The MacBook Pro hard drive, or storage system, is a crucial component that significantly influences the device’s overall performance and user experience. There are two types of hard drives: traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and solid-state drives (SSDs). The choice of these two types directly impacts factors like data access speed, system responsiveness, and overall computing efficiency.How to Choose the Right Hard Drive for Your MacBook ProThere are many factors to consider when choosing the right hard drive for your MacBook Pro to ensure optimal performance and compatibility. Here’s a guide to help you make an informed decision:Storage capacityEvaluate your current and future storage needs. If you work with large files, such as high-resolution photos or videos, consider a higher-capacity drive (such as 1TB or more).Consider the balance between storage space and cost so you don’t overpay for capacity you won’t use.Speed and performanceSSDsoffer significant speed advantages over HDDs because they have no moving parts. Look for SSDs with fast read and write speeds, especially if you’re involved in tasks like video editing or graphic design.Lookfor features like non-volatile memory express (NVMe) support, which can further boost data transfer rates.CompatibilityCheckthe MacBook Pro model’s specifications, including supported storage types and maximum capacity.Make sure the hard drive you choose is compatible with your MacBook Pro’s operating system. Older systems may have limitations on the types of drives they can support.Form factor and interfaceCheck the drive’s physical dimensions to ensure it will fit in your MacBook Pro. Most laptops, including MacBooks, typically use the 2.5-inch form factor.Check interface compatibility. SATA is a standard interface, but newer models like NVMe may support faster interfaces. Make sure your MacBook Pro supports the interface you choose.Durability and reliabilityConsider your usage patterns. If you travel a lot, an SSD may be more appropriate for its durability since it lacks the moving parts of a traditional hard drive.Research the manufacturer’s reputation for reliability and warranty support. Some SSDs come with features such as shock resistance to protect data from accidental drops.BudgetDetermine your budget constraints and explore hard drive options within that range. SSDs tend to be more expensive than HDDs, but the performance benefits, especially in speed, can justify the higher cost for many users.Power ConsumptionConsider the power consumption of the hard drive, especially if you’re looking to improve the battery life of your MacBook Pro. SSDs consume less power than hard drives, contributing to longer battery life.Future expansionTake into account how your storage needs may grow in the future. If possible, choose a hard drive that allows for easy upgrades through higher-capacity options or by making sure your MacBook Pro has accessible storage bays.Are MacBook Pro Hard Drives in Demand?The demand for MacBook Pro hard drives can vary depending on the specific model and specifications and overall market trends. However, there is typically a steady demand due to the popularity of Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup among professionals, students, and creative professionals.Factors Influencing MacBook Pro Hard Drive DemandSeveral factors contribute to the demand for MacBook Pro hard drives.Performance requirementsAs technology advances and software becomes more resource-intensive, users often demand higher-performance hard drives to keep their MacBook Pro running smoothly and efficiently. Faster hard drives contribute to faster data access and improved overall system performance.Professional applicationsProfessionals in creative fields such as graphic design, video editing, and software development use MacBook Pro. These tasks require significant storage space for project files, rendering, and other data-intensive processes, increasing the need for robust hard drives.Multitasking and workflow efficiencyUsers who multitask or run resource-intensive applications simultaneously benefit from high-performance hard drives. This demand is amplified by professionals who rely on seamless workflow integration for productivity and efficiency.Technology upgradesWith the introduction of new technologies such as faster data transfer protocols (e.g., Thunderbolt), users may want to upgrade their MacBook Pro hard drives to take advantage of these improvements. This desire for the latest technology can drive demand in the market.Gaming and entertainmentWhile the MacBook Pro is not primarily a gaming device, the demand for high-capacity, high-speed hard drives is evident among users who engage in gaming and media consumption. Games and multimedia content often require significant storage space, driving hard drive choices.Cloud integrationDespite the rise of cloud storage solutions, local storage remains critical for many users. Some professionals and consumers prefer the reliability and accessibility of local hard drives, driving demand for more extensive and faster options.ConclusionChoosing a hard drive for your MacBook Pro is a crucial decision that impacts both performance and longevity. By understanding the available types, considering compatibility, assessing storage needs, and prioritizing reliability, you can make an informed decision that enhances your MacBook Pro’s capabilities and ensures a seamless user experience.
Snappa Review – Is it a Good Online Graphic Design Tool?
Snappa
Free
Customization Options
8.5/10
Graphics and Assets
8.9/10
Pros
Intuitive interface
Extensive template library
High-quality graphics
Easy customization
Seamless social media integration
Cons
Limited advanced features
Dependency on internet connection
Collaboration features could be more robust
Snappa is a user-friendly online graphic design tool that empowers individuals and businesses to create stunning visuals effortlessly. With its intuitive interface and vast library of templates, graphics, and fonts, Snappa enables users to design engaging social media posts, blog graphics, marketing materials, and more in a matter of minutes. Whether you’re a seasoned designer or a novice, Snappa’s drag-and-drop functionality and customizable elements make it easy to bring your creative ideas to life without the need for extensive design experience. Unlocking the power of visual communication, Snappa helps users amplify their online presence and captivate their audience with professional-quality graphics.
About Snappa
Snappa is a versatile and robust online graphic design platform that caters to the needs of a wide range of users, from entrepreneurs and small businesses to marketers and social media managers. One of its standout features is its extensive library of professionally designed templates, covering various categories such as social media posts, blog graphics, infographics, ads, headers, and more. These templates serve as a starting point for users, providing them with inspiration and guidance while allowing for customization to suit their specific branding and messaging needs.
In addition to templates, Snappa offers a vast collection of high-quality graphics, icons, photos, and fonts that users can easily incorporate into their designs. This extensive asset library ensures that users have access to a diverse range of visual elements to enhance their creations and make them stand out.
Snappa’s intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes the design process seamless and accessible to users of all skill levels. With no software to download or install, users can simply log in to the platform via their web browser and start creating immediately. The platform also features handy tools such as grids and alignment guides to help users maintain consistency and precision in their designs.
Furthermore, Snappa includes built-in integrations with popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, allowing users to seamlessly publish their designs directly to their accounts without the need for additional steps.
Another notable aspect of Snappa is its affordability and flexibility. It offers both free and paid subscription plans, making it accessible to users with varying budgets and needs. The paid plans unlock additional features and assets, including more templates, premium graphics, and the ability to create unlimited downloads.
Overall, Snappa empowers users to create professional-quality graphics quickly and easily, enabling them to elevate their online presence, engage their audience, and achieve their marketing and branding goals with confidence.
Some of Snappa’s Features
Snappa offers a variety of features designed to make graphic design accessible and efficient for users of all skill levels. Some key features of Snappa include:
Templates: Snappa provides a wide selection of professionally designed templates for various purposes such as social media posts, blog graphics, ads, headers, infographics, and more.
Graphics Library: Users have access to a vast library of high-quality graphics, icons, photos, and illustrations to enhance their designs and make them visually appealing.
Fonts: Snappa offers a diverse range of fonts to choose from, allowing users to customize text elements and maintain brand consistency.
Drag-and-Drop Interface: The intuitive drag-and-drop interface makes it easy for users to create and customize designs without any prior design experience.
Customizable Elements: Users can easily customize templates and graphics by changing colors, fonts, sizes, and other design elements to match their branding and messaging.
Image Editing Tools: Snappa includes basic image editing tools such as cropping, resizing, and adjusting brightness/contrast to fine-tune photos and graphics within the platform.
Integration with Social Media Platforms: Snappa seamlessly integrates with popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, allowing users to publish their designs directly to their accounts.
Collaboration: Users can collaborate with team members or clients by sharing designs and inviting them to review and edit projects collaboratively.
Built-in Graphics Resizer: Snappa includes a graphics resizer feature that allows users to easily resize designs to fit different social media platforms or other marketing channels.
Unlimited Downloads: Paid subscription plans offer unlimited downloads of designs, allowing users to create and download as many graphics as they need without any limitations.
These features combined make Snappa a comprehensive and user-friendly graphic design tool suitable for individuals, businesses, marketers, and social media managers alike.
Snappa Plans
Snappa offers three types of plans tailored to the diverse needs of its users:
Free Plan: The Free Plan provides basic access to Snappa’s features, including a limited selection of templates, graphics, and fonts. Users on the Free Plan can create an unlimited number of designs but are restricted in terms of the number of downloads per month. This plan is ideal for individuals or small businesses with minimal design requirements and a limited budget.
Pro Plan: The Pro Plan is designed for users who require more advanced features and assets. It includes access to all templates, graphics, and fonts in Snappa’s library, as well as unlimited downloads. Users on the Pro Plan also benefit from additional features such as collaboration tools, integrations with social media platforms, and priority support. The Pro Plan is suitable for businesses, marketers, and social media managers who need to create high-quality graphics regularly.
Team Plan: The Team Plan is tailored for collaborative work environments, allowing multiple users to access Snappa’s features under a single subscription. In addition to all the features included in the Pro Plan, the Team Plan offers advanced team management capabilities, including user roles and permissions, centralized billing, and shared asset libraries. This plan is ideal for agencies, marketing teams, and organizations that require collaboration and scalability in their design workflows.
Each plan is available on a monthly or annual subscription basis, with discounts offered for annual billing. Users can choose the plan that best suits their needs and upgrade or downgrade as necessary based on their evolving requirements.
Snappa’s Customer Support
Snappa is known for providing excellent customer support to its users. The platform offers multiple channels through which users can seek assistance and get their questions answered promptly.
One of the primary support channels is the Help Center, which houses a comprehensive knowledge base featuring articles, tutorials, and guides covering various aspects of using Snappa. Users can search for specific topics or browse through categories to find answers to common questions and troubleshooting solutions.
In addition to the Help Center, Snappa provides direct support through email. Users can reach out to the support team with inquiries, feedback, or technical issues, and can typically expect a timely response from a knowledgeable support representative.
Furthermore, Snappa offers priority support to users on the Pro and Team plans, ensuring that their queries are addressed with expedited assistance. This prioritized support includes faster response times and personalized assistance to help users make the most of Snappa’s features and resolve any issues efficiently.
Overall, the customer support provided by Snappa is highly regarded by users for its responsiveness, helpfulness, and effectiveness. Whether users have questions about specific features, encounter technical difficulties, or need guidance on best practices for design, Snappa’s support team is readily available to assist them every step of the way.
Pros and Cons of Snappa
Pros:
User-Friendly Interface: Snappa features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface, making it easy for users of all skill levels to create professional-looking graphics without the need for extensive design experience.
Extensive Template Library: Snappa offers a vast selection of professionally designed templates for various purposes, providing users with a starting point for their designs and saving them time and effort.
High-Quality Graphics and Assets: The platform boasts a diverse library of high-quality graphics, icons, photos, and fonts that users can incorporate into their designs to enhance their visual appeal.
Integration with Social Media Platforms: Snappa seamlessly integrates with popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, allowing users to publish their designs directly to their accounts.
Affordability: Snappa offers both free and paid subscription plans, making it accessible to users with varying budgets. The paid plans unlock additional features and assets while remaining competitively priced compared to other graphic design tools.
Collaboration Tools: Snappa’s Team Plan includes advanced collaboration features, allowing multiple users to work on designs collaboratively and streamline workflows within organizations or teams.
Cons:
Limited Advanced Features: While Snappa is suitable for creating basic to intermediate-level designs, it may lack some of the advanced features and functionalities found in more robust graphic design software.
Limited Customization Options: While Snappa offers a range of customization options, including color, font, and size adjustments, users may find the platform’s customization capabilities somewhat limited compared to professional design software.
Dependency on Internet Connection: Snappa is a web-based platform, which means users must have an internet connection to access and use the tool. This dependency on internet connectivity may be a limitation for users in areas with unreliable internet access.
Limited Asset Import Options: While Snappa provides a vast library of graphics and assets, users have limited options for importing their own custom graphics or photos into the platform, which may be a drawback for users with specific branding requirements.
Overall, Snappa is a versatile and user-friendly graphic design tool that offers a range of features and benefits for individuals, businesses, and organizations looking to create professional-quality graphics quickly and easily. However, it’s essential to consider the platform’s limitations and suitability for specific design needs before choosing it as a primary design solution.
Other Snappa Reviews
Snappa generally receives positive reviews from users and reviewers alike. Here’s a summary of the common sentiments found online:
Positive Reviews:
Ease of Use: Many users praise Snappa for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design, making it accessible to users of all skill levels. The drag-and-drop functionality and extensive template library are frequently highlighted as standout features.
Time-Saving: Users appreciate the time-saving aspect of Snappa, particularly its vast collection of pre-designed templates and graphics, which allow them to create professional-looking designs quickly without the need for extensive design skills or starting from scratch.
Quality of Designs: Reviewers often commend the quality of designs produced using Snappa, noting the high-quality graphics, photos, and fonts available on the platform. Users find that their designs look polished and professional, enhancing their branding and marketing efforts.
Customer Support: Many users report positive experiences with Snappa’s customer support, citing prompt responses and helpful assistance from the support team when needed. Priority support for Pro and Team plan subscribers is also appreciated by users.
Negative Reviews:
Limited Customization: Some users find that Snappa’s customization options are somewhat limited compared to more advanced graphic design software. While the platform offers basic customization features, users may desire more advanced editing capabilities for certain design projects.
Dependency on Internet Connection: As a web-based tool, Snappa requires an internet connection to access and use the platform. Some users find this dependency on internet connectivity inconvenient, especially in areas with unreliable internet access.
Price: While many users find Snappa’s pricing to be reasonable, some users may consider it to be slightly on the higher side, especially if they have limited design needs or are comparing it to other budget-friendly design tools.
Overall, Snappa is well-regarded for its ease of use, time-saving features, and quality designs, making it a popular choice among individuals, businesses, and marketers looking to create visually appealing graphics for their various needs. However, users should consider their specific design requirements and preferences when evaluating Snappa or any other graphic design tool.
Is Snappa Right for Me?
Determining whether Snappa is the right graphic design tool for you depends on several factors, including your specific design needs, skill level, budget, and preferences. Here are some key considerations to help you evaluate whether Snappa is a suitable fit:
Design Needs: Consider the types of designs you need to create. Snappa is well-suited for creating social media graphics, blog images, ads, and other marketing materials. If your primary focus aligns with these types of designs, Snappa may be a good fit.
Skill Level: Evaluate your design skills and experience. Snappa’s user-friendly interface and extensive library of templates make it accessible to users of all skill levels, from beginners to experienced designers. If you’re looking for a tool that’s easy to use and doesn’t require advanced design knowledge, Snappa could be a great option.
Budget: Take into account your budget for graphic design tools. Snappa offers both free and paid subscription plans, making it accessible to users with varying budgets. Assess whether the features and assets included in Snappa’s paid plans align with your budget and design requirements.
Customization Needs: Consider the level of customization you require for your designs. While Snappa offers basic customization features, users with more advanced customization needs may find the platform somewhat limiting. If you require extensive editing capabilities or specific design features, you may want to explore other graphic design tools with more advanced functionalities.
Internet Connectivity: Assess your internet connectivity and whether you’re comfortable using a web-based design tool. Snappa is a cloud-based platform, meaning you need an internet connection to access and use the tool. If you prefer offline access or have concerns about internet reliability, you may want to consider desktop-based design software instead.
Reviews and Feedback: Research reviews and feedback from other users to gain insights into their experiences with Snappa. Pay attention to both positive and negative reviews to get a balanced perspective on the platform’s strengths and limitations.
By considering these factors and evaluating your specific design needs and preferences, you can determine whether Snappa is the right graphic design tool for you. Additionally, you may want to take advantage of Snappa’s free trial or explore its free plan to test the platform and see if it meets your requirements before committing to a paid subscription.
Snappa Alternatives
Several graphic design tools serve as viable alternatives to Snappa, each offering unique features and capabilities. Here are some of the best alternatives to consider:
Canva: Canva is a popular graphic design platform known for its user-friendly interface, extensive template library, and collaborative features. It offers a wide range of design tools for creating social media graphics, presentations, posters, and more. Canva also provides both free and paid subscription plans with access to premium features and assets.
Adobe Spark: Adobe Spark is a suite of creative tools designed for easy creation of graphics, web pages, and video stories. It offers intuitive design templates, customization options, and integration with Adobe Creative Cloud applications. Adobe Spark is suitable for creating social media graphics, web pages, and short videos.
PicMonkey: PicMonkey is a versatile graphic design and photo editing tool that allows users to create stunning designs, edit photos, and make collages. It features a user-friendly interface, customizable templates, and a wide range of editing tools. PicMonkey offers both free and paid subscription plans with access to premium features.
Crello: Crello is an online graphic design tool that offers a vast library of design templates, images, and graphic elements. It provides easy-to-use design tools, customizable templates, and collaboration features. Crello is suitable for creating social media posts, presentations, ads, and more.
DesignBold: DesignBold is a graphic design tool that offers a library of professionally designed templates, customizable layouts, and a wide range of graphic elements. It features an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and collaboration tools for team projects. DesignBold offers both free and paid subscription plans.
Fotor: Fotor is a comprehensive online photo editing and graphic design tool that offers a range of editing features, design templates, and graphic elements. It includes tools for editing photos, creating collages, and designing social media graphics, posters, and more. Fotor offers both free and paid subscription plans.
Each of these alternatives offers its own set of features, pricing plans, and user experiences. When choosing the best alternative to Snappa, consider your specific design needs, budget, and preferences to find the tool that best suits your requirements.
Snappa vs Canva
Below is a detailed comparison of Snappa and Canva, two popular online graphic design tools:
1. Ease of Use:
Snappa: Snappa features a user-friendly interface with a simple drag-and-drop design editor, making it easy for users of all skill levels to create professional-looking graphics quickly.
Canva: Canva also offers an intuitive drag-and-drop interface and a wide range of templates, making it easy for users to design various types of graphics without prior design experience.
2. Template Library:
Snappa: Snappa offers a diverse selection of templates tailored for social media posts, blog graphics, ads, and more. While the library may not be as extensive as Canva’s, Snappa’s templates are professionally designed and customizable.
Canva: Canva boasts an extensive library of templates covering a wide range of categories, including social media posts, presentations, posters, and more. Canva’s template library is one of its standout features, offering thousands of options for users to choose from.
3. Customization Options:
Snappa: Snappa provides basic customization options, allowing users to adjust colors, fonts, and other design elements to match their branding. While the customization options may be somewhat limited compared to Canva, Snappa offers enough flexibility for most design needs.
Canva: Canva offers robust customization options, allowing users to fully customize templates with various fonts, colors, graphics, and backgrounds. Canva’s extensive range of customization features provides users with greater control over their designs.
4. Graphics and Assets:
Snappa: Snappa offers a library of high-quality graphics, icons, photos, and fonts that users can incorporate into their designs. While the library may not be as extensive as Canva’s, Snappa’s assets are professional and well-curated.
Canva: Canva provides a vast selection of graphics, photos, illustrations, and icons for users to choose from. Canva’s extensive library of assets is one of its key strengths, offering users a wide range of options to enhance their designs.
5. Collaboration:
Snappa: Snappa offers collaboration features for team projects, allowing multiple users to work on designs collaboratively. However, collaboration options may be somewhat limited compared to Canva.
Canva: Canva includes robust collaboration features, allowing team members to collaborate on designs in real-time, leave comments, and share feedback. Canva’s collaboration tools are suitable for teams of all sizes, making it easy to collaborate on projects efficiently.
6. Pricing:
Snappa: Snappa offers both free and paid subscription plans, with pricing starting at a lower rate compared to Canva’s paid plans. Snappa’s paid plans unlock additional features and assets, including unlimited downloads.
Canva: Canva also offers both free and paid subscription plans, with pricing starting at a slightly higher rate compared to Snappa. Canva’s paid plans offer access to premium features, including additional templates, advanced customization options, and collaboration tools.
Overall, both Snappa and Canva are powerful graphic design tools with their own strengths and weaknesses. The choice between the two ultimately depends on individual preferences, specific design needs, and budget considerations.
Snappa FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Snappa:
What is Snappa?
Snappa is an online graphic design tool that allows users to create professional-quality graphics quickly and easily. It features a user-friendly interface, a vast library of templates, graphics, and fonts, and intuitive design tools.
What can I create with Snappa?
With Snappa, you can create a wide range of graphics, including social media posts, blog graphics, ads, headers, infographics, presentations, and more.
Do I need design experience to use Snappa?
No, you do not need design experience to use Snappa. The platform is designed to be user-friendly, with a simple drag-and-drop interface and customizable templates that make it accessible to users of all skill levels.
Is Snappa free to use?
Snappa offers both free and paid subscription plans. The free plan provides basic access to Snappa’s features, while the paid plans unlock additional templates, graphics, and features.
What are the benefits of upgrading to a paid plan?
Upgrading to a paid plan unlocks additional features and benefits, including access to a larger library of templates, graphics, and fonts, as well as unlimited downloads, priority support, and advanced customization options.
Can I cancel my subscription at any time?
Yes, you can cancel your subscription to Snappa at any time. If you cancel your subscription, you will retain access to the platform until the end of your billing cycle.
Does Snappa offer customer support?
Yes, Snappa offers customer support to assist users with any questions, issues, or feedback they may have. Users can access support through the Help Center or contact the support team directly via email.
Can I use Snappa for commercial purposes?
Yes, you can use Snappa for commercial purposes. Whether you’re a freelancer, entrepreneur, or business owner, you can create graphics for marketing, advertising, branding, and more using Snappa.
Does Snappa offer collaboration features?
Yes, Snappa offers collaboration features for team projects. Users on the Team Plan can collaborate with team members, share designs, and work on projects together in real-time.
Is Snappa suitable for professional graphic design projects?
While Snappa is suitable for creating professional-quality graphics, it may not have all the advanced features found in professional graphic design software. However, it is well-suited for a wide range of design projects, including those for businesses, marketing, social media, and more.
Snappa Review Summary
In conclusion, after a thorough review of Snappa, it’s evident that the platform excels in providing a user-friendly and efficient solution for creating professional-quality graphics. With its intuitive interface, extensive template library, and robust customization options, Snappa empowers users of all skill levels to design captivating visuals for various purposes, from social media posts to marketing materials. Additionally, the platform’s affordability and flexible pricing plans make it accessible to individuals and businesses alike. While some users may find certain customization features limited compared to more advanced design tools, Snappa’s overall ease of use and quality of designs make it a compelling choice for those seeking an accessible and efficient graphic design solution.
CollectD System Performance Monitor Installation On Centos 7
Collectd is a daemon which collects system performance data and metrics. It runs as a daemon and the data it collects can either be processed locally or sent to a central logging server. It is easy to configure and set up and can be configured to report to various metric analytics platforms. This is is a guide to install the daemon on Centos 7. You can read more about the project here. The platform is robust and offers hundreds of plugins for monitoring various services. Once you have installed it, you can use the metrics to determine bottlenecks in system performance and potential opportunities to improve.Install CollectDMake sure everything is up to date:yum update
yum upgradeThe required packages are contained the EPEL repository so you will need to install that:yum install epel-releaseThe install the service itself:yum install collectdConfigure CollectDOnce it has been installed you can edit the configuration to match what you need to monitor. The configuration is located at /etc/collectd.conf there are numerous plugins you can enable to monitor different aspects of the server or services. In this particular guide we are just going to leave the base install. We are just going to update the hostname:nano /etc/collectd.confUn-comment this line and configure it to match your servers hostname#Hostname “localhost”If this hostname does not actually resolve you will want to uncomment#FQDNLookup trueAnd set it to falseFQDNLookup falseYou will need to enable the service on CentOS 7:systemctl enable collectdThen you can go ahead and start the logging daemon:systemctl start collectdYou can verify its running by checking its status# systemctl status collectd
● collectd.service – Collectd statistics daemon
Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/collectd.service; disabled; vendor preset: disabled)
Active: active (running) since Wed 2017-09-06 22:05:51 EDT; 4 days ago
Docs: man:collectd(1)
man:collectd.conf(5)
Main PID: 8497 (collectd)
CGroup: /system.slice/collectd.service
└─8497 /usr/sbin/collectd
You are looking for a ‘Active: active (running)’ running status. That’s it for installing the service itself, we will be releasing more guides on how to configure various platforms for it to report to.Sep 11, 2017LinuxAdmin.io
What is Linux Kernel – Everything you need to know.
The Kernel is the core of an operating system (OS). Linux Kernel is already three decades old and closes to 30 million code lines. Right now, it’s running on desktops, laptops, tablets, routers, servers, smartphones, lots of Internet of Things, and the most powerful computers in the world.
To talk about the Linux Kernel can go very long. Let’s check exactly what you need to know about it.
What is the Linux Kernel?
It is the most important component of the Linux OS. It is in charge of memory, peripheral devices, and central processing unit (CPU). Through the Linux Kernel (interface), communication between hardware and its processes is possible and efficient in terms of resources use. Linux Kernel is mostly written in C, a very popular programming language.
Kernel is a modern English word for “cyrnel”, which means seed. It seems it took this name to make a botanical reference meaning the seed from which everything else grows. In any case, this gives a clear image to understand that the Kernel inside Linux OS is the one controlling many functions in plenty of devices (hardware).
Linux Kernel is a monolithic one. In other words, it is a Kernel that includes memory, interprocess communication (IPC), CPU, file system management, system server calls, and device drivers. The best possible tools for communicating with hardware and execute simultaneous tasks. Due to this, processes work with fast speed.
A disadvantage of monolithic Kernel is that if one of its functions fails, all the system does it.
What are the Kernel mode and user mode?
The code the system executes has two modes for being run on CPUs: Kernel mode and user mode. With the first, all the code running has hardware’s unlimited access. But with the second, access is limited to the CPU and memory to the System Call Interface (SCI).
There is a division between Kernel and userspace also in the case of memory, building containers, security, etc. It helps to protect the system. If there is a failure on a user mode’s process, it won’t be so harmful since the Kernel can recover it. But if there’s a failure on a Kernel mode’s process, a situation can drive the complete system to crash.
Users can get privileges for accessing the Kernel space but just through some strict permissions in order to keep the security of this sensitive space.
Where is the Linux Kernel located?
Think about the Linux OS as a three-layer system: hardware, Linux Kernel, user processes.
Hardware refers to a physical machine with RAM memory, input/output devices (graphics, networking, storage), and CPU, that basically reads and writes on the memory. Linux Kernel comes in between hardware and user processes. And it’s the software that lives in the memory and gives orders to the CPU to accomplish tasks.User processes. Programs run by users and managed by the Kernel.
What are the Linux Kernel’s main functions?
Being the core of the Linux OS, it has a lot of jobs, but we can review it in four main responsibilities.
It provides device drivers for working as a breach or an interpreter between hardware and processes.It manages processes. Linux Kernel defines the processes that can use the CPU, the exact moment, and the amount of time for doing it.It administrates memory. Linux Kernel permanently follows up what is stored, where, and the amount of memory used for those tasks.It receives and services requests from the system and security processes.
Conclusion.
Knowing a bit the power and capabilities of the Linux Kernel, it’s easier to understand its global popularity. Besides, being open-source, possibilities get multiply for users to modify it as they please. Try yourself and let your creativity be thrilled to bits!
4 On Prem Infrastructure Monitoring Solutions You Should Try
We have covered monitoring solutions in the past as well. That was a huge list but it consists of all kinds of offering including the managed ones.This is why I decided to create this list of infrastructure monitoring solutions that can be NetdataNetdata is an open-source monitoring solution that can be deployed as an on-premises solution. They also offer managed cloud-based solution if you don’t want to self host it.Here are some key features of Netdata:Installed locally: Netdata is installed directly on the servers, VMs, or containers being monitored, instead of running on a remote server. This makes it possible to collect and analyze data with low latency.Designed for performance: Netdata is built to collect thousands of metrics per server with low overhead. It uses an efficient database and algorithms to store and process data.Customizable dashboards: It provides a web-based dashboard that can be customized to display the metrics that matter most to your environment.Alerting and notifications: Alert notifications are a strong point of Netdata. Certain alerts are set by default like disk and space usage. You can also create your own alerts thanks to its dynamic configuration manager. Alerts can be sent via email, Slack etc.Integrates with existing tools: Netdata can integrate with other monitoring tools and data sources via plugins and APIs. Thus, it complements existing monitoring stacks.Scalable architecture: While Netdata runs locally, it can be scaled to monitor many servers by using a central “netdata cloud” for aggregation and visualization. This allows monitoring large environments.At Linux Handbook, we use Netdata’s hosted service to monitor our servers and we love this extendable but easy to use tool.CheckmkCheckmk is another open source tool you can trust for your infrastructure monitoring. Beautiful dashboard, powerful visualization, log and event monitoring, notification and alert, you get everything with this tool.Wide range of monitoring capabilities: Checkmk supports monitoring of servers, networks, applications, containers, and cloud infrastructure. It has over 2,000 vendor-maintained plugins to collect metrics from a variety of systems.Scalable architecture: A single Checkmk instance can monitor hundreds of servers and services. It claims to use a distributed architecture to scale to millions of devices across many sites without performance issues.Auto-discovery and configuration: Checkmk can automatically discover hosts and services to monitor, and provide relevant metrics and thresholds with minimal manual configuration.Flexible monitoring options: Checkmk supports both agent-based monitoring and agentless monitoring via protocols like SNMP, WMI, SSH, etc.Dashboards: It provides powerful dashboards to visualize data and analyze the state of the IT infrastructure.Alerting and notifications: It supports escalation workflows and integrates with tools like ServiceNow, Slack, etc. for notifications.We have a detailed tutorial on setting up Checkmk in case you are interested.Using Checkmk for Monitoring Your Linux Server InfrastructureA detailed guide on installing and configuring the free and open-source Checkmk Raw Edition for monitoring servers.ZabbixZabbix is a comprehensive open source monitoring solution that can be deployed on-premises to monitor IT infrastructure.Scalable architecture: Zabbix is capable of monitoring millions of metrics from thousands of servers and devices. It can be implemented as a single instance or in a distributed architecture for large-scale environments.Wide range of monitoring capabilities: It supports monitoring of servers, networks, applications, databases, cloud infrastructure, and more. It has over 100 predefined templates for popular technologies.Flexible deployment options: Both agent-based and agent-less monitoring is supported.Auto-discovery and configuration: Zabbix can automatically discover hosts and services to monitor, and apply predefined templates to provide relevant metrics and thresholds with minimal manual configuration.Visualization and dashboards: Zabbix provides powerful visualization capabilities including graphs, charts, maps, and dashboards to display the status and performance of the monitored infrastructure.Alerting and notifications: Zabbix can send alerts and notifications when problems are detected. It supports escalation workflows and integrates with external tools for notifications.DatadogAlthough Datadog itself is not an open source solution, it does offer an on-prem monitoring solution.Agen-based monitoring: Datadog provides a lightweight agent that can be installed directly on servers and hosts to collect metrics and events.Metrics collection: The Datadog Agent collects metrics from hosts and containers at high resolution (15-second granularity) to provide detailed visibility into performance.Integrations: Datadog has over 500 turn-key integrations with popular technologies to monitor a wide range of on-premises systems, including servers, databases, middleware, and applications.Tagging and analytics: Datadog allows you to tag infrastructure components with metadata like operating system, service, or location. This enables tag-based search and analytics to slice and dice metrics and create fine-grained alerts.Dashboards: You get pre-built and customizable dashboards to visualize the health and performance of on-premises infrastructure. You can create dashboards to track key metrics and identify issues.Alerting: It offers machine learning-based alerting to proactively detect anomalies and issues in on-premises systems. You can set up alerts based on thresholds or anomaly detection.Unified platform: Datadog combines infrastructure monitoring with application performance monitoring, log management, and other capabilities in a single platform. This allows correlating on-premises infrastructure metrics with related traces, logs, and events.ConclusionThere are many more on-prem infrastructure monitoring solutions like Prometheus, ManageEngine, etc.Personally, I have used Netdata the most here and it is the one I currently use for my work and home servers and I am quite happy with them.Of course, one size doesn’t fit all, and your requirements and preferences may not match mine exactly. I suggest going over the recommended infrastructure monitoring products mentioned here and see which one fits your needs.
Home Cybersecurity (Updated) – Pixelated Dwarf
I have wanted to update my network cybersecurity and tell you all of the things that I have learned. This will be a series of updated in-depth articles that will help you to setup your own cybersecurity in your own home. I know that this is going to be an ambitious project, but it seems that it is needed for many people and would be appreciated by some. Take a moment to comment and to sign up for my newsletter (Just monthly – no spam).
Here are some of the things that we will cover in detail to make your home cybersecurity much more bullet proof.
1. Finding everything on your home network
You might think this is self-evident, but with IOT and phones and networked printers it really is a needed step. I found several devices that I didn’t know were plugged in to my WiFi network and two that were in rooms that I had forgotten. Listing all the devices will help you to sort through things and categorize them. This will help your home network security. The first thing to find out what you have so you can protect your devices.
Here is a spreadsheet to download (First Draft) to get you started. I will provide details how to use it and fill it out in an upcoming article.
2. Network Topography
Network Topography is simply how devices are connected to each other and to the internet. This is done two ways, wired and wireless. The wired part is Ethernet and the wireless is WIFI. Planning out where the wires go, the type of wire, and how many to each room is important.
Figuring out the coverage of your WIFI and where it is weak will tell you where to put repeaters or a mesh setup. I will go over the decisions I made with my home and give some guidance on making your own for your house.
I will go into where to plug things in and how I ran the wires to them.
3. A Physical Firewall – Updating home Cybersecurity at the start of the network
There are many who have software firewalls on their computers and routers. These are just programs that while they are OK, the really are not enough to fully protect our networks from nefarious individuals who are already on the network itself. One of the main advantages is stopping the bad guys before they get to your computer.
Turning off many software firewalls is very simple. We want to have a dedicated “box” to filter out the good from the bad before it is allowed on the network. I went with a dedicated Open-Source solution that is not difficult to set up and will actually speed up your network. It filters out a lot of the trackers, ads and such before I would see them.
4. A “Smart” Switch
A “Smart Switch” is sometimes called a managed switch. This means that you can do much more with it and the traffic that passes through it than one that is UN-managed. What I will show you how to do is make something called a VLAN. A virtual local area network is a logical sub-network that groups a collection of devices from different physical LANs. VLANs also bring security benefits to larger networks by allowing greater control over which devices have local access to each other.
Think of one VLAN being a “Guest network” for all of those “Untrusted” IOT devices that are currently able to see everything on your network. With a VLAN they can only talk to other IOT devices and the internet and can’t see your “Private” internal network.
VLANs can also do many more things which I will talk about and help you weigh the pros and cons of also. Seeing that I do work a lot on computers, I needed a bigger switch than many with more modest needs might choose. I chose a D-Link Ethernet Switch – 48 Port POE, but you could use a smaller D-Link Ethernet Switch – 24 Port POE also.
5. WIFI
I needed to up the speed of my WIFI. The poor combo router that I was paying for with the internet service provider was no longer cutting it. My wife likes to stream movies and sometimes they lag a bit which is annoying for her and I understand her frustrations (I hear about them a lot). My solution is to get a new one that is faster and that means WIFI 6. This will also help the cell phones and the IOT devices.
6. DNS – Using one that you can control
I like using a DNS that protects my privacy and doesn’t sell my information. Unfortunately this means that I have to do some research (which I have done) and figure out how to configure it to weed out the things I do not want (which I have also done). The winner is (drum roll please) – NextDNS. You can get a free account there and for most this will be good, but for under $20 per year you can show them your thanks.
I will walk you through how to configure the settings and make adjustments you need.
7. Truly Private Email
We all want private email. Unfortunately email is not really private. It is the difference between sending a letter in a sealed envelope and a postcard. Much more on that and how to get it as I help you through becoming more private.
8. Reputable VPN
There are many VPN’s out there. Like everything else, most are not worth the money and do little or nothing to really protect your privacy and security when you are using them. I have found one that I personally endorse and use: Proton VPN. It “checks all the boxes” for me. They are in Switzerland, known for their privacy laws. No Logging, fast servers, and their software is open source and audited.
Tying it all together and setting up your home cybersecurity the right way
First, thank you for reading this all the way through. It is a long journey that I want to take you on. By the end of the process your home cybersecurity will be much better and you will know a lot of things to protect your information and privacy. Your input is needed to make this happen. Comment below to help me out.
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Best Distro for Learning, Schools
A new release of Endless OS 6 is here. We spin it for a quick review, and here’s what we found.
Endless OS continues its mission with the release of its version 6 to close the gap of digital knowledge by including a vast array of educational tools and resources. The OS comes preloaded with many learning applications, gaming resources for the offline use. It is developed by the Endless OS foundation targetting schools, non-profits, and other educational markets to provide a simple Linux distribution for easy use and knowledge acquiring.
At the core, it uses OS Tree technology to give you a read-only system, preventing from accidental updates or breakage.
The current iteration Endless OS 6 is a major release since its prior Endless OS 5 which was released on Jan 2023.
We tested it in a virtual machine and here’s what we found.
Endless OS 6: Review
Installation
Since this distribution is primarily targeting schools, learning and potential mass deployment, you get the option to try in LIVE system or directly install by formatting the entire disk.
If you are planning to dual boot Endless OS with Windows or other distribution, you need to get a different installer. You can read the details here. Endless OS team provides an exe for Windows installer which helps you to install it as a separate partition.
Endless OS 6 setup
Endless OS 6 setup2
First look
If I compare with the last major release (version 5), there are not much of difference in the looks of Endless OS 6. This version brings the GNOME 43 (as per the Debian stable) with latest packages and bug fixes.
The stock GNOME is heavily customized to give a nice feel of a user-friendly desktop. For example, the default desktop look gives you folder groups with direct access to icons to launch applications via the “Show application” feature. The top bar and the dock have standard features, with direct access to basic applications.
Endless OS 6 Desktop
Key highlights and applications
Endless OS 6 is based on Debian 12 “bookworm” as per the package updates. On top of the bookworm base, it brings additional packages to make it a complete system. Primarily, it is heavily dependent on Flatpak packages to serve the users. Key libraries and core framework are all preloaded from Flathub.
The default application list is minimal. All the native GNOME apps are preloaded such as text editor, Files, Shotwell – to take care of the basic works.
The default browser is Chromium and LibreOffice is pre-installed (Flatpak). The GNOME Web is also available, in case you need another browser.
List of Flatpak apps in Endless OS 6
To manage application, Endless OS comes with GNOME Software. It is configured to get all Flathub applications, repos of Endless OS with automatic update enabled. Being a read-only system, it gives you one-click access to install/remove apps in your machine with Software.
This release, Endless OS 6, focuses on gaming and game development by providing various tools and apps for creating game assets and coding. It includes apps such as Blender, Audacity, GNU Image Manipulation Program, Inkscape, Pixelorama, Godot Engine, GDevelop, Scratch, and TurtleBlocks. These apps cater to a range of experience levels, from beginners to professionals.
Endless OS 6 also includes educational games that teach coding and game development concepts, such as Aqueducts, Dragon’s Apprentice, Fablemaker, Frog Squash, The Passage, and Tank Warriors. All of these tools and games are available for offline use with the full download of Endless OS 6.
However, the most important part of Endless OS is its flagship app called “Endless Key”.
Endless Key
The Endless Key is a unique application that brings a functional user interface to give you access to starter pack software, knowledge articles/videos based on your interests. From a student perspective, if you want to be a scientist, you can get a starter pack with software curated by Endless OS team installed by click of a button.
It is one of the best apps which makes direct impact to students, teachers and others with actual changes to their lives.
Performance
Endless OS 6 performs surprisingly good, with only 1.3 GB of RAM used at idle. It well optimized with Linux Kernel 6.5 with stock GNOME 43. As you open more apps and run programs, the performance increases accordingly.
Endless OS 6 Performance
Closing Notes
Endless OS 6 turns out to be an excellent choice for students, schools, and anyone looking for a Linux best suitable for learning. Its read-only file system and simple GNOME interface, make it a reliable and user-friendly Linux. The educational games included in Endless OS 6 provide entertainment and serve as valuable resources for learning to code and game development concepts.
Overall, Endless OS 6 stands out as one of the best Linux distributions for education with a solid vision at the back.
You can download this release from the official website.
Linux Mint 22 Stable Delayed » Linux Magazine
Thanks to changes made in Ubuntu 24.04, Linux Mint 22 beta was delayed. Although it’s now available to download and install, it’s still a beta release. For those looking to download and install the stable release of Linux Mint’s latest, the wait has been extended.In the most recent Linux Mint blog post, it was announced the team had received 109 bug reports from the beta release with 53 of those still open.Some of those bugs are critical – AppArmor security leading to app crashes, problems with HW acceleration playback libraries, Flakpat/minstall issues, and more. Because so many of those issues are yet to be resolved, the team has stated the stable release will be delayed.The report added that a precise ETA for the stable release was not possible now, but it will become available this month.
For those wishing to test the Linux Mint 22 (“Wilma”) beta, you can download it from one of the many download mirrors. Just remember, there are issues with this beta release that might make it challenging to use. I have tested it and found it to be as rock solid as any Linux Mint release…but I have yet to encounter one of the remaining bugs. To that end, your mileage may vary.
Discover & Attack Raspberry Pi’s on a Network – The Wandering Irishman
Many people never bother to change their default password on their devices. For a Raspberry Pi, this can leave it extremely vulnerable. Today, we will be looking at a little tool that can discover Raspberry Pi’s on a network and attack those devices. Rapberry Pi is your tiny, dual-display, desktop computer …and robot brains, smart… Many people never bother to change their default password on their devices. For a Raspberry Pi, this can leave it extremely vulnerable. Today, we will be looking at a little tool that can discover Raspberry Pi’s on a network and attack those devices.
Rapberry Pi is your tiny, dual-display, desktop computer …and robot brains, smart home hub, media centre, networked AI core, factory controller, and much more.The tool we will be looking at today is rpi-hunter, this tool will scan a network looking for Raspberry Pi’s with default credentials and log into the device. Once it identifies them and logs in, you can pretty much push any payload you want onto the device.
To do this you will need a Raspberry Pi running Raspbian with default credentials with SSH powered on and a computer that runs Python.
The instructions are on the Github page (https://github.com/busescanfly/rpi-hunter) to download and install this software. It’s pretty simple, just open a terminal and use the one liner on the page.
sudo pip install -U argparse termcolor && sudo apt -y
install arp-scan tshark sshpass && git clone
https://github.com/BusesCanFly/rpi-hunter && cd ./rpi-hunter
&& chmod +x rpi-hunter.py
Next what we will do is log into our Raspberry Pi via SSH.
ssh pi@192.168.0.32
The default password is raspberry. And that will log us in.
Perfect, we know that we have a Raspberry Pi with default credentials. Now let’s install rpi-hunter. So exit from the SSH session and run the one liner script.
Now that we have it installed, let’s see what option rpi-hunter gives us for evil purposes.
As we can see there are some nice options and the payload option sticks out to us. So let’s try a few commands. To list the various payloads that are available to us we can run
sudo python ./rpi-hunter.py –list
Here we go. so we have a whole list of payloads to choose from. To craft a command for this tutoril let’s use the –help option to see what we can do with this tool.
Let’s say we want to specify the IP range, we can use -r to do that.
sudo python ./rpi-hunter.py -r 192.168.0.0/24 –payload ‘whoami’
This will give us the whole network range so that we can see what Rapsberry Pi’s are connected that have default credentials and drop a payload asking who am I?
As we can see we have identified a Raspberry Pi and the payload was dropped to tell us we are pi. So we have successfully SSH’ed into the device.
So now that we are logged in, let’s have some fun. You may have noticed there was a rickroll payload, let’s try that.
sudo python ./rpi-hunter.py -r 192.168.0.0/24 –payload rickload
Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down 😀
Success!! this payload is quite loud and may be used as a prank on your friends.
That’s it guys and girls. Thanks for reading and please, don’t forget to leave a like. Also, if you like the content you can subscribe and come back to learn more hacking tools from ls /blog. Ciao for now 🙂
QuBits 2020-06-16
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Crafting a One-Page resume website without spending a dollar
Published: December 4, 2023 | Modified: December 10, 2023
This post details my side project—a one-page resume website that I constructed without incurring any expenses.
What is one-page resume website?
A one-page resume website serves as a digital manifestation of your resume, offering a modern alternative to the traditional paper-based format. While PDF resumes remain effective for email sharing, the dynamic nature of resume websites provides an excellent digital representation of your profile. Particularly advantageous in fields like digital, marketing, and art, a resume website becomes an ideal platform to showcase portfolios, offering a level of presentation that is challenging to achieve with traditional paper or PDF formats.
I created my one-page resume website as a side project. And when it’s budget-friendly, why not!
We are talking about: https://resume.kerneltalks.com
The frontend
The one-page resume website is static, meaning its content doesn’t change frequently. Being a single-page site eliminates the need for a content management system, making a basic HTML website the ideal choice – especially if you’re not into web design and don’t have a substantial budget or time commitment.
Since web design isn’t my expertise, I opted for an HTML template as a foundation. If you know HTML, customizing the template with your data is a straightforward task, and your site is ready to be hosted.
I chose a free HTML template, so there’s zero investment made. It’s essential to respect the personal use terms specified by the template providers and include a link back to them on your website.
The backend
Given that it’s a one-page static HTML website, it makes sense to minimize hosting expenses (in terms of money and time). Amazon S3 website hosting seems to be the optimal choice. Uploading files to an S3 bucket, configuring a few settings, and your website is live! You can find the complete procedure here.
Since it’s a single HTML page, my website’s size is a mere 4MB, resulting in negligible (I would say zero) S3 storage charges.
Amazon S3 website hosting provides an AWS-branded HTTP endpoint. If you desire a custom domain or HTTPS protocol, integrating CloudFront with S3 is the solution.
I utilized a subdomain on my existing registered domain and set up a CNAME entry for it against CloudFront’s DNS.
If you don’t have a domain, expect a registration investment of around ~$13 per year. In my case, it was zero. Additionally, CloudFront bills based on the number of requests, so your costs will depend on your website’s traffic. Considering the nature of a personal resume website, significant traffic, and associated costs are negligible.
For HTTPS, you can create a free SSL certificate in Amazon Certificate Manager and use it with the CloudFront distribution.
The result
The outcome is a serverless, responsive, compact, HTML-based, secure, static, one-page resume website, leveraging the top-tier CDN, Amazon CloudFront, all achieved with no upfront investment!
Architecture
You could make it more secure by adding a WAF (Web Application Firewall) on top of CloudFront though. Since it was a zero dollar project, WAF was not included in the design at that time.
