Install Joomla on Docker - APKH

I used Joomla for many websites, this is a procedure to install Joomla on a Docker container rather than the traditional set up on a server.

The advantage is the capability to install different versions of Joomla for tests/development or data retrieval from older backups.

Server chronical - Digitemp - reading from DS1490F

Digitemp is a software capable to read Dallas 1Wire sensors for the temperature, the DS18S20.

It was in use on the old server for years in order to acquire different temperatures and thus control automatically some Fans in the server room.

Let's see if it can be revived in the new server.

Server chronicles - Drobo on ProLiant

 On the old server I used a USB Drobo unit to backup data.

In theory should be enough to connect the unit to the server to see it .. and in part is true, but there are some unexpected problems.

Server chronicles - Plex on ProLiant

 One of the goals I want to achieve rebuilding the server is to reinstall services in a better way.

One of the services is my Plex server

PiKVM - a KVM <-> IP on System76

Is always better to have a Plan B if the main plan fails.
My server has an embedded KVM (with an extra module installed - see the article Fixing the server - KVM <-> IP) but surprise surprise the actual KVM functionality is not working because the motherboard is not supporting an extension module.

This article discuss about the KVM <-> IP solution with a Raspberry Pi on the open source project PiKVM as a way to have the KVM functionality on my server.

Server chronicles - Docker on ProLiant

At the base of the rebuilding of the services on the server, there is Docker.

Docker allows to run services in a dedicated environment.
Why ? Well, because different applications/programs can require different settings, like maybe the installation of specific languages or specific versions of them.
Instead to clutter the server with 3000 things, a docker image is totally self sufficient.

Server chronicles - the OS on the old System76

The old System76 server has now new HDs and more RAM and is cleaned up.

Time to install the OS.

Server chronicles - upgrade RAM and HD to the System76

It is time to upgrade the System76 server.
The original configuration had 4 GB of RAM and 2 HD SATA in RAID 1 of 2 TB,

with the upgrade I'll bring the RAM up to 32 GB (the maximum  RAM this 7 years old mother board can handle) and I'll install 2 4 TB SATA HD in RAID 1 or 2.

Server chronicles - planning - UPDATE !

Well, it was matter of time.  

An hard drive in the server died during the latest thunderstorm.
It is time to do some maintenance to the system, very probably rebuild it from scratch, a good time to reinstall only what is really needed and  a full upgrade to the latest version of Linux.
After 7 years of continue service 24/7 I would say it is time 😁

AWS Cli

I often have to work with AWS on some projects and I discovered the AWS Cli tool, that allow to do lot of things on AWS from your machine terminal.

Raspberry streaming audio - notes and VLC server

Time ago I did buy and built a Pimoroni kit to have a streaming IP radio.
Is time to try to enhance it little bit and add some extra information.

Storing projects - the idea

How to store a project to preserve it for the future ?
My project have up to three components.
A description/documentation. some code, schematics.

I like the idea to have my work not only stored in different servers like Bitbucket or EasyEDA or Blogger but also stored on my server, locally.

Backup/Sync system

Ok, time to organize a backup strategy involving the Drobo unit.
The idea is to have Drobo having all the data around  the network copied on the Drobo unit, i.e. different machines do backup on Drobo.

Drobo - monitoring it

Now that the Drobo unit is on the final place, connected to the server, I did set up a monitor activity of it.

The server, other than handle the backup operations, also monitor that everything is OK, Drobo included.

Playing with Drobo (updated !)

I did buy a Drobo for my server. 
Here a kind of review and my discoveries.

Of course the main purpose is to connect Drobo to my server, so I'm planning to use it only for Linux.
The goal is to end up with at least  a couple of Terabyte of space, possibly more in the future.

Rebuild my server

Since 2007, I had an IBM eServer machine (xSeries 342 rack) based on CentOS to take care of some services, like my private phone line, home automation, backup data and photo, streaming music, ecc.
After years of service, because a failure, is time to consider now to renew the server, HW and SW.

This article contains some notes about the transition between the old one and the new one.

Service needed

First of all here a list (not inclusive) of  the services the server need to provide:

• VoIP PABX (Apkhnet)
  Based on Asterisk, only VoIP, no PSTN interface
• Multiple Web host
• Streaming of personal music collection (Squeezebox)
• Streaming of personal video collection (Plex)
• Backup data
• Home Automation (X10)
• CVS server
• Jenkins
• Docker
• support for virtual servers

A separate mini server handle a VPN entry.

Hardware

Old server

The old server was a 3U IBM xSeries 342 rack server, based on two Intel Pentium III-S 1.13 GHz.

It was "old" at the time I bought it and put on service, now is definitively obsolete and it uses a lot of
energy.

New server

The new server is a System76 with Ubuntu 15.04.

The new machine should have these basic characteristics:

• use much less than 270W power
• capable to work in hot environment (the server is located in garage)
• possibly less noise generator
• capability of RAID
• multiple HD management
• at least 4 Gbyte RAM 
• at least 1 TB HD 

Optionally

• Double power supply

The server is not located in a "easy" environment.
During the winter the temperatures can be low, but that is not a big problem.
The big problem are the temperatures in summer.
The place is relatively isolated, so the variation is limited, however the temperatures can be over the 38 degrees Celsius in some cases.
Among the services run by the server, exists a temperature monitor capable to turn on an elliptical fan to help to cool the system and if the temperature continue to raise, shut down the machine.

Transition notes

After unpacking the new server and turned it on, the first thing noted was the noise !
Compared with the old IBM the noise is more high pitch and much less louder, also if during the bootstrap the machine "shows" what is capable of, simulating the take off of a F117 :)

The main doubt I had was about the transition from a 32 bit machine to a 64 bit machine.
The majority of the programs I used in the old server is available for both formats, however I had a couple of  services were I didn't have any clear information.
The two packages were heyu for my X10 home automation and the Logitech SqueezeBox server.

In the end it turned out quite easy.
I recompiled heyu from the scratch and is running happily on the 64 bit machine.
The SqueezeBox server exists only for 32 bit machines but with the appropriate libraries is running happily too.

Many other services exists natively in the Ubuntu repository and was only matter to install and configure them.

The main problem to solve remains now the setting for old Joomla 1.0 websites.
Joomla 1.0 needs PHP 5.2, the latest Ubuntu 15.04 LTS has PHP 6.x.
Due some incompatibilities the Joomla 1.0 websites are not working at all.

Cooling the server area

Problem, cool down the server area.

The server is placed under a stair and the server area is insulated.
The area is in contact with the garage and the laundry room and of course the garage of course is not an insulated area, but the laundry it is.
Thus the idea : drill a hole in the stairs and connect a fan to aspire the fresh air from the laundry room.