The UNIX® CRONicle |
November 1999 |
Official Publication of the STL!/unix/usr/group
UNIX® is a registered trademark of the Open Group
Linux® is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds
Online version: http://www.sluug.org/cronicle/
Table of Contents
Next Meeting Details
Wednesday, November 10, 1999 at 6:30 PM
Sunnen Products, 7910 Manchester
| 6:30 PM |
Tutorial |
Big Disks & Your Database
by Mike Kriz
|
| 7:00 PM |
Call For Help |
(An opportunity for you to ask technical questions of the group)
|
| 7:15 PM |
Social, off-line conversations, & book sales
|
| 7:20 PM |
Admittance to building may no longer be possible
See Meeting Directions
|
| 7:30 PM |
Presentation
|
Foundation Suite - A Logical Volume Manager
by Timothy Akin
|
Tutorial
Big Disks & Your Database - Things to Consider
by Mike Kriz
Abstract:
So, you've got monster disks and the logical volume manager is going to
take care of your storage configuration needs.
So, what are your storage configuration needs? How do you want to
allocate all that space out? What do you need to think about -
performance, backups, striping, segregating, monitoring, understanding,
This tutorial will survey a few issues connected with the disk space
allocated for your applications. The main type of applications/issues to be
considered are database, static & dynamic files, nfs mounted file
systems, and backup issues.
Biography:
Mike Kriz has been an Information Technology (IT) consultant specializing in UNIX and Oracle for over 15
years. He has worked for a variety of clients in the St. Louis market doing Oracle based business applications
and data warehousing.
Called back by desperate demand, Mike Kriz will put aside the awesome
responsibility of SLUUG treasurer for the evening to once again offer
unfounded opinions on UNIX technical issues for all comers.
Mike has been a member of the organization for years and has been a board
member, officer, and main tutorial presenter at various points in time.
This tutorial will probably continue a long tradition of tutorials ( with 2
page handouts ) that never end in the allotted 30 minutes. Come prepared
ith your pertinent questions to help him keep up the tradition of
running over the time slot.
His last SLUUG tutorial was on "The Password File"
at the May 1999 general meeting.
Presentation
Foundation Suite - A Logical Volume Manager
by Timothy Akin
Abstract:
VERITAS Foundation Suite is the leading on-line storage management
software for enterprise computing environments. The Foundation Suite combines
file system and disk management technology to ensure easy management of all
storage, optimum performance, and maximum availability of essential
data.
The presentation will include:
A brief overview of VERITAS Software and history of the Foundation Suite.
Key technical features of the Foundation Suite.
Advantages of an integrated volume manager and file system solution.
Environments that benefit from the Foundation Suite.
Biography:
Timothy Akin is a Senior Systems Engineer with VERITAS Software. Before
joining VERITAS, Tim was a Principle Systems Engineer with Informix
Software. His professional experience includes database management using
Oracle and Informix and system management on Unix and NT.
For more info contact Timothy Akin
by sending
mailto:takin@veritas.com .
[ Editor's Notes:
http://ibgwww.colorado.edu/~lessem/psyc5112/usail/peripherals/disks/logical/
Logical Volume Managers
http://www.lemis.com/vinum/References.html
The Vinum Volume Manager ( Open Source - FreeBSD )
http://linux.msede.com/lvm/
Logical Volume Manager for Linux ( Alpha code )
http://linux.msede.com/lvm/slides.html-
LVM - A Logical Volume Manager for Linux
---- ]
Special Promotion(s)
 |
Title of the Month
The 25% discount special is continued for DNS on Windows NT, & DNS and BIND, 3rd Edition (UNIX) book. Get a free Tee Shirt with any $30 purchase.
|
All regularly priced titles are 10% off retail cost at the general meeting.
(Excludes featured, or specially priced or promotional items)
|
The O'Reilly and Associates line of books is available at each monthly general meeting as a convenience to our members.
Each month features a book related to that month's presentation or tutorial topic.
Discounts off retail cost are offered to all members and each month's featured book(s) may be additionally discounted. Usually, all titles are discounted 10%, while special titles are discounted 25%.
Upcoming Events
| Perl Mongers
[Not part of SLUUG]
|
November 4, 1999 at 7:00 PM
( TOPICS: )
To Be Announced
CAIT, Training Room 024,
5 N Jackson Ave at Forsyth Blvd,
Clayton, MO
|
| Burn All GIFs Day
|
November 5, 1999
See
http://burnallgifs.org/
|
| GIG-ANTIC TM Show & Sale
[Not part of SLUUG]
|
November 6-7, 1999
Free Parking - Adults $4 - Children 8-12 $2
Sat 10:00AM - 4:00PM Sun 11:00 AM - 3:00PM
St. Charles Exposition Hall
Take I-70 to Fifth Street Exit
St. Charles, MO
|
| James Burke Lecture
|
November 8, 1999 at 8:00pm
free
Loretto Hilton Theater
Webster University/Old Orchard Section
Webster Groves, MO
[St. Louis UNIX Users Group stuff]
| SLUUG General Meeting |
Novemer 10, 1999 at 6:30 PM
Sunnen Products
7910 Manchester (at Hanley)
St. Louis, MO
| | Java SIG
[Not part of SLUUG]
|
November 11, 1999 at 6:30 PM
IBM Websphere - Joe Metzger of IBM
See
http://www.ociweb.com/javasig/
Novell, 600 Emerson Road, Suite 203
St. Louis, MO
| | Charity Lan '99
[Not part of SLUUG]
|
November 13-14, 1999 at 10:00 AM
Computer Gaming Party & Tournaments
Register at
http://deech.betterbox.net/charitylan
Firemen's Union Hall
I-170 to Airport Road to Madison to 3rd Street
St. Louis, MO
| | Linux Business Expo
[Not part of SLUUG]
|
November 15-19, 1999
Register at
http://www.linuxbizexpo.com/
Co-located with COMDEX Fall '99
Las Vegas Hilton
Las Vegas NV
|
| Steering Committee |
November 16, 1999 at 6:00 PM
Daugherty Systems
One City Place (2nd floor)
Creve Coeur, MO
|
| Linux SIG |
November 18, 1999 at 7:00 PM
See
http://www.sluug.org/sluugls/
( TOPIC: )
Something Really Good by Some One
Indian Trails Library
8400 Delport Drive (at Midland)
St. Louis, MO
|
| Perl Mongers
| December 2, 1999
|
| SLUUG General Meeting |
December 8, 1999
|
| Steering Committee |
December 14, 1999
|
| Linux SIG |
December 16, 1999
|
|
Meeting Directions
The STL!/unix/usr/group meets the 2nd Wednesday of every month
at Sunnen Products, 7910 Manchester Blvd, just east of Hanley on
Manchester.
Directions From Downtown
- Take 40 West to the Hanley exit.
- Turn left (south) onto Hanley.
- Turn left (east) onto Manchester, then turn right ASAP into the
Sunnen Products driveway.
See map at
http://www.sluug.org/info/sunnen.html
(NOTE: A security guard from Sunnen is scheduled to be at the door
from 6:20 PM to 7:20 PM to allow entry. After 7:20, the door will be
unattended and attendees may not be able to enter.)
The SLUUG Steering Committee meets the Tuesday following the
general meeting at 6:00 PM in the 2nd floor training
room of Daugherty Systems, One City Place in Creve Coeur.
The SLUUG Linux SIG (SLUUGLS) meets the 3rd Thursday of every month at the
Indian Trails Public Library.
See map at
http://www.stllinux.org/directions/
Article(s):
The following article(s) express(es) personal opinions and SLUUG exerts
no more editorial control over such content than does a public library, bookstore,
or newsstand. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information
or Content expressed herein are those of the respective author(s) and not necessarily
supported by SLUUG. SLUUG does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness
of any content, nor its merchantability or fitness for any particular purpose.
SLUUG BBS Systems Update
by Gary Meyer
The BBS leaves CTItek.
The systems michelob and dark moved from Wash U's business school
to CTItek on July 30. We just moved them out of CTItek and over to
Phoenix Networks on Wed. 20 Oct.
A big thanks to Tony Zapfiropolis, the owner of CTItek. Tony
took us in when we needed a quick home at a time when he was
about to go thru the confusion of moving his own offices. When not
activly working on Computer Telephony Integration and Linux at work,
Tony has been an active participant in our group and the steering
committee.
We appriciated his hospitality and wish him well in those nice
new offices in the building with Ramon's Jalapeno in Clayton.
See previous month's newsletter article at
http://www.sluug.org/~editor/9908.html#Article1
for very detailed background and some good references to alternative resources.
Please contact Gary Meyer by sending
mailto:gary@mail.sluug.org
if you need more specific information on the hardware or other aspects
of these SLUUG computer systems.
http://home.postnet.com/~ellisd/sluug
- Alternate SLUUG home page, if our server goes down.
Attendance Survey Results
Below are results of the attendance & survey sheets collected at the...
SLUUG General meeting on 13 October 1999:
38 Actual head count.
31 Attendance & survey sheets were turned in.
11 attendees requested our SLUUG email newsletter.
Results of each question on our OPTIONAL survey/questionaire:
1. Tutoral (only at General meeting):
What is an IP Address, Internet Addressing & Domain Names
by Stan Reichardt
9 - Excellent
9 - Good
5 - Fair
2 - Late, didn't see.
6 - No response to question
2. Presentation:
DNS/BIND release 8.2 - why you need to upgrade
by Dave Dickerson
18 - - Excellent
2 - - Good
11 - - No response to question.
SLUUG COMMENTS:
Tutorial too fast, go slower, remember it's a tutorial.
I feel smarter already.
I can not comment on networking.
Good information (background) on BIND.
IPV6?
Handout attendance sheets during announcements, when most people have arrived.
Questions should be welcomed during presentations, however, general
rhetorical comments should be left unsaid.
Tutorial was good for a beginner, but went so fast would a new user
understand it?
Presentation was excellent. He was a great speaker with a topic I deal
with every day at work.
Uplifting and informative. Dave should do a video for ZDnet.
Good meeting.
Really neat stuff.
Excellent lecture!!
OBSERVATIONS:
This was the first time that we used a slide to explain the attendance
and survey sheets. It seemed to help get positive reactions.
The generally favorable evaluations for the tutorial were totally unexpected!
Below are results of the attendance & survey sheets collected at the...
SLUUG Linux SIG meeting on 21 October 1999:
50 Actual head count.
39 Attendance & survey sheets were turned in.
10 attendees requested our SLUUG email newsletter.
Linux SIG Presentation:
RAID stuff
10 - - Excellent
6 - - Good
1 - - Fair
21 - - No response to question.
Linux SIG COMMENTS:
The marketing emphasis was a little heavy at times, but otherwise the
presentation was very good, clear and informative.
If I can only talk the bosses into a new controller...
Very good presentation. Learned a lot.
OBSERVATIONS:
This was was a good turn out with 10 requests for SLUUG newsletter.
As usuall, about 11 people didn't turn in an attendance sheet. Although
overheard comments were very favorable few people bothered to mark evaluation.
OPINION:
Dogs are smarter than cats.
Quote of the Day
from the October SLUUG Presentation on DNS
"The problem with free software is -- nobody sells it." --Dave Dickerson
(meaning nobody "markets" it; There are no sales people out there pushing it.)
Interesting Browsing!
Latest Release:
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/11474.html-
QCad, the user-friendly CAD system for Linux is now open source
Good Overview:
http://lwn.net/1999/talks/Dists_ALS/-
Linux Distributions: Well-known through Unknown
http://linuxslides.com/-
The Virtual Linux Conference - slides & presentations
http://www.vmunix.com/fbsd-book/-
A Comprehensive Guide to FreeBSD
Bashing Stuff:
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/11582.html-
ZDNet: Microsoft sets Windows 2000 D-Day-17 Feb
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/10767.html-
ZDNet Admits Mistakes in Recent Security Test
Ugly Stuff:
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/9025.html-
ZDNet: 'Christmas' virus can destroy PCs
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/9471.html-
ZDNet: 'Thursday' [Word macro] virus outbreak
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/9491.html-
IDG.net: New 'Thursday' [Word macro] virus set to detonate Dec. 13
To keep up with NET events:
http://www.linuxtoday.com-
daily news of mostly (but not only) Linux events.
http://www.slashdot.org-
news for nerds - stuff that matters!
http://www.freshmeat.net-
daily updates of Internet software releases.
(use "appindex" button).
http://www.32bitsonline.net-
Because There's More Than One Way to Compute.
http://www.lwn.net-
Linux Weekly News.
http://www.webwatcher.org-
Tracks when numerous WWW pages were last updated.
For the Linux beginner:
http://www.linux.org/ -
What is Linux?
http://www.linuxberg.org-
Useful info and easy downloads.
http://www.linuxplanet.com/
- ...for newbies.
http://qlink.queensu.ca/~3srf/linux-admin/ -
Linux Administration Made Easy" (LAME) Pre-Release
http://metalab.unc.edu/LDP/ -
The Linux Documentation Project
http://www.msnbc.com/news/290531.asp#BODY
- Unix/Linux Printing HOWTO Support Database
Resources:
http://www.linuxdoc.org -
The Linux Documentation Project
http://training.eklektix.com/talks/lw99-SystemAdmin/img0.htm-
Linux System Administration in a Large Network Environment
http://stommel.tamu.edu/~baum/linuxlist/linuxlist/linuxlist.html-
Linux Software Encyclopedia
Other Linux Sites:
http://www.linux-center.org/en/-
Linux Center -
http://www.linuxworld.com-
LinuxWorld -
http://www.linuxpower.org-
LinuxPower -
To configure a Linux machine:
http://www.monitorworld.com-
Specs on over 2100 monitors from 150+ manufacturers.
http://www.monitorservice.com-
After Monitor FAQ page follow Performance Parameters link.
http://www.hercules.com/monitors-
The monitor data base that had the one that I wanted!
http://www.o2.net/~gromitkc/winmodem.html-
Knowlege base of Linux compatible modems!
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/9561.html-
Chicago Tribune: Linux Corner: No
noise from your speakers? Here's sound advice
http://www.linuxdoc.org/HOWTO/Modem-HOWTO.html-
The Linux Modem-HOWTO v0.04, August 1999
Dual-booting:
The following is a quick talk about Dual Booting, with specific steps for
using the WinNT boot loader, and mounting NT file systems under Linux:
http://ext2.org/99/06/newbieville/062099-newbieville1.shtml
- Linux and Windows on one computer
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/8987.html
ILUG: Dual-booting Windows and Linux, a tutorial for beginners
http://linuxtoday.com/stories/8990.html
LinuxForum: VMware Review - A virtual machine in
Linux to run your Windows programs
http://www.davecentral.com/
- Shareware, Freeware, Demos and Betas for M$-Windoze and Linux
Unclaimed Property
submitted by Mike Knight
Find Unknown Riches and Impress Friends and Relatives
Many states now have web sites where you can search for Unclaimed
Property that as been turned over to the state. You can search
for yourself or anyone else you care about. I found property for
three relatives (but nothing for me).
What is Unclaimed Property? According to The Missouri web site:
Unclaimed property consists of cash from bank accounts, stocks, bonds,
and contents of safe deposit boxes that have been abandoned-that is,
for which there have been no documented transactions or contact with the
owners in seven or more years. Other types of unclaimed property include
uncollected insurance policy proceeds, government refunds, utility deposits
and wages from past jobs. The Unclaimed Property Division does not handle
real property such as land, houses, cars, boats, etc.
The Missouri unclaimed property search can be found at
http://www.sto.state.mo.us/ucp/database/search.htm
reached from http://www.sto.state.mo.us/.
Other states can be linked from
http://www.unclaimed.org/
.
Charity Lan '99
Computer Gaming Party & Tournaments
13 and 14 November.
Doors open 10:00 AM Saturday.
Gaming goes from Noon to Noon Sunday.
The set up will be a standard 10-base-T network, with a few hubs
and cables running pretty much everywhere. The servers will be
built before hand running Linux. Expect mostly Windows95/98
running on the clients, though there may be a few people running
various distributions of Linux.
Contact "Deech Mestel" by sending
mailto:dj@betterbox.net
or, better yet, see
http://deech.betterbox.net/charitylan
for maps, registration, policies and all other information.
The $15 entry fee isn't really that high, considering pretty much
everyone will be walking away with a prize of some sort.
Actually, if Activison comes through like they said they would,
we should have a game (valued ~$50) for just about everyone to
go home with. Also, its a charity event, the proceeds are for
charity and most folks don't mind spending a little more for that.
This is a 24 hour event, pretty much intended for the mature
"hard core" kind of gamer. Not a Spectator Sport. If you want
to pop in for the first hour or so to see what its all about,
you are welcome to do so. Then if you are interested in joining,
then run home, get yer 'puter and rock with us!
Charity Lan '99 Motto: Shooting, Looting and Killing for Charity
Space Satellites and the 'Net
Via Satellite magazine is featuring an article about satellite
technology making the internet fly as its "web-only" article this month.
Read it at
http://www.satellitetoday.com/ - Multi-media in the Sky. Part 2
Big Bandwidth
submitted by Gary Meyer
Big bandwidth to your home in December.
The tentative plan for the December meeting is a panel discussion
between representatives of "big bandwidth" providers.
DSL (both Sync and Asyncronous), cable modems thru cable TV companies,
line-of-site microwave, and sattelite dishes are all avaialbe for
small businesses and homes. We are trying to assemble a panel
to discuss the relative merits of these technologies for our
Wed. 8 Dec. meeting.
And, if you cann't wait until then or want to study up in advance...
the October issue of SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN magazine has a multi-part article
on this very subject. Each technology gets a few pages.
Personal Commentary
submitted by Almost Anybody
The following PERSONAL COMMENTARY expresses personal opinions and SLUUG exerts
no more editorial control over such content than does a public library,
bookstore, or newsstand. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers,
or other information or Content expressed herein are those of the respective
author and not necessarily supported by SLUUG. SLUUG does not guarantee the
accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any content, nor its merchantability
or fitness for any particular purpose.
Seen on Slashdot:
Windows hasn't increased computer literacy. It's just lowered the standard.
Special Interest Groups (SIGS)
As our membership grows, we have had some inquiries about the
possibility of having Special Interest Groups in several areas.
If you are interested in starting or participating in a SIG for
System Administration, Networking, C, Object Oriented Programming,
a specific vendor, etc., please call Dave Mills
at 230-5151, extension 103, or contact any officer of the group.
St. Louis Unix Users Group - Linux SIG (SLUUGLS)
Visit the Linux SIG home page
(http://www.stllinux.org/)
for the latest meeting details.
LOCATION DIRECTIONS:
Indian Trails Public Library
8400 Delport Drive
(at Midland)
(314)-428-5424
| Follow 170: |
Exit Page east to North-South Rd., go left on North-South Rd. to Midland,
go left on Midland one block to Delport, the Library is on your left
(see map at http://www.stllinux.org/directions/). |
For more information on SLUUGLS refer to the WWW home page for the group
at http://www.stllinux.org/
or contact Matthew Feldt by
mailto:linux@www.feldt.com
Computer Telephony Integration User's Group (SLUUG
CiTI)
The CTI SIG is no longer having regular meetings and is currently using a webboard format.
The Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) Users Group is a
non-profit organization open to developers, end-users, sales people,
and others who share the common interest of melding the
telecommunications and computing worlds.
For more information on SLUUG CiTI contact Tony Zafiropoulos by
mailto:tonyz@ctitek.com or (314)878-9855.
Digital Alpha SIG
The Digital Alpha SIG is for those interested in Digital UNIX and the
DEC Alpha architecture. Visit the Digital Alpha SIG's home at
http://www.sluug.org/~newton/asighome.html for more information.
St. Louis UNIX Users Group Steering
Committee
The SLUUG Steering Committee meets the Tuesday following the general 2nd
Wednesday meeting at 6:00 PM in the 2nd floor training room of Daugherty
Systems, One City Place in Creve Coeur. The guard can direct you to the
meeting location. Anyone is welcome to attend. If you would like to become more
involved in the planning of SLUUG, feel free to join us at the next Steering
Committee meeting. Meetings usually last 1.5 to 2 hours.
Sponsors
Analysts International http://www.analysts.com/
Andersen Consulting http://www.ac.com/
CIBER, Inc. http://www.ciber.com/
Cypress Systems, Ltd. http://www.cypress-systems.com/
Daugherty Systems http://www.daugherty.com/
Informix Corporation http://www.informix.com/
Maryville Data Systems, Inc. http://www.maryville.com/
O'Reilly & Associates http://www.ora.com/
Phoenix Networks http://www.pnix.net/
Phoenix Networks http://www.phoenixnetworks.net/
Renaissance Worldwide, Inc. http://www.rens.com/
Sun Microsystems http://www.sun.com/
Sunnen Products http://www.sunnen.com/
Sykes Enterprises, Inc. http://www.sykes.com/
Venmar Systems, Inc. http://www.venmar.com/
The Law Offices of Rich McLennan, send mailto:mclennan@mail.sluug.org
For more information about sponsoring the St. Louis UNIX Users Group,
contact Ed Wehner, send
mailto:wehner@mail.sluug.org.
SLUUG on the World Wide Web
The St. Louis UNIX Users Group maintains a WWW page at
http://www.sluug.org/.
Visit us to learn more about who we are and what
we do, visit other UNIX user groups' WWW pages, sign up for a SIG, or
just to browse.
SLUUG Administration is volunteer based.
SLUUG is looking for volunteers to help with presentations, web
page development, managing corporate sponsorships, and many other
tasks. If you would like to help out, contact Chris Wanta by mailto:cfw1@mail.sluug.org
or visit http://www.sluug.org/~cfw1/help.html.
/usr/groups/other
We publish other user group meeting schedules on a reciprocal basis.
If you are a member of another non-profit group, please inform them
of our policy and invite them to exchange meeting information by
mailto:editor@mail.sluug.org,
or call any of the SLUUG officers.
Contacts
Submitting Articles to the SLUUG CRONicle
If you would like to submit an article to the CRONicle of general
interest to the members of the St. Louis UNIX Users Group,send
mailto:editor@mail.sluug.org
The deadline for article submissions is two weeks before the next
general meeting.
SLUUG PO Box
The St. Louis UNIX Users Group has a P.O. box. All official
correspondence with SLUUG should now be sent to:
St. Louis UNIX Users Group
P.O. Box 411302
Creve Coeur Post Office
St. Louis, MO 63141-9998