Brian's Blog

A Handful of Good Sound

March 18th, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

Purchased a Logitech Mini Boombox just before the weekend, so I could have better sound when listening to music and audiobooks, rather than using a headset.

I was rather skeptic about the sound from a plastic device that isn’t bigger than you can hold it in the palm of your hand. I was positively surprised.

The sound is good and the bass is decent, for a device this small. Certainly a purchase I’m satisfied with.

Categories: Blog Tags:

gratisdns.sh – A GratisDNS.dk DDNSd module for Synology DSM

March 4th, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen 2 comments

#!/bin/sh

# gratisdns.sh - A GratisDNS.dk DDNSd module for Synology DSM
#
# Author:
# Brian Schmidt Pedersen (http://briped.net)
#
# Version:
# 1.2.5
#
# Description:
# This is a custom DDNSd module, for use with my Synology DiskStation. It
# allows me to use the DSM interface for GratisDNS.dk DDNS service.
#
# To use this script, put it in the "/sbin" folder of the DiskStation,
# i.e. "/sbin/gratisdns.sh"
#
# Then edit the "/etc.defaults/ddnsd_provider.conf" file and add the
# following section at the end of that file:
#
# [GratisDNS.dk]
# modulepath=/sbin/gratisdns.sh
# queryurl=https://ssl.gratisdns.dk/ddns.phtml?u=__USERNAME__&p=__PASSWORD__&d=__DOMAIN__&h=__HOSTNAME__&i=__MYIP__
#
#
# Changelist:
# 1.2.5
# * Changed update_ca_bundle() a bit, since the age checking didn't
# seem to work before.
# 1.2.4
# * Fixed script to return "nochg" when IP isn't changed from IPcache
# 1.2.3
# * Fixed so the IP cache is also updated, even when DDNS provider
# responds with 'nochg', since obivously then the cached IP were
# wrong.
# 1.2.2
# * Fixed some return code checking.
# 1.2.1
# + Added more debug logging.
# 1.2.0
# + Moved the entire update ddns routine into its own function.
# + Moved the CA bundle checking and updating into its own function.
# 1.1.0
# + Changed the cURL update query to use CA bundle, for better
# security.
# 1.0.0
# + Release.
#
# Todo:
# Add support for multiple DDNS hosts, either through a conf file, or
# through a delimited string from DSM. Only with same admin user though.
# F.ex.: sub1.example.com|sub2.example.com
#
# Specify the target interface. This would probably be a hack that won't
# be visible through DSM, since it appears DSM only uses the LAN1/eth0
# interface for DDNS.
#
###############################################################################

# Set variables based on parameters.
__USERNAME__="$(echo ${@} | cut -d' ' -f1)"
__PASSWORD__="$(echo ${@} | cut -d' ' -f2)"
__HOSTNAME__="$(echo ${@} | cut -d' ' -f3)"
__DOMAIN__="$(echo ${__HOSTNAME__} | cut -d. -f2-3)"
__MYIP__="$(echo ${@} | cut -d' ' -f4)"

# Where to store the IP used for the last DNS update:
__IP_CACHE__="/tmp/gratisdns_ddnsd_ip.txt"
# Where to store the logfile:
__LOGFILE__="/var/log/gratisdns_ddnsd.log"
# Where to store the CA bundle:
__CA_BUNDLE__="/tmp/cacert.pem"

log() {
# Severity Levels:
# 0 Emergency System is unusable.
# A "panic" condition usually affecting multiple apps/servers/sites.
# At this level it would usually notify all tech staff on call.
# 1 Alert Action must be taken immediately.
# Should be corrected immediately, therefore notify staff who can fix
# the problem.An example would be the loss of a backup ISP connection
# 2 Critical Critical conditions.
# Should be corrected immediately, but indicates failure in a primary
# system, an example is a loss of primary ISP connection.
# 3 Error Error conditions.
# Non-urgent failures, these should be relayed to developers or
# admins; each item must be resolved within a given time.
# 4 Warning Warning conditions.
# Warning messages, not an error, but indication that an error will
# occur if action is not taken, e.g. file system 85% full - each item
# must be resolved within a given time.
# 5 Notice Normal but significant condition.
# Events that are unusual but not error conditions - might be
# summarized in an email to developers or admins to spot potential
# problems - no immediate action required.
# 6 Informational Informational messages.
# Normal operational messages - may be harvested for reporting,
# measuring throughput, etc - no action required.
# 7 Debug Debug-level messages.
# Info useful to developers for debugging the application, not useful
# during operations.
__LOGTIME__=$(date +"%b %e %T")
if [ "${#}" -lt 1 ]; then
false
else
__LOGMSG__="${1}"
fi
if [ "${#}" -lt 2 ]; then
__LOGPRIO__=7
else
__LOGPRIO__=${2}
fi

logger -p ${__LOGPRIO__} -t "$(basename ${0})" "${__LOGMSG__}"
echo "${__LOGTIME__} $(basename ${0}) (${__LOGPRIO__}): ${__LOGMSG__}" >> ${__LOGFILE__}
}

update_ca_bundle() {
if [ ! -z "${1}" ]; then
__CA_BUNDLE__="${1}"
else
__CA_BUNDLE__="${__CA_BUNDLE__}"
fi
log "update_ca_bundle(): __CA_BUNDLE__=${__CA_BUNDLE__}" 7
if [ ! -z "${2}" ]; then
__MAXAGE__="${2}"
else
__MAXAGE__="7"
fi
log "update_ca_bundle(): __MAXAGE__=${__MAXAGE__}" 7
local download="0"
if [ ! -f "${__CA_BUNDLE__}" ]; then
log "update_ca_bundle(): Local CA bundle doesn't exist. Set to download." 7
download="1"
fi
if [ "$(find '${__CA_BUNDLE__}' -type f -mtime +${__MAXAGE__})" = "${__CA_BUNDLE__}" ]; then
log "update_ca_bundle(): Local CA bundle older than ${__MAXAGE__} days. Set to download." 7
download="1"
fi
if [ "${download}" = "1" ]; then
curl --silent --output "${__CA_BUNDLE__}" "http://curl.haxx.se/ca/cacert.pem"
if [ "${?}" -ne "0" ]; then
log "update_ca_bundle: cURL returned error code ${?} while trying to download CA bundle." 4
fi
fi
}

update_ddns() {
if [ -z "${1}" ]; then
log "update_ddns(): Missing Argument. URL string required." 3
false
else
__URL__="${1}"
fi

# Update DNS record:
if [ -f "${__CA_BUNDLE__}" ]; then
log "update_ddns(): Updating using --cacert \"${__CA_BUNDLE__}\"." 7
__RESPONSE__=$(curl --silent --cacert "${__CA_BUNDLE__}" "${__URL__}")
else
log "update_ddns(): Updating using --insecure." 7
__RESPONSE__=$(curl --silent --insecure "${__URL__}")
fi
if [ "${?}" -ne "0" ]; then
log "update_ddns(): cURL returned error code ${?} while trying to update DDNS." 3
false
fi
log "update_ddns(): __RESPONSE__=${__RESPONSE__}" 7

# Output:
# When you write your own module, you can use the following words to tell user what happen by print it.
# You can use your own message, but there is no multiple-language support.
#
# good - Update successfully.
# nochg - Update successfully but the IP address have not changed.
# nohost - The hostname specified does not exist in this user account.
# abuse - The hostname specified is blocked for update abuse.
# notfqdn - The hostname specified is not a fully-qualified domain name.
# badauth - Authenticate failed.
# 911 - There is a problem or scheduled maintenance on provider side
# badagent - The user agent sent bad request(like HTTP method/parameters is not permitted)
# badresolv - Failed to connect to because failed to resolve provider address.
# badconn - Failed to connect to provider because connection timeout.
case ${__RESPONSE__} in
'OK ')
echo ${__MYIP__} > ${__IP_CACHE__}
__STATUS__='good'
true
;;
'OK Opdateret i forvejen')
echo ${__MYIP__} > ${__IP_CACHE__}
__STATUS__='nochg'
true
;;
'Forkerte værdier, opdatering kan ikke laves. A record findes ikke.'|'Domæne kan IKKE administreres af bruger')
__STATUS__='nohost'
false
;;
'Forkerte værdier, opdatering kan ikke laves. A record findes ikke.Hostnavn er ulovligt.')
__STATUS__='notfqdn'
false
;;
'Bruger login: 1Fejl i kodeord, prøv igen. Husk serveren ser forskel på STORE Og små BOGstAvER.'|'Bruger login: Bruger eksistere ikke, husk serveren ser forskel på STORE Og smÅ BOGstAvER.')
__STATUS__='badauth'
false
;;
'Bruger login: MD5 invalid')
# The error from the provider doesn't really match up with the
# status I forward to DDNSd. But it seems that a malformed URL,
# such as if the URL isn't enclosed in quotes or contains spaces
# etc. will give this error.
__STATUS__='badagent'
false
;;
*)
__STATUS__="${__RESPONSE__}"
false
;;
esac
log "DDNSd Status: ${__STATUS__}" 6
}

# Get the current IP
#__INTERFACE_IP__="$(ifconfig ${__INTERFACE__} | sed '/inet\ /!d;s/.*r://g;s/\ .*//g')"
#__MYIP__=$(curl --silent --interface ${__INTERFACE__} "http://automation.whatismyip.com/n09230945.asp")

# Get the last known DDNS IP
if [ ! -f ${__IP_CACHE__} ]; then
# If the file wasn't found, create it to avoid errors.
echo "127.0.0.1" > ${__IP_CACHE__}
fi
__OLDIP__=$(cat ${__IP_CACHE__})

if [ "${__OLDIP__}" == "${__MYIP__}" ]; then
log "IP not changed. ${__MYIP__}. Not updating." 6
__STATUS__="nochg"
else
update_ca_bundle "${__CA_BUNDLE__}" 7

__URL__="https://ssl.gratisdns.dk/ddns.phtml?u=${__USERNAME__}&p=${__PASSWORD__}&d=${__DOMAIN__}&h=${__HOSTNAME__}&i=${__MYIP__}"

# Set the response and status variables, so they're available globally.
# That way I can read them outside the update_ddns() function.
__RESPONSE__="No response returned from DDNS provider."
__STATUS__="No status returned from update_ddns()."

log "IP changed. ${__OLDIP__} > ${__MYIP__}. Attempting to update DNS." 6
update_ddns "${__URL__}"
if [ "${?}" -ne "0" ]; then
log "update_dns(): ${__RESPONSE__}" 3
else
log "update_dns(): ${__RESPONSE__}" 6
fi
fi
printf "%s" "${__STATUS__}"

Categories: Code Tags: Bash, DDNS, DDNSd, DSM, Dynamic IP, Scripting, Synology

Infected Mushroom Goes Dubstep

March 2nd, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

An awesome track from Infected Mushroom. Quite a leap from the usual Psychedelic Trance.

Categories: Multimedia Tags: Dubstep, Music, Trance

Password Strength

February 29th, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

I was recently talking password security/strength, where the argument was, that if you were creating a sufficiently complex password, it would also be very hard to remember. Since last year, when XKCD posted the following comic strip, I’ve always just shown the persons complaining, that picture, and suddenly they weren’t that worried anymore about creating a secure password, that they could remember.

Dansk mirakel-/supercomputer?

February 27th, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen 1 comment

Da jeg sad og læste nyheder i dag, faldt jeg over denne artikel fra Computerworld.dk, som handler om hvordan en dansker bygger sine egne “Super Work Stations”, som filmindustrien finder virkelig interessant, da det åbenbart sparer dem uger (og millioner af kroner), fordi denne “Super Work Station” er så meget hurtigere, og kan klare det på 90 sekunder.

Alene med sin processorkraft imponerede computeren den erfarne instruktor, da den renderer – eller bygger – en hel spillefilm på halvandet minut med live-rendering, hvilket ellers normalt tager over en uge.

Min første tanke da jeg læste det, var at enten brugte filmindustrien nogen helt sindsygt langsomme computere, eller også var der tale om en helt sindsyg cluster baseret computer fra Marius. Det var indtil jeg flyttede mit blik til spalten til højre for artiklen, som listede specifikationerne for computeren.

Recommended XBMC Add-ons

February 25th, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

Most everyone who have ever tried out XBMC will agree that it’s probably the greatest, most flexible HTPC software available, and this without even extending its functionality with skins and add-ons. I’ve noticed that a lot of new users of XBMC are barely even scratching the surface of XBMC, so I thought I’d give a few tips and add-on recommendations.

Great Mixes by MegaMixers.com

February 23rd, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

For those that remember the awesome mixes by DJ Deep called Deep Dance, you’re gonna love the mixes done by MegaMixers.com. I especially like their first MixCast of 2012.

You can also listen to that MixCast right here…

Categories: Multimedia Tags: Dance, Megamix, Mix, Music, Remix, Trance

Great Dubstep Remix

February 23rd, 2012 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

This is an awesome Dubstep remix by Celldweller.

Categories: Multimedia Tags: Dubstep, Music

Drobo FS: Automatic UNprotection for your data?

March 19th, 2011 Brian Schmidt Pedersen No comments

So right in the middle of doing absolutely nothing, my Drobo FS suddenly decides that my data is unprotected!?

No data was being written to or read from the Drobo at the time, why the hell would it, out of the blue, suddenly crap out and have all the data unprotected? No disks are faulty, so what reason could it possible have? And 12+ hours to re-sync the discs (I assume that is what it’s doing)?

What point is there to an “intelligent” data storage device that automatically protects my data, when it does crap like that?

So far, if I ever have to buy another NAS, it’ll be QNAP or Synology, not DROBO.

Categories: Blog Tags:

Drobo FS: Not so “Plug and Play” as advertised

January 15th, 2011 Brian Schmidt Pedersen 3 comments

Yesterday I received my brand spanking new Drobo FS , exciting stuff. It was delivered in a boring brown cardboard box. Opening the box I’m greeted by another box with the words “Welcome to the world of…” and below that was the Drobo in a nice cloth bag with the title “Drobo” on top.

So after I unpack and plug everything in and install the Drobo Dashboard I sit looking at an annoying Drobo Dashboard that just states something like “No Device Detected”. I check the DHCP leases and find the IP of the Drobo, so that looks OK. Pinging the Drobo also turns out as one would expect, replies all around. Even opening the Public share in Windows Explorer works great. Everything except the administration tool seems to actually work. Checking the Drobo Knowledge Base they point to Firewalls being the main cause of these kind of problems. Well, everything is on a closed of LAN, no Firewalls there. Several restarts of the Drobo later I figure I’ll attempt doing a restart of Windows; lo and behold, that seems to have worked.

So time to play around a bit. Installing a few Drobo Apps and see how that works. Well, it kinda doesn’t, at least not as one would expect from a “Plug and Play” device. Downloaded the App, unzipped and copied the TGZ file to the Dobo Apps folder. Oh yea, and then you have to RESTART the Drobo for it to actually install the App? Why the hell that? The Drobo operating system is based on Linux. Why not just call a small script from the Drobo Dashboard, or even with a Cronjob, that does all that unpacking and installing except first doing it during reboot?

Anyway I install DropBear, a small SSH server and client. I reboot the Drobo to get it installed, then I try to SSH into it. Guess it didn’t work; connection refused. Well, I take a look at the log and it seems that generating the host keys didn’t work. Oh well, another reboot of the Drobo solved that. That was 2 reboots just to install one App? Plain stupid.

So finally, after a couple of hours, I have 2 Western Digital 2TB disks installed and are copying data at a whooping 22-27MB/s over a Gigabit network. Oh well, it’s acceptable speed just for data storage. So after a while I add third 2TB drive, the Drobo starts doing its thing. While the Drobo does its thing I copy some more data to it, or so I thought. Suddenly the Drobo apparently drops all connections and Drobo Dashboard can’t find it. I ping it and it responds just fine *sigh*.

So I turn of the Drobo again, and it apparently takes some time, but rather that than loose the data I already copied there, because the third drive I added was the drive that previously contained the data I already copied. After about 5 minutes I see the Drobo finally is turned off and I start it up again. The drobo starts working on protecting the data telling me not to remove any drives because the data currently isn’t protected, or some such. After another 15-30 minutes I notice that the Drobo is reporting the third drive faulty. Worked fine with no S.M.A.R.T. errors on my Windows 7 computer.

After those initial annoyances I might actually come to like the Drobo, even with the shortcomings it have. The fact that I don’t have to expand and rebuild arrays is nice and the Dashboard is only really needed for first-time setup, or so I think. More updates, maybe, when I have played around with it some more.

Categories: Blog Tags: Drobo, Drobo FS, Gadget, Hardware, NAS, Storage