30 Ott 14 WPA2 connection without NetworkManager in Debian linux
This is a memo that I can use to remember how to enable WPA2 protected WiFI connections with debian without using NetworkManager.
All that you have to do is:
- create the file /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf with the following content:
ctrl_interface=DIR=/var/run/wpa_supplicant GROUP=netdev
update_config=0
country=IT
ap_scan=2network={
ssid=”My WiFI SSID”
psk=”mysupersecret password”
bssid=””
proto=RSN
key_mgmt=WPA-PSK
pairwise=CCMP TKIP
group=TKIP
}
- if you want to set a static IP, add the following content to the file /etc/network/interfaces
iface wlan0 inet static
wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
address 192.168.100.7
netmask 255.255.255.0
network 192.168.100.0
broadcast 192.168.100.255
- if, instead, you want a dynamic address assigned by a DHCP server, add the following to /etc/network/interfaces
iface wlan0 inet dhcp
wpa-conf /etc/wpa_supplicant/wpa_supplicant.conf
- now, setup the connection with this command by root (sudo before the command if you are on ubuntu):
ifup wlan0
- when you have finisched with the connection, close it up with the command by root (sudo before the command if you are on ubuntu)
ifdown wlan0
28 Ott 14 Best rsync options to mirror a remote directory
If you want to mirror a remote directory via SSH, you may want to use the wonderful rsync command.
The rsync executable has many options, so, which is the correct option list to make an exact copy of a remote directory, maintaining permissions, ownerships, timestampts, copying only the modified files, and updating only the pieces of modified files?
Let me begin with an example. We want to full mirror the directory /mystuff on server 1.2.3.4 into /mystufflocal. The files deleted on 1.2.3.4 from the previous rsync will be removed locally too, so pay attention! If you don’t want to locally remove deleted files you can remove the “–delete” option.
If you want to compress the stream in transit you can add the “-z” option.
All we have to do is:
rsync -vartuh –inplace –delete –progress –stats -e “ssh -carcfour128”
root@1.2.3.4:/mystuff/ /mystufflocal/
The trailing slashes are important because are used by rsync to understand precisely what should be transferred and where.
27 Ago 14 Squid: how to get rid of “All url_rewriter processes are busy”
If you check your squid forward (transparent or not) proxy log files you may found errors like those:
WARNING: All url_rewriter processes are busy.
WARNING: up to 6 pending requests queued
This is true if you use the directive “url_rewrite_program”, for example with SquidGuard.
In this case, squid tells you that it cannot spawn more helper processes to externally scan your requests in parallel, so it’s queuing your requests.
This is not a great problem, but you may be annoyed to see this stuff in your log files, or there are cases in which the default may be too low!
You may raise this limit with the parameter called url_rewrite_children.
To solve, add something like this to your squid.conf configuration file, and restart squid:
url_rewrite_children 32
Ciao, Dino.
21 Ago 14 How to enable apache NameVirtualHost with SSL
If you want to create name based virtualhosts in apache with SSL Certificates, you need openssl with SNI and TLS support (0.9.8f or better) and good apache 2.2.X version.
It’s a simple task, after you’ve read this official article: https://wiki.apache.org/httpd/NameBasedSSLVHostsWithSNI
12 Giu 14 How to declare a read only variable in bash
I didn’t know that it was possible to declare a read only variable in bash.
It’s as simple as to run the following statement:
declare -r a=10
This will create a read only variable called $a with value 10 that you cannot overwrite or unset.
Cool!!
02 Apr 14 Adafruit 4-Digit 7-Segment Display Backpack on raspberry pi in C
In my previous blog post I published a TSL2561 light sensor driver in C for Raspberry PI. In this article I will publish a user space C driver for Adafruit 4-digit 7-segment display.
This is based on a HT16K33 led driver IC, that it’s a I2C driven RAM mapping 16*8 LED controller driver.
The driver I’m posting it’s valid for the adafruit circuit only, since it’s completely based on the electronic schematic they realized.
Don’t use the driver with other circuits, since the display could not function properly.
Basically the adafruit 7-segment backpack (http://www.adafruit.com/products/879) uses 8 (rows) * 5 (columns) HT16K33 lines to drive its leds. The column number 1 is dedicated to the first digit, the second column is dedicated to the second digit, the third column is attached to the colon sign in the middle of the 4 digits, the fourth column is attached to the third digit, and the fifth colum to the fourth display digit.
While each row drives a single led of the given column.
The display columns 0, 1, 3, 4 can show numbers and some letters (A-F, n, o, i, l, L, etc…) plus a decimal point, while the column 2 can only show a colon sign (:).
A number or a letter for each digit is composed by 7 led segments, so the possibilities are few… but not so few after all (check 7seg.txt file attachment for more details on letter composition).
So, now comes the fun. How can I access the led driver memory to light display digits in C? Adafruit releases proof of concept libraries in C and python, but they don’t seem to run on my raspberry pi.
Since I am too lazy to port their code with external dependencies, I decided to write my own library in C.
#include "7seg_bp_ada.h" /* prepare the backpack driver (the first parameter is the raspberry pi i2c master controller attached to the HT16K33, the second is the i2c selection jumper) The i2c selection address can be one of HT16K33_ADDR_01 to HT16K33_ADDR_08 */ HT16K33 led_backpack1 = HT16K33_INIT(1, HT16K33_ADDR_01); /* initialize the backpack */ rc = HT16K33_OPEN(&led_backpack1); /* power on the ht16k33 */ HT16K33_ON(&led_backpack1); /* make it shining bright */ HT16K33_BRIGHTNESS(&led_backpack1, 0x0F); /* make it not blinking */ HT16K33_BLINK(&led_backpack1, HT16K33_BLINK_OFF); /* power on the display */ HT16K33_DISPLAY(&led_backpack1, HT16K33_DISPLAY_ON); /* Say hello */ HT16K33_UPDATE_DIGIT(&led_backpack1, 0, 'H', 0); // first digit HT16K33_UPDATE_DIGIT(&led_backpack1, 1, 'E', 0); // second digit // turn off the colon sign in the middle of the 4 digits HT16K33_UPDATE_DIGIT(&led_backpack1, 2, HT16K33_COLON_OFF, 0); HT16K33_UPDATE_DIGIT(&led_backpack1, 3, '#', 0); // third digit HT16K33_UPDATE_DIGIT(&led_backpack1, 4, 'o', 0); // fourth digit HT16K33_COMMIT(&led_backpack1); // commit to the display memory // call this if you want to shut down the device (power saving mode) // HT16K33_OFF(&led_backpack1); /* close things (the display remains in the conditions left) */ HT16K33_CLOSE(&led_backpack1);
I decided to release the software with the liberal apache 2 license, so feel free to use this software inside your commercial, non free software / firmware.
Below you will find the files .c and .h that you can embed into your project.
It’s helpful for me, and I hope it will be helpful for you.
Ciao, Dino.
Note: on Raspberry PI OS (and debian) you need libi2c-dev (apt install libi2c-dev) before compiling.
gcc -Wall -O2 -o 7seg_bp_ada.o -c 7seg_bp_ada.c
gcc -Wall -O2 -o 7seg_bp_ada_test.o -c 7seg_bp_ada_test.c
gcc -Wall -O2 -o 7seg_bp_ada_test 7seg_bp_ada.o -li2c 7seg_bp_ada_test.o
22 Gen 14 Alta affidabilità o bilanciamento di carico su OpenLDAP 2.4.x?
Come saprete, l’ultimo filone di openldap (2.4.x) supporta una varietà di meccanismi di replica utili per la realizzazione dell’alta affidabilità. Si trovano in rete vari documenti su cui potete osservare i vari meccanismi e i loro pro e contro. Ne riporto un paio tra i più rappresentativi (in lingua inglese):
http://www.openldap.org/doc/admin24/replication.html
http://www.synetis.com/en/2012/09/03/replication-openldap
Faccio presente che non esistono configurazioni di ldap che permettono una gestione trasparente dell’alta affidabilità, infatti tutte le configurazioni hanno bisogno di un bilanciatore di carico o un sistema di cluster manager per poter gestire il flusso di dati verso il server ldap attivo, la replica ha il solo scopo di mantenere aggiornati tutto il tempo gli ldap server.
In particolare, se vi è la disponibilità di soli due server e la volontà di realizzare l’alta affidabilità, vorrei consigliare la modalità di replica di opendap 2.4.X chiamata MIRROR MODE, di cui riporto pro e contro come indicato nel documento “http://www.synetis.com/en/2012/09/03/replication-openldap/”:
A mirror is composed of only two nodes. Both nodes are configured in both master and slave. In this mode, both nodes are identical at all times. They are writable and it is possible to update either one or the other.
Advantages:
– If a node is down, on his return, it automatically updates;
– If the data files of a node is destroyed, when it restarts, it will synchronize completely from the other node;
– A node is configured as a master. It is possible to connect consumers.Disadvantages:
– Mass treatment of update of a node are longer in fashion provider / consumers, because the two nodes are updated simultaneously and in full mode.
Sebbene in questa modalità sia prevista l’operatività sia in scrittura che in lettura di entrambi i nodi ldap, il documento ufficiale di openldap “http://www.openldap.org/doc/admin24/replication.html”, relativamente al paragrafo 18.2.3, specifica che la corretta configurazione è quella di utilizzare in scrittura un nodo per volta.
Riporto il testo del paragrafo in questione:
MirrorMode is a hybrid configuration that provides all of the consistency guarantees of single-master replication, while also providing the high availability of multi-master. In MirrorMode two providers are set up to replicate from each other (as a multi-master configuration), but an external frontend is employed to direct all writes to only one of the two servers. The second provider will only be used for writes if the first provider crashes, at which point the frontend will switch to directing all writes to the second provider. When a crashed provider is repaired and restarted it will automatically catch up to any changes on the running provider and resync.
Il fatto che le scrittura debbano essere spedite ad un master per volta è necessario (come in un qualsiasi sistema multi master) ad evitare l’accesso concorrente alla stessa risorsa (record).
Questo tipo di configurazione infatti risolve a priori qualsiasi conflitto di concorrenza a livello di record e allo stesso tempo garantisce l’alta affidabilità.
A questo punto è possibile ipotizzare un paio di configurazioni architetturali per identificare quale sarà il frontend esterno che dovrà gestire le richieste in scrittura su uno dei nodi ldap:
1) l’utilizzo di un bilanciatore di carico hardware a livello TCP/IP, impostato non in modalità round robind ma in modalità Active/Standby con controllo della risorsa (porta TCP/389);
2) l’utilizzo di un gestore di cluster come Linux HA (http://www.linux-ha.org/wiki/Main_Page) che gestisca lo switch dell’IP di erogazione del servizio ldap su uno dei nodi ldap in replica incrociata, erogato sul server supersite in caso di fault di uno dei due nodi.
Se si sceglie la prima ipotesi, volendo, si potrebbe prevedere una terza possibilità utile al mantenimento dell’alta affidabilità in lettura/scrittura e allo stesso tempo per ottenere il bilanciamento di carico per le richieste in sola lettura sui due nodi. Quest’ultima possibilità prevede l’utilizzo di due indirizzi IP, uno in HA da utilizzarsi per le sole scritture, nelle modalità indicate al punto 1 di cui sopra, e l’altro IP che bilancia il traffico in lettura sui due nodi, tramite una configurazione in modalità round robin verso i due nodi ldap.
Per riassumere, considerando che le macchine sono linux redhat 6, se si sceglie la prima ipotesi (letture e scritture LDAP in HA su uno dei due nodi tramite utilizzo di un bilanciatore hardware), la lista della spesa è:
– installazione di OpenLDAP 2.4.X su tutti e due i nodi. I processi devono sempre essere mantenuti attivi contemporaneamente;
– configurazione di un indirizzo IP (VIP) da associare all’erogazione del servizio che viene impostato sul bilanciatore di carico;
– configurazione dei due nodi LDAP in modalità MirrorMode
Se si sceglie la seconda ipotesi (utilizzo di un gestore di cluster per ottenere letture e scritture LDAP in HA), la lista è:
– installazione di OpenLDAP 2.4.X su tutti e due i nodi. I processi devono sempre essere mantenuti attivi contemporaneamente;
– installazione e configurazione di un cluster manager come linux-ha (http://www.linux-ha.org/wiki/Main_Page) sui due nodi;
– configurazione di un indirizzo IP (VIP) da associare all’erogazione del servizio che viene impostato sul cluster manager;
– configurazione dei due nodi LDAP in modalità MirrorMode
La terza ipotesi (utilizzo di due IP su bilanciatore hardware, con scritture in HA su uno dei due nodi e letture in bilanciamento di carico) prevede la seguente lista della spesa:
– installazione di OpenLDAP 2.4.X su tutti e due i nodi. I processi devono sempre essere mantenuti attivi contemporaneamente;
– configurazione di due indirizzi IP (VIP), uno da associare all’erogazione del servizio di sole letture che viene impostato sul bilanciatore di carico in modalità round robin, l’altro da associare all’erogazione del servizio di lettura e scrittura che viene impostato sul bilanciatore di carico in modalita’ active/standby con controllo della risorsa;
– configurazione dei due nodi LDAP in modalità MirrorMode
Sono tutte e tre valide, anche se secondo me la migliore è la terza perchè permette HA + bilanciamento di carico in lettura, HA in scrittura, e soprattutto la divisione logica dei flussi di scrittura e lettura.
Ciao, Dino Ciuffetti.
05 Dic 13 As you can see, this site is reachable via IPv6!
If you are using IPv6 (like me) you can see that this blog is reachable via IPv6. Pretty cool!
14 Nov 13 LVM Hot backups with snapshot
As you may know, LVM make it possible to create live snapshots of running logical volumes.
Imagine a guest virtual machine that has its virtual disk backed on a LVM logical volume on the host system.
You may create a live hot backup of your virtual machine on the fly, while it is working.
To do this, I created a small script that makes a compressed backup of all the logical volumes on the /dev/vg0 volume group.
The script make use of the standard LVM utilities to have the snapshot, the pv utility to get a cool progress bar and pigz utility to compress (gzip) using all of your processors.
If everything went ok, when the script finishes you’ll find your LVM hot backups on the /backups directory, and the temporary lvm snapshots removed.
This is how I make hot backups of some of my virtual machines (lvm_hot_backup.sh):
#!/bin/bash
for lv in `lvdisplay /dev/vg0 | grep ‘LV Name’ | awk ‘{print $3}’`
do
LV_SIZE=”`lvs –units m –noheadings –nosuffix $lv | cut -d’ ‘ -f7 | cut -d. -f 1`” # LV size in MB
LV_UUID=”`lvdisplay $lv | grep ‘LV UUID’ | awk -F’LV UUID’ ‘{print $2}’ | sed ‘s/^ *//g’`”
LV_SNAPNAME=”SNAP_`basename $lv`”echo “LVM Logical Volume: $lv”
echo “Size: $LV_SIZE MB”
echo “UUID: $LV_UUID”
echo “Snapshot name: $LV_SNAPNAME”
echo “Removing old snapshot (if any)…”
lvremove -f “/dev/vg0/$LV_SNAPNAME”
echo “Creating snapshot…”
lvcreate -L+2G –snapshot -n”$LV_SNAPNAME” “$lv”
sleep 4
echo “Backing up snapshot…”
dd if=”/dev/vg0/$LV_SNAPNAME” bs=512k of=/dev/stdout | pv -pterbW -i 2 –buffer-size 512k –size “$LV_SIZE”m | /usr/bin/pigz -9 -b 256 > “/backups/$LV_SNAPNAME.lv.gz”
echo “Removing snapshot…”
lvremove -f “/dev/vg0/$LV_SNAPNAME”
echo “–”
done
Follow me!
Stack Overflow
IPv6 Certified (he.net)