work

If you would like to use SNMP to monitor your dell server with OMSA (server administrator) installed, you have to configure your local SNMPd.

First you have to enable SNMP on OMSA:

/etc/init.d/dataeng enablesnmp

Than restart your Data Engine System from OMSA:

/etc/init.d/dataeng restart

You can now install the snmp daemon from debian:

apt-get install snmpd

SNMPd should listen to all interfaces. You can configure this at /etc/default/snmpd

Please note, that you have to remove the entry -I -smux, because OMSA uses snmp smux for communicating with the SNMP daemon.

The following snmpd.conf is tested to work with OMSA:

com2sec local localhost public
com2sec watchdog 192.168.168.0/24 public
smuxsocket 127.0.0.1
smuxpeer .1.3.6.1.4.1.674.10892.1
group MyRoGroup v2c local
group MyRoGroup v2c watchdog
view all included .1
access MyRoGroup "" any noauth exact all none none

Now restart the snmpd and install also the dell mibs. You can find the mibs in /opt/dell/.

After the restart you can walk throw your SNMP tables:

snmpwalk -v2c -c public localhost 1.3.6.1.4.1.674.10893

If you want to monitor the health of your server I can suggest you the following nagios plugin:

check_omsa_snmp.pl - this plugin checks temperature,voltage, Power Supply and Cooling Devices

This morning, I had to install my 3dm2 package on an server with vlans on the local ethernet device.

I installed the packages as always, but I was not able to start 3dm2. The software failed with

(0x0C:0x0005): Failed to start listening socket

After some debuging, I have changed RemoteAccess parameter to 0. After this modification in the configuration file, I was able to start 3dm2 on the machine.

So I think 3dm2 is not able to handle ethernet devices with vlans enabled...

I have updated my 3Ware CLI (Command Line Interface) and 3DM2 (Disk Management Utility) debian packages.

You can find it on my website like the last version.

Please note, I have only updated the i386 packages, the amd64 will follow in some days.

Cacti the graphing tool has an security bug.

Heise.de has got an post about it.

I think moving the cmd.php is not a very good solution. I fixed it with the following code in the Apache config:

<Files cmd.php>
Order Deny,Allow
Deny From All
</Files>

It blocks all webrequests for the cmd.php

(Don't forget to reload your Apache)

Updated features list:

1.) normal eMailaccount

• change there own password


• create/modify/delete autoresponder


• create/modify/delete forward to an other email address (with the option deliver local or not)


• activate/deactivate spamassassin


• create/modify/delete whist- and blacklists for spamassassin


• modify some options for spamassassin, e.g. rewrite subject

Now it would be nice if some volunteer create a nice site layout for the webinterface.

My project is neaerly complete! - Web based managment for eMailServers.

My eMailServer framework based on Courier/Postfix/Maildrop/MySQL has got four usergroups:

1.) normal eMailaccount

• change there own password


• create/modify/delete autoresponder

2.) admin for one or more domains

• can do the same like a normal eMailaccount


• create/modify/delete eMailaddresses


• create/modify/delete Forwardings


• create/modify/delete CatchAll Address

3.) superadmin

• can do the same like the admin


• create/modify/delete domains

4.) superadmin manager

• can do the same like the superadmin


• create/modify/delete superadmins

All this actions can be done with the webinterface!

You can find some screenshots here.

Sorry all screenshots in german, but it based on Smarty so you can make your own template.

The Webinterface depends on php4, php4-mysql, php4-cli, mysql-server,smarty, php4-pear and some extra Pear Modules.

3Ware Software the second round!

I have created debian packages for the CLI (Command Line Interface) for 3Ware Controllers.

You can find it, like the 3dm2 on Debian Unofficial and here.

I have created debian packages for the 3DM 2 (Disk Management Utility) for 3Ware Controllers.

You can find it on Debian Unofficial and here.

Why you should read the kernel changelog? - You have to read it, when you use an 2.6.16 vanilla kernel on a native sarge.

When you don't have any problems with LVM (lvm2) and the kernel.

In the Kernel ChangeLog there are nice informations like this:

If you're using lvm2, for this patch to work correctly you should update to lvm2 version 2.02.01 or later and device-mapper version 1.02.02 or later.

If I had read this, I would have had no problems with LVM and kernel 2.6.16!

Note for me: Fly over kernel changelog for every new kernel!

If you work on unattended installtion for Windows and you get the following error during the GUI Installation Setup, don't despair.

An error has been encountered that prevents Setup from continuing.
Internal Setup data structers are corrupted (phase 0).
Press OK to view the Setup log file

When you get this error, there are some missing entries on your winnt.sif file in the I386 Folder.

You have to add:
MsDosInitiated = "0"
AutoPartition=0
UnattendedInstall = "Yes"

That flags are essential for the [Data] Selection in the winnt.sif file!

MsDosInitiated=0 Means that you are not installing from floppy drives!
AutoPartition=0 You musst create the partitions on yourself!
UnattendedInstall = "Yes" Starts the Unattended Installation in the GUI Mode.

Rsync Server under Windows is possible with cygwin and cwrsync!

You can get cwRsync with cygwin dlls here: http://itefix.no/cwrsync/

Install it, create a rsync.conf file, but two things are important for running rsync on windows:

strict modes = false
use chroot =false

My rsync.conf looks like this:

secrets file = /cygdrive/c/Programme/cwRsync/passwds
log file = /cygdrive/c/Programme/cwRsync/rsyncd.log
pid file = /cygdrive/c/Programme/cwRsync/rsyncd.pid
strict modes = false
use chroot = false

[Backup]
comment = Files for Backup
path = c:\files
auth users = backup
hosts deny = *
hosts allow = 192.168.0.0/255.255.255.0
read only = yes
list = false

The password file has got that format:

username:password

For installing rsync as a Server you need the programs:
- instsrv.exe
- srvany.exe

Now execute this command:
instsrv.exe "Rsync c:\path\to\srvany.exe

Do not start the service now!

Open regedit and insert the following lins to that path:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEMS\CurrentControlSet\Services\Rsync\Parameters

AppDirectory REG_SZ "c:\Programme\cwrsync\bin"
Application REG_SZ "c:\Programme\cwrsync\bin\rsync.exe"
AppParameters REG_SZ "--daemon --config=/cygdrive/c/Programme/cwRsync/rsync.conf"

Now you can start rsync as a normal service.

This script checks for new updates and mails the output to the sysadmin!

#!/bin/sh
#Copyright: Jonas Genannt jonas.genannt (AT) capi2name.de
#License: GPL

MAIL_CMD="/usr/bin/mail"
EMAIL_ADDR="email@domain.tld"
TMPNAME="`mktemp`"

IPADDR="`LC_ALL='en' /sbin/ifconfig eth0 | sed -n -e'/inet addr:/s/^.*inet addr:\([0-9.]*\).*$/\1/p'`"

if [ -z ${IPADDR} ]; then
IPADDR="`LC_ALL='en' /sbin/ifconfig eth0:1 | sed -n -e'/inet addr:/s/^.*inet addr:\([0-9.]*\).*$/\1/p'`"
fi

if [ -z ${IPADDR} ]; then
IPADDR=`/bin/hostname -f`
fi

apt-get update > /dev/null
if [ `apt-get --just-print upgrade | grep -c -E "^Inst"` -gt "0" ]; then

echo -e "apt-get upgrade would like to install these packages:\n" >> ${TMPNAME}
`apt-get --just-print -u upgrade | grep "^Inst " | awk '{print$2}' >> ${TMPNAME}`
echo -e "\n-------------------------------------\nSecurity Updates. You know the drill." >> ${TMPNAME}
${MAIL_CMD} ${EMAIL_ADDR} -s "Updates available on ${IPADDR}" < ${TMPNAME}
rm -f ${TMPNAME}
fi

if you want to boot kernel and initrd over the network, please recompile the kernel and change the

CONFIG_BLK_DEV_RAM_SIZE=

to your new size of the initrd.

Per default it is 4MB that is not very much, if you use initrd for /

Here is a short HowTo for configure Postfix to use Amavis with ClamAV for virus scanning!

First you should install ClamAV from backports.org, when you using the ClamAV from stable/sarge you have an old searching engine that maybe have some problems to recognize new viruses with the new files from ClamAV-freshclam.

First add this line to your /etc/apt/sources.list:

deb http://www.backports.org/debian sarge-backports main

Now that is very important to create a /etc/apt/preferences file:

Package: *
Pin: release a=sarge-backports
Pin-Priority: 200

With this entry you deactivate all packages from backports.org this is important because we will only install ClamAV from backports.

Save the file and run an apt-get update to receive the packagefiles from backports.org.

Now install clamav with:
apt-get install -t sarge-backports clamav clamav-freshclam

The -t sarge-backports is necessary, because apt will now install the package from backports.org!

Now install amavis-new:
apt-get install amavis-new

Edit your /etc/postfix/main.cf and add this for amavis:

###E-Mail filter:
content_filter = amavis:[127.0.0.1]:10024
receive_override_options = no_address_mappings

Edit your /etc/postfix/master.cf and add this for amavis:

amavis unix - - - - 2 smtp -o smtp_data_done_timeout=1200 -o smtp_send_xforward_command=yes

127.0.0.1:10025 inet n - - - - smtpd -o content_filter=
-o local_recipient_maps= -o relay_recipient_maps=
-o smtpd_restriction_classes= -o smtpd_client_restrictions=
-o smtpd_helo_restrictions= -o smtpd_sender_restrictions=
-o smtpd_recipient_restrictions=permit_mynetworks,reject
-o mynetworks=127.0.0.0/8 -o strict_rfc821_envelopes=yes
-o receive_override_options=no_unknown_recipient_checks,no_header_body_checks
-o smtpd_bin_address=127.0.0.1

Now you have to add clamav user to the amavis system group and add the clamav user to the amavis system group in your /etc/group!
Because clamav user must read files in the amavis directory and the amvis user must read files in the clamav directory.
After the modification /etc/group should look like:

clamav:x:107:amavis
amavis:x:108:clamav

After this modification you have to restart all services!
(postfix, clamav-daemon, clamav-freshclam, amvis)

Than you have to edit the /etc/amavis/amavisd.conf:
It's very big so I only list the changes:

line 66: $mydomain = 'localhost';

->>change to your hostname

line 429: $warnvirussender = 0;

->> no mail to virussender. because often the from emailaddres is faked!

line 442: $warnvirusrecip = 1;

->> the recipient gets an email that he has received an virus email

line 476: $virus_admin = undef;

->> postmaster gets no notification

Safe the configuration file and restart your amavid!

Now try to send an email and than try to send a virus from

If the repicient gets an email about “VIRUS ( EICAR.Test) IN MAIL TO YOU” all works fine.

If not, check the /var/log/mail.log and try to resolv the error!

If you can't switch the kernel and you can't type anything to the lilo console.

You can try the CTRL or CTRL+c key....

It was very crazy to have that problem. :-/