Difference between revisions of "Home Network"

From Eugene Eric Kim
(Notes on RAID installation)
(Added network map. Updated and refactored file server section, noting my move off of a virtualized file server.)
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I currently am using my old PIII machine stored in my closet as a file and print server. It's plenty of power for what I need, but it doesn't support SATA and other modern protocols, so I can't load it up with disk space.
== Network Map ==


Total cost of upgrades will be about $225 ($200 for drives, which I got on sale at NewEgg, and $25 for the controller). This is nonoptimal in terms of speed -- the point of these Caviar Black drives is that they're super fast -- but it's cost-effective and fine for my needs. A new NAS would have cost at least $250 not including the drives.
* Motorola DSL Modem (192.168.1.254)
* Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router (192.168.0.1)
* Repurposed FON WAP running DD-WRT (192.168.0.6)


== Virtualized Setup ==
* <tt>sugarboy</tt> (PIII 1GHz Dell Dimension w/ 512MB RAM w/ 200 + 120 GB drives) attached to my [[HP LaserJet 1012]] printer (192.168.0.10)
** internal DNS
** internal print server (CUPS + Samba)
** internal Wiki
** NFS and Samba exported directories)
* <tt>hugh</tt> ([[Dell Inspiron 531]] w/ 2GB RAM and two 1TB [[Western Digital Caviar Black]] drives conigured as RAID1 using [[Linux Software RAID]] (192.168.0.11)
** Primary OS is [[Ubuntu]] Jaunty Jackalope
** Runs [[Windows Vista]] virtualized using [[VirtualBox]]
** Media file server served via NFS and [[VirtualBox]] Shared Folders
* <tt>madstop</tt> (192.168.0.13)
** Andrew's machine (to be removed soon), currently used as a [[MythTV]] device
* <tt>slades</tt> ([[Dell Dimension 4550]])
** Currently decommissioned. Will be used for [[Boxee]].


By mid-2009, I was running seriously short of disk space. Because my server is old (PIII) and doesn't support SATA, I couldn't simply add new drives. I tried installing a PCI SATA controller (which cost about $25 plus about $20 for the various cable adapters), but it would not support large drives.
== File Server ==
 
I was originally using <tt>sugarboy</tt> as both my file and print server. It's plenty of power for what I need, but it doesn't support SATA and other modern protocols, so I couldn't load it up with disk space. By 2009, I was running seriously short of disk space. I tried adding a PCI SATA controller for about $25 + $20 for cables and adapters, but only the PCIe controllers support large drives.


The other alternatives were to:
The other alternatives were to:
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* [[Justin Lin]] suggested that I virtualize my workstation ([[Dell Inspiron 531]]) and consolidate my file server there. It's a 64-bit Athlon, well-suited for virtualization. This has the added advantage of saving on power.
* [[Justin Lin]] suggested that I virtualize my workstation ([[Dell Inspiron 531]]) and consolidate my file server there. It's a 64-bit Athlon, well-suited for virtualization. This has the added advantage of saving on power.


I decided to go with Justin's suggestion and virtualize my workstation. I bought two [[Western Digital Caviar Black]] 1TB drives for $200 total. Issues:
I decided to go with Justin's suggestion and virtualize my workstation. He had suggested using [[VMware]], which costs $180 (Justin thought it was free). VMware ESXi is free, and it ideally is the better solution, because it runs barebones (no host operating system), which in theory frees up resources. However, because it's designed as an enterprise solution, it has poor hardware support.


* The specs claim that my machine only supports 500 GB drives. I upgraded the BIOS, which I hope will expand the capacity, but I haven't confirmed that. I discussed the issue with a guy at [http://www.centralcomputers.com/ Central Computers] in [[San Francisco]], and he suggested the 500 GB "limit" was merely a stated limit back when those were the largest drives available. The drives seem to be working just fine.
After doing some additional research, I decided to go with [[VirtualBox]] for virtualization. I installed two [[Western Digital Caviar Black]] 1TB drives (which cost about $200 total). I upgraded the BIOS to 1.0.13, because the specs claim that my machine only supports 500GB drives. I discussed the issue with a guy at [http://www.centralcomputers.com/ Central Computers] in [[San Francisco]], and he suggested the 500 GB "limit" was merely a stated limit back when those were the largest drives available. The drives seem to be working just fine. I'm also planning on upgrading the RAM to 4GB.
* I would have to upgrade the RAM. This is a minor issue.
* Justin suggested using [[VMware]] instead of [[Xen]]. VMware Workstation costs $180 (Justin thought it was free). VMware ESXi is free, and it ideally is the better solution, because it runs barebones (no host operating system), which in theory frees up resources. However, because it's designed as an enterprise solution, it has poor hardware support. After doing some additional research, I decided to go with [[VirtualBox]] for virtualization.


I'm going to run [[OpenFiler]] as the file server.
I installed the drives, turned WDTLER on, and installed [[Ubuntu]] 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) off the alternate installer, which allowed me to install and configure [[Linux Software RAID]]. Everything is working beautifully.


I installed the drives, turned WDTLER on, and installed [[Ubuntu]] 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) off the alternate installer, which allowed me to install and configure [[Linux Software RAID]].
I experimented with running a virtual file server off of my workstation, first with [[OpenFiler]] (which I found to be overkill and also distasteful), then with [[Ubuntu]] Server. The setup was super cool, but realized that it was overkill, and it also affected disk performance. Since I'm running Linux as my host OS, I'm just using that as my file server as well.


== Boxee ==
I plan on doing local and remote backups (via [[Amazon S3]]).


Mom and Dad's old [[Dell Dimension 4550]] has a TV-out.
* [http://www.mikerubel.org/computers/rsync_snapshots/ Easy Automated Snapshot-Style Backups with Rsync]
* [https://island.byu.edu/dev/content/linux-backup-system-using-amazon-s3-update Linux backup system using Amazon S3 update]
* [http://blog.eberly.org/2008/10/27/how-i-automated-my-backups-to-amazon-s3-using-rsync/ How I automated my backups to Amazon S3 using rsync]

Revision as of 22:19, 7 July 2009

Network Map

  • Motorola DSL Modem (192.168.1.254)
  • Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router (192.168.0.1)
  • Repurposed FON WAP running DD-WRT (192.168.0.6)

File Server

I was originally using sugarboy as both my file and print server. It's plenty of power for what I need, but it doesn't support SATA and other modern protocols, so I couldn't load it up with disk space. By 2009, I was running seriously short of disk space. I tried adding a PCI SATA controller for about $25 + $20 for cables and adapters, but only the PCIe controllers support large drives.

The other alternatives were to:

  • Purchase a home NAS (about $250).
  • Purchase an external RAID enclosure (about $100). The downside of this was that, unless I invested in an eSATA card, it would been connected via USB 2.0, which is an order of magnitude slower than even old SATA controllers.
  • Justin Lin suggested that I virtualize my workstation (Dell Inspiron 531) and consolidate my file server there. It's a 64-bit Athlon, well-suited for virtualization. This has the added advantage of saving on power.

I decided to go with Justin's suggestion and virtualize my workstation. He had suggested using VMware, which costs $180 (Justin thought it was free). VMware ESXi is free, and it ideally is the better solution, because it runs barebones (no host operating system), which in theory frees up resources. However, because it's designed as an enterprise solution, it has poor hardware support.

After doing some additional research, I decided to go with VirtualBox for virtualization. I installed two Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB drives (which cost about $200 total). I upgraded the BIOS to 1.0.13, because the specs claim that my machine only supports 500GB drives. I discussed the issue with a guy at Central Computers in San Francisco, and he suggested the 500 GB "limit" was merely a stated limit back when those were the largest drives available. The drives seem to be working just fine. I'm also planning on upgrading the RAM to 4GB.

I installed the drives, turned WDTLER on, and installed Ubuntu 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) off the alternate installer, which allowed me to install and configure Linux Software RAID. Everything is working beautifully.

I experimented with running a virtual file server off of my workstation, first with OpenFiler (which I found to be overkill and also distasteful), then with Ubuntu Server. The setup was super cool, but realized that it was overkill, and it also affected disk performance. Since I'm running Linux as my host OS, I'm just using that as my file server as well.

I plan on doing local and remote backups (via Amazon S3).