Linux VM questions

[DJ-Daz]

I have NEVER knowingly used a VM in Linux.
So I've ordered a new PC
65w CPU
40w GPU (literally just for a POP! OS desktop)
Mobo 30w
2x 500GB SSD - negligible
2x 4TB mechanicals. To be honest, I have no idea how much power mechanical drives actually use
500GB NVMe - Negligible
So it should be nice and cool, especially the CPU as I'm using my spare Ryzen 7 2700X wraith cooler. It cooled my desktop that could run at well over 150w. So 65w should be no problem.

Nobody ever said you must use rack servers, especially at home. The noise is incredible from these things.
That said, I have a rack-mount 24 port gigabit switch minus 2x 4cm fans

Raijintek Metis Plus ITX Gaming Case - in Green
Aero Cool Integrator 400W 80+ PSU
ASRock Fatal1ty B450 Gaming-ITX/ac AMD Motherboard
AMD Ryzen 5 1600 Zen+ CPU

Spare parts:
16GB DDR4 3200mhz (YES I know spare 16GB of RAM)
drives mentioned above
Spare GPU
Spare Apple Keyboard, spare wireless mouse, spare 48" 4k TV.

This kept the build price down, but the 4TB drives are quite old and probably not to far way from failure. But I have backups on my main desktop, so I'll RAID 0 them and sod the risks.
The SSD's are also well used, but well within their writes and are error free.

Total spend last week was £300
I can't wait for it all to arrive and start playing.

My questions:
1. How do I install a VM?
2. I would like to install POP! OS, Webserver, nextcloud, plex, PiHole (with DHCP) and possible some sort of NAS OS, I'm also thinking of PFSense too.
3. How should I setup the software to accommodate a NAS, POP! OS and then all the other software, yet use the mechanical and SSD's as 2 separate RAID 0's?
4. Am I running before I can walk?
5. Should I build another PC and use that as a NAS and keep POP! OS and all the other stuff separate?

How would you contend with this sort of requirements Dave?

[theENIGMATRON]

I'll respond properly in work tomorrow, but here is a useful
Guide about VM on Linux
https://ostechnix.com/setup-headless-vi ... vm-ubuntu/

I am curious why you went down this route though, for your requirements (Am guessing anyway)
Hyper-V would of worked a charm for you if you have a decent windows PC.

My development machine runs 4 Hyper-V
While I use my normal operating system.

Windows 11 base system.
Windows 10 Hyper-V
Ubuntu Hyper-V
Centos Hyper-V
And my fav Arch Linux Hyper-V

Anyway back on point,
Why Pop? It's just Ubuntu with less community support? Again curious, if it's the desktop interface you can get alike with Ubuntu it's just Gnome if I recall correctly.

Raid would be used on the Main os, so the raid would be a clone of the main OS including your VM's
In my profession I would always advise RAID, BUT and its a bit BUT, It isint essential, I have seen many times Raid fail or both HD fail rending the RAID unless. It's just a harddrive that's wearing down an never being used.

Nas is just remote storage, you don't need to isolate it, it it would depend how you configure your system,

So questions.

Why VM's?
Are you wanting to use the Main OS or not? Will it be a headless server an be used to purly serve your VM's
What RAM is in the server? You say spate 16gb?

Just a FYI, if you ever do racks, you typically buy a silent / encoded rack box if you are storing them in the office. As you've figured out they make alot of noise, compact storage requires airflow an there is alot of fans

[DJ-Daz]

I'm in no rush at all Dave, I don't have the hardware yet. It was supposed to come on Wednesday, but so far the order hasn't been fully picked yet. The PSU is missing.
I asked virgin media if I can have another line installed and that's fine, it just needs to be a separate account/name. I just need to think long and hard about the extra cost, but that would give me true separation for security reasons.

Why Pop! OS?
I like the look and feel of it, I've spent enough time with it on my desktop that I might drop windows forever once I can do more with Linux.

I'm currently in the planning stage only. So no rush, the hardware hasn't come yet, but I'm curious how a Pro would do it. Can you ask one when you see one Dave LOL?

Why VM's?
I assume this is the only way to install Pop! OS, PFSense, and FreeNAS/OMV with plex and apache and subordinates like SQL phpmyadmin and webmin.
Aren't PFsense, NAS os and Pop! OS three different operating systems?

OOTB I'll possibly use DietPi for X86, but if I can RAID 0 the HDD's into one and RAID 0 the SSD's into another drive, so that'll be 8TB and 1TB, then install Pop and pfsense. I'll also probably need to make a VLAN at some time to segregate the webserver from the rest of the network.

I forgot to ask, can you do shadow DB's to a remote address? I know remote is possible, but "shadow" DB? A duplicate and always up to date at another location? Plus of course, the config section would need to be ignored. Mess-hall.uk and mess-hall.net are two different domains and they need to be addressed with their own config tables.


Just cast your mind back 10+ years. Would you ever have thought that I knew anything about this still let alone ask questions about it. I didn't. Unless you're Neo and getting virtual training, then we all learn slowly and a bit at a time.

Centos and Arch. You do like the server and hacking OS's!

[DJ-Daz]

So CCL computers screwed up my order and the order that was due today wouldn't arrive until next week.
I cancelled the order, started shopping around and I couldn't even get close to their prices, the nearest was £350 and that's shopping at 3 different stores.
So I ordered the parts again 30 minutes later and they're all getting delivered tomorrow, at least it's free next day delivery now.

Grrr!

[theENIGMATRON]

Arch linux aint a hacking OS, or it is as much as Debian.
Arch Linux is a bare Shell.

Your OS will consist of Kernel, some very minimal operating system files and shell access.
Its then down to you to install what packages you want.

Imagine windows 10 with nothing, No desktop interface, no applications no nothing. Just CMD access.
And with CMD you install what you want, Desktop Interface, applications etc etc.
Arch is the same, Its the perfect OS for complete control and customisation.

For DIfferent OS you will need VM's yes, sorry i didnt know they where all different OS's i thought they where more services that did various things, Like a services for Plesk and so forth.

Shadow DB..
Unless i am getting the terminology wrong, a shadow would essentially be an archive, a copy of a database that is not kept upto date in sync.
If what you are wanting is a clone kept up to date then this would be refereed to as a Replication Database and this is very possible.
To confirm.
Database Name "MessHall" Hosted on 81.81.81.81 for example,
A Replication of this Database would be called MessHallClone - Hosted on 82.82.82.82

When a change is made i.e. someone posts on the forum and this updated the database "MessHall" Hosted on 81.81.81.81
You want this same change to also be applied to MessHallClone - Hosted on 82.82.82.82

If this is the case then its a replication you need, A good tutorial can be found here:
https://ubiq.co/database-blog/how-to-re ... er-server/

The MySQL documentation explaining everything can be found here:
https://dev.mysql.com/doc/refman/8.0/en ... ation.html

Haha i always knew you would dabble more into Linux, why i tried to encourage and explain and teach, you had a keen interest in it, that never dies

[DJ-Daz]

I thought Kali was Arch?

Replication DB that's what I meant.
See every day is a school day.

[theENIGMATRON]

Kali is Debian, (Ubuntu etc)
Arch is its own distribution, it is not based on anything, Denbian, RedHat nothing it is its own distribution
Arch has a Repo you can install making it BlackArch that gives it all the tools Kali has to offer.

[DJ-Daz]

So CCL computers screwed up my order and the order that was due today wouldn't arrive until next week.
I cancelled the order, started shopping around and I couldn't even get close to their prices, the nearest was £350 and that's shopping at 3 different stores.
So I ordered the parts again 30 minutes later and they're all getting delivered tomorrow, at least it's free next day delivery now.

Grrr!

The parts all came today, and one thing I can say for sure... NEVER EVER build an ITX PC.
My case has space for 2x2.5 inch SSD's and 2x3.5inch mechanical drives
WHERE FFS?
I can just about get one SSD in but the PSU cables are brand new and really stiff, so there's no play on them. So getting power to the drive could actually break the connector on the drive. Seeing as it's a 500GB SSD I don't think I'll bother.

Installed all the drives via USB, a lot easier!
One SSD died, so I'll contact Crucial for a replacement tomorrow.
So I'll eventually have 2x 500GB SSD's when one drive is replaced under warranty!
The 2x 4TB drives are up and running and EXT4

[theENIGMATRON]

Sorry been abit quiet, had a rough time with work an been abit down in the dumps.
A long story but an annual review turned into a slander match in an attempt to put me down to justify a 600 pay rise (not had any rise in 4 years)
Most development I do is in my own time an I never claim back overtime or time off. Try an help the company grow an push forward.
So they are really not in my good books, possibility going to consider getting union involved.

Anyway stiff cables, easy solution if you have one, heat gun.
Shield off any sensitive thing, use a heatgun in small waves an not directly (if direct then for seconds at a time)
The plastic an metal with soften up an allow you to shape it out)

[DJ-Daz]

Sorry been abit quiet, had a rough time with work an been abit down in the dumps.
A long story but an annual review turned into a slander match in an attempt to put me down to justify a 600 pay rise (not had any rise in 4 years)
Most development I do is in my own time an I never claim back overtime or time off. Try an help the company grow an push forward.
So they are really not in my good books, possibility going to consider getting union involved.

Anyway stiff cables, easy solution if you have one, heat gun.
Shield off any sensitive thing, use a heatgun in small waves an not directly (if direct then for seconds at a time)
The plastic an metal with soften up an allow you to shape it out)

Nah I'm not too fussed, I'll probably end up buying an ATX case and fitting all of it inside.

Fuckem!
Get another job. If they can't treat you right, move on. Take out any custom code you wrote at home and walk away while they try to fix all the things you just broke! Or not. Nah, don't be a dick, just be Dave and move on.
Don't be an ass and stay, like you did a few years ago, don't get trapped or stuck. Also be a dick and work to rule. If they can't treat you right, do the minimum, let them see what you really do.

By the time you get to my age, you'll realise it's not worth it. It REALLY isn't worth it. But you have this lesson to learn and we like to learn the hard way.
Chin up m8e, you know where I am if you need to talk and want depressing even more. But hey, it makes climbing back out even more worthwhile!