Words of wisdom

Good judgement comes from the experience. Experience comes from bad judgement. - Jim Horning
EOT

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Bee-sy

Busy like a bee. That's how I feel for since October, 2007. Since I'm becoming a Support Team Leader, so called. My major task is coordinating the team, other than attending to the meeting and some troubleshooting. In November alone, I attended 11 meeting/discussion, excluding informal discussion and sidewalk chats. So this is how the management see things. This is so different. This is so not me.

Most of the discussion/meeting are meant for Head of Unit or Head of Department role which are still vacant as of now. So automatically, most of the their tasks are falling right back at me. Now I consider my team and me is just like a bodyless and headless lizard tail, wiggling around(most of the times being played around by a cat, a very bad, idiotic cat).

I suppose I cannot be called a Sys Admin anymore. Thankfully I am wrong. My services still useful for some of the projects(I'm still exist so to speak). Sometimes I feel like being technically downgraded. Most of the time I feel like being used. I wonder if this what they called a middle-aged crisis or career crisis. But no matter what people called it, I hope I'll see a solution soon. Sorry for that is one heck of a nag. I'll buzz off for now.

Btw, have you watched that movie "Bee the movie". Its about how can a single individual can make difference in the world, hoping for something better, but turn out worse. I brought my 3 year-old son to the movie just to watch him took an 8 ringgit nap. More nagggging, less bloggging. Buzzz zzzZzZzzzzz

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Better Things

Better Things lyric, heard from Marky Ramones and The Intruders. Well written, well sang..

Here’s wishing you the bluest skies
And hoping something better comes tomorrow
Hoping all the verses rhyme
And the very best of choruses to…
Follow all the doubt and sadness
I know that better things are on the way

Here’s hoping all the days ahead
Won’t be as bitter as the ones behind you
Be an optimist instead
And somehow happiness will find you
Forget what happened yesterday
I know that better things are on the way

It’s really good to see you rocking out
And having fun
Living like you just begun
Accept your life and what it brings
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things

Here’s wishing you the bluest skies
And hoping something better comes tomorrow
Hoping all the verses rhyme
And the very best of choruses to…

Follow all the doubt and sadness
I know that better things are on the way

I know you got a lotta good things
Happening up ahead
The fast is gone
It’s all been said
Here’s to what the future brings
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things
I hope tomorrow you’ll find better things

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Large file support for Apache

I'm about to do some Linux installation on several PC. Somehow I just feel to do it via network. Since I've done it using NFS before, this time around http method will be used. The server running on Centos 4.4 already had httpd-2.0.52-28.ent.centos4 installed and already got fedora 6 DVD iso on my external hard drive. So everything's seemed to be in place, right? TTEEETTTT!

I'd uploaded the iso into /var/www/html/fc6 and start up the httpd daemon. Then, fire up firefox and put http://fileserver/fc6/ just to see an empty directory. Moreover, I got the 403 forbidden error when try to access the file directly. Check the error logs and see the the infamous error message
"[Thu Nov 01 14:18:58 2007] [error] [client 192.168.1.207 ] (75)Value too large for defined data type: access to /fc6/FC-6-i386-DVD.iso failed".
Asked google and get a few reference, something was missing in my installed apache so that it could not support any file bigger than 2GB.

OK, no big deal, just use yum to update. But the version suggested by yum is still did not have this feature supported. Next alternative, download a tarball from the the apache itself(version 2.0.61) and run ./configure. Deng!! no gcc installed. Thanks to yum update, the compiler is installed a few minutes later.

./configure, make && make install, went smoothly. But still the get the error messages. I first thought that the later version has automatically set this large file option, guess I was wrong. So google some more to find the required parameters.
Later, I reconfigure my apache using the flags as below:

[root@fileserv httpd-2.0.61]# CFLAGS="-D_LARGEFILE_SOURCE -D_FILE_OFFSET_BITS=64" ./configure --prefix=/usr/local/www

The file appeared in the browser and accessible. There goes the half day. Case closed. Got a DBA to meet.

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Guess who

Knock! knock!
Who's there?
Its me!
Me who?
Me-whos-just-VERBALLY-be-appointed-as-team-leader-but-still-doing
-as-much-work-as-before-if-not-more
Oh, come on in then, and welcome to the CUITE (Club of Underpaid IT Executive).

I shall not be demoralized by this.
I shall not be demoralized by this.
I shall not be demoralized by this. x 500
Gaahhh!!

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Got conjunctivitis?

Monday morning have never been so exciting until last monday. I woke up just to find some sticky stuff (doctor called it mucoid discharge) around my already-turned-red right eye. So I helped my wife prepared the kids, and went back to sleep. Then, I went to nearby clinic and doctor told me that I just got myself a Conjunctivitis.

So she gave me 2-days MC for a reason that she did not want me to be chased out of the office. Is this thing contagious? Tell me about it. After 2 days, it just infected my other eye. So today, I went back to the clinic to get more MC. What worries me now is the kids. I dont want them to get infected by the desease, although the doctor underestimated my effort. So I've been taking all precautions to prove her wrong. "To control the spread of infectious conjunctivitis, you should keep your hands away from your eyes, thoroughly wash your hands before applying eye medications and do not share towels, washcloths, cosmetics or eye drops with others." -American Optometric Association. I'll use that as a guide. Now, I wash my hand more than I can remember, minimize physical contact with the kids and try separate my stuff(my body included) from theirs.

Being at home for 2 days, I now understand why people express their disgustingness against repetition on Astro Program. So for the next 2 days, I'll spend on some brain-drain activities such as studying. Ok now, got some studying to do. By the way, I wrote today's blog utilizing my new ASUS WL-600G Wifi+router+ADSL modem. Pokleyzz just send me a customized firmware so that I can do unattended downloading from BT or http. Just wait for the right mood to get me going.

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PC-less download via ADSL wi-fi modem

I have been spending RM77 per month for under-utilized ADSL line at home. So now I'm trying to make full use of it plus creating a wifi access. For that, I will spend some cash to buy a wifi+adsl modem and probably a portable hardisk. I'll try to avoid buying new PC just for downloading purpose. Objective: A working Wifi access at home and unattended downloading.

Here's a few POSSIBLE option:
Option 1
Buy a Buffalo WHR-G54S (RM170)
Buy a 2 GB SD card and reader (RM100)
Buy a USB to SD converter (RM 15)
Follow the instructions
Find a working solution for a torrent client(ctorrent or enhanced torrentflux) to be installed onto it
(Pokleyzz already got the scapegoat handy hu hu hu)

Option 2
Buy an ASUS WL-500GP-with USB support (RM370)
Buy an USB Hardisk 80GB (RM200)
Follow the instruction to install your desired application(mine is torrent)

Option 3
Buy All-in-one Asus WL-700GE (RM ???)

Option 4
Do some more research for other available options

I'll update when done with decision-making

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Memory Lane - The Ramones

The Ramones was the last punk rockers group I fancied about. I still got a bunch of their CD and video tape that provide a home for a spider and other bugs. Then Pokleyzz told me that he had a complete Ramones collection available at his personal server(by the way, he knows M Nasir better than he knows SQL injection). And I tell you that listening to them surely makes me feel young and hype again, expecially during my sickening time of monthly report generation. Even a 2 sentences song like "I got alot to say I got alot to say. I cant remember now I cant remember now" kills.

Despite of the crook-alike look of Joey, he got this catchy voice easily stapled to my mind. Combine with straight forward lyrics, even a 3 chords song gives my mind a relaxation. Since my wife was not there during the fanatic season. Now, I want to dedicate this one song for her.
When I look in your eyes I see words I cant describe
And these words Im tellin you and I tell you I love you
Dont try to put me down just because my back is turned around
Im playing is strait for once cause baby I love you
I really do theres no one else like you, baby I love...

Baby I love you no matter what you do
Baby I love you and I tell you I love you
Dont try to put me down just because my back is turned around
Im playing it strait for once baby I love you
I really do theres no one like you baby I love...

Cause baby I love you I really do theres no one else like you
Baby I love you baby I love you baby I love you baby I love you
Baby I love you baby I love... baby I love you no matter what I do
Baby I love you and I tell you I love you...

and the Ramones, "I cant get you outta ma mind", and I thought I am the ex-Ramones fan.

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Happy SysAdmin Day

For today is July 27th, I'd like to wish all system administrators, men or women, friends or foes, mcses or rhces, old or young, married or single, tall or short, thin or fat, with shoes or barefoot, lazy or hardworking, doing commercial or opensource, Happy SysAdmin Day!

We sure work harder(or hardly work) than some of you :p . And yet, they got one day specially dedicated for each of them. Well secretaries and others, you can have any other day of the year for all I care, but every last friday of July is SysAdmin Day. Secretaries usually will spend the whole day in saloon or any place with mirrors as they want to look elegant during dinner while Apek will joke and sing for them. And what about us? Well I dont want no singer(other than pussycat dolls or shania twain, sigh!) but a little appreciation will do(such as bonuses,lunch treat).

What are the things you really want to do on SysAdmin Day? Well, for me, I dont want anything special(a brand new notebook wont hurt though). Since we sure dont have an ample time to celebrate, just think of something that you cannot give us on any other day. Yes, just give me and other IT people a Peace of Mind.

We are not SpongeBob that has "Go to work" only in his to-do list. We dont hate users, we just can communicate better with machines than with them. And in most cases, machines understand us better too. Below are some of the things that you should avoid doing on the last Friday of July or any other times. For a full list, in case you want to print out as a reminder, go to here.

Dont do any critical things on the Friday, since if something could go wrong, you know how we are always dying to work on weekend.

Read the documentations/manuals before asking questions, do not wild-guessing the linux command with paramaters if you're not sure, use the manpages or I will 'lart -use "monkey wrench" ' you.

If something happened, just make up a story that can save your cute ars*, and let us digging up all the logs and let you know what really happened, we just love playing puzzle games with either missing or wrong pieces.

Shall you not listen, then just go ahead, make my day.

How are you going to appreciate us on SysAdminDay? I dont expect much of it. Do we deserve it? I think yes, we certainly do.

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Ubuntu, err I mean I buntu

On my way to know and get a taste of Ubuntu, I've been trying to install Ubuntu 6.06 Server Edition LTS in latest Vmware Server, with no luck. After installation, it stuck at "Uncompressing Linux... Ok, booting the kernel". After googling here and there, there were some issues(dated back in 2006) about the Ubuntu 386 architecture kernel compatibility with the vmware server and also some notebooks. I used Dell Inspiron 510m with (only) 512MB and Intel Pentium M 1.6 GHz. There's a workaround back then, requires me to upgrade the kernel to 686 arch but I think it is already using the 686, or not. Moreover, the package linux-686(as suggested) is no longer exists.

#uname -a
Linux yoebuntu 2.6.15-26-386 #1 PREEMPT Thu Aug 3 02:52:00 UTC i686 GNU/Linux

-s, --kernel-name print the kernel name
-n, --nodename print the network node hostname
-r, --kernel-release print the kernel release
-v, --kernel-version print the kernel version
-m, --machine print the machine hardware name
-p, --processor print the processor type
-i, --hardware-platform print the hardware platform
-o, --operating-system print the operating system

# uname -s
Linux
# uname -n
yoebuntu
# uname -r
2.6.15-26-386
# uname -v
#1 PREEMPT Thu Aug 3 02:52:00 UTC
# uname -m
i686
# uname -p
unknown
# uname -i
unknown
# uname -o
GNU/Linux

Seems like it cannot identify the processor and the platform. Searching the package using apt-cache also failed to find the kernel package. So, that's a sign to call it a day. I'll be back.

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Words That Make Me Who I Am Today

These are among saying, advices and critics (from people who care) that always stuck in my head while doing everything in life, and I'm thankful for that. Yes you can google for words of wisdom, but I'm more interested in the words I heard in daily life from people around me and from people that matters.

Nabi: Cinta pada dunia punca segala kejahatan.

Ayah: Jangan tinggal sembahyang, banyakkan baca Quran.
Jangan buat benda2 haram.

Mak: Banyakkan ibadah sunat.
Orang buat baik, kita buat baik, orang buat jahat, kita cuba buat baik.
Biar kita tunggu orang, jangan orang tunggu kita.

Wife: Selesaikan masalah satu-satu.
Buat kerja laju sikit.

Anak: Papa, jangan bawak keta laju.
Papa, jangan bising, adik nak tido!

Kakak: Jaga hati orang tua kita.

Kawan: Duit ni orang yang cipta, jangan hambakan diri pada duit.
Kerja kena berkualiti, Tuhan tak suka orang yang buat kerja nak tanak jek.
So the baby camel said "then what the hell are we doing in a zoo"

Arwah kawan: Yakin so kagho, jadi belako(in loghat kelantan).

Boss(and ex-bosses): You need a passion to get the job done in an enjoyable way.
Be proud of what you do, note it down in your Daily Activity Log.
I'm not saying that I'm gonna be here forever, but while you're here, you have to give your full commitment.

Sepupu: Untuk permulaan, kita cuba paksa diri kita untuk bersedekah, walaupun tidak rasa ikhlas sepenuhnya, sehinggalah dah jadi kebiasaan dan rasa ikhlas akan muncul.
Kalau kita sanggup buat tender sampai pukul 3 pagi, sepatutnya kita boleh beribadah lebih daripada itu.

Cikgu: In most cases, we are the one who decide how we want the environment to respond to us. If we are lazy and make long faces, then the environment will look bored and dull, just like in this class.
Kalau awak rasa awak bukan genius, tapi nak score exam, banyakkan membaca.

Radio: Kawan yang sebenar adalah kawan yang menegur bila kita melakukan kesilapan.
Kita jangan berlagak. Manusia ni lemah dan hina, nak tahan najis nak keluar pun tak mampu.-Ustaz Zawawi

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A See Thru Firewall

A transparent firewall has some pros and cons. In OpenBSD, it use a bridging feature offered by the OS. I use a machine with 2 NICs, running OpenBSD 4.1 to build this perimeter fencing.

Pros:
On network, nobody knows it was there(except its coming from your big mouth)
Since it is ip-less, you can avoid the many hacking attempt(physical attempt is excluded), but still open for DDOS in rare cases.

Cons:
You cannot do anything related with IP on it(eg. NATting,dhcp,mail)
You cannot ping(for monitoring or testing or troubleshooting) since it is ip-less
You cannot ssh to it since it is ip-less(again). So anything, you have to face the coldness of the server cave.

How do you configure it. Well the rules in the pf.conf is up to you. What I know on setting up this poise machine is as below:

first create a file in /etc called bridgename.bridge0
and put these lines into it:
add bge0
add bge1
up

Save it and while still in /etc, create files called hostname.bge0 and hostname.bge1 and put this line into both:
up

Save it and go on editing /etc/rc.conf
search for pf=NO entry and change "NO" to "YES"

Save rc.conf and move on to the next file /etc/sysctl.conf and uncomment this line
net.inet.ip.forwarding=1

Provided you have pf.conf well-configured, restart the network and load the rules
#sh /etc/netstart
#pfctl -f /etc/pf.conf

Last but not least, to avoid some performance issue(kapla_hodot and I found an issue of duplicate packet or something, sorry I dont remember but I've read it somewhere) be sure to use only one interface to control the rules. The other interface should be all allow, for example:

external_if="bge0"
internal_if="bge1"
scrub in all
#allow all internal
pass in quick on $internal_if all
pass out quick on $internal_if all
#block all external
block in log on $external_if all
block out log on $external_if all
#your passing rules go here and just use "external_if" in your lines

That's about it, I dont want to drill down this firewall thingy, because there is already a firewall engineer post available nowadays(and I got a lot of other things to think about in life). Please let me know if I'm missing something. Else, voila.

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Memory Lane - Tape Backup For Linux (Recovery)

A few days after using flexbackup as a backup tool, then I've reached the next phase in the procedure; Data Recovery. In other words, how'd you want to extract the data from the tape. Being absolutely vain in tape backup, I quickly typed 'ls' to view the content of the tape. Well, I wish it was that easy.

But it was not that difficult either provided you understand some basic things about a tape. Note to self: a tape is nothing like a cd where you can easily mount and unmount. A tape is not a folder where it holds all the files and sub-folder. It is just a media that use sequential access in archiving data instead of random access method used in disk.

So I compare the requirement given to me with what Flexbackup can offers. Flexbackup has an extract feature(--extract) and it also can read(--flist) a file that has list of archives to extract. That will do it. But first I need to get the list. So using tar -itvf and mt command, I end up with this tape-list.sh:

#
#!/bin/bash
# This simple script is to create a list of files from the tape.
# This list will be use to extract - [eg. tape-extract ]
# by yoe Dec,2005

help_usage()
{
echo "Usage: $0 filename "
exit 0
}

if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
#echo "Usage: $0 [filename] "
help_usage
exit
fi

if [ -f "$1" ]; then
echo file exist!
echo choose another filename
exit 1
fi

tape=/dev/nst0
currentdir=`echo $PWD`
now=`date +'%Y%m%d'`
tempfile="temp.$now"
h=0

/bin/mt -f $tape rewind
/bin/mt -f $tape eod
lastcount=`/bin/mt -f $tape status |grep -i file |awk '{print $2}' |tr -d "number=" |tr -d ","`
echo "There are $lastcount blocks on the tape .."
echo
echo "Preparing to create filelist $2"
echo
/bin/mt -f $tape rewind
echo "Start creating filelist $2"

cd $currentdir
while [ $h -le $lastcount ]
do
tar -itvf $tape | awk '$1 !~ /V/' | awk '{print $6}' | sed -e 's/\.\///g' | grep "." >> $tempfile
h=$((h+1))
done

cat $tempfile | sort | uniq > $2
echo "Done creating filelist $2"
echo

#remove temporary file
#echo "Clearing temp files"
#echo
rm -rf $currentdir/$tempfile
#echo DONE
EOF

eg. #./tape-list list1.txt

so every files on the tape will be listed into a file called list1.txt. So, in list1.txt I just leave which ever file I need to restore and delete the unwanted. Then here's another script to extract the files listed in list1.txt called tape-extract.sh:

#!/bin/bash
# This simple script is for extracting files from backup.
# It requires a list that can be easily created using tape-list script
# by yoe Dec,2005

help_usage()
{
echo "Usage: $0 filename "
exit 0
}

currentdir=`echo $PWD`
logdir="/usr/local/test/log/"
now=`date +'%Y%m%d'`
tape="/dev/nst0"
logfile="tape-extract.log.$now"
flex_config="/etc/flexbackup.nst0"
if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
help_usage
exit
fi

if [ -f "$2" ]; then

echo "extracting files into $currentdir"
h=0
/bin/mt -f $tape rewind
/bin/mt -f $tape eod
#/bin/mt -f $tape bsf 1
lastcount=`/bin/mt -f $tape status |grep -i file |awk '{print $2}' |tr -d "number=" |tr -d ","`
echo "There are $lastcount blocks on the tape .."
echo
echo Preparing to extract

/bin/mt -f $tape rewind

echo "Start finding and extracting files"
echo

cd $currentdir
while [ $h -le $lastcount ]
do
#/bin/mt -f $tape rewind
#/bin/mt -f $tape fsf $h
/usr/bin/flexbackup -c $flex_config -extract -flist $2 1>> $logdir$logfile 2>> $logdir$logfile
#/usr/bin/flexbackup -extract -flist $1
#/bin/mt -f $tape rewind
#echo h: $h
#echo 2m: $m
h=$((h+1))
done

echo "Done extracting"
echo "Create logfile named $logfile in log directory"
else
echo "file does not exist!"
echo
fi
EOF

eg. #./tape-extract list1.txt

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And You Say Having A Blog Is Easy

This is my first week as a blogger wannabe. All I can say is, blogging is not as innocent as it look. It just like a public digital diary, but men just dont want to admit they had a diary. So they just give it a more killing words - blog. Dont get pissed yet, I just made that up. People see you just like an emotionless guy doing his job, sitting lazily in front of the screen, finger-tapping the faded keyboard. But deep inside, I feel just like being tied up and blind-folded while watching Transformers (with Megan Fox of course) on the big screen. You got so much to tell, so much to write, but cannot put it into words. To make it more miserable, I got this issue on how to make your post expandable(yeah the Read more ... tags).

The Read More tags is a really a straight forward kinda thing, if you find the right info at the right place. Firstly, I just go for official blogger help - no go. After google-ing around for a few minutes, I came across, this retiree fella. So I tried the hack out and it works fine. And people will never satisfied of what they had. While waiting for the third party vendor to come, I went a bit further applying a javascript approach to make the post expandable. Worked alright.

But today, I find all the hacks not working. As suspected, the script is no longer available on the hosting site. Got some issue with traffic load and stuff. So, I have to upload the old template and touch here and there. I cannot imagine how can people with years of heavily customized blogs will survive if they just forgot to backup the template or simply lose it. They might want to take a crash course on how to die instantly.

But the good things, unlike some script writer, the owner felt responsible enough to provide a temporary workaround. So, I went back to the upload previous template and apply the workaround. A week in blogging, now I got 3 templates just for the sake of trying something new, and cost me several lunch time. I'm off to lunch *poof*

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Utilizing netsh to Change IP Address

Most all the time, I will hanging out in different client sites that require me to change the IP Address and some other TCP/IP configuration. The usual way requires several combination of mouse clicks and keypress. This is when netsh come in handy (thanks to kapla_hodot for showing the way). Yes, you might know better, but since this is my blog so I want to put something useful to me as a noob system admin. This is just a note to self on how to create the netsh network configuration file.

For dhcp setting, first fire up your favorite text editor(notepad,ultraedit,vim etc.). Then, put this lines into the file.

interface ip
set address name="Local Area Connection" source=dhcp
set dns name="Local Area Connection" source=dhcp register=PRIMARY
set wins name="Local Area Connection" source=dhcp
bye

Then save it to the file called, say C:\dhcp.netsh

To test it out, go to the command prompt and type:

C:\>netsh exec dhcp.netsh

Here are the sample configuration for static IP Address:

interface ip
set address name="Local Area Connection" source=static addr=192.168.1.207 mask=255.255.255.0
set address name="Local Area Connection" gateway=192.168.1.5 gwmetric=0
set dns name="Local Area Connection" source=static addr=192.168.1.6 register=PRIMARY
add dns name="Local Area Connection" addr=202.188.0.133 index=2
bye

Note that the line
add dns name="Local Area Connection" addr=202.188.0.133 index=2
is intended to specify the secondary DNS.

Some people go all the way to specify a new file type, so that you can just simply double-click the file to run it. But for me, the current way is lazy enough to fit the purpose.

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Memory Lane - Tape Backup for Linux

Remembering the first task given to me, to find a backup solution for server logs. Being given a Redhat 9 box (dont ask why), and a tape drive (stop asking!), I have to choose appropriate tools to get the job done. Yes, you can simply do backup using built-in commands such as tar, cpio, dump etc. But I've never done this before and I'm sort of short of time, so I needed a quick (some people called it dirty) way to do this. After numerous searh engine and reviews, I end up with flexbackup tool.


Why flexbackup? Firstly, it is flexible as it sounds. It's like a middle-man software, where you first decide what kind of archive you want to use (afio, dump, tar, cpio, star, pax, zip, lha, ar, shar) the backup device, logfiles etc. and it will take care the rest. In my case I use 'tar' as the archive type.

So I downloaded the flexbackup tarball and installed it on the machine. The tape drive (Dell PV100T) is connected to the server via SCSI interface. So on RH9, you might want to load certain module for the tape drive to be recognized.

[root@bekap]# insmod /lib/modules/2.4.20-8smp/kernel/drivers/scsi/aic7xxx_old.o
[root@bekap]# insmod /lib/modules/2.4.20-8smp/kernel/drivers/scsi/st.o

Use the mt command to check the status of the device. On linux with one tape drive, the drive may be recognized as /dev/st0(or nst0). As far as I remember, st0 and nst0 are reffering to the same device, with different condition. If you run a command using /dev/nst0, the tape will be rewinded first before the running the command. If /dev/st0 is used, the command will be run at the current location on the tape.

[root@bekap]# whatis mt
mt (1) - control magnetic tape drive operation

[root@bekap]# mt -f /dev/nst0 status
SCSI 2 tape drive:
File number=0, block number=0, partition=0.
Tape block size 0 bytes. Density code 0x25 (DDS-3).
Soft error count since last status=0
General status bits on (41010000):
BOT ONLINE IM_REP_EN

To automate almost everything(what a sys admin always do), I just need to write a simple and sluggish bash script that contains mt command to operate the tape drive, and flexbackup command to backup files/folders.
Let say I need to backup all files in directory called /var/log/msglog.
Here's what I did:

[root@bekap]# cat /usr/local/test/tape-backup-log
#!/bin/bash
# This simple script is to be run for incremental log backup
# by yoe Dec,2005

if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
echo "Usage: $0 [full] [incremental]"
exit
fi

tape="/dev/nst0"
rew=`mt -f $tape rewind`
flex_config="/etc/flexbackup.nst0"
#rewind the tape

#backup /var/log/msglog
#echo "backup /var/log/msglog"

if [ "$1" = "full" ];
then
echo "backup full for msglog"
echo
$rew
flexbackup -c $flex_config -dir /var/log/msglog -level full &> /dev/null
$rew
echo "Done . Refer log directory for details."

elif [ "$1" = "incremental" ];
then
echo "backup incremental for msglog"
echo
$rew
flexbackup -c $flex_config -dir /var/log/msglog -level incremental &> /dev/null
$rew
echo "Done . Refer log directory for details."
else


If you want to minimize user intervention, than blow it to the cronjob

[root@bekap]# crontab -l
# after inserting new tape, rewind, erase and full backup every 1st of the month at 10:05 am
5 10 1 1-12 * /bin/mt -f /dev/nst0 rewind && /bin/mt -f /dev/nst0 erase && /usr/local/test/tape-backup-log full

# run incremental backup every thursday 11:30 pm.
30 23 * 1-12 4 /usr/local/test/tape-backup-log incremental

Finally make an appropriate schedule for tape replacement.

dirty enough?

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Friday Blues

I'm not sure if this headache I'm having is closely related to the sprained shoulder pain that I had since last week . Or issit because I have 3 reports to compile before next friday. Or issit because of a small lump-look-alike just between my son's chin and his neck. Or issit just because the career path i've chosen.

Talking about the career path, today is last day for my colleague. Like he mentioned, he's moving to the greener side of the field. No matter how green is it, the grass I'm standing on is a bit tasteless now comparing when I first arrived. Still I have to munch as long as it pay my bills. As what I said during interview session, "You give me something, I give you something, if not more".

By the way, a big thanks to the company for sponsoring the Umrah package. It was a fantastic journey, spiritually. For that, I'll struggle to be a good system administrator, not to mention notebook cleaner, cable puller, scanner troubleshooter and last but not least helpdesk operator.

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Here I am

This is the first sentence I wrote on MY own blog. This is the second one. The main objective is to have a place I can save my stuffs and pics, and most importantly it is accessible from anywhere. And here goes nothing ...

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