ComputerLabBrainstorm

Revision 1 as of 2008-02-15 22:04:55

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EPC Computer Lab Brainstorm


Intro:


The purpose of this project is to tune the EPC computer lab network, fixing issues that may exists, as well as install Ubuntu Linux on all workstations.


I. EPC Computer Lab:


  1. Hardware
  2. Operating System Install
  3. Workstation Extras
  4. Server Setup
  5. Shared Storage


II. Hardware:


  1. Review PC hardware, test and pick the PC's we want to use for the lab. (FEB 21st F2F meeting)
  2. Printers - If there any avaiable test and pick the one(s) we want to use for the lab. (FEB 21st F2F meeting)
  3. Possible Servers - Test and pick the PC's we want to use for the lab. (FEB 21st F2F meeting)
  4. Shared Storage. (Future project)


III. Operating System Install:


Discuss and plan the Install on Feb 21st F2F meeting!!!!!!

The plan is to install the base Ubuntu install on each of the EPC workstations. Rather than centralized authentication I think that local login would be simpler to maintain...for now.

  1. Base install of 7.10 Gutsy.
  2. Enable Universe and Multiverse repos.
  3. Auto update systems: apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y (daily cron)?

  4. Setup 3 local accounts:
    • - EPC_Admin (listed in the sudoers) - EPC - NMLoco (listed in the sudoers)
  5. Once installed create a base image of similar workstations. Store images on usb drive and eventually NAS server.


IV. Workstation Extras:


  1. OpenOffice with clipart.

  2. Flash-nonfree
  3. Restricted codec
  4. VLC
  5. Firefox addons:
    • - Adblock Plus - PDF Download - Foxmarks Book Synchronizer?
  6. Gnome X-Chat - configured to:
    • - Register individual user names per workstations (i.e. epc1, epc2, epc3, etc.) - Auto join the #ubuntu-us-nm channel.
  7. Connect each workstation to the Shared printer.
  8. Remote access to the workstations? (DISCUSS)


V. Server Setup:


At this time to keep things simple the server setup will only be for print sharing. This is also something that can be shared from one of the workstations that is connect directly to the printer.

  1. Printer sharing - CUPS
  2. Install Webmin (www.webmin.com) to easy administer server via web interface.
  3. Central authentication (i don't think this is require - yet)?
  4. Squid Proxy Server. This is something that we can easily setup for the lab. But it means changing firefox to point to the proxy server on each of the workstation for the EPC account.


VI. Shared Storage:


  1. Build a NAS (Network Attached Storage) appliance using FreeNAS (www.freenas.org)
    • - Use Motherboard, Case, Processor, IDE Controller, and Ram donated by Eric Krieger. - Use hard drive donations from Dave Thomas, Joel Edwards and Eric Krieger.
      • + Dave Thomas has offered to donate 4 80gig IDE drives. Using the extra IDE controller create a single Raid 5 container. This will result in 160gigs of shareable storage. + Joel Edwards has offered to donate a 80gig SATA drive. Need to pickup an SATA controller + Eric Krieger has offered to donate 2 250gig IDE drives. Use the on board secondary IDE controller of the mortherboard to mirror the drives for 250gig shareable storage. + Eric Krieger will donate 2 20gig drives. Use on board primary IDE Controller to mirror the drives and use for FreeNAS OS/System install.
  2. File sharing protocols (NFS or CIFS).
    • - Use NFS to mount shares on Ubuntu and OSX Workstations - Use CIFS for Windows Workstations