Author Topic: "Mostly" Headless Core?  (Read 6092 times)

Armor Gnome

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"Mostly" Headless Core?
« on: September 11, 2012, 09:08:38 am »
I have acquired my new core and for a few hours a day have been powering down my current hybrid and getting a feel for the new machine.  The process has been really smooth so far as the media directors in my home don't mind having their image rebuilt for a new machine, "most of my network gear either waits for IPs or announce themselves to the location (80.1).  I will do my external devices next to last as the external network ip is different and I need to chane some things such as port forwarding.

My question is.  After I gimp my way through mythtv set up on the new server, could I then create a semi-headless core by removing the onscreen orbiter and occasionally use it for admin site, browser, and IRC? 



The I/O improvements are astonishing, though I can see weak areas where the server's tiny GPU slows total system processes back down.  Regening orbiters if I understand it correctly is handled by the core and I haven't migrated enough of those to the new system to see what happens when a new device addition requires 8 regens...  I also haven't had it running long enough to check top or uptime as it mounts about 18 inches from my bed...
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l3mce

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Re: "Mostly" Headless Core?
« Reply #1 on: September 11, 2012, 09:37:49 am »
Once myth is setup, simply change AutoStartMedia = 0  in /etc/pluto.conf and it will be a headless server.
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Armor Gnome

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Re: "Mostly" Headless Core?
« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2012, 04:11:51 am »
Sounds easy enough thank you L3mce.

Getting prepared for the core changeover as part of a larger project to relocate the rack into it's own room.  That made more sense than going through the effort of trying to make something like that run quiet in a bedroom.  I am building an enclosure into a storage room wall shelving unit that we can close up and duct cool air into.  I got under the house and ran all new Coax and Cat5e today.  Instead of slowly expanding LinuxMCE out from my room into the house, we are gearing up for a pretty large roll-out all at once.  I can happily report to people such as you and tshcak909 that at this time all planned devices are supported and will be configured automatically by LinuxMCE.     

The currently in use hybrid will be re-serviced as a dedicated media director for the home theater, and it's drives will be moved to a NAS.  I found a fried PowerEdge 2650 that will be gutted allowing us to use the caddies for my SATA drives but will run on a generic 10/100/1000 capable mobo and PSU)  Still debating at this time if this will be a PXE booted NAS under the internal network or if we are better off with putting it on the external network. 

- I have run into issues with MythTV and LinuxMCE when a network storage location is not available. 

When I set up the new NAS I will need some guidance in settings for a device we want to be able to power down when not in use.  I noticed that under web-admin>automation>device status the core keeps tabs on what's ON and OFF as well as it's location.  If this NAS runs it's own OS on the external network would LinuxMCE using its occasional NetworkSharesRadar pick up it's absence and adjust storage accordingly and automatically to other active drives?

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golgoj4

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Re: "Mostly" Headless Core?
« Reply #3 on: September 26, 2012, 02:19:11 am »
mostly headless? Sounds messy!  ;D *runs* and slips on the all the plastic on the floor. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh...
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Armor Gnome

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Re: "Mostly" Headless Core?
« Reply #4 on: September 26, 2012, 11:48:24 am »
It has a head still. 

I had my doubts about this machine being able to function as a hybrid so was keeping my options open about lightening its load and letting it handle our expanding network without having to deal with media.
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phenigma

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Re: "Mostly" Headless Core?
« Reply #5 on: September 27, 2012, 01:42:20 am »
[...] Still debating at this time if this will be a PXE booted NAS under the internal network or if we are better off with putting it on the external network.  [...]

LMCE won't see it on the external network.  If you PXE boot it will be an MD.  You can run stand alone NAS devices and PCs on the LMCE internal network.  That way LMCE can find the shares and make them available to the entire system.

When I set up the new NAS I will need some guidance in settings for a device we want to be able to power down when not in use.  I noticed that under web-admin>automation>device status the core keeps tabs on what's ON and OFF as well as it's location.  If this NAS runs it's own OS on the external network would LinuxMCE using its occasional NetworkSharesRadar pick up it's absence and adjust storage accordingly and automatically to other active drives?

The system does a terrible job of maintaining state for power on/off for devices like MDs.  The StorageRadar scripts will detect the presence/absence of the NAS and act accordingly.  There is no built in mechanism to auto-start (wake-on-lan) a NAS or other PC withing LMCE.  A low power always-on NAS is a good way to go.  Or put your storage drives in your Core.  One of the largest flaws in the system is it always assumes that everything is available, always.  The radars help with this but only so far.

J.