Freebsd 7.1 and Zfs for my NAS

Well, I finally updated my nas to 1tb this weekend. ZFS thus far has turned out to be very cool and easy.

1. No waiting 10,000 years for filesystems to format, zfs is instantaneously ready
2. ZFS automatically takes care of mirroring, even correcting 'bad' blocks on EITHER primary or 'mirror' e.g. if bad on primary, will look to 'mirror' for correct blocks. It can then correct the primary.
3. ZFS is still 'experimantal' and requires at least 1gb of memory to work. Here are the tweaks to add to the kernel:

vmem.kmem_size="512M"
vmem.kmem_size_max="512M"
zfs_load="YES"
vfs.zfs.arc.max="100M"
vfs.zfs.vdev.cache.size="10M"
vfs.zfs.prefetch_disable="1"
vfs.zfs.zil_disable="1"

Those entries go into the loader.conf in your /boot directory.

ZFS also uses TONS of processor. When I was sending 190gb of files processor was at 80-100%. So a multi core is necessary if you want to use on your 'main' machine....

I also threw in some apple customizations:

first, the MDNSresponder.conf file

# sample mDNSResponder conf file
#
# name type domain port text record
# ---- ---- ------ ---- -----------
Marilyn _afpovertcp._tcp local. 548
Marilyn _ssh._tcp local. 22

this lives in the /usr/local/etc mDNSResponder.conf file.

You also need to install the netatalk and the Mdnsersponder, and "HOWL" to get apple working. YOu also need the following in your /usr/local/etc/AppleVolumes.default

Just put your shares at the end e.g. /export.

The system went from 20mbps on a 1gbps network to 36mbps with appletalk. Also nice is the fact that I can 'browse' to the share.

The freebsd has seemed very stable, with the appropriate modifications. ZFS does use TONS of memory, however (200mb) on my setup....

Also cool is the ability to 'send' backups to any other nas on the network via a single command, and well as adding to the pool w/o having to do considerable resizing.

I haven't finished my 'time machine' project on it yet, but zfs quotas will ensure that they won't eat up the entire 1tb of disk.

Do Thomas' Dream of Electric Grills?

Well, I decided to get an electric grill this year since my old george foreman grill died after 5 years of hard service.

I had read about the weber q140 electric grill and balked at the price. $220.00 for a stupid grill! I shrieked. So I went to wally world and purchased a 'cheap' grill Still a benjamin, however. The thing turned out to be useless.

So I went out to a local ace (everyone else didn't have the q in stock, and that’s why I went to wally world) , and purchased it.

The other grill barely got up to 200 degrees. Fine for smoking, but for grilling 350 degrees or higher is needed.

My first burger on the q140 was great. Instead of being dry and poorly cooked, the hamburger was juicy, and cooked in only 8 minutes (the wally world special took nearly 15 mins to cook, and the burger was dry and horrid).

Th grill does require a table, since it isn't a free-standing unit. It did cost me $300.00, but I can now successfully grill on the required electric grill (we live in a complex that bans gas grills).

Don't waste your time on 'cheaper' grills.

Thomas

Mousetrap, Or How NOT to build one!!

Well, my mouse horrors are finally over. After trying out no less than 5 mice, I finally found one that works well with the mac. Here's the sordid tale:

1. Microsoft bluetooth mouse 4000- drivers wrecked mac, and the bluetooth would randomly wake the pc from sleep. Bluetooth required frequent re-pairings, and never worked reliably

2. Logitech wireless trackball (the coordless trackman optical), logitech control center blows up mac (time machine restore required), and the primary button hurts my thumb

3. Kensington wireless presenter mouse (bluetooth)- wonderful tracking, bluetooth flawless (power switch so it wouldn't turn on the computer from sleep), and no requirement for drivers. Hurts my hand after 5 minutes of use DOH!

4. Targus bluetooth laser mac mouse- it didn't hurt my hand as much, but the optical tracking thing for scrolling really stinks. It also takes longer to hurt my hand, 60 minutes.

5. SUCCESS! Logitech wireless LX8 cordless mouse. Nice tiny reciever, no ()#*()$&#()*%&()$*57 bluetooth, doesn't hurt my hand, has middle click and nice scrolly wheel. Avoid drivers like the plague since they brick the mac....

Tips: DO NOT buy a mouse online. There are so many different ones that its almost dizzying. Most of them suck, even though they look really cool. I bought at a local computer store and went back 4 times!!!!!!!

thomas

Named My mac

I had to re-do my pfsense soekris box yesterday because I forgot the password. In doing this, I found a new name for my mac. Igor (who is a munnster's character, the pet bat that grandpa used to experiment on, the bat is also emotionally sensitive).

I thought it was a very good name for the mac.

Bluetooth Mouse Blues

While I have been very happy with the new mac I bought, I have been VERY unhappy with the bluetooth mouse. I bought it thinking "Hey, no wires to worry about". Well, the stupid thing never works right, is always having to be re-paired, and turns itself off after a ridiculously small amount of time.

Specifically, if you have to buy a bluetooth mouse DON'T buy the Microsoft 5000 bluetooth mouse. My $10.00 corded logitech does much better, and doesn't frustrate the living daylights out of me.

I also did some more research and it explains my 'sleep' problem that I was having with the mac. The unit will randomly wake up the mac. This doesn't happen now that I am not using the stupid thing. All in All, a very horrid waste of $35.00. Just stick with wired. I will try with just the windows pc to see if it is any better. I did like the tracking, but with all the other attendant problems this unit is just 'junk' when considered for mac use. Don't!!!!

THomas

Found place to Hawk my new book

I am going to be teaching some cooking classes (gluten free) at the local earth fair store. Basically I will be helping gluten intolerant people to cook things that taste good.

It will be a good venue to sell my book.

Thomas

VIrtualization experience under Mac

I tried vmware fusion under the mac. It was awful. It was so slow I deleted it within an hour. Parallels was interesting, but the import of my windows (yech!) machine resulted in adobe programs that didn't work. I was also unhappy with the lagginess of the apps. It would be nice for 'temporary' use, but for heavy duty desktop publishing, it was terrible. It went into the trash can as well.

So I guess virtulizing for DTP is a "NO Winner" in my book.

Thomas