[Techtalk] was Linux and intermittent connections (was home internet)

[Andrea Landaker]

> But to pull this back on topic, how do you keep a machine running OK when
> it has an intermittent connection, or is powered off.  They are having
> brownouts in my area this summer and keeping the machines running 7/24 is
> making less sense.  I'm thinking about things like xntp, cron and network
> troubles if nodes are powered off.

Sounds like you need a couple of UPS's - Uninterruptable Power Supplies, if 
you just want machines to be able to keep running during the brownouts.  
Depending on how much wattage you have plugged into it, it can keep running 
for an hour or two.  They can be pricey - between $30 and $100 USD - but 
sometimes you can find them used and they are a lot cheaper.

You could use anacron instead of cron if you want things to run periodically, 
when the machine is on, instead of at a specific time. 
(http://anacron.sourceforge.net/)

I'm not sure why xntp would be a problem -- can't you just setup your 
computers to sync whenever they boot up?

-- 
Andrea Landaker
http://www.icecavern.net/~qirien/

-- 
Andrea Landaker
http://www.icecavern.net/~qirien/