You decide: thesource.ofallevil.com
I have a problem in my office that I've been trying to take care of for at least two weeks now. Ever since I was out of the office for a week and some people "fixed" the backup server, we haven't been getting any backups done. At least any offsite backups. Most of our data is backed up to disk first, but still, it's scary.
Anyway, we have a Dell PowerVault 124T LTO-3 tape changer (supports up to 16 LTO-3 tapes) running with Symantec's Backup Exec 11d. At least we do now. When things went down, it was 10d. After upgrading (it's broken anyway, right?), I could back up files, but at 3 or 4 Mb/second! (In case you don't know, it should be running around 2,000 Mb/second). At that rate, a full backup would take me about 85 days, by which time it would be abysmally out of date.
Well, it seems I found the problem after many hours working on it: enable Mutliple LUN support on the SCSI channel where the devices live and update the SCSI drivers in the system (Windows 2003 Storage Server version). It looks like I'm getting the throughput I expect to see, but I'm not 100% sure that it's solved—a final test is running right now and I'm about to check on it. But I thought I'd get these notes down for anyone else that runs in to this problem. By the way, I'm using the Dell-provided tape and autoloader drivers, and not the Backup Exec drivers.
I tried to buy some Cat-6 cable today. I also tried to get a 500' box of Cat-5 (plenum). Nobody carries either. I don't need 1000' of Cat-5 plenum (the only kind available). I had no choice with Cat-6, nobody even carries it. Sometimes I hate living here…
I'm making a sourdough loaf today, I'll let you know how it turns out. My uncle Steve gave me part of his starter, a Giza culture, earlier this year. Hopefully this turns out good.
…that I didn't run across this article on how to make fireworks when I was younger and had more disposable income…
Here's another picture I took recently. The day was a bit hazy, but the picture is okay. The picture was taken from Panorama Point, just off Highway 35.
I thought I'd share a picture of the recent eclipse that I took. I wish I had my tripod—I could have gotten some more detail, but this is decent still.
Your new Lego ice cube tray can also make chocolate lego bricks. Sweet!
Now that it's not a secret anymore, here's a picture of the birthday present I put together for my younger brother Sam:
It contains:
The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks
First Aid Kit
Cricket bat (homemade—you can't buy them in Idaho!)
Katana
Machete
Crowbar
6 Iron
Chemical glowsticks
Box of 12 gauge shotgun shells
Vinyl records for throwing (Hallelujah!)
I've just run across Gaelheart browsing around the 'net. Their page at CD Baby lets you listen to the first bits of each song and I really like their sound! Someone needs to buy this CD for me. All proceeds are being donated to "Leprosy Mission Canada", either it's a good cause or a joke in bad taste—you decide.
Specifically, make sure you don't miss Big Bahookie:
BIG BAHOOKIE
(written by John Blue)
When I was a lad, we never dressed in plaid
And I never thought to wonder why we never had
When then I saw a kiltie, I confessed to being guilty
Of thinking him a teuchter from a farm.When I ventured overseas it was all revealed to me
The culture of the kilt and how liberating it could be
So I wear my plaid with pride, I have not a thing to hide
If you asked I'll gladly show you what a Scotsman wears insideChorus: Sit your big bahookie doon
Since you came into this toon
You've done nothing but display it to the people all aroon
You must be bloody mental
To be going regimental
Go on and sit your big bahookie doonWhile in my native garb sometimes I do receive a barb
But mostly the remarks are of a curious regard
And the ladies are delighted sometimes shocked but never slighted
To accept the glimpse of Scotland that this native son providesNow I feel I must explain the somewhat Calvinist refrain
It's a phrase I have encountered from fellow Scots time and again
The kind who never show their wares, the ones with fire and brimstone stares
It's my guess that if you looked you'd find a pickle stuck up there.Chorus
So I beg all Scots agree, all those who are or want to be
Do not dismiss this peccadillo which is not uniquely me
If a kiltie you should pass give a hoot if he should flash
'Cause if it's Scottish you will never see a finer piece of assChorus
Plus, you can't beat the CD cover…
My office is getting a new 10Mb fiberoptic Internet connection soon. Everybody's thrilled about that. My telco reps (XO) are great to work with, but sometimes you still have to dig for information. Today I saved a crapload of money by digging up the fact that I don't need a $15,000 Cisco router to handle the traffic, and a $1500 Layer 3 switch will do in my case.
Make sure you know what you need, though—you may have other needs that will require a router, but if you're like me you may save a crapload of cash.
Well I'm back at work today. The trip back yesterday was uneventful. The gas station attendants in Oregon are rude. I got yelled at by a lady that thought I was starting to pump my gas. I had to wait almost two minutes before someone came up to me and started pumping. When I worked at a service station in Oregon while growing up, that was the biggest mistake an attendant could make. I ran up to cars to get them started. Not this lazy walk around aimlessly let-me-smoke-this-cigarette-first attitude. Oregon is retarded and I'm embarassed to admit I was born there.
Today we'll get back on the road and drive home. I'm not looking forward to the drive, but it will be nice to be home again. The weather here in Portland has been beautiful.
Yesterday we stopped for lunch at Otto's Sausage Kitchen, it was terrific! They're on Woodstock, and only about 3 miles from my mom's house—you can't ask for much closer in a big city like this. Anyway, we're going back there for lunch today to try the chicken sausage, I've never had that kind before. We'll probably even pick some up to bring home with us. I saw an article on them in a recent AAA magazine and thought we'd try them out, and they are great! Another must-stop place in Portland.
We decided to stay an extra day in Portland, mainly because my sister has been at the coast and we haven't had the chance to see her and her family yet. I'm going to run down to Fry's Electronics today, it's about 20 miles from where mom lives, but it should be a neat trip. I'm leaving in about an hour. I don't expect Lorien will like to go, but we'll see. Nothing much else planned for today except finishing a book I'm reading.
Well we spent yesterday afternoon in Hood River. It has sure changed a lot, but I have to keep trying to keep in my brain the fact that I lived there 18 years ago and it won't just be the same. I was also telling my wife that the chances of us actually bumping in to anyone I know (and can remember) were abysmally slim. We were walking up Oak Street, downtown, when my uncle Steve spotted us and pulled over for a chat. So much for not running in to anyone we know…
The funny part is that Steve and his family live in Coeur d'Alene, and neither of us knew that the other would be in Hood River this weekend. We just…ran in to each other. It was quite an odd feeling.
Tera's reception was wonderful, she was beautiful in her dress (most brides are, but she was). Her husband Mike was in jeans and a t-shirt, but hey, weddings are all about the bride anyway, right? Besides, it was nice that the reception was informal, because I didn't want to wear a suit in the 90 degree heat, and certainly don't blame anyone else for not wearing one.
It was nice to see her, though. The last time we spoke face-to-face was back when I flew to Louisville KY for Lorien's grandmother's 70th birthday, and Tera and Mike drove down from Cincinnati. That's around three years ago now. I was also quite flattered that I was remembered by Shanna (Tera's sister) and her dad, whom I had only met a couple of times almost 20 years ago.
My wife also got me a pirate fish thingy for my car, about which I am ecstatic. It was in a bookstore next to the other FSM stuff. Coolness.