Idea: Distributed Family / Home Backup Networks

With cheap used PCs running various flavors of Linux, inexpensive large hard drives and widely available broadband Internet connections, it ought to be relatively easy to set up Distributed Family / Home Backup Networks.

Basically I want to take a $75 used PC, throw a new $100 hard drive in it, plug it in to my home network and boot it off a Linux live CD. I'd like configure this system through a web interface, much like I configure other appliances on my home network. The main task of this system would be to automatically mirror data shared from my desktop and laptop computers.

I'd also like to install an identical node on my parent's home network to back up data from their computers and provide an off-site mirror of my data. (Okay maybe it needs two $100 hard drives.) Scale this up to a few more nodes, say a couple of friends and another relative or two, and we can start doing some RAID like economies by splitting remote mirrors across several nodes, with sufficient redundancy to recover the local node if a remote node or two is lost or off-line.

I think that the configuration parameters would need to include:

• Notification e-mail address and login password
  
• Unique host name (for use with dynamic DNS)
• List of local network share(s) to back-up
• Schedule for local network back-ups
  
• List of remote nodes to with which to peer
  including some sort of out of band encryption key exchange
• bandwidth throttling limits
  

Other interesting little details I've thought of include:

• Connections between nodes should be encrypted
• Provide optional encryption of mirror data on the remote node(s)
  i.e All data destined for remote storage would be encrypted before being sent. Only the local node would have the key necessary to decrypt. This should probably be turned on by default.
  
• Create small cross-platform applet to scan the local subnet and discover the newly installed back-up node(s) and launch configuration page in default browser
• Optional daily, weekly, & monthly statistics e-mail / web page.
• Optional merged mirroring for weekend commuters
  i.e. Two (or more) nodes could use a single list of shares to backup and a single two-way mirror set, ensuring that laptops that move from one local net to the other [/another] are protected.
• Nodes could optionally provide traditional file server functionality on their local networks
• Nodes could even provide file sharing services across multiple nodes. [Though this would likely get complicated as it would require a distributed real time locking system.]
  
• Node configuration data, including private keys, should be copied to a .zip file (or .tar ball) and burned onto CDs and stored securely (in say a home safe or safe deposit box). With any configuration changes the node should prompt the owner / admin to create a new configuration back-up file/CD.
  

I'd love to set something like this up on my own, but I'm still too much of a Linux newbie. So if there is anyone that would like to help me with this please let me know.

Once the software is up and running maybe someone like Linksys might be interested in selling a true appliance version off of retail shelves. Maybe a shoe box size device with power and Ethernet connections, hard disk, CD-RW drive, and a configuration CD.

linux poster

linux
Originally uploaded by xxmoexx.

Sex sells, even for open source.

Gnomedex and Woodstock

In a recent mailing list post about planning for Gnomedex 2006, J.D. Lasica exclaimed:

"Four-day conference?! What is this, Woodstock?"

My gut reaction and reply was:

Yes, this is our Woodstock. Announcer: "Don't upload big files." = Announcer: "Don't take the brown acid."

Upon digging a bit deeper, by Googling on "brown acid Woodstock" I found this page talking about the "new sense of community" seen demonstrated at Woodstock. It sounds very similar to what's going on at and around Gnomedex.

So if Gnomedex is the Woodstock of our times, does this imply any or all of the following?

• the hippie movement -- the open source movement
• drugs (medical and recreational) -- the Internet
  
• psychedelic drugs -- file sharing
• LSD -- Napster
• Timothy Leary -- Shawn Fanning
  
• Martin Luther King, Jr. -- Lawrence Lessig
• Civil Rights movement -- IP Reform movement
  
• "The Man" -- "Old Media"
• the Vietnam War -- the War in Iraq
• G. Gordon Liddy -- "“Scooter" Libby
• Richard Nixon -- George W. Bush
• Jimmy Carter -- ???
• ??? -- Chris Pirillo
• ??? -- Adam Curry
• ??? -- Dave Winer
  

I'm sure there are many more, but I'm tired and want to go to bed. So post them in the comments.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.
History repeats itself.

Rant Re: Corn Syrup

The %$)(^#s at Sara Lee put #^*($&! corn syrup in my favorite bagels! Their bagels have been my main breakfast food for the past couple of years now.
How much longer do I have to endure before the fall of the Sugar / Corn sweetener lobby?
The only corn syrup free bagels I could find at the store today were the Albertson's brand cinnamon raisin. I got them, but the feel too dense and too soft to really be good bagels.
I'm bumbed because now I have to find a new every day breakfast food, and there aren't many choices that are reasonably healthy, portable, filling and cost effective. I may have to switch back to oatmeal, but that will mean getting up yet another five minutes earlier. :p

Again No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

I'm glad to see it it's not just me, that runs into stuff like this.

The Screwing of the Good Samaritan

About Blogging and Podcasting

I had a friend recently ask:

"I know what both are, but the why is what loses me. I'm not against technology. I like it. I just don't see the point to most of it. I've thought about getting an I-pod just for the days when I miss the NPR programs that I want to hear but, for the most part, CDs do the job for music. And I'm not sure what the blogging craze is all about. So, what's the point? "

Blogging, podcasting and in the not too distant future video-blogging, are all about filling niches. In context of traditional media, content isn't worth producing unless there is an audience of at least tens of thousands if not millions. The media revolution/reformation is about the shift from content production for a few mass markets to mass content production for countless specific markets.

With some of the most recent blogging tools, like Blogger, anyone who has something (or nothing) to say can publish their work on the Internet. This makes it practical to publish content for much smaller target audiences, like say the friends and supporters of my vaulting club. If a blog doesn't yet exist for your favorite passion, you can start one and build a community around it, even if that community is only your friends and family.

Podcasting is, in many ways, doing to radio what blogging has done to the print media. The added twist to Podcasting is that when portable MP3 players are added to the mix, listeners can enjoy content that is highly relevant to their interests while they're away from their computers. This allows listeners to make productive use of time they wouldn't otherwise have, for instance while commuting, working out, shopping at the grocery store, etc. From a content producer's point of view the resources required to put together a basic podcast exist in most middle class homes. For less the the price of a new TV you can obtain the equipment to produce professional broadcast quality audio. So it becomes practical to create content for small, geographically dispersed, audiences. That said Podcasting is still in the very early stages of the technology cycle, so it currently takes a bit of knowhow and willingness to learn to be successful, but it's getting easier every day.

Video-blogging, or as I like to call it "TiVo-casting", is the next obvious step. Small groups will produce full blown TV shows for audiences of a few hundred viewers to download to their set-top DVRs.

Cat Quotes

From Wikiquote:

"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and cats." --Albert Schweitzer

and

"Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want." --Joseph Wood Krutch

The Beard Team USA Blog

Who would have thought that beards were competitive?

The Beard Team USA Blog

Made It Home Safely for the Judges Forum

The AVA Judges Forum went well. I learned a great deal about judging vaulting and especially about the technical test.

Had dinner Saturday evening with Connie Geisler, head coach of the Diamond Bar Country Vaulters. Also got to sit and chat with Sue Detol at the airport as we waited for our flights.

Flight back was uneventful, except that it was running about 10 to 20 minutes late. As we landed got some good views of both Tacoma and Seattle. I tried to take some photos but they didn't really come out.

Braised Brussels Sprouts

I saw this article on Cooking For Engineers and thought of all the Brussels Sprouts that my brother was forced to eat. When we were little we each got to choose a vegetable when we were at the grocery store. I tended to choose Brussels Sprouts because I knew that my brother didn't like them. He likewise tended to choose lima beans because I didn't like them.

Eating with Family

Had lunch today with my Grandma Carol. We went out to "Tomato thyme" just a few blocks from her apartment. We had a good long visit catching up on various family happenings.

This evening we got together with my Aunt and Uncle, who live in Campbell, and went out for Chinese. After dinner we returned to my Aunt and Uncle's house as visited for a while longer. During this visit my Grandma was shocked to hear how little TV I've watched in the last six months. And she asked how I got my news, so I showed her My.Yahoo.com page.

Made it to San Jose

Flight to San Jose was withoutincident. Dad was
waiting in the cell phone lot as I got off the plane
and we were at his apartment within thirty minutes.
More in the morning after I sleep and fix his computers.

Is it only Tuesday?

You know your life is way too busy, when you're packing for a weekend trip on Tuesday. [There just simply isn't any other time left before the plane leaves.]

Found on LinkedIn

“Finish your Homework – People all over the world are `hungry` for your job!” - unknown

Keeping Our Elephants at the LA Zoo!

I got a nice thank you from GLAZA for my e-mail about the Elephants.

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	A Message of Thanks From The GLAZA President
Date:	Wed, 07 Sep 2005 12:08:37 -0700
From:	GLAZA <@lazoo.org>

A Message Of Thanks From The GLAZA President

Dear GLAZA Member: Thank you for caring about the mission of the Los Angeles Zoo and its commitment to providing the finest care for all of its animals. We believe that zoos play a vital role in educating the public — especially children — about conservation and the need to protect species such as elephants. All elephants are under siege in the wild, due to habitat loss and encroaching civilizations. Asian elephants, like Gita and Billy, are endangered, with less than 40,000 remaining in the wild. Conservation is the primary reason elephants are at our Zoo and for the majority of our visitors, a trip to the Zoo will be the only opportunity they will have to see an elephant up close. We appreciate your support in communicating your desire to see elephants remain at the Los Angeles Zoo. Sincerely, Connie Morgan GLAZA President

Thank you for your continued support of the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association 5333 Zoo Drive • Los Angeles, CA • 90027 • 323/644-6001

 

If you have received this e-mail in error or would no longer like to receive e-mails from the Los Angeles Zoo click here

Salsa too HOT!!

I made a batch of fruity salsa this afternoon and I failed to carefully read the can of diced peppers before I added them. It turned out that instead of chopped green chilies [mild] they were chopped jalapenos [hot]. The resulting salsa is really good but has a slow burn that's about a full star hotter then what I really intended, and is just barely within my tolerance.

It's so good. But... but ... but... it's so hot.

In the salsa is:

• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped fine
• one 4 oz can diced jalapenos
  should have been diced green chilies
• one 14.5 oz can petite cut diced tomatoes
• one 14.5 oz can petite cut diced tomatoes with zesty jalapenos
• one nectarine, chopped
• two packets Splenda
• 1/2 cup fresh blue berries
• 1/4 cup dried chopped onions
• splash lemon juice
• two pinches garlic salt
• dash Old Bay

Mix ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl. Let stand 30 minutes. Serve with corn tortilla chips. Refrigerate unused portion.

Photos on Flickr

IMG_0511
Originally uploaded by TSayles.

I've finialy started to post photos to my Flickr account. I'm still learning about it. But so far it's way cool.

This will be my first test post to one of my blogs from flickr.

Peak Oil and Energy Prices [was: Gasoline prices]

My geology prof at VT spend a good chunk of a not one but a couple of
lectures talking about the reality of and likely economics of peak oil
production. His basic prediction was that the peak rate of oil
production would occur at some ill defined time in the following 20 to
30 years [that was about 12 years ago]. And that the fact that oil
production had peeked would only be apparent a few years later due to
several factors I've since forgotten. As I recall the economic
ramifications that he presented were: assuming a linear growth rate in
oil demand and a linear/moderately elastic demand curve; and given the
exponential energy costs of finding and recovering reserves; that the
price escalation of oil would shift from more or less following
inflation to exponential growth above the rate inflation as the existing
reserves get tapped out. In all he painted a very pessimistic picture
of high energy prices and crumbling western economies.

I also had an econ prof give a similar lecture about the timing and
economics of peak oil. Though his interesting insights were what
happens when the price of energy from oil starts to exceed those from
renewable sources like wind, solar and biofuels. As I recall this
started to kick in at about $4/gal in 1990 dollars. When these were
added to basically the same economic assumptions, he ended up with about
the same results for the price of oil but only a small bump in the
overall price of energy as the world shifts to renewable forms of energy
generation and the associated distribution and storage infrastructure.

So far what I've seen in the reports of world oil production and
expected total earth reserves still puts peek oil somewhere between 2010
and 2020. So with an useful life of five to ten years you should still
be able to afford gasoline for your 2006 H2 when it dies. But by then
you'll probably want to replace it with hydrogen fuel cell / electric
version.

As for refining capacity, I expect that Mexico may end up as a major
source of refined fuels for the US in coming years. And if Afghanistan
can achieve some sense of political stability then they could well
become the major refiner for China, assuming that China's environmental
movement grows faster then it's refining capacity. Which is likely
given, the speed of modern Internet communication, China's rapid and
rather dirty industrialization and their government's likely support /
tolerance of environmental activism in lue of political activism.

TTFN
Tom

Sayles, Charles wrote:

>Tom
>Last night at one of the low price gas stations I filled up the Buick at $2.999 gallon. All of the rest are $3.05 or more. It will be interesting to see what Ed and Laura pay on their drive up today. I have noticed in the last couple of times driving to Glendale from here that the traffic has been a little less and I attribute that to the higher price of gasoline is keeping the rift-raft off I-5.
>
>This morning an expert on TV was saying that cost of refining oil to gas, plus distribution, plus taxes is about $1 per gallon. There are 42 gallons per barrel. $3 gas translate into about $80 oil. To get $4 gasoline oil would have to go about $120 per barrel. He went on to say that those kinds are price are not likely. Currently the world demand is a 80 million barrels per day, and the supply is about the same. Over the next couple of years an additional 15 million barrel per day supply is coming on line and that will drive down oil prices.
>
>The higher price of gasoline is due to reduce refining capacity and with Louisiana refineries out of service there is a net flow go gasoline to the east and the prices all over the country go up. And since natural gas can be used in some cases as replacement for oil and gasoline its price is going up.
>
>I suppose Californians are going to be pretty adamant about fixing this problem. However new refineries in California or drilling off the coast are off the table.
>
>Dad
>
>Charles W. Sayles
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Tom Sayles
>Sent: Wednesday, August 31, 2005 8:13 PM
>To: Sayles, Charles
>Subject: Re: Bring Your Laptop
>
>
>Regular unleaded is already hitting $3+ at some to the stations up
>here. [I'm not really gona worry until it hits about $4.]
>
>TTFN
> Tom
>
>Sayles, Charles wrote:
>
>
>
>>Ed-Laura
>>
>>If you bring your laptop, you can wirelessly connect to the internet at Uncle Barry's and use a T10 connection at my place. We both have DSL.
>>
>>Looks like gasoline might cost $3 per gallon.
>>
>>Dad
>>
>>Charles W. Sayles
>>

Keep Our Elephants at the LA Zoo!

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa --

    I grew up visiting the LA Zoo on a regular basis and always loved seeing the elephants.  Seeing large mammals, like the elephants, in the flesh are critical for the area's youngest citizens to develop an understanding of real animals. Seeing elephants on TV or in the movies isn't enough. They have to be seen, heard and and even smelled. 

    While the LA Zoo's elephants and keepers have faced some very serious challenges in the recent past, I believe that the City should support GLAZA in making any necessary changes at the LA Zoo so that our elephants can lead long, healthy, happy and productive lives educating the future citizens of Los Angeles for generations to come.

Thank you,

    Tom Sayles

100th Post

Blogger says that this is the 100th post to TomS Words of Wisdom.