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Friday, March 8, 2024

What is the makeup of my network and how would it fail?

 I can look at my network as being in three pieces: Front of Network (FON), Middle of Network (MON), and Back of Network (BON).  Really the breakup (and notes on failure) is as follows:

  • middle of network (MON): RPi1/SW118 -> AV2000 -> power wires -> AV2000 -> SW116/RPi2
    • power might go out; UPS would only last for a few minutes; how would this be logged?
    • power hicup might cause AV2000 to break connection and have to be reset - how would I know this?
  • front of network (FON): FLINT / SLATE / media equip.
    • FON might go down if FLINT / SLATE are not connected
    • possible that FLINT or SLATE might not be connected but other one is
    • moving some vlans for fall over to FLINT / SLATE might help
    • power might go out; UPS would only last for a few minutes
  • back of network (BON): Laptop / Rack / monitor / table experiments / printer
    • rack is on its own UPS; power failure should cause rack to turn itself off - how would this be logged?
    • Laptop is on same UPS as MON; but could remove and work independently, monitor would not be useful
I was also thinking that I might add a couple of RPis to the mix to complete some of the monitoring / logging / sensing functions:
  • RPi1: could be used to monitor FON and part of MON
    • would be in charge of logging and notification
    • could monitor network condition in living room
  • RPi2: could be used to monitor part of MON and BON
    • would be in charge of logging and notification
    • could monitor network condition in back bedroom

This seems like a reasonable approach to being able to increase my redundancy / monitoring as a necessary component of the network.

Project #32 - Setup Redundancy/Fallover in the Network

 I got to thinking about how my network is connected and realized that I don't have a way of reducing the outages or recording what has happened.  I have a project that was supposed to tell me the condition of the WiFi connections at any one time, but I don't use that information in any sense.  I also don't have a way for the front of the network to know what the back of the network is doing and vice versa. I don't have a graceful way to shut things down if the network fails from some external problem (mainly power outages which happen from time to time here).  WiFi outages also happen from time to time but they are less important since the backend of my network is mainly for hobby purposes.

Fallover is not apparent in the current setup of my network.  Is that important to me?  It depends on what I am doing at the moment.  If I am wood carving, not at all.  If I am working on an electronic circuit, also not important.  But if I am online how do I keep online without a problem.  I could switch from one network type to another, but is that efficient?  So a number of questions come to mind:

  • first of all, what is missing from my network?
  • how would the front fail as opposed to the middle and back?
  • if the front goes down, how would I know?
  • if the middle goes down how would I know?
  • does it matter if the back is completely off?
  • how can I keep my laptop in the back always available?
  • is there a fall over that I can count on?
  • can I log what is happening with the network? where?
  • how does WiFi from other apartments into bedroom play into this?
  • how do I detect how good of a connection I have?
  • can I separate out living room from back bedroom?
  • would it be profitable to switch AV2000s with a WiFi mesh connnection?
  • could the AP-HD be used in a WiFi mesh configuration?


Monday, February 19, 2024

Project #31 - Integrate Midi Devices into the HomeLab

 I have decided that I also want to include Midi into my HomeLab.  I already possess many Midi devices that are currently gathering dust in my electronics bins.  Electronic music is the thing that got me into Electronic Music in the beginning.  I have drifted far from my music roots and need to come back to make up for lost time.  So in the offing I have decided to start integrating keyboards, synthesizers, Arduino/ESP32 based Midi controllers, etc into the mix.

Saturday, January 6, 2024

An Alternative Setup for the WWD RPi

I have found an alternative item to use as the basis for the Web Weather Display (WWD).  I found some code for a Weatherflow PiConsole that uses information from my Tempest to display current conditions.  Chief URLs are as follows:

I am proposing to use this code as a starting place for the WWD and then work out the mechanism for a web display later.  In this way I can get something up quickly without a lot of fuss.  I will probably use one of the RPis in my rack as the unit.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

I have now moved the Experiment Pod to my HomeLab rack

 I decided to drop my participation in the community sub-committee and focus on other things.  In so doing, I have moved the Experiment Pod to the HomeLab rack.  I decided to change out the rack and put the entire Experiment Pod panel into the rack as well as an Edgerouter-X to give the ExPod vlan a dhcp source and isolate it from the rest of the network.  The unmanaged 8 port switch is there as well to connect to each of the ExPod RPis.

In addition, I have added a managed switch (GS108Tv3) to offload the number of connections to the key managed switch outside of the HomeLab rack.

Monday, November 27, 2023

I have re-arranged the HomeLab rack to allow for four different systems

 I decided to change out the HomeLab rack and concentrate on four sub-systems: (1) Experiment Pod; (2) Proxmox; (3) Edgerouter-12/M4100-26g; and (4) Monitor sub-system.  Each one of these sub-systems can now be independently booted up and used.

I added a GS108Tv3 managed switch to the top of the rack so that I could change out the cables going from the HomeLab rack to only need one connection to the external GS108Tv2 switch behind the rack.  This frees up some of the ports on that switch to be used for experiments on the table.  The ExPod is now behind an Edgerouter-X connected to that top switch, with all components able to be turned off at the same time from a single switch on the power switch panel.  The Proxmox server is also connected to that top switch for all of its external ports and is powered through a single switch on the power switch panel.  The Edgerouter-12/M4100-26g combination is powered down from a single switch on the same power switch panel; external connections go through the top switch.  The monitor sub-system is also turned on and off through a single switch on the power switch panel and is behind an Edgerouter-X connected to the top switch.

I also added an RGB led lighting on the sides of the HomeLab rack.

Issue: the vlans for server admin and servers still require the Edgerouter-12 to be running since the DHCP servers are on that device.  This will need to be dealt with int the future.

Monday, September 25, 2023

Why would it be important to keep a HomeLab network after you retire?

Adapted from NoteAI.com on 2023-09-25

Summary: A HomeLab is a server setup that resides in your home and allows you to host applications and virtualized systems for testing, development, or personal use. It can be a simple tower PC, a Raspberry Pi, or a repurposed professional server. Having a HomeLab has several advantages, including providing a playground for learning and experimentation, allowing you to work on projects that you can't try on the job, and enabling you to create projects that would otherwise be costly. It can also be used for hosting media, testing websites, building a DVR system, and accessing remote systems.

Why it Matters:

  • A HomeLab provides a safe and controlled environment for learning and experimenting with technology.
  • It allows individuals to gain hands-on experience with enterprise equipment and software.
  • It can be used for personal projects, professional development, and staying current in the industry.
  • A HomeLab offers flexibility and customization options that may not be available in a production environment.
  • It can be a cost-effective solution for hosting services and self-hosted options.

Significance and Potential Impact:

  • Keeping a HomeLab network after retirement can provide a continued opportunity for learning and staying engaged with technology.
  • It allows retirees to pursue personal projects, explore new technologies, and maintain their technical skills.
  • A HomeLab can serve as a hobby and a way to stay connected with the tech community.
  • It provides retirees with a platform to share their knowledge and experiences with others.
  • Keeping a HomeLab network can contribute to personal growth, mental stimulation, and a sense of purpose in retirement.

Implications:

  • Retirees who maintain a HomeLab network can continue to contribute to the tech industry and stay relevant in their field.
  • It can be a fulfilling and enjoyable hobby that provides intellectual stimulation and a sense of accomplishment.
  • Retirees with a HomeLab network can share their knowledge and experiences with others, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of tech enthusiasts.
  • It can be a way to stay connected with the tech community and continue learning from others in the field.
  • Keeping a HomeLab network can contribute to a fulfilling and meaningful retirement by providing a platform for personal growth and exploration.