Re: [gentoo-user] Putting gentoo to work :)

[Alexandru Mincu]

On 2/9/07, Hans-Werner Hilse <hilse@×××.de> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> On Fri, 9 Feb 2007 19:43:16 +0200
> "Alexandru Mincu" <mincua@×××××.com> wrote:
>
> > My setup will look like this:
> > big server with 2 or 3 gigabit ethernet cards and lots of sata drives in
> a
> > big raid array.
> > disk less workstations with 512mb or 1gb of ram, nvidia or integrated
> video
> > and a gigabit ethernet card.
> > and of course a gigabit ethernet switch.
>
> Hm. Are those "diskless" workstations supposed to be thin clients (i.e.
> just displays for applications running on the big iron)? Probably not,
> I guess. So your "big iron" will probably be a file server. For serious
> productive work either virtualize the web-, mail- and calender servers
> or even better make them separate machines. It's easier to maintain the
> pieces when each of them has its own environment. You'll also need a
> lot of CPU power on the main rig just for getting the needed throughput.


Yes i am not thinking about thin clients as in X client only ... I  am
thinking about mounting / as NFS.
Tanks for the servers tip ... I will try to use different machines where
possible if not then Xen/Vmware/whatever else

If you're going to go that road, I would suggest to offer your client
> terminals access to a common, NFS read-only shared root and individual
> shares for home directories. Make a testing environment and regularly
> make it the new root if it has proven to be stable. Always remember
> that the common root file system is now a single point of failure for
> the whole company's productivity.


The single point of failure is a problem but when you think that most people
just use their local hard drives to store sensitive data and start
complaining when their hard disk fails I think it's not a big issue ... If
the fonds will give me the possibility I will make 2 different servers with
synchronization(if it's possible .. haven't thought about that yet) and
switch to backup when needed.

> First of all let's start with the clients...
> > I am a Gnome fan and I think it is better and simpler to use, but them
> if
> > you have windows users that you want to put to use linux, kde might be a
> > better option... although this is a matter of taste I would accept some
> > suggestions(without killing each other here), bu please take in
> > consideration all the things i want to add.
>
> I don't think it's a big issue. Maybe others have more experience in
> maintaining a common desktop environment in larger environments.
>
> > Things required:
> > Email,
> > Calendar  sharing,
> > IM,
> > Office suite,
> > other bullshit managers use to put you to work(suggestions accepted
> here) :)
> > Web  browsing,
> > A content management system
>
> Should be possible in one way or another.
>
> > I also think that some eye candy would be gr8 to have ... I tried both
> > compiz and beryl, but none were stable for me... it's true i was using
> > nvidia's beta driers but anyway. have any of you tried compiz or beryl?
> > which one is really stable and ready to use for a company? Is the
> > Xgl+(compiz|beryl) variant stable? I for one really liked beryl's
> features
> > but it seems to be more unstable than compiz.
>
> Hm, I don't know what kind of company we're talking about, but is this
> really a mission critical issue? I think my boss would be scared and
> thinking "heck, this guy has to much time for playing, let's give him
> more work" -- but hey, I'm german and probably not supposed to have fun
> at work :-)


Yes well I am from Romania and if your boss dosen't kow shit about computers
then he will be impressed by the eye candy :)

> Now for updates .. which profile do you think would better suit a company
> ..
> > should I use hardend gentoo? Is there a version of gentoo that keeps
> things
> > down with the upgrades to stable packages or I should keep my own tree
> and
> > sync only the stuff I want and test into it?
> > Now the nice part,
> > What about the disk less clients? is there a way to keep a stable file
> > system for all the workstations without requiring to copy all the base
> files
> > for each workstation? It would be nice to be able to dynamical add
> > workstations to the network without requiring admin intervention...
> > From what I have seen in the gentoo diskless faq it suggested doing an
> > separate dir for each client in the network....
>
> I would suggest to share the full root file system read-only by NFS
> (i.e., probably just a chroot environment in which you maintain a
> client-specific environment). It will be a bit of a PITA to get the
> configuration for each specific client done in a sane way (writable,
> client-specific NFS unionfs mount onto /etc and /var?) but easier than
> maintaining N copies of the same stuff on the same RAID (after all, you
> said "diskless clients", right?).


right

> What are the good points in using the system instead of using MS Windows
> > (besides the money)?
>
> They can't ever fire you. Really. They would lose productivity _and_ data.


well i won't be hired there .. but I could not louse the support contract :)


> PS: Excuse my English.
>
> Not that this means anything, but since I think I understood every
> single word, I'd say it's excellent :-)


Thanks.

-hwh
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>
>


-- 
Alexandru Mincu <mincua@×××××.com>
Tel: [phone]