PostBadge tag to show // FeedBurner FeedFlare. // ------------------------- // FeedBurner account and feed required. // Sign up at http://feedburner.com //================================================ class module_feedflare { function init(){ global $gregarious; $gregarious->add_settings ( array ( 'feedburner_url' => '' ) ); $gregarious->add_page ( 'FeedFlare', 'modules/feed-flare/icn_Flare.png', 'page_feedflare();', 'feedFlare' ); } function postbadge_tags(){ return array ( array ( 'tag' => '%FLARE%', 'replacewith' => 'feed_flare("",false)' ), ); } function update_info(){ return 100; } } //------------------------------------------ // TEMPlATE TAGS //------------------------------------------ function feed_flare($settings = '', $echo = true){ global $wp_query; $post = $wp_query->post; $sets = array('postID' => $post->ID, 'before' => '', 'after' => 'Gregarious FeedFlare', 'force' => 0 ); grab_sets($settings, $sets); if ( !$sets['force'] && hideOnID($sets['postID']) ){ return ''; } if( !$path = _get_feedburner_url() ) return ''; if( substr( $path, -1 ) == '/' ){ $path = substr( $path, 0, strlen( $path ) -1 ); } $path = str_replace ( 'feedburner.com/', 'feedburner.com/~s/', $path ); $path .= '?i='.get_permalink($sets['postID']); $result = $sets['before'] . "" . $sets['after']; if($echo) echo $result; else return $result; } function _get_feedburner_url(){ $feedurl = greg_get_option( 'feedburner_url' ); if ( $feedurl ){ return attribute_escape($feedurl); } else { $feedburner_settings = get_option('feedburner_settings'); if( is_array($feedburner_settings) && ($feedurl = $feedburner_settings['feedburner_url']) ) { return attribute_escape($feedurl); } else { return false; } } } //------------------------------------------ // OPTIONS PAGE //------------------------------------------ function page_feedflare(){ $feedurl = _get_feedburner_url(); ?> Server Update (on the hardware side and a brief advocacy of webmin) at spencerb.net
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Server Update (on the hardware side and a brief advocacy of webmin)

Published on February 25, 2009 in Technology. 2 Comments Tags: .

First, to take care of some matters from the comments. I can only assume that SSD’s have solved the problems of flash memory. Prices for solid state memory has come down recently, but the size of the drives remains small and the price per GB fairly high. I think that the compact flash issue of write limits has increased past 10,000, but not to the point where it remains viable as an operating under normal circumstances. XP embedded has a write filter that minimizes the number of writes to the drive.

I have scrapped the Compact Flash idea, which will save me money and the time of worrying about it. One tool that I have to recommend anyone working in linux is webmin. I’m still learning the ropes of it, but I have to say it is an incredibly useful tool. It is a graphical interface (AJAX-based?) that you connect to over the web to administer your Linux machine. This includes setting file servers, creating directories, running command lines, and administering web servers (apache, php, mysql, etc). Last night, i set up a file server from my Vista laptop on the Linux box to use for backing up files on my network. It worked beautifully and even mapped as a network drive on an XP laptop.

So, in summary, progress is being made. I was frustrated at first and I’m still waiting for a 5.25″ to 3.5″ bay adapter, but that should arrive shortly.

Now on to the specs:

Motherboard: Intel BOXD945GCLF2
Processor: Atom 330 (comes on board)
Memory: 2 GB DDR2
Graphics: Integrated Intel GMA 950
Hard Drives: 2x Seagate SATA 1.5 TB (in Raid 1, using Linux’s mdadm software Raid)
*Note: Thank you slickdeals for $83 massive hard drives

Operating System: Linux 8.10 “Intrepid Ibex”

This motherboard conforms to the mini-ITX standard. It is tiny! I could not believe my eyes when I saw the box. It is practically the fourth of the size of any ATX motherboard I have worked with and smaller than micro-ATX. The disadvantages to the size are fitting in hard drives (hence my willingness to go big in that department) and finding a decent affordable case. I found that with a Foxconn case that includes a PSU for $50.00, a lot less than my initial budgeting of over $100.

Honestly, this is the best, affordable, mini-ITX. If you have more money to burn, look at Chenbro. Newegg doesn’t sell any mini-ITX PSU’s to my knowledge. Finding a case with a decent power supply was imperative. Foxconn was the only one who made any claims about the efficiency or reliability of their PSU. Other mITX cases had terrible reviews with regard to power supplies.

On the subject of power, one of my motivations for designing this computer was to save money. 1) Webhosting costs and 2) Electricity. 1 is self-explanatory. 2 -I run my gaming computer most of the day just to download. This uses a lot of power. The Atom 330 uses less than 10 watts, the entire board uses about 20 watts. The two hard drives with Raid 1 redundancy use approximately 10 watts total. This is less than the power demands of my Intel core2 processor alone. In essence, I didn’t want to negate the savings from #1, by having a huge power drain.

Not only is the Atom efficient, it is fairly cheap. The board with processor and integrated graphics is $80. One thing that tempted me against buying the Intel board was the MSI Wind nettop 100. Advantages to the MSI system – size and ease, also a built in Compact Flash slot on the motherboard. Now, that I have decided against CF this is not a big issue. The MSI system is slightly smaller because it uses a power brick that sits outside the case. The downside to a small case, less room to work with. (The Foxconn case does a great job of making the small form factor accessible). Also, the MSI kit only takes notebook memory. I’m not sure if that would have a significant effect on performance, it may have a slight cost increase.

That is all I have on the hardware side right now, let me know if you have anymore questions. The cost of the system without hard disks (the most variable part of the system – depending on how much storage one wants: approximately $80 + 50 + 20 = $150. Same cost as the MSI barebones kit, except mine included memory.

Hard drives, were about $85 a piece = $170. Total = $320.

Happy Early Birthday Self.

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  1. Dan Schoppe posted the following on February 26, 2009 at 9:59 pm.

    Awesome. Awesome!

    I’ll check out that webmin program. I’m absolutely tempted to buy some hardware and build a setup like you’ve got. My server is huge in space and huge in power, which is a bummer. It’s also slightly outdated.

    What do you know about using WakeOnLAN for a server application such as this? You’d find less wear on your equipment and even lower power consumption if you could take the few extra seconds load time for a wakeonlan configuration… but it sounds like you need compatible hardware?

    Great article though, very well done on the machine. You’ve got a jealous friend :-) .

  2. Trackback from Up for Grabs

    LAMP guide links…

    Hey spenc…  On second glance, it looks like I’ve got Webmin already installed :-) .  I’ll have to get it configured and ready to go now.
    Awhile back you asked me for guides to setting up your Ubuntu install.  I couldn’t find t…

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