December 2, 2013
by Darryl Hoytt
Comments Off on Virtualization of Old Systems Websites & New Media Server

Virtualization of Old Systems Websites & New Media Server

Well this weekend I made great progress I built a test media server, virtualized a few old physical web servers, as well as my old but powerful XP desktop with 5 SCSI drives I just retired. I have been trying different methods with varied success depending on OS. I am still getting my preferred steps down but I have made progress in all of the various methods.

  1. I have used Clonezilla & Xenserver combination:

    1. Create an image to an NFS share on my NAS using Clonezilla Live CD to boot networked Linux webserver

    2. Boot Clonezilla ISO using XenServer's NFS ISO library

    3. Restore Clonezilla image from NFS NAS

    4. Boot Rescue Disk and rebuild initrd

    5. Install Xenserver Tools

  2. Used Vmware to Vmconvert Linux Webserver

    1. Boot Rescue Disk and rebuild initrd

    2. Install Vmware Tools

      1. Then export template to desktop

      2. Import template into XenServer

  3. Use XenConvert to clone XP system (not much luck), created VHD disk for C: and quit.

  4. Use Vmware 5.5 Converter to clone XP Desktop system with 5 local SCSI drives kept failing until I deselected last drive.

    1. Crashed VMware ESXi hosts twice. I had upgraded to 5.5 this weekend on that ESXi server. I still need to troubleshoot what happened.

  5. Also tried using Xenconvert on Linux systems using CD but I think with 6.2 it may not be possible.

I think in the future using "DD" and NFS with Xensever may also be an option, maybe even the best option for Linux systems but that's for a bit later.

This whole exercise just got interrupted as the power on my 20 amp dedicated circuit got overwhelmed and took down my 2 custom built NAS devices running FreeNAS, along with my virtual environments of XenServer& Vmware, and internet radio staion. I will have to remedy that need for another dedicated 20 amp circuits and not wait any longer to take care of that issue! I had to run outside and reset the circuit breaker.

Anyway more details later and maybe I will have time to fully document the procedures along with some other items. I can now comfortably start allocating this hardware to other uses like media servers or pass them along to those who need systems with new desktop OS' of course.



Looks like I still have a lot of work to do to get UPS and network wiring redone with new equipment along with redoing my websites. Looks like I will totally be moving to Drupal away from Movable Type. Stay tuned!

November 8, 2013
by Darryl Hoytt
Comments Off on Book Confusion

Book Confusion

I was heading off to the bedroom to read a few pages of the latest I'm book reading while I performed a XenServer Storage motion on  a couple of my virtual Linux servers after upgrading my NAS memory and storage capacity the last few nights and I could not find the book I was reading. I looked in my favorite eBook readers on my Motorola Atrix checking Moon Reader, Cool Reader, Aldiko and Kindle but none of the books on my continued reading were the fantasy book I had just started by reading a few pages of earlier this week.


Finally I clicked on an ad for an audible reader download while closing one of the eBook readers and looked over to my end table when I realized where my book was. I had been reading an actual physical book that you turn pages on made of paper! I had not read a paperback book in so long I failed to realize that what I was looking for was a book made out of actual tree materials! I found my book and I will be turning actual pages by hand, will not be able to automatically go to where I left off unless I leave a paper book mark, I will not be able to automatically look up the definition of words etc..

I feel this is like going back to nature or a trip to the past reading an actual novel not in electronic format. Looking over at my overstuffed  bookshelf I am realizing that only a few years ago I was wondering where I was going to stuff anymore books I bought when I made bi-weekly trips to a used book barn to buy a handful of books at a time. Such nostalgia in a few years time of changed habits and expectations.

October 26, 2013
by Darryl Hoytt
Comments Off on FreeNAS That Fun Girl That Can Do It All

FreeNAS That Fun Girl That Can Do It All

How have I done without FreeNAS for so long? This is like that fun gal that can go from the fine dining wine & tea, hang in the hood and then hit the outdoors without skipping a beat !

I built this NAS system earlier this year for my virtual environments mainly so they could be physically High Availability (HA) with shared storage networks that are redundant, multi-paths etc... I just needed one more piece to make it all work together and FreeNAS provides the interface, software know-how all together in a great Open Source package! Really the only thing holding me back has been I need to add another dedicated 20 amp circuit to go along with the one already in my computer room and I might add two more circuits because I like playing with stuff!

With FreeNAS I can share to any OS using all the usual suspects, NFS, iSCSI, CIFS, even Apple's AFP which I have never used. I mainly use NFS & iSCSI and that let's me create the storage needed for my XenServer & VMware virtual environment and present storage to my Linux and Windows servers as well as my Linux & Windows desktops.

So why do I say that FreeNAS is like that woman that can handle any environment without skipping a beat? Well FreeNAS has proven it can handle all the issues that come up without the use of a specific 3rd party app or additional handling of external devices one storage system does it all!

Here is what FreeNAS is doing that has me stoked :

  • Reliable storage making my Virtual environment HA where VM's move from host to host seamlessly.

  • Used NFS to share out storage to save CloneZilla images of systems over LAN .

  • Outgrew my Linux desktop, built another Linux desktop system, shared NFS share to migrate the data in home directory that I needed.

  • Ran out of space on my Windows desktop, built another Windows desktop and needed to import Outlook mail to Thunderbird email but had no disk space on XP system (yes XP). Created 100gb iSCSI target on FreeNAS, downloaded Windows iSCSI initiator on XP system, format with NTFS, install Thunderbird email on iSCSI drive on windows XP start importing email to Thunderbird during day while I do other tasks. No need to install another hard drive on system or install Outlook again on my Windows 8.1 system.

  • Creating a media archive with all my music, movies, pictures, personal, financial, legal documents etc..

  • With Xenserver I can even use FreeNAS for my NFS ISO library so I can easily pick any OS or other ISO to boot off of to troubleshoot or build a VM.

  • I have one disk array acting as backup with FreeNAS.

  • Shares music I play on my Internet Radio station

  • I can keep the storage on specific LAN's I now have 3 with one strictly storage but I may add another 1 or 2 since some of the iSCSI to my desktops are going over my traditional LAN's.

FreeNAS adapts capably to whatever scenario I present and seamlessly just like the woman that can fit in anywhere, does it all and enjoys it! Haven't met the gal like that yet but FreeNAS holds the blueprint!