Welcome on the new Galaxy Server✨

Hey folks,

I want to inform you that I moved my services from my old server aka. World Server🌐 to my new server aka. Galaxy Server✨.

Hardware Changes

The reason for the moving was, that the hardware specs of my old server hadn’t been sufficient enough:

  • Intel Core i7-2600
  • HDD2x HDD SATA 3,0 TB (RAID I)
  • RAM2x RAM 8192 MB DDR3

The RAM leaded to an issue with Memory intensive applications like Discourse and Gitlab, which I recently installed. Also the HDD’s had been pretty slow and to small for storing all of my cloud data ~ 1TB and a daily backup history on the long run.

So I decided around Christmas that I want to move my server to get a server with the following specs:

  • Intel Core i7-7700
  • HDD2x HDD SATA 4,0 TB Enterprise (RAID I)
  • HDD2x SSD SATA 480 GB Datacenter (RAID I)
  • RAM4x RAM 16384 MB DDR4
  • PLUSNIC 1 Gbit – Intel I219-LM

I set up the server with encrypted an encrypted ArchLinux. Therefore I used this recipe .

Software Changes

Besides this I also improved the performance of the CyMaIS software, which I use to set up and manage my servers, to take the full advantage of the new hardware.

Next to the usual restructuring and refactoring work, I implemented new roles which raise the performance:

  • Central MariaDB instead of one Database per application with the role docker-mariadb
  • Central PostgreSQL instead of one Database per application with the role docker-postgres
  • Store database volumes on SSD and file volumes on HDD with the role system-storage-optimizer

Now the user can decide it they want to have one database for all applications, or one database for each application. The system storage optimizer should significantly raise the speed of server applications.

I also implemented other performance tweaks. E.g. I optimized the backup-docker-to-local script to reduce the down time during backups and also excluded the backup of not necessary data like redis or memcached.

Moving Process

The moving process started on 2024-01-11. I decided for a radical step and move all domains at once instead of moving the applications one by one to the new Galaxy Server. This was a gamble, because it goes against an iterative approach.

I trusted my software modifications enough, to take this risk.

At the evening of 2024-01-11 I finally shutted the applications on the old World Server down. And pulled the backups of the applications to the Galaxy Server.

The biggest challenge was to change the databases from one database per application, to two central databases; One for MariaDB and one for PostgreSQL. This involved much manual work. Also I needed to change the names of some volumes.

Besides this the changing of the mail server application to the new Galaxy Server leaded to the expected headache.

It could be that some emails which had been sent between 2024-01-11 and 2024-01-12 didn’t reach me.

I decided to keep one separated database for the Mailu mail server application, because it wasn’t obvious for me why the application didn’t run with the central database activated.

The performance should also not be to much affected by this missing migration.

I’m also still in the process of migrating Discourse and Big Blue Button to the new installation.

I want to say sorry for all inconveniences which appeared for the end users during the migration process.

Outlook

I’m glad that my new server is now up and running. The next things on my CyMaIS bucket list are the following:

  1. Full implementation of Matrix as Single Point of Truth to replace all other messenger applications
  2. Implementation of LDAP and Single Sign-On to have one Single Point of Truth for the User Management over all server applications
  3. Implementation self programmed User Management Application for CyMaIS, to provide CyMaIS as SaaS
  4. Setting up first commercial CyMaIS SaaS application for B2C
  5. Providing CyMaIS Infrastructure Setup for SMB’s as B2B services

I hope this insight was interesting. I’m looking forward to continue my IT journey with you!

PHP and Symfony Solutions

Kevin Veen-Birkenachs Computer Science Library 2021-01-28

I offer the development of applications with a technology stack based on PHP. Since 2011 I use this language and it’s my programming mother thong. With PHP I programmed insurance calculators for Dionera, human resource platforms for Neue Werte and Facebook applications for Rootcoonect.

As back-end framework I use Symfony. It’s based on the Model-View-Controller concept and allows to setup REST applications with CRUD functionality in a short amount of time.

As database I use MariaDB which roots in MySQL.

Concerning quality assurance I use the PHPUnit-Framework. With the help of this Framework I can write Unit-, Integration-, Function- and Scenario-Tests, to guaranty that the software works as defined, expected and required.

I prefer to use a clean slate approach because this allows me to develop applications with a high velocity and quality. I also offer refactoring services to clean up an existing code base to reduce technical debt. I follow SOLID principles. For me Clean code is not just a phrase, but a mindset.

I prefer to have regular meetings with my customers to get feedback. This allows me to adapt the software fast to the requirements of the client and the market. I like to work in teams with an agile mindset. This could mean to work with Scrum and Kanban, or another agile approaches.

Off course I also know how to work with Front-End technologies like Javascript, JQuery, HTML and CSS, but my specialization is back-end programing and DevOps.

The following two repositories give some code examples how I develop software solution with PHP:

Feel free to contact me for further information.

Business Client Software Solutions

Free use from https://unsplash.com/photos/WiONHd_zYI4

I offer Business Computer Client Software Solutions for organizations like companies, NGO‘s and clubs. This means that I setup and maintain the software like applications and operating systems and take care on the security and maintenance.

In the following a Business Computer Client is to be meant as a computing device which an employee uses to work for an organizations. This includes desktop computers, laptops, tablets and mobile phones.

The Business Computer Clients Software Solutions which I offer are a good supplement to my Business Server Software Solutions. Together they are the perfect composition for organizations which need safe, secure and autonomous data management solutions.

Continue reading “Business Client Software Solutions”

Business Server Software Solutions

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/M5tzZtFCOfs

My Open Source tool Server Manager which is based on Ansible allows me to setup and maintain business servers on a short amount of time.

In the following service description business server is to be meant as a server which provides all of the services which an organization needs. This includes businesses, non-governmental organizations, political organizations, clubs, educational facilities, etc.

Continue reading “Business Server Software Solutions”

Escribir en Español con un ordenador Alemán y Linux

Mi lengua materna es Alemán y este es el razón porque yo uso la configuración de ordenador alemán. Sí un alemán quiere escribir en Español yo recomiendo de cambiar el diseño del teclado a temporalmente y la lenguaje del sistema a Español. Eso es muy fácil con Linux.

diseño del teclado Español
diseño del teclado Español de Laogeodritt \ Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported

Cambiar el diseño de teclado

Mande los siguientes comandos en el terminal para recargar la configuración del diseño del teclado:

# cargar el diseño del teclado Español
loadkeys es

Cambiar el idioma de ordenador

Mande los siguientes comandos en el terminal para configurar la Locale:

# instalar la lengua Español
"es_ES.UTF-8 UTF-8" >> /etc/locale.gen
locale-gen
# activar la lengua Español para la sistema 
localectl set-locale LANG=es_ES.UTF-8

Otras sistemas

Este articulo es escribir para Manjaro Linux que basarse en Arch Linux. Me focaliza en este articulo on el CLI porque la configuración con el GUI depende del etorno de escritorio.

Si necesitas ayuda con tu sistema dame un comentario.

Hybrid Project Management

Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/5fNmWej4tAA

As a part of my GPM IPMA Level D certification I had to write a project report according to the requirements of IPMA. IPMA requires to use the classical project management tools to manage the project for the IPMA Level D report. Because of my practical experience with the negative aspects of classical project management methods I decided to use Scrum as an agile framework inside of the classical project management frame. This merges the best of both worlds: The theoretical predictability of the classical project management with the agility of Scrum. Hybrid project management can be a good solution for every company which stucks for external reasons in the classical project management frame, but wants to use a more agile project management framework. In my opinion specially projects in the public sector can be improved by using this tool set.

My IPMA Level D project management report can be found here:
https://github.com/kevinveenbirkenbach/infinito/blob/master/management/project_report_DE.pdf