Work | BAFM

Linux: Convert Gigabyte into Blocks

I just googled again for a Gigabyte to Blocks converter when I stumbled upon this: 1 echo "(15*1024*1024*1024)/512" | bc Easy to use and yet handy.

SVC: Migrate VDisks off a MDisk Group onto another

Out of necessity, another SVC shell script was just born. If you ever need to migrate a whole MDisk group onto another, you quickly discover the limited application of the SVC GUI. Now, you could query the VDisks using your original MDisk Group and then copy and paste the VDisk’s name (or the VDisk ID) into a command line and simply reuse that svctask migratevdisk command over and over. Luckily IBM blessed the SVC with an SSH interface. So again, we can write a (kinda) simple shell script which may look like this: ...

ESX: Query CDP information from the command line

I’m just tracing some troubles I’m having with a backup server and two (independent) network adapter ports (as in two ports on two different dual-port nics). If I enable the port and set it to auto configuration, it’ll get 100MBit/Half-Duplex, but the Portgroup becomes unavailable. In order to get the connection back, I need to logon on the console (thank god even the backup server got an iLO2), and manually (as in esxcfg-nics -s 1000 -d full vmnic1) configure the adapter to 1GBit/s and full-duplex. ...

RPM: Query a specific rpm-file for information

Since I end up googling it each time I need this, it’s about time I write it down … If you want to query a specific RPM for information (Requires/Information/…) you’ll need to use the –package/-p option. -p <file> — Query a Specific RPM Package File Up to now, every means of specifying a package to an RPM query focused on packages that had already been installed. While it’s certainly very useful to be able to dredge up information about packages that are already on your system, what about packages that haven’t yet been installed? The -p option can do that for you. ...

KMP: Define a new subpkg template

There might be reasons, you’d wish you could make the kernel module package do other things. Two already pop into my head: 1) The mpp-Image upgrades for the ibm-rdac kernel module packages and 2) the " adjustments" which need to be done post install for the VMware kernel module package in /etc/vmware-tools/locations. What you basically do is this: Add the new subpkg template to your sources list Call the %suse_kernel_module_package macro with the option -s and then add your source number For me this looks like this: ...

SMT: Disable unmirrorable catalogs

Today I got this report from my SMT: 1 2 3 4 5 WARNING: The following repositories cannot be mirrored. Maybe you have not enough permissions to download these repositories? * SLES10-SP2-Pool sles-10-x86_64 * SLES10-SP2-Pool sles-10-i586 However, if you try and disable that repository with smt-catalogs -d, SMT is gonna quit your action with " 0 repositories disabled". Since I didn’t want the error to show up again, here’s a quick way on how to disable it. Open up a mysql shell (mysql -u root -p preferably) and enter those queries: ...

Creating a custom RPM repository for SMT

I spent some time yesterday figuring out ways on how to assign custom (as in self-built) RPMs to a installation using SMT. First you obviously need a " external" repository, that can be integrated into the SMT. So we need to create repository someplace, where the SMT can go and grab it. I ain’t gonna cover the sharing part, since that is your job! I’m just gonna cover the steps on how to create the custom repository and how to integrate it into the SMT. ...

Active Directory authentification for Samba on SLES11

I recently “redesigned” the PXE-installation server, which comes with a Samba service to easily move files on/off the box. The old one had the restriction, you need to create local user accounts. Since I also did an distribution upgrade, I wanted to try the integration of SLES11 into Active Directory. And as it turns out, it really is simple. Just follow the steps outlined in the handbook. Open the Windows Domain Membership module, yast samba-client (or yast, then Network Services -> Windows Domain Membership) and enter your Domain information Open the Samba Server Module, yast samba-server (or yast, then Network Services -> Samba Server) and also enter your Domain information Just make sure, you also check the box labeled Also Use SMB Information for Linux Authentication, otherwise it won’t work – don’t ask me why …

Using the integrated kickstart generator

VMware built an kickstart generator into ESX 3.5. You just need to enable it, simply by editing an XML configuration and restarting the webAccess service. Simply edit /usr/lib/vmware/webAccess/tomcat/apache-tomcat-5.5.26/webapps/ui/WEB-INF/struts-config.xml and look for the line saying: 1 <action path="/scriptedInstall" type="org.apache.struts.actions.ForwardAction" parameter="/WEB-INF/jsp/scriptedInstall/disabled.jsp" /> This line needs to be commented out (<– and –>) and the lines following, having those comment marks around them needs to be removed. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11  After doing that, you should be able to restart the webAccess service, and after that access your ESX host. ...

Autoinstalling VMware-Tools

As I wrote before, I have been working on our AutoYaST setup. That entitles determining whether or not we’re currently inside a VMware environment. AutoYaST rules wise, that’s pretty easy (even though the MAC-tag is empty 😳): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15  <rule> <custom1> <script> if ip a | grep "link/ether 00:50:56" >/dev/null ; then echo -n vmware fi; </script> <match>*</match> <match_type>exact</match_type> </custom1> <result> <profile>addons/@custom1@.xml</profile> </result> </rule> The hard part is figuring out ways, to make the VMware Tools installation as pain free as possible. One thing I can’t do, is running vmware-config-tools.pl … ...