Proof Positive

Just to prove that my life is not all glitz and glamour, I’m writing from Maintex where I am waiting for some files to download so that I can do some more coding on their new website. Basically the setup is this:

  1. They have an okay server from Compaq that is not top of the line but not too bad.
  2. Said server reaches constant loads over 3 when fun stuff like inventory programs are running. For you non-UNIX geeks, that means that basically the processor is totally maxed out and the computer has the equivelant of 3 processors worth of instructions backed up that it would like to be running. Now this is not terrible for short periods, but prolonged 3s are no good.
  3. All Maintex stuff is running on one server, so the whole company is basically running with a single point of failure. They really don’t need incredible redundant servers and the like yet, but it would be nice to have the web and e-mail stuff seperated from the legacy system.
  4. We’re getting a new server, some no-name job with redundant power supplies and RAID 5 on Ultra3 SCSI and the like. Yeah, big words, basically means kick ass server. Now we could have gotten a nice server at a similar price from Dell, but our outsourced tech guru recommended this and hey, he deserves to make money once in a while!
  5. Once said new server arrives (and I’m trying to think of a good nickname for it as I sit here…) we’ll switch it over to the production environment and move the other server over to me. Then I get to figure out how to install Linux on it (woohoo, my first Linux install!) and get PHP, MySQL, and Apache running, along with Sendmail and whatever else we may need. If I can’t figure this one out I’ll have to get someone to help me.
  6. Server 2 becomes the web server, MSDS and image host, e-mail, and all that fun stuff. Server 1 stays supreme keeping up the legacy stuff as Maintex expands.

So right now I’m figuring out how to code this parsing and display stuff in PHP. That warrants another entry later, but for the time being suffice to say its not difficult, but it requires some foresight and planning, so that’s what I’m doing now.


In closing, I hope I have proven (proved? Apparently both work. No bother.) that my life in glitzy Hollywood…err…Orange County does have some normal parts. Yes, I am one of you! I am just like you poor workers! Isn’t that quaint! Okay, enough. No, really Danny, stop. EOF