Category: diary

Passing through the weekend

One of the things I do on the weekend, is run my small data center….

Step 1 – better air flow in the media closet
Step 2 – Create longer patch cables

Step(s) 3:

  • On new server
    • turn off hardware raid
    • install 6 new hot swap 2.5 to 3.5 to 5.25 enclosures
    • install 6 new ssds
    • boot and install xcp-ng on a raid0 array x2 ssds for boot partition
    • Build new software raid10 array for storage
    • build new storage resources, network resources and configure xcp backups
    • build guest for XenOrchestrator opensource & compile from source
  • On existing esxi server; for each vm:
    • remove open-vm-tools and disable service
    • shutdown vm
    • Use vmfkstools to convert thick provisioned disks to thin
    • Use ovftool to download and convert vmdk to ova
    • import ova into xcp, reconfigure mac address and dynamic memory settings
    • boot up vm, reconfigure primary network adapter, install xen tools
Step 4 – boot up the new server and enjoy.

Tomorrow, I’m going to tear down the old esxi and rebuild new arrays for boot and storage and try and merge it into the xen pool and try to live transfer some guests between hosts in the pool. Wish me luck..

Then, if that all works, I’ll need to install another patch panel in the network rack, setup a new ups, and reconfigure the switch for new VLAN and trunk ports.

I will say that the pfsense on a protectli box with 6 ports, and a Unifi SDN costroller, managed switches and WAPs throughout the house had made the networking side extremely easy!

Maybe tonight I’ll find time to finish up the Azure DevOps course and get back to learning React.

Oh, and I mowed the lawn and took Bob for a ride too.

p.s. if anyone knows why mdadm isn’t activating my raid10 on reboot, please drop me a DM.. its a huge PITA.

p.p.s. Second xcp-ng server is up with 2x ssd raid1 arrays, 48GB of ram and the migrations between the two hosts completed; also created and deployed my first Azure ASE tonight. Tomorrow I relocate it to the secondary media closet.

Update a week later: media closet was still too hot so I attached a nice fan to it; dropped the CPU temp by 10 degrees!

Chopped Liver!

Like mother, like daughter. Frequently I answer tech questions for @amandarachael, and once she follows my instructions, she usually replies: never mind, I figured it out myself.

Apparently, like mother like daughter.

Treasures!!

We went down to the dock today after work, and @amandarachael found both a lollipop and a can of sprite just sitting there, alone.  She was so pleased at the treasure she found.

Meanwhile, back at the farm, Braeden was pretty upset, because he put down a lollipop and a can of sprite and they were mysteriously consumed by some unknown thief.

Why do you wear socks?

COVID has broken a lot of things, not the least to mention is our view of the world.

This morning I made a comment to Braeden, that I was performing my morning mental exercise, e.g. trying to find matching sock colors in the “sock bin”.. it’s not an easy thing to do.

His response: “Why do you have to wear socks, people can’t see your feet on video chat.”

I wonder how far you could take that line of reasoning, or how far some people do take it… 🤨

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