Is there any way to do a maintenance style boot without actually using boot floppies? Maybe by copying the contents of the boot floppies onto a spare disk? The boot command appears to take an argument but I haven't figured out what it is.
We just spent a whole day moving data from old F230s to new 740s and we ended up booting from floppies numerous times, partly due to the 740 crashing whenever we tried to put the old volume on line. Waiting for the floppies got very tedious, especially now that the OS has overflowed onto 2 disks.
It might then be possible to run WACKY occasionally overnight by dialing in, without having to be physically present to change the floppy.
Has Netapp thought of alternative boot methods such as TFTP or LS120 drives?
Dave Atkin ------------------------------------------------------ Dave Atkin, Head of Technical Services Computing Service, University of York, YORK YO10 5DD Phone: +44-1904-433804 (ddi) Fax: +44-1904-433740 Email: D.Atkin@york.ac.uk ------------------------------------------------------
Is there any way to do a maintenance style boot without actually using boot floppies? Maybe by copying the contents of the boot floppies onto a spare disk? The boot command appears to take an argument but I haven't figured out what it is.
this would be very cool, or better yet: 'boot cdrom', which i have heard rumored several times , anyone at NetApp want to confirm/deny this may actually happen?
-s
The problem with cdrom's is that someone has to publish it.
I'd vote for the LS120. That way, sites that have PC's that have them, can take advantage of it, while the rest of us can still trudge along with making two floppies.
Another nice option, would be to have a couple megabytes of flash memory. That way, the floppy image could be copied to flash (as an image) and could be booted from there. Four megabytes of flash would be enough for a two floppy image. (plus room to spare.) Eight megabytes of flash would be enough for a five floppy image.
armijo@cs.unm.edu wrote:
Is there any way to do a maintenance style boot without actually using boot floppies? Maybe by copying the contents of the boot floppies onto a spare disk? The boot command appears to take an argument but I haven't figured out what it is.
this would be very cool, or better yet: 'boot cdrom', which i have heard rumored several times , anyone at NetApp want to confirm/deny this may actually happen?
-s
-- Cue the music, fade to black, no such thing as no payback. -PWEI
[ armijo@cs.unm.edu ]
-- Matthew Lee Stier * Fujitsu Network Communications Unix Systems Administrator | Two Blue Hill Plaza Ph: 914-731-2097 Fx: 914-731-2011 | Sixth Floor Matthew.Stier@fnc.fujitsu.com * Pearl River, NY 10965
In the immortal words of Matthew Stier (Matthew.Stier@tddny.fujitsu.com):
The problem with cdrom's is that someone has to publish it.
Doesn't Fujitsu _make_ CD-ROM burners? :)
-n
------------------------------------------------------------memory@blank.org I have seen the future of the net, and it's a pimply 14-year old boy shouting "ADD ME TO THE LIST!!!!11!!!" Forever. http://www.blank.org/memory/------------------------------------------------
Fujitsu makes Tamagotchi's, however I wouldn't recommend that Network Appliance incorporate them into the their filers.
NetApp use 1.44MB floppies because they are an industry standard. The LS120 is the best floppy replacement for the filer, because it supports the 1.44MB floppy format natively.
I'd still like to see NetApp add flash memory to store the boot images.
"Nathan J. Mehl" wrote:
In the immortal words of Matthew Stier (Matthew.Stier@tddny.fujitsu.com):
The problem with cdrom's is that someone has to publish it.
Doesn't Fujitsu _make_ CD-ROM burners? :)
-n
------------------------------------------------------------memory@blank.org I have seen the future of the net, and it's a pimply 14-year old boy shouting "ADD ME TO THE LIST!!!!11!!!" Forever. http://www.blank.org/memory/------------------------------------------------
-- Matthew Lee Stier * Fujitsu Network Communications Unix Systems Administrator | Two Blue Hill Plaza Ph: 914-731-2097 Fx: 914-731-2011 | Sixth Floor Matthew.Stier@fnc.fujitsu.com * Pearl River, NY 10965
In the immortal words of Matthew Stier (Matthew.Stier@tddny.fujitsu.com):
Fujitsu makes Tamagotchi's, however I wouldn't recommend that Network Appliance incorporate them into the their filers.
*giggle* Can I quote you on that, repeatedly and out of context? :)
NetApp use 1.44MB floppies because they are an industry standard. The LS120 is the best floppy replacement for the filer, because it supports the 1.44MB floppy format natively.
I'd still like to see NetApp add flash memory to store the boot images.
I guess my feeling is that the only thing as (or more) ubiquitous (and cheap) as the 1.4M floppy is the CD-ROM drive, and the burners at this point are a petty-cash requisition for most outfits. All Netapp would need to do would be to either offer complete cd images for download or (better yet for space/speed reasons) define a standard directory structure that you could put the files in for an iso9660 cd...
-n
----------------------------------------------------------memory@blank.org And when love is gone, there's always justice. And when justice is gone there's always force. And when force is gone, threre's always mom. Hi mom! (--Laurie Anderson) http://www.blank.org/memory/----------------------------------------------
"Nathan J. Mehl" wrote:
In the immortal words of Matthew Stier (Matthew.Stier@tddny.fujitsu.com):
Fujitsu makes Tamagotchi's, however I wouldn't recommend that Network Appliance incorporate them into the their filers.
*giggle* Can I quote you on that, repeatedly and out of context? :)
As long has it make you happy, Yes.
My point is; I'm trying the make a suggestion that make the best sense for Network Appliance user community. Not something that simply benefits my company.
NetApp use 1.44MB floppies because they are an industry standard. The LS120 is the best floppy replacement for the filer, because it supports the 1.44MB floppy format natively.
I'd still like to see NetApp add flash memory to store the boot images.
I guess my feeling is that the only thing as (or more) ubiquitous (and cheap) as the 1.4M floppy is the CD-ROM drive, and the burners at this point are a petty-cash requisition for most outfits. All Netapp would need to do would be to either offer complete cd images for download or (better yet for space/speed reasons) define a standard directory structure that you could put the files in for an iso9660 cd...
-n
Your right on both counts. The 1.44MB floppy and the 650MB cdrom are ubiquitous, and cheap, but CD writing is not.
I own CD-R, and I'm aware of the headaches involved in creating CD images. CD-RW are great for personal use, but there are a multitude of CD / CD-RW interaction problems. And it is the "CD-RW" that is the most previlant in the industry; not the CD-R.
----------------------------------------------------------memory@blank.org And when love is gone, there's always justice. And when justice is gone there's always force. And when force is gone, threre's always mom. Hi mom! (--Laurie Anderson) http://www.blank.org/memory/----------------------------------------------
Comment: I usually refrain from dropping nuclear warheads; when a can Raid will do the trick.
Clarification: Replacing a 1.44MB floppy drive with a 650MB cdrom seems excessive, when all were really looking for is a 3MB floppy.
-- Matthew Lee Stier * Fujitsu Network Communications Unix Systems Administrator | Two Blue Hill Plaza Ph: 914-731-2097 Fx: 914-731-2011 | Sixth Floor Matthew.Stier@fnc.fujitsu.com * Pearl River, NY 10965
In the immortal words of Matthew Stier (Matthew.Stier@tddny.fujitsu.com):
Fujitsu makes Tamagotchi's, however I wouldn't recommend that Network Appliance incorporate them into the their filers.
i don't know, another LCD panel, some buttons, maybe make it a Pokemon character, you might be on to something ;)
NetApp use 1.44MB floppies because they are an industry standard. The LS120 is the best floppy replacement for the filer, because it supports the 1.44MB floppy format natively.
I'd still like to see NetApp add flash memory to store the boot images.
I guess my feeling is that the only thing as (or more) ubiquitous (and cheap) as the 1.4M floppy is the CD-ROM drive, and the burners at this point are a petty-cash requisition for most outfits. All Netapp would need to do would be to either offer complete cd images for download or (better yet for space/speed reasons) define a standard directory structure that you could put the files in for an iso9660 cd...
Your right on both counts. The 1.44MB floppy and the 650MB cdrom are ubiquitous, and cheap, but CD writing is not.
I own CD-R, and I'm aware of the headaches involved in creating CD images. CD-RW are great for personal use, but there are a multitude of CD / CD-RW interaction problems. And it is the "CD-RW" that is the most previlant in the industry; not the CD-R.
please define "industry". the last 6 NetApps I unpacked came with media on what would appear to be CD-R. i know of several single and at least 1 mass CD-R duplicator within my company. based on personal experience, CD-R would seem to be more prevalent in the commercial sector. and at ~1$ per disc the price is definately right. simple
Clarification: Replacing a 1.44MB floppy drive with a 650MB cdrom seems excessive, when all were really looking for is a 3MB floppy.
not really, it's cheap media. virtually any place large enough to have a NetApp is going to have a CD duplicator or CD-R kicking around.
and who knows, with the next generation of filers, and upgrades to the OS, maybe it'll take 3 floppies. it'd also be nice to try out a new OS on a toasters without necessarily having to upgrade. boot off cd, if it doesn't work out, simply reboot...
-s
/* Matthew Stier [Matthew.Stier@tddny.fujitsu.com] writes: */
I'd still like to see NetApp add flash memory to store the boot images.
Agreed 110%. Some of us have filers at co-location facilities, so access to them is not so convenient. While popping a floppy into the drive for some of you may be simply a stroll down the hall or across campus, for me it is a 40 minute drive.
I have to upgrade the firmware of my F740 tonight so I can go to 5.2.3 from 5.2.2. Upgrading the OS can be done remotely since I have console access, but to do this firmware upgrade I have to be there to put in a stinkin' floppy. :-)
On Tue, 7 Sep 1999 armijo@cs.unm.edu wrote:
Is there any way to do a maintenance style boot without actually using boot floppies? Maybe by copying the contents of the boot floppies onto a spare disk? The boot command appears to take an argument but I haven't figured out what it is.
this would be very cool, or better yet: 'boot cdrom', which i have heard rumored several times , anyone at NetApp want to confirm/deny this may actually happen?
Yes, please! Given that I just went through an (aborted) upgrade from 5.2.1P2 to 5.3.2 and had to boot the filer a good 10+ times from two floppies in order to get the volume back online, I'm all for this suggestion. That would have saved a good hour of my and the tech support person's time.
And, given that NetApp distributes a CD of the OS with new filers, and one could burn one's own from a downloaded image, with cheap hardware thesedays and prevalent media, that seems a logical choice.
The CD-ROM doesn't even have to be standard equipment, to keep the entry price point low. A ~$100 option for those that want it would be a cheap time-saver.
Until next time...
Todd The Mathworks, Inc. 508-647-7000 x7792 3 Apple Hill Drive, Natick, MA 01760-2098 508-647-7001 FAX tmerrill@mathworks.com http://www.mathworks.com ---
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armijo＠cs.unm.edu -
Dave Atkin -
Matthew Stier -
Mitch Wright -
Nathan J. Mehl -
Todd C. Merrill