plan9 network

ACL plan 9 network

Cpu/auth server

The cpu/auth server is a left over frontend from a linux cluster we were salvaging, it's hardware config is: 

	Compaq SP700 workstation
	2 550Mhz PentiumIII Xeon cpus
	2 Gbytes of RAM
	Matrox Millennium II PCI graphics card
	Integrated Intel i82557 10/100 ethernet
	Integrated Dual Symbios sd53c875 SCSI controllers
	9Gb root disk

There appear to be some problems w/ this version of the Symbios SCSI controller under plan9, when you first logon, the first command you type hangs for a bit with the error: 

	sd53c8xx: bios scntl3(00) stest(00)
We are currently investigating this.

See our cpu server setup page for details on how we configured the cpu server.

Fileserver

Our initial plans called for using another leftover Compaq SP 700 as the file server machine. However because of problems with the SCSI controller, (and strange behavior of the floppy) under plan9, we ended up using a different machine: 

        Dell 610 workstation
        2 500Mhz PentiumIII Xeon cpus
        1 Gbyte of RAM
	Matrox Millennium II PCI graphics card
        Integrated 3Com 3c905B 10/100 ethernet
        Integrated Dual Adaptec SCSI controllers(disabled)
        9Gb SCSI disk on id=0 
        18Gb SCSI disk on id=1
        36Gb SCSI disk on id=2

The fileserver machine uses the 18Gb(w1) and 36Gb(w2) drives as a pseudo-worm.

See our fileserver setup page for details on how we configured the fileserver.

Terminals

We have a number of IBM thinkpad laptops that are used as terminals:

1 Thinkpad T21: Jerq

2 Thinkpad 600Es: Monkeyboy and u1

4 Thinkpad 570s: Depraz, Gnot, Tor, and Lyle

2 Thinkpad 560s: u2 and u3

1 Thinkpad 560E: Blit

See our terminal setup page for details on how we configured the terminals.

Powerwall

We have a dozen IBM Thinkpad 760's that are setup as cpu servers in powerwall configuration.

See our powerwall setup page for details.

Machine names

Bela, Vampira, Tor and Lyle are actors from the (in)famous movie Plan 9 from Outer Space. Jerq , Blit, Gnot, and Depraz are named after AT&T terminals or accessories inspired by postings to comp.os.plan9:

>Tom Duff 9fans@cse.psu.edu 
>Fri, 15 Dec 2000 09:03:33 -0800 
> 
> > There is a *lot* of old computer gear I wish 
> > I'd held onto so I could use it now instead of 
> > the cruft that has replaced it. 
>Yes -- I slavaged a half dozen of the hemispherical 
>red Depraz mice used on Jerqs from the trash at 
>Bell Labs.  They're the most pleasant mice ever made, 
>but are obsolete because they were made before the 
>advent of serial mouse interfaces.  A simple PIC 
>project ought to bring them back to life... 

>Sape Mullender 9fans@cse.psu.edu 
>Fri, 15 Dec 2000 12:22:26 -0500 
> 
>We built a USB interface into a dozen or so Depraz mice.  Works like a charm. 
>Must say, though, that the buttons are a lot stiffer than I remembered them. 
> 
>         Sape

as well as the "history" by Tony Hanson:

Actually, in the beginning was the Jerq, and the Jerq was white with a green face, and Locanthi and Pike looked upon the Jerq and said the Jerq was good. But lo, upon the horizon loomed a mighty management-type person (known now only by the initials VP) who said, the mighty Jerq must stay alone, and could not go forth into the world. So Locanthi and Pike put the Jerq to sleep, cloned its parts, and the Blit was brought forth unto the world. And the Jerq lived the rest of its days in research, but never strayed from those paths.