Running VMware Player virtual machine from the terminal
Recently I was setting up a Ubuntu server in VMware Player for testing purposes. As I was setting it up, I started to wonder if it would be possible to start the Virtual Machine from the terminal. This way I would be able to start it over SSH if I wasn't in my office. After some quick looking I found a quick and easy way to accomplish this with Xfvb.
Install Xfvb
Continue reading →Using Trickle to Control Bandwidth Use in Any Program
There are a number of reasons why you would want to control how much bandwidth any given program is able to use. This can be done in a couple different ways, including options right with in the software, or through a software or hardware firewall. A great little program for managing bandwidth use is Trickle. Trickle runs completely in userspace, which means we don't need to mess with a firewall, or even need root access.
If you're on Ubuntu/Debian you should be able to install Trickle using
Continue reading →Simplifying Managing Your SSH Connections by Using an SSH Config File
I've been using Linux as my primary operating system for over five years, and spent a good deal of time with it before that time. It's only been within the last year or so that I've really begun to explore and enjoy working from the Linux/Unix command line. It's greatly simplified my work flow when it comes to many tasks, and it seems I spend the majority of my time either in a command line or web browser now a days. Now that nearly 100% of the time when I'm working on a remote system, whether it is a server, Linux/Unix PC, or networking equipment, I'm usually connecting with SSH.
SSH is an incredibly powerful tool that can be used for everything from remote terminal access, to running entire graphical programs over a network. For me though remembering and having to type in all the IP Addresses, DNS Names, usernames and port numbers for all the SSH connections I use daily can be a real pain. That's why setting up your own SSH config file can save huge amounts of time and effort in your day-to-day work.
Continue reading →Fix VIM in Ubuntu
An issue that I've noticed over the last couple releases of Ubuntu is that the "tiny" version of VIM is installed by default. This for me has always been a big issue, as a number of the controls in the regular VIM don't work in the "tiny" version. Luckily for us though, this is a very easy and quick fix. Just install the vim-gtk package using apt-get.
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Running RSYNC on a non-standard port
When it comes to using and managing Linux/Unix based systems RSYNC has consistently proven itself a lifesaver for me. It is by far the easiest, safest, and most reliable way to copy, sync, and backup files. I've even started using it on Windows machines with Cygwin when I need a good way to transfer large amounts of data between drives. Now when using RSYNC to backup computers across networks I often come across situations where SSH is running on a non-standard port, something other than Port 22, and I need to figure out a way to let RSYNC know what port to run on.
Now when you're just logging in with SSH it is as easy as using:
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