WTF!? Not Syok Ar? Bite Me Lar!

Some of you who did follow my tweets or my Facebook updates, might already know what happened.
Last week, when I was trying to access to some of my websites, I am not able to reach the website.
At first, I thought it was the VPS overload again, since I use the VPS for too many websites and technically, I am abusing the VPS like how people is playing SM. Lol

But when I try to access this blog, hey! This site is still up! The VPS isn’t down and I am able to ssh into the VPS when I directly ssh to this VPS’s IP. And I checked the VPS load, it is only less than 0.8. So it means the VPS is ok. When I tried to access a few more websites that hosted in this same VPS, there is a few other domains is unresolvable. I immediately try to switch my network setting and try to use Google DNS(8.8.8.8) to access those domains that is unresolvable. Amazingly, I am able to reach the websites without problem. So I had confirmed that there is something wrong with the Streamyx DNS.

I called up Streamyx and made a report. Then to make the issues to solve sooner, I called up one of the Streamyx technician I who I know and told him about this. Then he requested me to send the list of domains and the VPS IP so that he can check. He then told me it could be their DNS server having some issues and they will take a look on it. Around less than a week time, all the issues was solved and those websites are able to be access again.

At first, I though that my domains were null routed, since the first domain I find out that is unable to access is my web hosting billing site, where my web hosting, VPS and Dedicated Server clients pays their invoice at that site. I thought it was a sabotage. But then, when I find out that even some of my private sites which is not expose to the public, are also unreachable, so it means it could be some other reason, not a sabotage.

I was so frustrated during the time where the domains is unable to be access. One of the main reason is because a few of the websites that is unreachable is those websites which is very very important to me. Although I am able to access to the websites via Google DNS, but not other people. They might thought that the websites had closed down!

But anyway, since the issues was resolved, I am happy about it already.
No more stress on fear of unable to receive payment, or frustrated of worrying that my other websites is not able to reach by its visitors.

WTF Is DNS?
Ok, for those who do not know what the fuck I am talking about, you may read this part.
This part will explain WTF is DNS and why is it so important to a website.

Ok, please take a look on the first picture of this article. There is “Requested Web Server”, “Root DNS Servers”, “ISP DNS Servers” and the last ones is “Web User”.

Requested Web Server: It is the server where the website you are trying to access is hosted. Usually, it do have its own DNS service to allow the web masters manage the domains pointed to that server in order to create sub domains, point the sub domains to other server etc.
Root DNS Servers: The DNS servers that is holding the records about where is the domain name(.com, .net,.org, and .wat-ever-lah) is pointed to. Usually the records is set to be pointed to an existing name server that had already been setup by the web hosting provider. But in some case, like mine, I pointed my domains to a 3rd party DNS server, then from the 3rd party DNS server, I create A records(IP) and point to my VPS and other servers.(I think I’ll just skip this part, coz it will be very very long if I only focus on this part.)
ISP DNS Servers: This DNS server is the DNS servers which is run by the ISP. In this case, it is Streamyx. Each ISP have their own DNS servers. But you can choose to use 3rd party DNS servers such as Google DNS or OpenDNS, as long as you know the DNS server’s IP.
Web User: Very obvious, that is you, the person who is using the internet.

How The Fuck Do It Work?
When you are trying to browse a website, usually you will type the website address in the browser, and the browser will load and show you the website right? In this process, your browser is actually sent a request to the “ISP DNS Servers” and request for the website’s IP address. It then will be routed to the “Requested Web Server” and when the “Requested Web Server” get the request, it will send back the reply to the browser with the websites which the domain is pointed to for the “Web User” to browse.

Usually, changes of the domain name’s DNS record is done via the domain name’s control panel which it is provided by the domain name registrar. Every time when a web master change the domain’s DNS, the changes will be updated to the “Root DNS Servers”. The DNS records will then fetched by the “ISP DNS Servers” to keep as a cached DNS record. Whenever a “Web User” is trying to browse to any domain, the cached DNS records will be sent to the “Web User” from the “ISP DNS Servers”.

For my case, the issues occurs at the “ISP DNS Servers” where it did not resolve my domains DNS records.
But anyway, the problems is solved now.
If you want to read more about DNS, you can go to HERE and read more details about DNS.

↑ Debian Malaysia Members. Photo taken at the community track hall. ↑

As most of you know, my mood recently is as bad as shit…
I was suppose to attend this Malaysia Open Source Conference (MOSC2010) at 29th June 2010.
But I only go at the second day.
Last year, I was attending this same conference and assist in Ubuntu Malaysia booth at the exhibition hall.
This year, I am more focus on Debian Malaysia booth, since Debian Malaysia is still very new and need more people to help on the activities. Of course, I did go to Ubuntu booth as well.
Some of you might aware that I always mentioned Ubuntu Linux in this blog. If you follow my blog long enough, you might realize that I am also a Debian Linux user. Most of my servers is running on Debian Linux and CentOS. And Ubuntu is in my desktop and netbook, since Ubuntu is best for use with GUI where is comes default with a lot of nice desktop applications to use.

To be honest, aside from attending this MOSC2010 to assist the exhibition booths, there is another reason I go there. It is to see my fellow geek friends and relax myself by doing crazy things. You all should know how emo I am recently and been talking emo things in this blog recently…

When at the exhibition hall, I did something somehow, can be considered crazy and stupid.
My netbook do have a webcam, so after I hook up my netbook to the wireless, I did a live streaming at Ustream and broadcast live from my netbook. I am holding the netbook and point my netbook around at people’s face and tell them “Say hi! You are on the live streaming now!”. And then, one of the fellow Debian member borrowed me his external webcam, and then I just plug it in and continue the broadcast with an easier way, just pointing that webcam to people.

I’m sure everyone at the exhibition hall think that I am crazy. But hey, opensource is about freedom, and I have the freedom to do what I like as long as it did not violate the laws, so screw those who talk rubbish there!
By the way, thank to those who had watched the live streaming.
Especially you, Prakash, thanks for sms and let me know that you are watching.
Lol

During the end of the 1st day I was there, the 2nd day of the conference, I did another crazy things.
I found that there is a lot of huge LCD screen around the lobby of this conference. It was showing the tweets with the hashtags #mosc2010. Guess what? I gone crazy and wanted to do something crazy again. I just sit on the floor and turn on my netbook and try flood the twitter screen. Honestly, these fellow Debian fellers are rocks lah. They see I do like that, they all also follow me and flood the screen together. This is called, the team spirit. Hahaha
Lol.
It is good to have people to teman me to do crazy things.

↓ Pictures taken when we flooding the twit screen. ↓

At the final day of the conference, as usual, I was arriving there late due to some work which I had delayed for a lot days.
And I reach there, I did promote the Chicken Run Project at the Debian booth and give away free hosting account with it, since Chicken Run Project is running on a Debian cluster. It is good to give away freebies to help on promote Debian anyway, although I arrived there late and didn’t gave out much accounts…

At the last day, guess what?
They all asked me, “Don’t want to do streaming today ar?”.
And of course, since they reminded me, I did do live streaming once again and this time, I do it more crazy.
The Gorgeous Geeks booth is just beside the Debian booth, and I keep on point the webcam to them and say, “Smile! You are on the live streaming!”.
Yeah, I know I am annoying, I am trying to be annoying and force myself not to think of anything anyway…
But hey, I am lucky that they din slap me for being annoying, instead, they do responded with a smile.
But think back and see, did they realize that I am actually pointing the webcam at them? Did they smile at the camera or just simply smiling like that only? I don’t know lah, I was not using my brain at that moment, and just doing crazy things without thinking anyway.
Off topic: Hmmm… In my mind that time, I was thinking, if my love do give me a respond that I desire… It would be damn great and I will have no such emo mood like what I have now…
Anyway, woman tends to change their thoughts easily. When they gave you the respond(answer) they gave earlier, and the end, they will give you another respond(answer). That’s the cause of my emo anyway.

↑ Photo taken when I was still doing streaming. The Ironman in the picture is me. ↑

By the way, talking about the Gorgeous Geeks.
Last year, they are not here in this conference. Last year was FOSS-Chix who attended the conference. They are both different community group anyway. No offense, @Cawanpink, the GGs are prettier than you. Lol.

By the way, here is the picture of Debian Malaysia and the Gorgeous Geeks during packing up the stuffs at the end of the conference.

Anyway, thank you guys(Debian Malaysia) for doing crazy things with me. Thanks to Gorgeous Geeks for the sweet smiles that cheer up the exhibition hall. Thanks to the organizer, OSDC who organize such a great event. Thanks to TM for providing the Internet access so that I am able to broadcast the crazy things I’ve done in the exhibition hall.

And at last, thanks to me that you all gone crazy and doing crazy things in the conference.
Lol

Sweet memories will not just fade away, just like that.
It stays forever and even though it has ended, the memories still stays…
Sometimes it ends with joys, sometimes it ends with pains.
But no matter what, the memories will remind in our heart, our mind…

Warning! There is 1 obscene scene in this video!
If you are under age, don’t play this video!

Ok, some of you might not understand the meaning of this video.
It is actually a geek jokes against Microsoft.
Feel free to ask regarding those parts that you don’t understand.
If I am here, I will answer.

To g33ks,
Did you found that there is 1 part mentioned about RHEL and at the ending part there, is mentioning Debian Lenny?
Lol.

This post is a scheduled post.

Some of you might realize that this blog was down for almost 1 whole day, at yesterday.
It is not hacked or attacked.
In fact, it is my own fault for test to upgrade something in the VPS(backend) to a beta things which looks cool with its new functions.
But turns out that my curiosity had actually bring so much damage to the whole VPS….

Anyway, luckily the database was not affected, only lost all the files!!! Which actually I have the older backup of it.
You might see that there is a little difference on the layout now. And yes, this was the theme files which I backed up at December of 2009!
Damn, lost so much hard effort…

I am so fortunate that my other blog which is a very important blog, is able to recover without problem at all. It is in fact, able to recover totally and I am damn happy with it.
While for this blog, damn…..
Lost so much things that I had edited for it…..

At last Thursday evening, I was resting at a cafe after I’ve done with my work due to I was not having enough sleep recently(only sleep for 4 hours in 2 days). I received a call from my client and needed my consultation service regarding a tender.

When I read the document regarding the tender, it said that they client need Veritas NetBackup maintenance.
I was damn sleepy and tired, and was mistaken that part as mentioning about tape backup device.
Anyway, after alerted by a sudden phone call at my cell phone, I am awake again and found that “Oh, Symantec Veritas NetBack… Not Symantec Ghost and Tape Backup Device….”

Ok, here I would like to do some simple introduction about what is Veritas NetBackup.

Quoted From Wikipedia

Veritas NetBackup is an enterprise level heterogeneous backup and recovery suite. It provides cross-platform backup functionality to a large variety of Windows, UNIX and Linux operating systems.

It is set up with a central master server that manages both media servers (containing the backup media) and clients. Core server platforms are, Solaris, HP-UX, AIX, Tru64, Linux and Windows.

Multiple NetBackup environments can be managed by NetBackup Operations Manager (NOM) which is bundled with the NetBackup 6.0 distribution, which replaces the Global Data Manager (GDM) component used in previous versions. NetBackup comes with support for many hardware devices like tape drives, tape libraries, disk units, and supports, amongst many others, hot backups for major database products like Oracle, can natively backup and restore the virtual machines of major virtualization products like VMware Infrastructure, can use Network Data Management Protocol (NDMP), and has tape vaulting. NetBackup also enables LAN-free and server-free backups in SAN fabric environments.

NetBackup was originally developed by Control Data Corporation which it was a project funded by Chrysler Corporation. It is not called as NetBackup at that time. It is still without a name yet.

Then at 1990, Control Data Corporation named it as “Automated Workstation Backup System”(AWBUS) and continue the development them self. The first version of AWBUS supported two tape drives in a single robotic carousel with the SGI IRIX operating system.

AWBUS is renamed to BackupPlus 1.0 and added support for media Volume Management and Server Migration/Hierarchical Storage Management. Then at the end of 1993, OpenVision had take over BackupPlus as well as its 12 person of developer. It is renamed to NetBackup at this time.

At 6th May 1997, another take over happened. This time OpenVision along with all its technology is absorbed into Veritas. This is why now it is know as Veritas NetBackup.
The take over is not ended here. Symantec acquired Veritas, and of course, all its technology. Now Veritas NetBackup has become 1 of the Symantec Product. Symantec did not rename it, and it is still known as Veritas NetBackup to the public. But to be exact, it is named as Symantec Veritas NetBackup. This happens at 2005. And the NetBackup 6.0 you can see now, it is the first version of NetBackup that released by Symantec.

This is how the administration panel looks like:

Veritas Tape Drivers Installer: