Updating QLogic HBA Firmware/BIOS using the QFlasher CD

While installing a QLogic Host Bus Adapter(HBA) I needed a QFlasher CD to update the firmware. The associated knowledge base article:
CD-ROM DOS Boot Disk ISO Image for Updating the BIOS and Firmware QLogic Adapters
does not list necessary commands to complete the process through Caldera DR-DOS and the DOS prompt is not self-explanatory.

After booting the x86/64 server I used these commands to get to the update program:

After the system completely boots, the user is in drive A. The drivers are in P. To switch to drive P
A:\> P:

List of available commands
A:\> ?

To read a text file, the filename + extension is required
A:\> type readme.txt

Show files and sub-directories contained in current directory
P:\> dir

Change directory
P:\> cd ISCSI

To run a file, the extension isn't necessary
P:\ISCSI\40XX> iflash

Note: commands & filenames are not case sensitive.

X Windows: XRECORD Extension

X Windows: XRECORD Extension

Abstract:
The X Windows XRECORD Extension allows for a free framework to observe and record graphical activities of an X Windows client program running on an X Server. The XRecord extension may have been released with X11 release 6.1, although documentation was released from with X11 release 6.4. The extenions may be leveraged for security purposes (i.e. auditing), careful watching of an X Server for smoother remote frame buffer implementations, or even for automating testing procedures.

Definition:
[html | pdf] --- XRecord Extension Library - Version 1.13 - X Consortium Standard - X Version 11, Release 6.4 - Copyright © 1994 Network Computing Devices, Inc - Copyright © 1995 X Consortium

Example Uses:
[html | pdf] --- Version 0.7.2beta of x11vnc - The X RECORD extension is used to detect some scrolls.

[html | pdf] --- PyKeylogger is a free open source keylogger written in the python

[html | pdf] --- Xnee is a suite of programs that can record, replay and distribute user actions under the X11 environment. Think of it as a robot that can imitate the job you just did.

[html | pdf] --- AutoKey is a desktop automation utility for Linux and X11. It allows you to manage collection of scripts, and assign abbreviations and hotkeys to these scripts allowing you to execute them on demand in whatever program you are using.

[html | pdf] --- Issues in Fedora 10

[html | pdf] --- X RECORD extension C Code example.

[html | pdf] --- Record keystrokes via Per module.

[html | pdf] --- Apple MacOSX vnc2swf to record vnc and aqua sessions.

[html | pdf] --- vnc2swf, to record vnc sessions in macromedia shockwave files.

[html | pdf] --- vnc2flv, to record vnc sessions in adobe flash files.

[html | pdf] --- screencasting under Solaris.

[html | pdf] --- How to Create a Flash Demo using Vnc2swf.

[html | pdf] --- Recording your screen in Solaris works right out of the box. All you need to install is vncserver and vnc2swf.


Commercial Uses:
[html | pdf ] --- The Pose technology is used for exactly and totally recording (capture) and later or simultaneous playback of X11 sessions or individual applications, optionally together with audio, video, or arbitrary binary data streams. The recording may be converted to video formats

Solaris 10: Changing Your System Language Settings via Console

Abstract: Recently while setting up a new server, I accidentally set the default language to Espanol UTF-8 instead of the intended English UTF-8(hey, it happens). Here's how I resolved the issue.

Extract:

1) Log in as superuser:

$ su
PASSWORD: #####

2) Ensure that the language you want is available(excerpted response follows):

# ls /usr/lib/locale

...
C
POSIX
common
en_US.UTF-8
es
es.UTF-8
geo
en_US

If the language is not installed, consult http://developers.sun.com/global/products_platforms/solaris/reference/faqs/solaris-10-locale-packages.html for more information.

3) Edit the start-up default language settings:

# vi /etc/default/init

...
TZ=US/Eastern
CMASK=022
LC_COLLATE=es.UTF-8
LC_CTYPE=es.UTF-8
LC_MESSAGES=es.UTF-8
LC_MONETARY=es.UTF-8
LC_NUMERIC=es.UTF-8
LC_TIME=es.UTF-8

I changed the file to:

...
TZ=US/Eastern
CMASK=022
LC_COLLATE=en_US.UTF-8
LC_CTYPE=en_US.UTF-8
LC_MESSAGES=en_US.UTF-8
LC_MONETARY=en_US.UTF-8
LC_NUMERIC=en_US.UTF-8
LC_TIME=en_US.UTF-8

4) Reboot.

Troubleshooting:

When logging in, if you see the error: "couldn't set locale correctly", the language was probably misspelled or miscapitalized. Try the above steps again.

2011 April 03-09: Articles of Interest

ZFS, Flash, Database, and industry Articles of Interest


2010-09 - Oracle Database Cloning Solution Using Oracle's Sun ZFS Storage Appliance And Oracle Data Guard

This document describes how the Oracle Data Guard feature is deployed in conjunction with the snapshot and cloning features of the Sun ZFS Storage Appliance, enabling easy and efficient database cloning of a standby database. This document also includes Oracle-validated best practices and scripting to automate the database cloning operation.

2010-11 - Solid State Storage Performance Test Specification

The Storage Networking Industry Association’s (SNIA) Solid State Storage Technical Work Group (SSS TWG) has developed a very important document: The Solid State Storage Performance Test Specification (SSS PTS).

The SSS PTS sets forth a standard methodology and nomenclature for measuring the
performance of solid state storage devices. Participation in the SSS TWG came from a number of solid state storage (SSS) industry companies and stakeholders from all parts of the SSS industry, including the designers and manufacturers of SSS devices, computer systems, controller chips, test labs, and end users.

2011-04 - Oracle Database Cloning Solution Using Oracle Recovery Manager
and Sun ZFS Storage Appliance

This paper describes how to use the Oracle RMAN incrementally updated backup feature to back up a SAN-based ASM database into a Network File System (NFS) protocol-based database stored on the Sun ZFS Storage Appliance.

The snapshot and cloning features of the storage appliance are then used to duplicate or clone the Oracle RMAN backup. The cloning procedure explained in this document is performed at the production site.

2011-04-08 - Verizon iPad 2s suffer 3G blindness

Apple iPhone/iPad users had stressed the AT&T wireless backbone. Verizon is now next on the list of carriers to have their infrastructure stressed.

Last Saturday, a user with the handle of nixxon2000 began a thread on Apple's iPad discussion board saying that he or she was unable to get a 3G connection. Since that initial posting, 83 other users (and counting) have chimed in, prompting nearly 13,500 page views.

Another poster, Dambuilder, reported that after navigating up Verizon's support ladder, he or she was told that "the constant roaming indication is a bug that they presently have no solution for."

SunRay is now Citrix Certified!

It is official!

Citrix Ready Sun Ray Clients:

• Sun Ray 3 Client
• Sun Ray 3i Client
• Sun Ray 3 Plus Client

Deleting a locked partition table with Windows XP

Partition tables are lockable, for instance GUID Partition Tables (GPT) will do this, and even though you can see that the disk is attached and activated you may not be able to format it or see its contents. When using Windows XP, if you no longer need the data, the easiest way to get around this is to use the default installed tool DiskPart.exe to remove the disk's Master Boot Record(MBR).

From the XP desktop:
go to Start> Run...> cmd

C:\>diskpart

Microsoft DiskPart version 5.1.3565 Copyright (C) 1999-2003 Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]

DISKPART> list disk

Disk ### Status Size Free Dyn Gpt
-------- ---------- ------- ------- --- ---
Disk 0 Online 37 GB 0 B
Disk 1 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 2 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 3 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 4 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 5 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 6 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 7 Online 34 GB 0 B
Disk 8 Online 34 GB 0 B

DISKPART> select disk 8

Disk 8 is now the selected disk.

DISKPART> clean

DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk.

DISKPART> exit

The disk is now ready to format.

Solaris 11: Setting Up Mirrored Root Disks

Thanks to Constantin for the Mirrored Root How-To! under Solaris 11 Express!