"Will Linux Work?" Contest Winner Report

MicroServer on the High Seas

GPS Monitoring System

Steve Castellotti

The Task: OpenMicroServer aboard a trimaran

For the past two years I have been living aboard a trimaran in New Zealand. Like many computer professionals always working with bits and bytes can make technical accomplishments feel diminished because they are so intangible. This experience has helped provide a direct and physical hobby to enjoy and explore, working not only with one's hands but producing something that can be seen, touched, and shared. However, along with that environment comes special challenges, needs, and considerations for technology which include power consumption, physical space, reliability, and flexibility. Enter the OpenMicroServer.

My project will focus on integrating the OpenMicroServer into the existing hardware on board, and leverage the facilities of the Linux operating system to replace as many of those larger systems as possible. To begin, when at port I need a single, centralized server on the network to connect online via mobile data and act as a gateway to the internet. I also require a single repository for all of my data for work, as well as backup for my day-to-day laptop. The OpenMicroServer with a mobile connection and external hard drive attached to its USB ports will eliminate an oversized, overpowered machine that takes up far more valuable space immediately.

Next, while underway I need to be able to monitor the GPS positioning, performance data from the engine, and most importantly battery charge and discharge states from the bank. Considering the OpenMicroServer is already wired for 12 volt input and uses a maximum 3 amps of power, those savings are a huge benefit over a generic computer or even most laptops.

Finally, I am looking forward to simply experimenting with the device and coming up with new ideas as its capabilities unfold.

The Implementation

Feedback from Steve Castellotti of El Cerrito, CA:

I received my OpenMicroServer a short time ago but have already began making progress on my project.

Connecting to the Web Settings Tool proved no problem and I was soon up and running on my home network.

The first step I took was to install a 4 GB Compact Flash Microdrive, in order to act as a local storage extension to the built in Flash ROM.

The next step was to connect to Plat'Home's software package repository and begin downloading a few essential components, including OpenVPN to connect to my private network, Apache for serving up custom software and content on my LAN, PostgreSQL for storing the data I would soon be collecting via RS232 from my Trimaran's engine and solar panel arrange, and Icecast for streaming mp3 via HTTP.

I had no problem connecting both my 1 TB external hard drive and iPod as additional USB Storage devices.

Most of my existing software is written in Python, so I am now in the process of stepping through cross-compilation for the 400 Mhz MIPS-based AMD Alchemy CPU. This will allow all of my data collection and storage to run unmodified on this system. I am also working on cross-compiling Samba for network file sharing and libgpod to access the mp3 music files stored on the iPod for direct streaming via Icecast.

Finally I am strongly considering shifting to a Debian based installation (running off the Compact Flash drive) in order to access an even wider community and variety of pre-packaged software. A nice feature is that I can switch between my existing operating and trying a completely new software distribution simply by swapping out Compact Flash cards.

One of the benefits I've already seen with regards the OpenMicroServer compared to similar embedded devices is the level of processing power and onboard 128 MB of RAM memory. With some systems offering as little as 8 MB of memory it is nearly impossible to compile additional software packages, let alone run them with any reasonable expectation of performance.

OpenMicroServer has not let me down.