Ubuntu-powered LTSP, continued

Follow-up to my initial Ubuntu LTSP post.

The linux-2.6.10-5-i686 kernel recognized the 4-GB RAM, but registered only 3.5 GB (according to free).

The good thing is, with all 30 clients on and running Firefox and OpenOffice.org, memory use peaked at just about 1.4 GB. Bad news, though: CPU utilization maxed out at 100%! I could barely move the mouse pointer on the server. Clients just sailed along fine, though. Weird.

I have a dual Xeon box, and with the rush of configuring the server in time for the IPR training (for which these critters will be used mostly: our organization is building up its IP management infrastructure) today, I forgot to add an -smp kernel. *Slaps my forehead!* Oh well, nothing that a Synaptic session couldn't accomplish.

Snags. For one, while the clients rarely hanged, most of them took a long time logging back in (and I mean *lloooong*, as in 10-15 minutes) after lunch break. Seems I've set the DHCP lease time way too low, and it was continuously polling for requests. Another one, web browsing was a bit sluggish, but that is mostly due to all the clients accessing the *same site* all at once. Memo to self: consider adding a web cache/accelerator later.

The lag in the network is mainly due to the physical setup. We installed switches in the training room, with one port connected to the outlet that goes up to the second-floor MDF. From the patch panel there, I had to hook up a patch cord to yet another patch panel outlet, and out to the work area outlet to the server. Let's just say packets had a fun time travelling. Hey, they're still in the same segment. _shrugs_

But that would not be a problem once the setup roosts in its real home: a retooled training room (structured cabling, fault-tolerant power, airconditioning, {transporter, turbo lifts and photon torpedoes optional}). Once there, the clients can be rented out to students in the area — a thin-client internet cafe, the first one this side of the Sierra Madre!

Okay, plans for the server: am considering replacing GDM with KDM, or some other window manager. Gnome is okay, but I'm looking for a cleaner handling of ghost sessions. (I had to kill some. Yes, I'm a cold-blooded, heartless process killer. One's gotta do what one's gotta do.)

A side note: surprisingly, the users took these all in very well. They were very appreciative of the setup, and they didn't have a hard time poking around with the desktop — a testimony to Ubuntu's usability. Ubuntu may just be *the* distro that will make it to the desktop primetime.

(Then again, our users were already computer-savvy. Heck, they're scientists and researchers, and they handle computers the way they deftly tweak those quantum spectrometer thingamajiggies they have down at the labs.)

But I digress. Oh yes, plans: package the software (Firefox and OpenOffice.org) so they'll be more friendly. While we've successfully deployed Firefox as the default browser network-wide, OpenOffice.org adoption is not yet creeping. Problem with the file formats. Somehow, I would have to find a way to package an installer that has default saves to Windows file formats. Actually, my next project is compiling a Firefox installer with all our network settings (proxy, home page, extensions and plugins) built in. Seems a worthwhile weekend project.

Find a way to use the local resources on clients like floppy drives and USB ports. (USB thumb drives are as ubiquitous here as pencils — or maybe more, as this office is really wired.) Or, maybe a way to run apps locally. The clients are diskless but they have 256-MB RAMs. Sayang. Dunno if this is even possible. Oh, Mr. Google...!

(My colleague, the tech-support guy, was impishly whispering, "LAN party! LAN party!", while we were setting up the boxes. I wonder if we can run a decent Quake session on them thingies... Now, that would be the killer app!)

Gawd, I'm rambling. Must be the heat. Nah, I'm just chipper because I've built something good again.

Update: Photos are here. The installation notes are in my wiki.