Using Sun Storage VirtualBox as a real production server

Hi,

Sun Storage VirtualBox simulator is a virtual machine which gives you a practical hands on how to use the real Sun open storage solution. you can download it direct from www.sun.com

In contrast, it's Solaris OS with new shell to focus on storage services only.

Therefore, you can play a little with it.

I did something good with Sun Storage VirtualBox simulator. In fact, i put it in production environment.
You can use any machine with 4GB RAM, two nerwork ports, and SATA or SCSI interfaces.

The first limitation on the storage virtualbox; it's only 28GB total storage as it comes with around 15x2GB virtual disks.

Second, it comes with only one network interface and 1GB memory allocated.

Thanks to sun virtual box product, you can modify all of these specs to allow more disks and memory.

What I did, I removed all the virtusl disks except the first one (SATA port0) which is the OS
itself on 10GB disk.

Then, i used attached sun SCSI enclosure which holds 6x36GB SCSI disks.

With VBoxManage command, i linked each disk to a virtual vmdk disk.

At the end, I had 6x36GB virtual disks with vmdk extension.

The remainig procedures are as easy as attaching the disks to SATA ports in sequence after SATA port0.

Also modify the total memory to 2GB will increase the performance.

Then add new network interface to be bridged directly to any unused real interface in order to gain the full throughput from it.

After starting your virtual machine, the Box may generate error regarding the old pool, you can igore it and reconfigure your pool in order to scan the new disks.

In my case , i made striped volume with 200GB data storage. the performance it really fast and amazing.
Another thing , you can turn the http web server on the storage which used for browsing files to real web server if you just add index.html on any folder :-)

Cloning Solaris zones

If you intend to create many zones, here's a quick and safe way to do it :

- Configure a template zone
zonecfg -z template
create
set zonepath= (ex. /zones/template_zone)
add net
set address= (ex. 192.168.0.1/24)
set physical= (ex. e1000g0)
end
commit
exit

- Install the template zone

zoneadm -z template install

- Configure new zone using the template zone.

zonecfg -z zone1
create -a template
commit
exit

- Clone the new zone using the template zone.

zoneadm -z zone1 clone template

That's it.

Multihome routing on solaris zones

If you intended to install Solaris zones with different sub networks, then you need to add the new gateway for each sub net to /etc/defaultrouter of the parent global zone line by line.

For example:

# cat /etc/defaultrouter
124.141.66.51
124.141.65.41
#

editing /etc/defaultroute inside non-global zone has no effect.
Also, manually adding default route by route command from non global zone will generate "not owner" error message.

My New Job in Cairo

Hi,

I got new job in Cairo, Egypt.
It's so exciting and i'm lovin it too much. The only exception is, it's too far from my new home location. ispend around 1:30 minutes to reach home to work. :)

i'll try to post all technical issues i'll face to share it with others.