When to use KB or kbit in traffic reports?

Most of the time we find ourselves confusing the two units; KB or kbit ! Here is to clear the confusion:

kbit (kilo-bits) is best used to represent throughput/bandwidth/speed of a network interface hence the unit kbit/s

for example, you can use kbit/s when reporting bandwidth or throughput

whereas KB (kilo-bytes) is best used to represent the total traffic that has passed through a network interface in a given period of time. KB is also used to represent storage capacity in computer memories.

you can use KB to report Total Traffic downloaded or uploaded through an interface

Backup and Restore Unix-Linux Based Systems

Tools to consider:

1. Mondo Rescue

Embedded Systems Programming – The Scratch Pad

You might also want to checkout this:

• Raspberry Pi; Single board computer developed by Raspberry Pi Foundation. http://www.raspberrypi.org/
• Arduino; A single board micro-controller.

How to break/abort the "traceroute" of "ping" command on CISCO?

By default, CISCO's router or switch will try and traceroute up to 30 hops before exiting the "traceroute" command or will send 5 ping packets before exiting the "ping" command. many time you find yourself in a situation where you want to abort the command, may be because you typed the wrong address or when the "traceroute" can't even resolve the gateway.

Try one of these escape sequences to abort.

Abort CISCO's traceroute or ping

1. ctrl + 6

2. ctrl + alt + 6

3. ctrl + shift + 6

Quickly Solve and Graph mathematical equations online

Here is an online tool i use when i want to quickly solve, graph and analyse mathematical equations.
Click here to access the tool and have fun :-)

More info ........

Extreme Switches - Cheat Sheet

//Saving the configuration to a TFTP Server//
# upload configuration <ip-of-tftp-server> <file_name>
# upload configuration 10.151.65.108 my_config_backup

//Adding snmp community//
# configure snmp add community readonly public

//create a vlan, give it a tag, add a port, assign it an ip address//
#create vlan vlan_name
#configure vlan vlan_name tag 8
#configure vlan vlan_name ipaddress 10.151.17.1 255.255.255.224
#configure vlan vlan_name add port 20 tagged

//deleting an ip address from a vlan//
# unconfigure vlan vlan_name ipaddress

//adding a static route//
#configure iproute add 10.151.65.0 255.255.255.0 172.17.17.33

//enable ipforwarding in a vlan//
# enable ipforwarding vlan vlan_name

//adding a default route, gateway = 172.17.17.33//
# configure iproute add default 172.17.17.33

//Setting the time//
#configure time 10 17 2013 08 10 00
#configure timezone name EAT  180 noautodst

//NTP Configuration//
#show sntp-client
#enable sntp-client
#configure sntp-client primary 192.9.200.71 vr VR-Default
#configure sntp-client secondary 10.170.12.67 vr VR-Default
#configure sntp-client update-interval 3600

//Basic Show Commands//
#show switch

Am trying to build a free IP network monitoring tools using open source software

A while ago, i was tasked to develop an IP network monitoring tool for our section and today i set out to look for an appropriate solution on the internet. we already have CACTI configured to monitor our network, so my task is to look for an alternative tool that can work as a standby monitor when CACTI is off. This article is like my scratch pad in this quest.

Useful Links

1. Nice reviews on all the available open source utilities
2. Nagios + NConf

Setting Up the Server

VMware-workstation 7.1.3
Ubuntu 12.04 desktop

Server behind a proxy, add the proxy configuration in the system wide profile.

Edit these files:

gedit /etc/environment

or

gedit /etc/profile
export http_proxy=http://username:password@proxyhost:port/ 
export ftp_proxy=http://username:password@proxyhost:port/
Then test the connection:
sudo apt-get update

Best Web and Mobile Payment Gateway in Africa

PesaPal is by far the most convenient and flexible means of monetizing your web based products and services and allow your clients to pay using mobile money.
Mobile money is the fastest growing money transfer method in Africa and it has been extended to also making payments for goods and services. If you are looking for a way of integrating a mobile money payment gateway in your website, then checkout Pesapal's merchant account and am sure you won't be disappointed.

Build Your Own Firewall or Router From Scratch

All you need is a standard x86 hardware system with multiple network cards and you will be able to build a powerful firewall or router from scratch.

Useful Links:
1. http://www.vyatta.org/

more info .............

SMS Coin - An alternative way of monetizing your website

I have been running a free classified's website in Uganda (Tag Sale Uganda) for over two years and recently i was looking for a way of monetizing the service. It's almost impossible to monetize such as service in a country like Uganda. Am talking about payment solutions that are easy to integrate and will be generally acceptable by your clients. I know about mobile money payment platforms but i didn't want to go in that directions because of the bureaucracies involved and also because the mobile money API is not readily available for third party integration (if it is, you have to hustle and wait in the Que)! So is there any other simple and quick way to monetize such a small online service in a country like Uganda where PAYPAL and the likes is a "no go" zone? (Yes, get it from me, PayPal is not an option here, unless your target market is the "few elite"!).
Today am happy to have landed on "SMS Coin", surely the person who developed such a solution must have been thinking about me :-), A perfect solution to monetize online content and websites in countries where the biggest population is still ignorant about internet based payments.

Monetize your online service with SMS Coin

 I will without hesitation proceed to integrate this seemingly nice alternative payment gateway and will be back to tell you about the fruits, if i reap any :-).
If you were looking for a similar solution, have fun.

Develop and Deploy USSD based solutions for GSM in one day

I remember the hustle i went through when i attempted to develop a USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) based solution for GSM. Am from Uganda and we have 5 telecom operators (MTN, UTL, Warid, Airtel (formerly Zain) and Orange, and may be another one will join before i even finish writing this small sticky note!). So i went to one operator to discuss the requirements and procedures i have to go through before i can successfully deliver my first solution, they handed me a list of all the bureaucracies and i was even too lazy to read the list. then you have to do the same for 4 more operators. this was simply defeating and my dream of launching my first USSD application almost flew out the window until i landed on these Guys "Global USSD".

Global USSD - A platform for easy service development and a go-between point for MNOs and service providers

Ideally, these guys solve all the bureaucracies and you have nothing to blame apart from your creativity. They created a universal platform for all USSD developers to quickly develop and deploy their applications without going through the pain of paperwork (sign here, sign there!).
And oh yes, you can actually deploy a USSD solution in one day, how cool is that?
 This sticky note was to tell you that something like this is possible, will be back with a more technical post once am done launching my first USSD application.

You might also be interested in:

1. Mobicents' Open Source USSD gateway
2. Vumi - Conversation Engine; delivery of SMS, start menu and chat messages.
3. Eyeline.Mobi  

Have fun :-)

Prepare a bootable USB flash disk - Sticky Note

When i want to create a bootable Live USB drive for Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux distributions without burning a CD, i use UNetbootin.
Download UNetbootin here.

create a bootable usb for linux distributions

 Another handy tool in my tool box :-)

Split a large file into smaller files - sticky note

When i want to split a large file into smaller files which i can easily upload to my cloud storage or send by email, i use "HJ-Split".
Then i use the same software to recombine the files back into the original file.

Split a large file and recombine it later

A very handy tool :-)
Click here for the download link and their official website.

And when i want to crack 802.11 WEP and WPA-PSK keys

Yet another sticky note about cracking 802.11 WEP and WPA-PSK keys.
i use "Aircrack-ng".

cracking 802.11 WEP and WPA-PSK keys

 Here is the download link and their official website.
Have fun.

How to by-pass internet download manager?

When you install Internet Download Manager, it takes over all your download jobs by default. But there are cases when you want to override the internet download manager settings and resort to the normal download offered by your browser, especially when you find yourself behind proxies or if your Download Manager expires.

Here is another sticky note from your techie guy on how to by-pass the "Internet Download Manager":

1. Access the website that contains the download link using your browser.
2. Press and hold the "Alt" button on your PC and then click the download link.
3. Your download should start normally in the browser.

Remember: Press and hold "Alt" + Click the download link

Have fun.

Best default disk partitioning for Linux Systems - Small Sticky Note

If you are not familiar with partitioning a hard disk and preparing it for a Linux system installation, here is a starting point or what i would call the best default disk partitioning for people who don't have so much experience with Linux systems. i too, normally forgets the right partitions to use so this serves as a small sticky note to remind me the next time am up to this task.

My Techie Guy Loves Linux

Depending on your disk space (Mine was 80Gb):

/boot     Give the boot partition 1Gb

swap     Give the swap partition 1Gb

/             Give the root partition "the reminder of the hard disk space"

And you are good to go.