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BlueQuartz is an open source server administration tool with a graphical user interface through a web browser. BlueQuartz originated from the Cobalt RaQ 550 source code, the BlueQuartz project was set up to port the Cobalt management software to standard computers. The BlueQuartz project is managed by the Japan-based Cobalt Users Group. "The Cobalt Users Group will continue to participate in the deployment of the all of Cobalt-based software including the porting tasks to 550 based BlueQuartz system," wrote Yutaka Yasuda on the site. "The 550 series has been discontinued and no development plan exists for a new product which inherits Cobalt DNA. However, the Cobalt DNA will survive."
History On 23 December 2003, Sun released the RAQ550/Sausalito source code under the BSD license. Cobalt devotees were given a Christmas present by Sun Microsystems that year. The source code for the user interface and back-end custom code for the server appliances. The release means that all the custom user interface and back-end code for the Qube 3 and RaQ 550 server appliances is now available under a BSD-style licence. Also, the custom BIOS for all x86-based RaQ/Qube products -- which, among other things, let an administrator tap in the device's network settings without having to plug in a keyboard and monitor -- have been released under the GNU General Public License. Although Cobalt servers are based on the Linux operating system, which is open source anyway, it is the custom code that gave the servers their appliance-like ease of use. As ISPs and companies hosting Web sites warmed to the Cobalt servers in the late 1990s, Sun Microsystems, whose big, support-heavy servers were losing space to rack-fulls of cheap, almost disposable Cobalt Raqs, bought the company for $2.2bn (£1.2bn) in 2000. The source code for the distinctive Cobalt Qube servers, which found homes in many small businesses as easy-to-set-up Web and email servers, was released in July 2003 and is also maintained under the BlueQuartz moniker. The Cobalt Users Group is an active community demonstrating the passion that Cobalt users harbour for the products. Cobalt-branded merchandise on the group's site ranges from SKYY Vodka to beach sandals, which leave the Cobalt logo imprinted in the sand, and an official user group t-shirt: "It has a big C logo on the back and www.cobaltnet.com URL on the sleeve. And on the front, COBALT USERS GROUP name is. Wow!" Cobalt servers aroused a passion among their users rarely shared by any IT kit produced outside Apple, and inspired a number of imitators. Typically, the servers came pre-configured with the Apache Web server, PHP4 and the MySQL database, as well as DNS and email software. In 1999, a group of Cobalt employees set up the PkgMaster.com to host extra applications, such as WebMail, that had been "packaged" in a way that let Cobalt users install them from their appliance with a few clicks of a mouse.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlueQuartz
Enter BlueQuartz - NuOnce Networks http://www.newonce.net
The NuOnce Networks Installer takes two great technologies, CentOS & BlueQuartz, and combines them into 1 really awesome platform. Using this software, you can easily turn most ordinary PCs into a full Web, FTP, E-Mail, DNS & MySQL Server! BlueQuartz provides you an easy to use Web GUI that takes the hassles out of administrating a complex system! Best of all, it runs on top of a modern Enterprise Class Linux Distro, CentOS. With regular updates, and best of breed support, you know you are in great hands!
Over view
Requirements
- Pentium II or better
- AMD K7 or better
- 256mb RAM
- 30 gig hard drive
- 1 port 10/100 ethernet
Optional - CD-ROM
- Available Serial Port
- 2nd ethernet port
- Hardware RAID Controller
How do I install your CD? **WARNING ** This will format your hard drive. Do not install on a hard drive you do not want to loose. Below it mentions "Watch as everything gets installed". Granted, it isn't written out in so many words, you will loose the contents on your hard drive.
-- Updated 05/15/07 8:41pm EST Advanced Mode Installer There is a new option with the BlueQuartz Installer, called "Advanced Mode". This will allow you to change your hard drive partitions prior to installation. It is very imporant that you read this doc BEFORE you continue. Failure to do so will result in FAILURE. The "default" layout | 6.0G | 683M | / | | 99M | 13M | /boot | | 100G | 97M | /home | | 1.0G | 34M | /tmp | | 4.0G | 73M | /var | You need, at bare minimum, 3 partions. / -- 10 Gigs
/tmp -- 1 Gig
/home -- XX Gigs (rest of space) The / (root) partition will contain: "/usr", "/var". The "/usr" directory contains all binaries used on your server The "/var" directory contains logs, mail, etc. Failure to setup the above 3 partitions will result in errors during installation and will probably have additional errors later during operation of your server
Hard Drive Install Options - IDE - Single hard drive install
- IDE - Dual hard drive install.
This will combine both drives together using LVM - IDE - RAID Mirror
- SATA/SCSI - Single hard drive install
- SATA/SCSI - Dual hard drive install.
This will combine both drives together using LVM - SATA/SCSI - RAID Mirror
- You can install all options via Serial Install. Special option just for Serial Install
When setting up your server, the recommend setup is like so;
IDE Setup Primary / Master - Hard Drive
Primary / Slave - CDROM (optional, only needed for install!!)
Seconday / Master - Hard Drive (optional)
** Having 2 CDROMS can cause undesirable results! Only use 1! - Start by downloading the ISO from my site, or one of the available mirrors
- Using some CD writing application, burn the ISO Image to your CD
- Insert CD into CDROM
- Select which option you wish to use
- Watch as everything gets installed.
- At the end, you will be prompted to remove the CD and reboot. Do so.
- Your Server should reboot, and go through a normal boot up process.
- You will be presented with a quick setup wizard. Answer the 4 questions asked.
- Watch additional .PKGs be installed
- You will see a print out giving even more directions. Go into the GUI to set your hostname and password.
- Start moving your users & sites over!
Source: http://www.nuonce.net/bq-cd.php
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BlueQuartz 
