First the caveats: I am long time OpenBSD user, but not a developer. The original post was extremely long, and as I wanted to embed my comments next to the original content they belong to, I also snipped some irrelevant sections.
On 11 Apr 2012 at 22:14, Michael Davies wrote: > Hello OpenBSD World!!! > > Long time Linux user who has recently been looking closely at OpenBSD ...[snipped] > without any problems. I used these package options: -x* then -game* I have deployed many servers using the same selection with no ill effect. However, a growing number of ports and packages has various x* dependencies; and as Theo just recently pointed out on this ML, the recommended and the only fully supported system configuration is with everything installed. > (removing these packages from the install - it's a NAS I'm creating > here). I had no problem setting up my static network address etc. etc. I > will install rsync via pkg_add later. > > However, I have been trying to find out how OpenBSD handles ACPI/APM > Power Management and disk hibernation. > > I have read quite a bit: > 1) Michael Lucas' Absolute OpenBSD (2004) Was highly rated at the time, but that was 16 releases ago... > 2) Secure Architectures with OpenBSD (2004) ditto; good for concepts overview, but most implementation details have changed quite radically. > 3) Michael Lucas' Absolute BSD (for FreeBSD) (2002) old and mostly irrelevant -- the OpenBSD kernel is very different from FreeBSD, and much of the stuff that FreeBSD chooses to import is either dated or lacks the necessary kernel support (or both, as for example the PF code). > 4) Calomel - you know the one too bad -- now you have to UNread it; seriously, according to core developers it is ALL wrong. > 5) I've tried to search the archived dialogues on Old Nabble (Difficult) I have observed that when the developers refer to an old posting they use http://marc.info/ almost exclusively. > 6) I've searched Daemon Forums > 7) I've read the FAQ - Always the last place I look ;-) When it comes to OpenBSD, the FAQ should be your first stop, closely followed by the man pages. Official documentation is a source of pride for the project -- documentation errors, even silly little typos, are treated as seriously as any other bug. > > This is what I feel I have learned: > > 1) Advanced Power Management on OpenBSD is handled by apmd. I know that > because enabling it through /etc/rc.conf, rebooting and then issuing zzz > puts the PC to sleep. When I tap a key - it wakes up again (exactly > where I left it). GREAT! > 2) apmd does not automatically hibernate my disk (unless I am missing > something) - but it is possible that there are ports (I've read about these > for FreeBSD) which might handle disk hibernation: spindown and diskidle > 3) I read somewhere that there is a danger in suspending/hibernating the > disk security wise - but haven't found a full explanation (Is RAM dumped > to disk unencrypted, perhaps?). That would explain why a program to > hibernate the disk isn't included in the default install of OpenBSD. > > Unfortunately - searching the OpenBSD mailing lists I have subscribed > too is darn awkward (compared to some other fora - I know some issue > 'tarred' archives that can be imported into an e-mail client - ever > considered it? :-) ). > > SO... I've come to the fount of all knowledge to seek guidance on the > following: > > 1) Beyond apmd, is there a default handler of disk hibernation > install-ed/able via default OpenBSD? > 2) To use apmd, do I need to maintain a swap partition? Indeed, should I > ALWAYS maintain a swap partition on this simple setup (which is running > fine)? I was hoping to get away without one (currently b: is undefined). Are you really hurting for space that much? Unlike linux, OpenBSD will not access the swap unless absolutely necessary. However, once again, having no swap defined is neither standard nor fully supported setup. Moreover, swap partition is where the system dumps core during panic. I found it beneficial to have some swap space defined even when disk capacity is an issue, and nowhere is it written that it needs to be big (not even equal to RAM size). > 3) If spindown or diskidle exist in the packages/ports - would > installing these provide me with a disk hibernation facility for > OpenBSD? > 4) Is there another way to manage the PC('NAS') using OpenBSD > to minimize power while the 'NAS' is available 24/7? apm(8) -C does a pretty good job of dynamically reducing CPU power waste and atactl(8) should help you configure the built-in functions of your hard drive. Keep in mind that full system hibernation (aka suspend to disk) is not compatible with 24/7 availability as you will have to issue an explicit wake-on-lan and wait for it to become available. OTOH, a modern system, especially one based on Atom processor and a laptop SATA drive, does a darn good job of minimizing power waste without completely shutting down. Personally this is how I built my home NAS -- I chose components with modest power requirements and good built-in power management and let it run 24/7. This way I know all the nightly maintenance is always up-to- date, and I can even schedule some downloads and offsite backups for those hours when it does not interfere with my family's Internet usage. > All you savvy peeps who know where I am going on this - what's my best > case scenario? > > An OpenBSD NAS which doesn't hibernate (Thinks... "Where can I get a > 100W PSU?") or can I possibly achieve a NAS that hibernates the drive > and "Wake(s) on LAN"? > > I'd settle for simply hibernating the disk (That's about 22W there - You might want to recheck your facts and figures -- 22W is much too high for a 2.5" SATA drive even peak, and a modern drive like that will dynamically adjust its power draw, more if you turn on the relevant settings with atactl(8). > half the power draw) - but if the full monty is possible - I'll keep on > digging. > > dmesg details follow this EXTREMELY LONG FIRST POST. Thanks for YOUR > patience, y'all ;-) > > Mike > > P.S. Anybody know why there is an RTC BIOS error 80 for the clock > battery (See below)? Brand New board, this one. That error is generated by your hardware. You probably need to go into BIOS setup utility and "Save Settings" which will recalculate the CMOS checksum and should clear the error. > P.P.S. The i386 32-bit version 5.0 works on this MB too - but I haven't > attached the DMESG for that... > > ************************************************************** > OpenBSD 5.0 (GENERIC.MP) #63: Wed Aug 17 10:14:30 MDT 2011 > > dera...@amd64.openbsd.org:/usr/src/sys/arch/amd64/compile/GENERIC.MP > RTC BIOS diagnostic error 80<clock_battery> > real mem = 4275666944 (4077MB) > avail mem = 4147728384 (3955MB) > mainbus0 at root > bios0 at mainbus0: SMBIOS rev. 2.5 @ 0xcee98000 (27 entries) > bios0: vendor Intel Corp. version "MWPNT10N.86A.0083.2011.0524.1600" > date 05/24/2011 > bios0: Intel Corporation D525MW > acpi0 at bios0: rev 2 > acpi0: sleep states S0 S1 S3 S4 S5 ...[snipped] > swap on wd0b dump on wd0b The generic kernel (the only developer supported configuration) expects the 'b' partition to be available as the swap and dump device.
