Masters Update

Just a quick update on how things are going! (Sorry it’s been a while!)

So, in my virtual network which I posted about before, we have our ACR which is the gateway to our network, under this we have multiple routers and under those there are multiple machines. After much fussing with Squid Caching Proxy Server and LightSquid (displays Squid logs nicely, served off Apache) and FreeRADIUS authentication and DaloRADIUS to manage it. These are all running rather nicely but have been put aside for the moment (as our first deployment will not be needing Squid as we have an already well maintained cache here at Rhodes).

Our first deployment of the project will be to the SCW network, the Settler City Wireless project here at Rhodes, which is fully functioning test network. As the connections are wireless, and therefore rather susceptible to eavesdropping, we’ve set up PPPoE tunnels to secure and encrypt the wireless data.

Ok, so we’ve mimicked what is currently in service in the SCW, now to extend it to be easily managed and also monitor traffic for more information on how things are working. We’re going to be using FreeRADIUS combined with DaloRADIUS for managing user accounts (and going to be looking into the Billing and Accouting sections of DaloRADIUS). Cacti has been installed but it needs to be configured for the specific data we require and then graph it. Also we must get ahold of the Alvarion MIBS so the WiMAX devices can be monitored too.

Also, I want to look into using VMware Studio (released this month) which “provides convenient management features such as a web-based console with quick-start templates to streamline the authoring process of virtual appliances, and a command-line interface to enable the automation of management tasks and empower VMware Studio 1.0 to act as an extension of appliance vendors’ existing build and source control systems.”

More to come…

10th June 2008

Happy Birthday Dad! :)

Last Week:
Additions to project proposal.
SATNAC Work-In-Progress paper completed and submitted.
Research website up and running (this.blog)
[COE--Zenoss email notification set up and the spam fest has commenced]

To Do:
Finalise project proposal for full hand in on Friday. Get changes and finish by Monday.
ISSA Poster.
Daily progress reports to supervisors.

Future:
Get up and running implementation of project by latest end of September 2008 (from now this provides +-90days of development). Deploy to SCW network for data collection.