Load average of 400???
You could install systat (or similar) and use output from sar to watch for thresholds and reboot if exceeded.
The upside of doing this is you may also be able to narrow down what is going on, exactly, when this happens, since sar records stats for CPU, memory, disk etc. So you can go back after the fact and you might be able to see if it is just a CPU thing or more than that. (Unless the problem happens instantly rather than gradually increasing).
PS: rather than using cron, you could run a script as a daemon that runs sar at 1 sec intervals.
Another thought is some kind of external watchdog. Curl webpage on server, if delay too long power cycle with smart home outlet? Idk. Just throwing crazy ideas out there.
Maybe in my old age, I have mellowed out and realized, like everyone else, I can be a dummy at times. And so I am a hell of a lot more patient with users who don’t know everything (or much of anything). I also have become more interested in human factors (mostly as a spectator…or victim).
Looking at this I am actually kind of curious what their specific workflows are. While “cut” might do the trick if I had to cut and paste files to a bunch of different directories I would want to bash my head in. (Of course I would be using Linux, btw, and would do it at the shell prompt lol) But seriously, there is a better way to reorganize many files to many directories in a UI than cut/paste.
When I was 25, and an insufferably arrogant IT nerd, I would’ve downvoted you and mocked this hapless individual; I hang my head in shame thinking about who I used to be. :( I’ve come a long way. I’m not as arrogant… I’m just insufferable! \o/
I have a couple Lenovo tiny form factors: an M700 8GB w/ J3710 running Pihole on Ubuntu server—which is total overkill in both CPU and mem; and an M73, 4GB w/4th gen i3 running jellyfin server on Mint 21.3. Certain kinds of transcoding brings it to its knees but for most 1080p streaming it’s fine. Memory is a bit tight; 8G would be better. It has a usb3 2T drive for video files that runs more than quick enough. Serial adapters are available if you want to use the console.
The latter has been running for I think a couple years. The former I just set up.
But I’ve been shopping for newer gear for the Jellyfin server. I think you could get a Dell, HP, or Lenovo 6th gen TFF with 8G and 256-512G internal SSD within your price range.
I see some EliteDesk G800 G3 (6th gen Intel) tinys with no disk for $50-70 shipped on eBay in the US. I think those look the coolest by far :)
You could find one with no disk, no ram and config as you please and probably still come in under budget.
E-
My eventual plan for the Jellyfin server is a SFF, probably an HP with enough space to fit a couple of big HDDs, plus 16G ram and a newer CPU that can transcode on the fly without lag.
That’s kickass, way to go! Online learning is the way to go. I have a hard time learning stuff directly from a book (ADHD may be why idk). Something about the structure and pace and external motivation of a course does the trick for me. That’s how I learned AngularJS, anyway. All kinds of stuff you can do with Java: Desktop apps, web apps, etc etc.
It does look interesting—because it is boring—as one of the blog entries talks about. :)
The goal seems to be stability and simplicity. A language with few features that remains mostly unchanged for the long term, to write simpler programs that can be counted on to do what they’re supposed to for the long term.
I like it. I will have to give this a whirl.
I am clearly not paranoid enough. For a while I was running an open source router inline between the network AP and the fiber to Ethernet box and running nids but the goddamn thing kept crapping out every few days so i took it back out until I can find a more stable solution.
I have plans if I can ever get around to it. I want the smart TV, printer and other shitty things on a separate network from the more trusted devices. I don’t know how yet but I would like to set up 802.1X for the trusted stuff.
Cybersec is so insanely broad you could do a different job every five years for the rest of your career. Or one job for 20 years like me, despite being easily bored, because every new project is different and there’s always new technologies to learn. And you probably have job security for a while yet especially if you are good. For most roles, I doubt AI will replace a decent cybersec person for several years, though it may be a force multiplier.
I haven’t done sysadmin in a long time and the field has had more than a few major paradigm shifts: from bare metal to virtual, virtual to container, devops, software defined everything and host as cattle not pets.
Back in the day it was a mix of projects and schedules and emergencies. In other words every day was different and a bit unpredictable. It may be more boring with modern approaches and technologies to significantly improve uptime.
Nobody is both that bored and that motivated. Unless paid.