Adding a single user mode option to the GRUB menu
password –md5 $1$U$JK7xFegdxWH6VuppCUSIb.
default 0
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.9-21)
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.9-21 ro root=/dev/hda6
initrd /initrd-2.4.9-21.img
title Red Hat Linux (2.4.9-21) single user mode
lock
root (hd0,0)
kernel /vmlinuz-2.4.9-21 ro root=/dev/hda6 s
initrd /initrd-2.4.9-21.img
Installing and Configuring Fedora Xen Virtualization
There are two common approaches to virtualization – full virtualization and para-virtualization. Full virtualization provides complete abstraction between the hardware and the guest operating system. In this scenario, the guest operating system is provided a complete virtual physical environment in which to run and, as such, is unaware that it is running inside a virtual machine. One advantage of full virtualization is that the operating system does not need to be modified in order to run in a virtualized environment. This means that proprietary operating systems such as Windows can be run on Linux systems.
Disadvantages of full virtualization are that performance is slightly reduced as compared to para-virtualization, and some virtualization platforms, such as Xen, require CPUs with special virtualization support built in (such as Intel-VT and AMD-V).
via Installing and Configuring Fedora Xen Virtualization – Techotopia.
Building a Custom Kernel
If you are running Linux on a system with hardware or wish to use features not supported in the stock kernels, or perhaps you wish to reduce the kernel memory footprint to make better use of your system memory, you may find it necessary to build your own custom kernel.
I will get this right if it kills me.
The Linux Virtual Server Project – Linux Server Cluster for Load Balancing
What is the Linux Virtual Server?
The Linux Virtual Server is a highly scalable and highly available server built on a cluster of real servers, with the load balancer running on the Linux operating system. The architecture of the server cluster is fully transparent to end users, and the users interact as if it were a single high-performance virtual server. For more information, click here.
The Linux Virtual Server Project – Linux Server Cluster for Load Balancing.
Installing Fedora Using PXE Images
Booting grub with the Fedora PXE vmlinuz/initrd images allows you to perform a network installation of Fedora over any existing linux distro, should you not be able to write to or boot from the conventional CD/DVD install media. A PXE netinstall can both be done locally, and with extra care, remotely using VNC. Both methods are explained in this HOWTO.
via Installing Fedora Using PXE Images — Fedora Unity Project.
The Perfect Xen 3.0.1 Setup For Debian
This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions on how to install Xen (version 3.0.1) on a Debian Sarge (3.1) system.
Xen lets you create guest operating systems (*nix operating systems like Linux and FreeBSD), so called “virtual machines” or domUs, under a host operating system (dom0). Using Xen you can separate your applications into different virtual machines that are totally independent from each other (e.g. a virtual machine for a mail server, a virtual machine for a high-traffic web site, another virtual machine that serves your customers’ web sites, a virtual machine for DNS, etc.), but still use the same hardware. This saves money, and what is even more important, it’s more secure. If the virtual machine of your DNS server gets hacked, it has no effect on your other virtual machines. Plus, you can move virtual machines from one Xen server to the next one.
Via The Perfect Xen 3.0.1 Setup For Debian | HowtoForge – Linux Howtos and Tutorials.
This howto works for other distros as well.
I’ve gone this far without ever having to compile a kernel … until now. 🙂 Though the howto is a bit dated, I downloaded the latest xen distro here. (xen 4.1.1)
Welcome to LQ Consulting
Welcome to LQ Consulting
At LQ Consulting, our goal is to help you realize your Open Source strategy. We have the experience and dedication needed to ensure your Open Source stack is efficient, stable and productive. Our philosophy is that your IT infrastructure shouldn’t be a burden, it should be a differentiator. We participate in many Open Source projects and are dedicated to supporting Open Source, while realizing that current business needs sometimes necessitate the use of proprietary applications.
We offer a variety of services and have the ability to implement, configure, support and optimize a wide assortment of Open Source technologies. Contact sales for more information on working with LQ Consulting. If you are a current client, visit our support center.
Click here if you’ve registered a domain with LQ Consulting and would like to manage it.
Die, VPN! We’re all “telecommuters” now—and IT must adjust
They can’t get the passcode into your cloud resources, and they don’t have the ability to generate the passcode. You don’t have to go that far, of course, but the point is that if there’s no local data on the device in normal use, there’s no local data on the device that can be stolen.
via Die, VPN! We’re all “telecommuters” now—and IT must adjust.
Here are a couple of interesting comments covering both sides of this issue:
I work in a large IT org in a large company. THis issue keeps creeping up all the time. I think most end users just really want access to email, ccontacts, calender and IM – this tends to cover at least 80% of the use cases. This can be done with a digital cert and loginid/password – without installing a VPN client. It took a while to convince the security group to do this. Full layer 3 routing access to the network should be for sensitive apps like SAP, etc. Sadly though most IT departments will continue to drive that square peg into that round hole.Hey, IPV6 will solve all our problems. LoL 🙂
How is SSL hopelessly broken? Let us count the ways
SSL made its debut in 1994 as a way to cryptographically secure e-commerce and other sensitive internet communications. A private key at the heart of the system allows website operators to prove that they are the rightful owners of the domains visitors are accessing, rather than impostors who have hacked the users’ connections. Countless websites also use SSL to encrypt passwords, emails and other data to thwart anyone who may be monitoring the traffic passing between the two parties.
It’s hard to overstate the reliance that websites operated by Google, PayPal, Microsoft, Bank of America and millions of other companies place in SSL. And yet, the repeated failures suggest that the system in its current state is hopelessly broken.
via How is SSL hopelessly broken? Let us count the ways • The Register.
One Smart Phone, Two Personalities
“People want to use their own smart phones and tablets for work, but that practice can create major headaches for businesses’ IT departments,” says Chris Hill, part of AT&T’s Advanced Mobility Solutions group. “Toggle helps resolve the issue in a simple, affordable manner.”
via One Smart Phone, Two Personalities – Technology Review.
No doubt someone will get a patent for this — for multiple users on a single device — something that has been going on since the first mainframe.