1. sudo install mysql5-server
2. sudo cp /opt/local/var/macports/software/mysql5/5.1.44_0/opt/local/share/mysql5/mysql/my-medium.cnf /opt/local/etc/mysql5/my.cnf
3. sudo -u mysql mysql_install_db5
4. sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.macports.mysql5.plist

A few days past, and one day I notice that launchctl was loading the script, but `nmap localhost` did not show the the process listening on port 3306 as expected. I looked at the log file:

sudo tail -f /opt/local/var/db/mysql5/preston.local.err

..and noticed it was terminating with the following errors:

100331 12:05:30 [ERROR] /opt/local/libexec/mysqld: Can’t find file: ‘./mysql/host.frm’ (errno: 13)

100331 12:05:30 [ERROR] Fatal error: Can’t open and lock privilege tables: Can’t find file: ‘./mysql/host.frm’ (errno: 13)

100331 12:05:30 [ERROR] /opt/local/libexec/mysqld: Can’t find file: ‘./mysql/host.frm’ (errno: 13)100331 12:05:30 [ERROR] Fatal error: Can’t open and lock privilege tables: Can’t find file: ‘./mysql/host.frm’ (errno: 13)

After a considerable amount of grief I evertually discovered that the contents of /opt/local/var/db/mysql5/ need to be owned by the appropriate mysql user (in my case “_mysql”), but some files were being owned by the “root” user. After correcting all file ownership and restarting the service…

1. sudo chown -R _mysql /opt/local/var/db/mysql5/
2. sudo launchctl unload -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.macports.mysql5.plist
3. sudo launchctl load -w /Library/LaunchDaemons/org.macports.mysql5.plist

Everything now seems to work fine again. Hope this helps!

LDAP Server is: Not Running

Password Server is: Running

Kerberos is: Not Running

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.openldap.slapd[27382]) Exited with exit code: 1

com.apple.launchd[1] (org.openldap.slapd) Throttling respawn: Will start in 10 seconds

core:openldap admin$ sudo /usr/libexec/slapd -Tt

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

bdb(dc=openrain,dc=com): PANIC: fatal region error detected; run recovery

bdb_db_open: Database cannot be opened, err -30978. Restore from backup!

bdb(dc=openrain,dc=com): DB_ENV->lock_id_free interface requires an environment configured for the locking subsystem

backend_startup_one: bi_db_open failed! (-30978)

slap_startup failed (test would succeed using the -u switch)

core:openldap admin$ sudo db_recover -h /var/db/openldap/openldap-data/

core:openldap admin$ sudo /usr/libexec/slapd -Tt

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

overlay_config(): warning, overlay “dynid” already in list

config file testing succeeded

LDAP Server is: Running

Password Server is: Running

Kerberos is: Running

Fresh from my inbox..

Parallels Server for Mac will be available soon. As a thank you to all participating Parallels Server for Mac Beta users, Parallels is offering an exclusive discount on a single Parallels Server for Mac license. Purchase this new software for only $700* – a 30% savings.

Hmm… well, the product has been working fairly well for us at OpenRain, but I’m not sure $700 per major version is going to be worth it as opposed to buying another cheap Dell machine and running VMWare Server on Linux for free, which we already do in some of our hosted environments. Here’s the kicker in tiny font at the bottom of the email explaining the asterisk after “$700″..

* The limited-time discount offer is limited to a single server from May 30 – June 30, 2008. Annual maintenance is required at the time of purchase, starting at an additional $249.75 per year. For academic pricing and volume licensing, register now or contact Parallels Sales at +1 (425) 282-6400.

So that’s $950 for the first year of our first system alone. Hmmmm… 

We

• Xserve (refurbished discount, direct from Apple): ~$3K
• 3 x 750GB Disks (Newegg): ~$450
• 2 x Apple Drive Module (direct from Apple): ~$380
• 2 x 2GB FB-DIMM RAM (Crucial): ~$300
• Infrastructural sanity: priceless. (…or ~$4.5K after tax and random small stuff)

That’s some serious value considering how much of a PITA setting all this up can be in Linux (or whatever) without vendor support, and far cheaper than paying a Systems Administrator in the long run. The Server Admin and Workgroup Manager tools are pretty freakin’ usable, too, relative to the internal complexity of the system. I’m a happy camper for now… let’s see if it lasts.

Here’s how to score a sweet OpenSolaris-compatible 2TB file server for $1000 (USD). I’m running Solaris Express Developer Edition on it with a ZFS RAIDZ1 file system.

• Motherboard: Asus M2NPV-VM. A great, inexpensive mATX board w/4 SATA ports, 2 IDE, PCI-X, GigE, built-in nVidia graphics w/DVI and VGA outs, FireWire, and tons of USB love. Oh, and the official nVidia driver works like a charm. Sweet! (The only thing that hasn’t run out-of-the-box is the built-in audio controller. Oh well.) $100.
• CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ Dual Core Processor. 2.5GHz, 2x512KB, 1GHz Bus. $130.
• Memory: 4x1GB via OCZ OCZ2G8002GK DDR2-800 PC2-6400 kits. $175 total (after MIR).
• Drives: 4x500GB Western Digital Caviar SE 16 WD5000AAKS 7200RPM 16MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s for the ZFS data volume. $450. (Old, small, slow and cheap PATA disks reused for the system volume. FMV ~$25.)
• Optical Drive: Reused old typical IDE DVD-ROM. FMV ~$20.
• Case: Reused typical ATX tower w/450 watt PSU. FMV ~$80.
• Peripherals: Reused optical mouse and keyboard. FMV ~$20.

Total: $1,000. Nice!