Traven Configuration

The hardware and hosting is documented on UkRiseupServer and TravenInfo is the place where everything else is documented. During configuration, documenation will occur on TravenSetUp.

Intro

There has been a lot of discussion about what hardware to get for the new server located in the Seattle colo. This has most recently revolved around the presumption that debian 'sarge' (testing) will be installed on it.

There are install guides online. The debian grimoire also has lots of useful information and links - particularly the information about using dm-crypt for encrypting partitions, as discussed on UkCrypto. However, these are the main installation guides for sarge (various formats and architectures). The UK server will be an i386 machine.

Overview

From: http://www.debian.org/releases/sarge/i386/ch03s01.html.en

1. Back up any existing data or documents on the hard disk where you plan to install.
2. Gather information about your computer and any needed documentation, before starting the installation.
3. Create partition-able space for Debian on your hard disk.
4. Locate and/or download the installer software and any specialized driver files your machine requires (except Debian CD users).
5. Set up boot tapes/floppies/USB sticks, or place boot files (most Debian CD users can boot from one of the CDs).
6. Boot the installation system.
7. Select installation language.
8. Activate the ethernet network connection, if available.
9. Create and mount the partitions on which Debian will be installed.
10. Watch the automatic download/install/setup of the base system.
11. Install a boot loader which can start up Debian GNU/Linux and/or your existing system.
12. Load the newly installed system for the first time, and make some initial system settings.
13. Install additional software (tasks and/or packages), at your discretion.

Hardware

• 1U SuperServer 5014C-T
  • P8SCi motherboard
  • Broadcom ethernet cards
  • Intel SATA drive problems? - instructions in this email might help...
• 2 x HITACHI 400GB SATA 7200RPM 8MB
• 1 x INTEL P4 3.0E 1MB CACHE 3.00GHz
• 4 x KINGSTON KVR4002N3/1G DDR 2 1
• Card AOC-IPMI20-E
• 3ware-8000-2 card

Specifics

BIOS

• will be on the hardware already - duh!
• also - 3ware card

Installation media

• netinstall cd
  • debian cd 1 did not work - wierd!

Partitioning

This can be done after booting from the cdrom: http://www.debian.org/releases/sarge/i386/ch06s03.html.en#partman ... we need to figure out the exact partitions on imc-uk-tech soon though!

The machine might run better without a swap partition -- ahmisa-web1 works a lot better without swap and it has less than 1Gb of RAM, this machine has 4Gb.

/imc/ 225Gb

Static Mir sites this can be a mirror of /imc/mir/ on ahmisa (which is almost 40Gb at the moment) and also where the Mir production servers on the box write the site to. In the future it could be nfs exported to a rsync and or apache server.

/mir/ 75Gb

Production Mir sites and database files and apache and tomcat logs. This partition could be encrypted.

/backup/ 50Gb

Database dumps this is the partition to rsync to backup machines. The key thing to backup is database dumps and these contain sensitive information. Media files are effectivly backuped up via the mirrors. This partition could be encrypted.

/var/ 20Gb

Mail spool, logs etc.

/ 15Gb

/etc/ /usr/ etc.

/upload/ 5Gb

ftp and or webdav uploads of media files.

/home/ 5Gb

Not so much space should be needed for users directories. This partition could be encrypted.

/tmp/ 5Gb

Lots of tmp space can be handy for creating dvd iso image and such like.

It might be too much hassle to encrypt some of the partitions, on the other hand it would be nice... A lot of research had been done by jeff on this, see UkCrypto#Filesystem

Bios setup

• see Pre-Installation Hardware and Operating System Setup

Installation media

this machine will be installed using debian netinstall cd - more info at http://www.debian.org/CD/

---

Boot manager

Grub is recommended by deb.riseup.net although the current debian default is lilo. This is likely to be changed for sarge.

---

---

-- GarconDuMonde - 12 Feb 2005 - started - had to do other stuff tho.. will work more on it