Moving Randomland's Server

[zourtney]

About moving Randomland's server, make sure we do the following:

• Back up all files currently on server
• Back up entire database*
• Back up mail (optional, as there is nothing stored on that mail server I need)

* Database backup should get forums, image gallery, and all site content text

Post any other thoughts of things we need to keep.

[Nick]

And the database scripts need the drop drop/create directives! Otherwise you have to put them into an already existing database. And then you have key problems or duplicate entries!

[Nick]

Another 120 days and no posts!!

I guess I will add something.



With the amazing advancements that are being made in miniaturization of computers come a new class of computer: the 'plug' computer.

I am thinking of moving randomland to one of these as its server. I was thinking about how much power that thing was using for how much use it gets (and its vast amount of untapped resources.)

The one I am looking at is a GuruPlug server

Consumes only 5w  of power, as opposed to the 300w or so consumed currently. This will equal a total savings in electricity totaling more then the cost of the new hardware (over a year) and I think I can sell the servers CPU + mobo and ram for more then that.

This also gives me a nice opportunity to play with embedded linux systems.

The only problem I could think of would be slow performance. But 1.2Ghz and 512 ram should be able to cope with our small load. That and all of the storage will have to change to USB 2.0 based enclosures or USB flash drives. This could create slower performance when database access is concerned. But probably not all that bad.

[zourtney]

Interesting. I hadn't heard about those. Kinda cool. And makes me want to do strange things with gas-generators and wireless routers The first google search result is not exactly glowing, but it could be a fun "toy".

[Nick]

After reading that, I think my other plan of buying an Eee PC with a busted screen would be a better idea. Allot bigger, slightly more power hungry (about 9 or 10 watts with no screen.) But the 5 watts of the plug was without storage to speak of.

Plus, with a half defunct laptop, you have the option of hooking up a display and easily installing any OS you like.

Though I still like the small form factor of the plug for other potential projects. But that's for another day.   

[zourtney]

Why am I suddenly compelled to make a proof-of-concept smartphone mobile webserver? Proximity-based interwebs? It's a bad idea.

[Nick]

I think there is a java based webserver for android . Also, people have been installing apache on wifi routers for years. Just look up DDwrt. Or OpenWRT. Or OpenSlug. 

If you rooted an android phone, and were able to run native code then you should be able to compile apache on it.  But that is purely conjecture.

We should convince people to 'recycle' their used smarty pants phone though us and use then to make a solar powered WIFI network in the woods. If fact, that sounds archaically awesome is ways I can't exactly explain. 

[zourtney]

Maybe we should get a few 3G Kindles and hoc their free international internet connectivity and make a distributed web server! Then put them on trees in the woods.

Or not.

[Nick]

You might be on to something here... just need to be able to run custom code on them so that any with cell reception will act as a bridge to the rest of the network. But then, there is a reason why they put satellites up in the sky.

They really give you free international cell coverage? So, like, internet everywhere for cheap?

[zourtney]

Supposedly Amazon eats the data charge. There might be a bandwidth limit. But it's so you can spend money buying books anywhere and anytime! I think you can check email and stuff too. But yeah.

As for a server box, this idea looks interesting. Significantly more powerful and expensive.

[Nick]

I like it. I would have thought computers would have gone that way years ago. I mean, look at laptops and systems like the Wii and PS3. All rather small and reasonably powerful. But desktops are still HUGE in comparison. Taking up massive amounts of space and, sometimes, power. I don't see why we haven't moved to 10" x 10" boxes for most computers. People who needs lots of storage and crazy high power video cards will want more room. But for mid-range boxes, having something that is about 2lbs and takes up no more space then a large hardback kinda makes sense.

Perhaps making everything fit in that small space adds cost. But I have seen some 'nettop' boxes for 200-400 that are more then decent for anything but high-end gaming. And for those, we just need to standardize an external PCIe connector to connect external video cards to.

I am not trying to be green or anything with this. Just trying to help the power bill. That and I seem to like the idea of having lots of hardware in a small space. There is something elegant about it. Now if only the gumstick linux boards didn't cost so much...

[zourtney]

I like build-it-yourself desktop projects. The last computer I built actually works quite admirably (having none of the "ghosts" my first desktop did). But having big computers are making less sense all the time. You can blame/thank pocketable internets for that.

I'm intrigued by different ways of using computers. And my brain just went in about 7 different directions of "fun" projects if I had lots of room, lots of computers, and lots of time. Sadly, I don't.

We should make a list of crazy ideas!

[Nick]

We should definitely make a list! Tiny computers, using small amounts of power yet still having common I/O ports and hardware... the ability yo run your code on a device embedded into (and controlling) some other hardware. It just all sounds fun.

And being able to hide a server in a hollowed out wall socket!

[zourtney]

I think we should make a wifi controlled lighting system. Which has nothing to do with this thread's actual topic

[Nick]

Like to turn off the lights using a network controlled device?

I have been collecting $5 wifi routers than can run OpenWRT or DDwrt from value village.... Solder on a serial port and connect a microcontroller and you can do it all from a web-interface. Add a light/motion/temp/whatever sensor and you can automate it! Or get a wifi chip and interface it with the microcontroller, results are mostly the same.