How to connect Postgresql 9.0 to an existing Webmin

If you installed Postgresql 9.0 or upgraded Postgresql to the latest version in a Linux system that has an existing Webmin application, you need to update Webmin using Module configuration for Postgresql.

Postgresql 9.0 installs files in directories different from its earlier versions.'

Here is a checklist of what need to be changed using Webmin's module configuration:

Path to psql command: /usr/pgsql-9.0/bin/psql

Command to start PostgreSQL: if [ -r /etc/rc.d/init.d/rhdb ]; then /etc/rc.d/init.d/rhdb start; else /etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql-9.0 start; fi

Command to stop PostgreSQL: if [ -r /etc/rc.d/init.d/rhdb ]; then /etc/rc.d/init.d/rhdb stop; else /etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql-9.0 stop; fi

Command to initialize PostgreSQL: if [ -r /etc/rc.d/init.d/rhdb ]; then /etc/rc.d/init.d/rhdb start; else /etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql-9.0 initdb ; /etc/rc.d/init.d/postgresql-9.0 start; fi

Path to postmaster PID file: /var/run/postmaster-9.0.pid

Paths to host access config file: /var/lib/pgsql/9.0/data/pg_hba.conf

Default backup repository directory: /var/lib/pgsql/9.0/backups

Restart Webmin.

A fresh installation of Webmin however, automatically recognizes an existing Postgresql 9.0 and adjusts the Postgres paths in the initial module configuration, so the steps listed above are no longer necessary.

Installing Postgresql 9.0 in Centos 6

Installing Postgresql 9.0 in Centos 6 is done in few easy steps.

First, download the Postgresql 9.0 RPM package:
wget http://yum.pgrpms.org/9.0/redhat/rhel-6-x86_64/pgdg-centos90-9.0-5.noarch.rpm

Install the package:
rpm -i pgdg-centos90-9.0-5.noarch.rpm

To avoid conflict with older postgresql packages existing in the Centos distribution, you must tell yum to exclude these in the installation. You must edit the CentOS-Base.repo file:
vi /etc/yum.repos.d/CentOS-Base.repo

Add this line at the [base] section:
exclude=postgresql*

Verify that the new package is active:
yum list

Then yum install postgres:
yum install postgresql90 postgresql90-devel postgresql90-server postgresql90-libs

Initialize postgresql:
service postgresql-9.0 initdb

Then start postgresql:
service postgresql-9.0 start

You are done with the installation.

The configuration that I you still need to do is to is edit the postgresql.conf file located in /var/lib/pgsql/9.0/data/ Be sure to add this line in the config:
listen_addresses = '*'

To enable remote access, I added this to the pg_hba.conf located in the same directory:
host all all 110.93.88.91 255.255.255.255 md5

Today is the death anniversary of Nikola Tesla

Nikola who? If you don't know him, can't blame you. But I am glad he is alive in Facebook with over 200,000 fans--- way below Michael Jackson's 10 million but much ahead that of his nemesis, Thomas Alba Edison who has just over 900. Nikola Tesla deserves more.

Ostracized and persecuted in his time because of an obsessive-compulsive behavior (a little understood disorder in his time), Tesla is now regarded as the "mad scientist" who invented the 20th century and probably beyond. Electricity that powers our homes and appliances ---and, yes, computers---is a result of Tesla's works on Alternating Current (AC). Maybe partly because of OBC, Tesla was so obsessed with "free energy for all" that he refused to impose royalties out of his AC patents. He could have been the richest man in his time and, who knows, a Tesla-AC royalty fee would still be an unwelcome burden in our electric bills.

Whereas we still hear of Westinghouse, General Electric, huge companies that benefited from his AC technology; Tesla died in 1943 at the age of 86, impoverished, leaving unfinished projects behind. Pure science ruled Tesla's life, unmindful of his finances. He should have been resting today in a tomb made of diamonds, which he deserves, but did not want to. There lies the greatness of the man.

I am not into fan pages but I take exception---way of saying "Thank you, Nikola Tesla." And we have not talked about the Principle of Resonance yet! ---another mind-boggling concept that will forever be equated with his name.

Address Verifier, a Data Quality Software from Anchor

Talking of Data Quality Software, I recently came across an interesting product that has huge future usability to me and other application developers. And what better way to keep track of it for easy reference than to blog about it?

The product is Address Verifier by Anchor Computer Software. It is a callable Application Programming Interface (API) that may be easily integrated to an application that requires address verification. The API uses the USPS ZIP+4® database and instantly verifies or corrects addresses. Applications that rely on accurate customer addresses like call center, batch processing or any web application are prospective beneficiaries of this API. Address Verifier provides the complete address of a target customer as soon you enter the zip code, house number and few characters of the street name.

To use the API, a developer needs to do some coding. This will not be a tough job because Anchor Software provides comprehensive documentation and installation instructions---in addition to Anchor's Live Support. Anchor customers also receive the latest version of the system and applications that uses the API get the latest monthly updates to the USPS ZIP+4® database.

Free Domain Name and More at No-IP

Looking for a free domain name? I use No-IP Free for my blogger blogs to make my url neat, shorter and prettier---and it is for free!

Using No-IP Free is simple. Go to no-ip.com, sign up and wait for your e-mail confirmation. After you receive your login credentials by e-mail, go to No-IP website, login using the account you have created and you will be guided at every step. Choose Add Host and Web Redirect options. Enter a hostname of you choice, e.g. avgweb, and in the dropdown list select a Free No-IP Domain, e.g. no-ip.org. You must also enter the url of the website that you like to redirect, e.g. http://www.blogger-templates-avg.blogspot.com. You may now click the Create Host button. Allow for five minutes lead time, then you can type your new hostname in the navigation text of youw web browser and your website opens. In this example, I now use http://avgweb.no-ip.org as the new neat url of my website.

To prevent the old long url from appearing in the navigation bar, you can also use the Mask/Cloaking option. Click the Mask checkbox and type a Page Title. Optionally, you can enter meta keywords and meta description for SEO purposes. After you successfully setup the Mask/Cloaking option, only your new short url appears in the navigation bar.

No-IP Free is the entry level service of No-IP and it is for personal use only. If you expect huge website traffic or if you intend to redirect a commercial website, you may upgrade to No-IP Enhanced or No-IP Plus, which offers managed DNS, all accessible from your personalized web interface.

As a DNS provider, No-IP gives more value for your mnoey. Whereas its competitors only offers two nameservers, No-IP offers five, all on distinct networks. This guarantees more uptime and protects your website from disastrous DNS outages. Using the DDNS service of No-IP, you can run your server on dynamic DNS. You save on fees from static IP addresses or web hosting. Using No-IP's ddns, you can also easily access your home or office computer from a remote site. You can also redirect your port 80, which is sometimes disabled by Internet Service providers.

You may also register a domain name directly with No-IP. You may then manage your domains using your personalized My No-IP page. A wide range of e-mail services also comes with your domain registration.

My No-IP Free urls give me no problem, and I know it is a window to the quality of all other more advanced services offered by No-IP

Complimentary BI: Your SaaS Solution in a Bad Economy

Designed to operate using a PC with a web browser, mobile devices, barcode or RIFD devices, on-demand Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is tailor-made for companies of all sizes during bad economic times. SaaS dispenses with costly company owned server hardware and software and customized application, not to mention of full-time data center personnel. The vendor provides the server hardware data hosting and security, back-up and fail-over provisions, and product upgrades. The next generation of Saas offers business intelligence (BI) and analytics that are now indispensable tools for businesses to streamline operations and to get the best value for money. The new addition to SaaS solutions, Complimentary Business Intelligence (Complimentary BI) by Oco, Inc offers savings, fast implementation, custom targeted functionalities and built-in best practices features---all aimed at profitability, even viability, in a harsh economic environment. It deserves a closer look.

Complimentary BI is delivered as on demand SaaS and is designed to leverage existing BI framework. Data can come from varied sources, aside form the company's single data warehouse. Rather than addressing the entire enterprise, complimentary BI aims to focus on targeted business needs, with custom fuctionalities analytics and reporting, delivered in the shortest time possible (6 t0 8 weeks), at least possible cost (around $100,000 to $500,000) and with minimal strain to the IT personnel. Complimentary BI also provides functionalities to limited areas of operation, while not disrupting any on-going in-house enterprise level business intelligence development. It also aims to fill business knowledge gaps in in existing IT resources.

More info on Complementary BI is found at the website of Oco, Inc. You may download free white paper to learn more of Complimentary BI, compared to enterprise business intelligence. The CIO update - Gartner Research Free Newsletter is also available in the same site. Gartner's research document, entitled Survey of BI Purchase Drivers Show Need to New Approach to Business Intelligence gives you ideas how Complimentary BI may address the specific needs of your business.

The bad economy dictates well thought of scalpel approach to business intelligence solution that Complimentary BI offers. Developing Enterprise Business Intelligence that uses the hatchet or all-of-the-above strategy may be undesirable in tough times like this. Enterprise BI addresses the needs of the entire company, which is desirable in the long term, but it can take years to complete, may require full-time IT personnel, and may take many years before a return of investment becomes visible.

Using oDesk Debit Card in the Philippines: Seamless and Cheap

After reading online talks about scary charges in using oDesk Debit Card, I tried using my own card in Naga City Philippines. The first ATM with MasterCard logo I found last night was the 24-hour Bank of the Philippine Island Express Teller in the downtown area.

I was surprised to learn personally that oDesk Debit Card is so easy to use and the rumors of exorbitant charges are unfounded. It functions just like any local ATM card, except that you will not be presented with option to deposit fund. After inserting my card, I was asked to enter my Payoneer 4-digit PIN then press ENTER. I selected the withdraw option. When I was asked to enter the amount, I hesitated because the ATM message did not specify the currency the amount should be entered in.

So I cancelled, re-inserted my card and repeat the procedure. I choose the balance inquiry option and the screen showed my account balance in Philippine Peso. When asked if I like to do another transaction I selected YES then selected the withdraw fund option. When asked to enter an amount, I was confident to enter 2000 and knew it would be in Philippine Peso. After pressing ENTER, four 500 bills dropped in seconds.

When I accessed my Payoneer page, my transaction details showed the P2000 withdrawal and $43.77 was deducted from my balance. At the current P49 to $1 exchange rate, it means I was charged only $2.95 for the transaction.