Managed Platform Unit Wiki
DOCUMENTATION
For help with computers, go to ⇒ http://computing.help.inf.ed.ac.uk ⇐ This is the MPU's technical documentation for computing staff. Anything labelled (MPU) is probably of interest mainly to the MPU.BIOS
- MPUbiosUpgrade - how the BIOS was updated on a Dell PowerEdge server.
- SelectPCBiosSettings - BIOS settings for Select PCs
- ClonedBios - How to apply the standard BIOS configuration for a DICE machine using a USB stick.
Backups, Data, Disasters
- CRITICAL SHUTDOWN - how to shut down servers in an EMERGENCY
- MPU backups
- MPU disaster recovery
- General notes on how to restore from a backup
- How to make a new LCFG master from backups
- 2012 Flood Exercise
- Replacing a failed disk on a Dell server which uses MegaCli/MegaRAID - including how to report the disk problem to Dell.
- MPUGasExplosionJan2014
- Full disk warnings on DICE machines
- The Great AT Power Shutdown of January 2017
- MPU services - resilience of
Booting
- AutoReboot
- How to force a reboot from a serial console
- Booting Context - apply LCFG resources only while booting.
- (MPU) DBan - how it was set up.
- FreeDOS and desktop BIOS updates.
- Tang and clevis - a short investigation of Network Bound Disk Encryption.
DICE LCFG Service
- For more information about the vulnerabilities see:
- wiki.lcfg.org is where to look for general LCFG information.
- How to use dumpdeps - how to see LCFG dependencies - which hosts use which files, and vice versa.
- How to stop the LCFG servers when you want to make several changes atomically. It also explains how to start them again...
- (MPU) Important notes on managing the LCFG master and slaves
- LCFG slave server status pages - lcfg1, lcfg2, lcfgtest
- (MPU) LCFGMasterRecovery - How to make a new LCFG master from backups
- Comparisons of LCFG component versions on supported platforms - http://lcfghost.inf.ed.ac.uk/cgi/component_versions.cgi
- (MPU) Managing the main LCFG servers
- (MPU) Moving the LCFG Master to new hardware
- The test LCFG server
- (MPU) Managing the LCFG website
- (MPU) Upgrading the master LCFG server to SL5, to SL6
- The inf layer - LCFG managed but without DICE add-ons, good for finding/eliminating DICE dependencies in the lcfg or ed levels so other Schools can use your stuff.
- Managing Bugzilla
- How to connect to the IS jabber server, which hosts the lcfg chatroom.
- InterWikis lets us define handy wiki shortcuts for URLs. We have lots of local shortcuts for our LCFG repositories, bug trackers and so on. For example: Bug:123, Help:nx, LCFG:core/include/dice/options/small-server.h.
- Future Platform Ideas - A gathering of ideas for future major platform upgrades.
Hardware and Firmware
- How to report Dell hardware problems
- DICE Disk Partitioning.
- How to configure new monitors
- Hardware testing ideas
- Model-specific hardware information
- CPU SpecInt scores
- Information on the IBM DS3524 storage array
- MegaCli Cheat Sheet (configures RAID drives on a PERC card) - and see also ServicesLocalDiskServer and another MegaCli cheat sheet
- Replacing a failed disk on an R720 - although this is probably relevant to any machine using MegaCli/MegaRAID.
- TooHot prevents server overheating
- hwmon server hardware checks
- For Dell server firmware updates use dsu or the Lifecycle Controller:
- Dell System Update (dsu) is an easier way to update firmware on more recent Dell PowerEdge servers. (It replaces the old Server Firmware Updates system.)
- You can also do Dell firmware updates using the Lifecycle Controller
- (MPU) Upgrading or rebooting a KVM server - see also MPUKVMServerMultiUpgrade
- iDRAC8 investigation
- AsusFirmware - some attempts to update the firmware on Scan 3XS / ASUS ESC4000 G3S servers.
- IntelMicroCode - information on Intel supported CPU microcode
Installs
- LCFGLinuxInstall - explanation of the LCFG linux install process
- PxeService - The DICE PXE Service
- Install Contexts - apply LCFG resources only while installing.
- SL6InstallErrors - a collection of error messages which we'd like to eliminate from SL6 installs.
- (MPU) The LCFG install mechanism
- (MPU) Building installroot
Inventory
Kernel
Packages
- Emergency Software Updates Howto
- Which profile.packages resource to use
- Local software packaging guidelines
- How to find packages
- How to build RPM packages using mock
- (MPU) Package repository system
- (MPU) Mirrors of various package repositories
- (MPU) PatchingNss - how to concoct the local nss RPMs which make web browsers accept Ed Uni CA signed certificates
- (MPU) How to restart the Package Forge incoming queue processor.
- (MPU) Updating OS packages
- (MPU) Updating LCFG to a new minor release
- (MPU) Upgrading the Package Master
- (MPU) Making package buckets by hand if you have to
Releases
Virtualisation
- Simple KVM service
- KVM server scheduled downtime
- Managing KVM guests
- ... using kvmtool, rvirsh, virsh, virt-manager
- Walkthrough of creating a KVM guest.
- Managing a KVM host
- (MPU) Virtual DICE management
Other
- SLToUbuntuCheatSheet - Ubuntu or Debian equivalents to the SL things you know and love
- SwitchToSelfManaged - guidelines on how to switch a machine to being self-managed
- Extra users and groups added with the auth component
- AddingOptionsHeaders to configure optional features
- Moving machine to a different wire without a reinstall.
- WakeOnLAN - technical documentation for wake.inf
- For CSOs: avoiding broken profiles when decommissioning etc. machines
- Decommissioning Machines and Drives
- MPUusefulLinks - useful web links
- CabinAdmin - Admin notes for the log cabin service
- Crackly Audio : In RT 64427 Henry Thompson pointed us at this fix for crackly audio. We haven't tried it ourselves.
- SwitchDesk - Notes on the SL7 switchdesk application and how the dice desktop environment works.
- DevelopDisasterMarch2016 - Notes on the "develop release disaster" of March 2016
- MPUServersIPv6 - List of MPU servers which need IPv6 addresses
- MPUSpectreMeltdown - Resources related to the Spectre Meltdown vulnerabilities
- MPUManualEntitlements - Services, etc, with manually configured entitlements
- XRDPService - XRDP remote desktop service
- SSHService - Admin notes for the SSH service
- PamConfig - Notes on the DICE PAM configuration
Admin
- RT rota (from Monday 7th Oct 2013) - Chris - Monday, Tuesday, Wed am. Stephen - Wed pm, Thu, Fri
- From T1 2017 we've decided to aim to spend 20% of our time on personal development, 20% on operational work and 50% on project work.
- MPU meetings
- Current activities and To Do list
- MPUStarGazing - Areas we think we should be looking at (for staff development)
- MPU time monitoring
- Potential MPU talks
- Spending plans - 2020-23, 2019-22, 2018-21, 2016-19, 2015-18, 2014-17, 2013-16, 2012-15, 2011-14
- Review of computing.help pages
Projects
- MPU Projects - information on proposed, current and completed projects
- Redevelop School Equipment inventory show, home-page,blog,final report
- Procedures for physical security - show home-page brain dump
- Consider User Security Training Materials - show home
- Review Security of LCFG Profile Access - show, home, blog, final report
- Investigate alternative DICE desktop platform - show, home, blog final report
- Ubuntu 20.04 port of LCFG desktop platform- show, home, blog
MPU Servers
MPU servers' profile status on lcfg1, lcfg2. MPU servers' Nagios status.The machines in server rooms have the rack/row numbers in their location to make it easier to find them.
See also ATServerRoomMainServerRacksPopulation, ForumRackPopulation, KBRackPopulation.
| Name | Model | Role | OS | Location | Purchased |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| canopus | Dell R240 | LCFG master | sl7 | IF-6/36 | 2019 Jun | |
| lute | Dell R440 | General access XRDP | sl7 | IF-5/16 | 2019 Mar | |
| archlute | Dell R440 | General access XRDP | sl7 | AT-1 | 2019 Mar | |
| clavichord | Dell R740 | KVM server | sl7 | KB-1/11 | 2019 Jun | |
| harpsichord | Dell R740 | KVM server | sl7 | KB-1/8 | 2019 Jun | |
| regulus | Dell R230 | RPM cache/PXE | sl7 | IF-6/24 | 2018 Apr | |
| maia | Dell R230 | RPM cache/PXE | sl7 | AT-1/23 | 2018 Apr | |
| banjo | Dell R740 | KVM server | sl7 | AT-0/5 | 2018 Jun | |
| mandolin | Dell R740 | KVM server | sl7 | AT-2/2 | 2018 Jun | |
| deneb | Dell R330 | Packages mirror server and local package master | sl7 | IF-1/34 | 2017 Mar | |
| altair | Dell R230 | LCFG slave server (lcfg3) | sl7 | IF-6/34 | 2017 Mar | |
| vega | Dell R230 | LCFG slave server (lcfg4) | sl7 | AT-1/25 | 2017 Mar | |
| gaivota | Dell R730 | KVM server | sl7 | IF-3/14 | 2016 Jun | |
| girassol | Dell R730 | KVM server | sl7 | IF-4/16 | 2016 Jun | |
| salamanca | Dell R320 | Offsite disaster recovery | sl7 | KB-3/29 | 2015 April | |
| azul | Dell R730 | KVM server | sl7 | IF-5/18 | 2015 Jun | |
| bruegel | Dell R210 II | student.ssh | sl7 | AT-2/21 | 2014 May | |
| steen | Dell R210 II | Staff SSH | sl7 | IF-11/21 | 2014 May | |
| vermelha | Dell R720 | Distance learning XRDP | sl7 | KB-3/17 | 2014 Jun | |
| amarela | Dell R720 | KVM server (user VMs) | sl7 | KB-3/35 | 2014 Jun | |
| waterloo | Dell R720 | staff XRDP | sl7 | IF-0/8 | 2013 Apr | |
| oyster | Dell R720 | KVM server (test/devel) | sl7 | AT-1/16 | 2013 Jun | |
| jubilee | Dell R720 | Spare | sl7 | IF-4/20 | 2012 Jun | |
| juice | HP DL180 G6 | openafs build host | sl7 | AT-1/20 | 2011 Jun |
Virtual Machines
| Name | Role | OS | Site | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| vole | LCFG test server | sl7 | KB | |
| jornets | Package Export (http+rsync) | sl7 | KB | |
| aegean | wake.inf Wake On LAN | sl7 | KB | |
| polecat | inf-level LCFG test machine | sl7 | KB | |
| pinemarten | PkgForge master | sl7 | IF | |
| rabbit | Offsite ssh server | sl7 | KB | |
| vendramin | bugs.lcfg.org | sl7 | KB | |
| beaver | Log Cabin | sl7 | IF | |
| mouse | Inf-level SL7 machine for package tests | sl7 | KB | |
| lagun | computing.help | sl7 | KB | |
| hulp | backup computing.help | sl7 | IF | |
| ayuda | staging computing.help | sl7 | KB | |
| maipo | RHEL native | RHEL 7.0 | KB | |
| badger | PkgForge builder | sl7 | KB | |
| shrew | PkgForge builder | Ubuntu Focal | IF | |
| crocodile | PkgForge builder | Ubuntu Focal | AT | |
| procyon | buildsl7 | sl7 | AT | |
| otter | lcfg.org web site and wiki | sl7 | KB | Has a second disk (lcfgwebdata2 volume) |
| nuthatch | rsync server for Virtual DICE | sl7 | AT | |
| aldebaran | PXE/NFS install server for KB | sl7 | KB | |
| mira | Native RHEL 7 | RHEL 7.5 | AT | |
| mizar | test xrdp | sl7 | KB | |
| tomares | Tartarus server | sl7 | IF | |
| capella | Debian packages server | sl7 | AT |
Desktop Machines
| spider | HP G2 | Chris's DICE desktop for testing | sl7 | AT-7.12b | 2016 Jun | |
| walter | HP G1 | Chris's Windows 10 desktop for testing | Windows 10 | AT-7.12b | 2014 Jul | |
| zip | HP 7900 | Alastair's DICE desktop | sl6_64 | AT-7.09a | 2009 Jun | |
| kelvin | Dell T3400 | Alastair's main devel desktop | sl6_64 | AT-7.09a | 2008 Jan | |
| burray | HP G4 | Stephen's DICE desktop | sl7 | AT-7.10 | 2018 Nov |
Old Stuff
- ClonedBios - How to apply the standard BIOS configuration for a DICE machine using a USB stick.
- (MPU) How the Server Firmware Report works
- (MPU) How to download new server firmware updates
- VMware deprecation progress
- MPUServersSL5 - Prioritized list of MPU servers for upgrading to SL5
- MpuRescue - for rescuing abandoned documentation
- MPUTransitionList - List of work that MPU members need to drop and the MPU unit needs to absorb
- RT Rota - MPU weekly RT Duty rota
- MPU bugzilla searches: LCFG, Linux, Solaris, Others. (Details.)
- MPUOurCalendar - MPU Calendar
- Old DICE LCFG Information
- MPUSolarisResources
- MPUBootstrapNewFedora - quick guide to how to get a new Fedora running
- MPUFcFiveInfSixtyFourBit - Notes on developing and managing fc5 64 bit machines
- MPUInfFC3 - Notes on managing "inf" level FC3 machines
- FC6 Upgrade
- FC5 Upgrade
- FC3 Upgrade
- Managing Solaris Patches
- DICEonMacPro - how to install DICE on a Mac Pro
- On hardware RAID headers
- DICE on VMware on DICE - how to run virtual DICE machines on a real DICE machine using VMware.
- Where MPU data is located on our servers
- VirtualisationComparison - Alastair's notes on his experiments with various virtualisation technologies.
- VMware: how to access a guest console, create a new guest, create a new host, move guests to another server, fixes, Choosing a technology
- (MPU) Adding a new network bridge to a running VMware server, (Cached copy)
- (MPU) Managing the PXE installer (SL5 only)
- LCFG Level Package Lists for SL5.
- SL5 Server Upgrade
- How to connect to the old lcfg chatroom on IS's old sidra.ucs jabber server.
Topic revision: r409 - 08 Jul 2020 - 08:27:47 - ChrisCooke
 |
|
Copyright © by the contributing authors. All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors. Ideas, requests, problems regarding TWiki? Send feedback
This Wiki uses Cookies