web interfaces, have completed my inventory needs down to serial numbers on my desktops, without issue.

OCS Inventory: http://www.ocsinventory-ng.org/index.php?page=features
GLPI: http://www.glpi-project.org/?lang=en

I discovered these tools reading the Sysadvent post (http://sysadvent.blogspot.com/2009/12/day-14-inventory-management-tools.html) written by Saint Aardvark the Carpeted (http://saintaardvarkthecarpeted.com/).

Post more later. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to tip your waitress.

Mandriva... I'm leaving you.

2009-08-01T20:44:00.000-07:00

This is an open post to Mandriva....

I have left you.

You don't support my webcam, and frankly, your implementation of KDE 4.x leaves a lot to be desired.

I have been with you since you were Mandrake, only straying once to try Redhat, but I've been faithful to you since that transgression.

You. on the other hand, have promised more and given less. I have waited for your implementation of kitchensink to resolve its issues with my Windows Mobile 6 Pocket PC, and my webcam _never_ worked in your distribution, forcing my to use MS Windows.

So I am leaving you for Ubuntu 9.04. It meets my needs with Rythmbox for my audio needs, and it also supports my iPod. My webcam works, and my Pocket PC almost works, which is better than bricking it like you did.

I will miss you.

Happy Fathers Day!

2009-06-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

Happy Fathers Day!