Logging into bogged down server

[Rick Stevens]

On Wed, 2006-04-05 at 07:53 -0700, Harold Hallikainen wrote:
> > On Fri, 2006-03-31 at 20:07 -0800, Harold Hallikainen wrote:
> >> For some reason, this email client deletes all the received message when
> >> I reply
> >> and then select text instead of html... When I get back home and restart
> >> the FC4
> >> machine, I'll get back on SquirrelMail. Anyways... I'm STILL trying to
> >> ssh into
> >> the bogged down server. No luck yet. I did change the DNS server to send
> >> stuff
> >> away from this server in the hopes it would eventuall finish off all
> >> those
> >> processes and start accepting my ssh login (to the IP address instead of
> >> the
> >> domain). No luck so far. In a couple days I can go hit the reset button.
> >>
> >> Besides the modifications to configs suggested so far, I'm also thinking
> >> of
> >> adding a hardware watchdog timer to the machine so it'll reset itself
> >> should it
> >> ever do this again. I've seen a couple circuits on the web, based on a
> >> 555 timer.
> >> One of them I found looked like it could be locked up if the machine
> >> crashed
> >> during a watchdog reset. Back when I was designing MC6802 based systems,
> >> I did a
> >> watchdog timer like that and had to drive 100 miles in Kansas to hit the
> >> reset
> >> switch on a system. Watchdog timers I design now reset on an edge
> >> instead of a
> >> level so if the reset line gets stuck at either level, the watchdog will
> >> time out
> >> and reset the system. So, that's my next project!
> >
> > Useful.  We use remote-controlled power strips.  You can log into the
> > strip (modem or TCP/IP) and power-cycle any of the outlets on it.
> > HIGHLY recommended for "dark data centers".
> >
> 
> When I got back home, I found the video out of the server also frozen. I
> didn't see any disk activity. Hit the reset button and all is well. I'll
> go ahead and make the suggested config file changes. Meanwhile, any
> suggestions on a particular low cost remote controlled (PCP/IP) power
> strip?

APC makes several models, depending on how many outlets you need and
what the power load is.  We use the 8-port 20-amp unit a lot.  One good
source is http://www.wti.com/power.htm or you can google something like
"remote +control +power +strips".  There are lots of them out there.
Warning: The prices start at about $400 US.

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- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer     rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc.                       http://www.vitalstream.com -
-                                                                    -
-           Denial.  It ain't just a river in Egypt anymore!         -
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