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PXE For Fast Openfiler Installs

While looking for info on how to install Openfiler on an old Dell 715N (headless NAS) I stumbled upon the following blog entry: Installing Openfiler 22 On Dell 715N
Except for minor editing of the tftpboot default file the instructions worked fine. If you have enough free diskspace, copy the ISO to the PXE server hard drive as this will make it work much faster. However, connecting the ISO from the ESXi client worked great as well. I was able to prove that this works for any network device that will PXE boot.
My current set up is this: PXE server running as a ESXi virtual machine connected to the second NIC on the ESXi box. This port serves DHCP to the device that you intend to load Openfiler (or any other image) to.

What I used for /tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg/default:
label 5
serial 0 115200 0
default serial
kernal openfiler/vmlinuz append vga=normal initrd=openfiler/initrd.img –console=ttys0,115200n8 test ramdisk_size=8192

Download VMware ESXi (FOR FREE!): ESXi

Original posting for PXE_Installer-Recovery: PXE_Installer-Recovery ScreenShots

Torrent for PXE Server Image: PXE_Installer-Recovery_1.0.tar.bz2

FreeNAS

FreeNAS is a NAS server built on a minimal FreeBSD distro. Industry standard protocols such as CIFS, NFS, iSCSI, FTP are supported. All configuration can be completed through a web interface. Due to the small size FreeNAS can be run from Compact Flash, USB key or a standard hard drive installation. Version 0.69 was released January 17, 2009 adding TFTP, WOL and fixing some minor bugs. Check it out!

http://www.freenas.org
http://apps.sourceforge.net/phpbb/freenas/index.php

5 Open Source Sites For Business Tools

It can be challenging to find business tools if you do not know where to start looking. Here is a list of some of the tools I have used. These sites all offer free or very low cost tools.

  1. OpenSource – Repository of info for the Open Source Initiative. Has current news, projects, etc.

  2. Openfiler – Excellent network storage operating system. Converts any old server into FREE storage. Supports industry standard storage protocols. High availability clustering and replication.

  3. Asterisk – Open Source PBX and telephony platform. Packed with many features critical to day-to-day business operations. Available as standalone installation, clustering, VMware appliance. Supports IP softphones and IP desk phones. Can be integrated with existing PBX equipment.

  4. Nagios – Enterprise network monitoring and reporting. Very flexible. Supports monitoring of Windows, linux, Unix, networking devices, printers, etc.

  5. Nessus – Security scanner for Windows, linux, Unix. Can be used for remote external intrusion testing. Scan reports will offer suggestions for increasing security based on findings.

Openfiler Network Storage Operating System

The backbone of any datacenter is storage. Its 2009 and your IT budget has been slashed. All new projects have been canceled. You’re out of storage and you need a low-cost solution fast.
Openfiler is a network storage operating system utilizing industry standard storage protocols. Loaded on any x86 or x86/64 server, you can be accessing your new storage system in minutes. Supporting fibre channel, iSCSI, NFS, and CIFS, it is an excellent platform for storing VMware ESXi virtual machines.
While the software is free, advanced support is not. However, like many other Open Source projects, there is an amazing amount of community support. 40+ users participate in the Openfiler IRC channel daily. Anyone with limited linux knowledge and moderate Windows AD understanding can get Openfiler set up and connected just by following the documentation. Give it a try and see for yourself!

http://www.openfiler.com
IRC: irc.freenode.net #openfiler

Open Source Solutions For Business

In these tough economic times, IT budgets are being slashed everywhere. Fortunately this does not mean all projects have to come to a halt. Many vendors offer a Lite version at reduced or no cost. Another alternative is to use Open Source tools. These tools are generally “free” and can support enterprise IT departments. A quick Google search reveals that there is a tool for every need. A good place to start is: http://sourceforge.net