Moodle and Synology.

[dgcruzing]

OK as the header says..
This is about setting up Moodle as a LMS and opening your Synology up to users.

My setup so far
DS212j DSM 5.2+
2x 4t drives
Modem Asus RT-A66U
Around 20 users logging in

So far I am impressed with it. I have copped plenty of flank going down this road but as a quick easy setup I was more then happy.

I know I am going to have to upgrade as it gets more traffic so will want peoples thoughts on the best box to upgrade to..

Mostly its acting as a file server for the clients to pull files but I do run a few videos off it and seems to be handling that side of things OK..

Mostly through I am using the HTML5 ability to host say PPTs to Google slides and try to keep as many videos out on the web. Thus not using my bandwidth.

The Moodle forums are a little to purist for my liking as the usual large scale networking types are hanging out there.
I have found a few of the answers to be a little as you would expect from guys that live behind a curtain of corporate or academic systems..

Anyway, if anyone is interested I have posted a tutorial on how to open up a Moodle site to the internet in the Synology forums..

[UR]https://forum.synology.com/enu/viewtopic.php?f=190&t=87663#p416810[/URL]

So as to my question..what's the best box to to upgrade to now in the Synology range.. ?

Really I can't see having more then 20-30 users accessing at any one time but the 212j is getting dated..been a good box..but we all know the spec and the low memory is a worry..

Be interested to hook up with any other Synology Moodlists and swop notes on this little experience I am running..

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[stevech]

Acronym soup: "setting up Moodle as a LMS"

 

[dgcruzing]

Acronym soup: "setting up Moodle as a LMS"

Lol..after the evening I had last night I could swop that out for PMS...;-)

In all my wisdom, I decided to play with settings in the router due to roaming around the internet and was thinking of making the connections a little secure from my end..

Note to oneself; DNS IP changes on reboot of router..

So if anyone has seen the tutorial on Moodle and IP start up on the Synology, then be forewarned...

A reboot will cause a IP address change with your net supplier as the router will be re-registered to their network..

Meaning you will have to change your IP address in the config file.

One way around this is have the site pointing to the DNS name you have chosen with say Synology.. So

*.synology. me/moodle

This should take care of router and your NAS reboots and IP changes...

Also note..sometimes a change within the Synology DNS .. Like a change of name may not happen instantly.. In my case last night it took a few hours for all the stars to a line and I notice that Synology had reset me a few times over a hour period around 12pm..

It was all fine this morning, but like anytime you change these things ad you have people that log in say for study materials..it can all be a bit stressful..

I will start to investigate actual cloud base servers now as a plan B to work to.. But like all things cost v return and at the moment if the Synology is providing a low cost solution then will run with it until it falls over..

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[sfx2000]

Acronym soup: "setting up Moodle as a LMS"

Course Ware and Management of such...

(Moodle is an interesting platform, I've seen a couple of company employee training platforms based on it)

 

[dgcruzing]

Yes..
I am glad that Synology decided to add it to their repo..

And there are plenty of good frontend templates that make getting a setup up and running in no time and hassle free..

Plus the ability to use Gdrive and the HTML5 commands.. Actually take the load off the NAS and leaves that to the cloud platforms to handle.

So in fact, all we are hosting is almost a repository for resources and linking.. But to the average users it feels like its all in-house..

I am only in DSL 2 and get shocking upload speeds.. While my download is average around 1.2-1.5kb.. I think I should have enough bandwidth to handle say 20 people logging in and just moving around the site.

I just have to be careful not to be loading files or videos up to it during peak times.

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[stevech]

1Mbps if accessed much from the Internet, will be doggy.

I pay $45/mo for 110/10Mbps. I need this as I work at home in firmware development/consulting.
Wish it was cheaper.

http://www.speedtest.net/my-result/5086103759

 

[sfx2000]

I pay $45/mo for 110/10Mbps. I need this as I work at home in firmware development/consulting.
Wish it was cheaper.

Well, at least TWC in your area gives some decent BW - CoxHSI a couple of Zip Codes away - $65USD for 50/5... and best I've been able to get quotes for DSL is 10/1.5 due to distance from the local Telco central office...

 

[stevech]

I'm getting a grandfathered rate on premium WiFi. That will go away sooner than I want.
The cableco monopolies raise rates frequently and because ..... they can.

 

[dgcruzing]

Yes, I know mine looks shocking and that probably isn't a true reflection as it was done on S5 on the 5g and a few rooms away from router (block walls).
As the box is hooked directly into the router via a Gigabit Ethernet switch.. So overall uploading say a few 20-50meg files only takes about 10 minutes to gdocs..

So as I have 50gig to use on gdocs, I can keep most of the heavy lifting off my system here.

For now the PPTs/PDF's and videos are all running of gdocs well..everyone that is using are happy with the speed they are getting..so that's good..

I need to run some speed tests once I am out and about back to it and see for myself..

I do miss my Chinese internet I had when I was in Suzhou.. I think it worked out to be $200 for the year for the 20mb connection and was true unlimited upload download..

Even for counting on using VPN for busting through to the outside world..(when it was working).. There was plenty of speed to play..

I mean..and I am sure you have read it here before..Australia is up to a cost of close to 100 billion and we still haven't got the NBN in places like here.. The Gold coast.. One of the top tourist destinations.. I mean hotels still charge for broadband internet..jezzz..

If a hotel in Asia charged for net you change hotels..its part of the service.. Anyway don't get me started on the politics of that..

I was lucky back in the old days to be on top of the Berkeley backbone with another feed to SRI.. Back in 89 and we thought we where made..even had a couple of Nexus boxs...;-)



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[dgcruzing]

OK, couldn't help myself.. There was a DS1812+ with 3xTs on eBay today so I just had to bid for it..
Got pipped by $25..

But got lucky there was a DS1813+ up for sale that was priced OK.. Comes with 4x 1Ts which seems a joke..so I grabbed a WD red 3T to kick it off..

Going to be fun playing with this after having just the old DS212j with such low RAM..

Now to work how to set it up..thinking Raid 6


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[MoBlues]

I pay $45/mo for 110/10Mbps. I need this as I work at home in firmware development/consulting.
Wish it was cheaper.

As Tim Conway likes to say to your response, "What-the-H!!! Man." $45 bucks is dirt cheap for your speed plan. I'm paying $72.99 for 50/4Mbps on Cox Internet. They totally are giving it to all the cord cutters who do not have a TV plan and keep raising their Internet-Only plan!!! SAVE us Google Fibre!!!