Apps and Services

Checking status of Nebula apps and services...

Welcome to Nebula Core!

Nebula Core is a privately owned an operated "cloud services" provider built and maintained by Victor Rossi, a hobbyist designer, photographer, and tech enthusiast. Nebula Core is the central component in a growing network of machines and services, and aims to reduce Nebula users' reliance on major cloud platform providers like Google or Amazon.

If you've got a Nebula account (formerly Catserver account), log in with your credentials in the upper right. Having an account allows you to access the full array of features and services offered by Nebula Core, and allows you to provide some feedback, if you see fit. It's pretty neato.

If you need an account, send me an email and I'll set you up. Due to limited resources, accounts are only provided to friends and family at this time.

2016-07-21: Server upgrades, more downtime

►
Some of you may have noticed that the server's dropped offline a few times recently. I've moved to a new condo, upgraded my internet speed, got new network hardware, and now it's time to address some of the problems with Nebula Core. To ensure no data is lost during the upcoming hardware change I've replaced some of the aging drives in the system and backed up all of the user data. So no need to worry about that.

So what am I doing exactly? Well, I've decided to step up to a real server platform - albeit a slightly older one, to suit my budget. The current low power Intel SoC platform I'm using has been great, but limited PCIe bandwidth has really hindered storage performance and expandability more than I anticipated. The new system will feature Xeon processors, IPMI (so I can more easily address errors remotely), much faster memory performance, and (most importantly) 10-gigabit networking. Page load times should decrease slightly, read/write perfor... [Read more]
No comments have been posted. Login to post.

2016-02-11: Adding Freesync (or G-Sync) to an Older Monitor - Possible?

►
Almost two years ago I purchased a Samsung U28D590D 4k monitor from eBay, before it was officially released. At the time, it was the cheapest 3840x2160 60hz monitor to ever hit the market, and it even had some pretty stellar specs for a mid-grade TN panel. With a 1ms response time, 10-bit color (using frame-rate control), and multiple 4k compatible inputs, it seemed like a super appealing option. This was until six months later, when it was revealed that the u28D590D's successor, the u28E590D, would support AMD's new Freesync technology, being one of the first to do so (and possibly the first with 4k resolution). Despite being otherwise satisfied with the monitor, I couldn't help but feel a bit of early adopter's remorse.

But wait, I thought to myself! The monitors are basically the same, right? Can't they just release a software update for the older ones to add Freesync? Well, no. Aside from lacking a USB port to receive updated firmware, Freesync i... [Read more]
No comments have been posted. Login to post.

2016-01-29: Let's talk about used hardware! (OR building a top-tier PC on a meager budget)

►
Anyone who knows me personally is sure to be familiar with my passion for searching Craigslist and eBay for good tech deals. It's a bit of an obsession. The very same people will also be the first to point out that I'm one of the worst when it comes to computer issues. Crashes, freezes, and other random hiccups are fairly common for me on nearly every system I've owned. So what's the deal, is used hardware just crap? Are you better off spending a few extra bucks to build your next gaming rig with factory fresh parts? Absolutely not, and here's why.

When you've fallen as deep down the well as I have, passing casual PC user, power user, and hobbyist and landing straight on the obsessive "enthusiast" level, you've reached a point where using the hardware to play games or what have you is no longer your primary source of motivation. Personally, the entertainment value isn't what the PC is capable of from a usability standpoint anymore - it's what I can d... [Read more]
No comments have been posted. Login to post.

2015-08-16: Another Catserver hiatus, Nebula Foundry updated

►
I decided to take a break from working on Catserver/Nebula Core for awhile to try and get Nebula Foundry looking ship-shape. I'm planning to move some of the stuff I'm working on there, like pinch-to-zoom images and content that loads on scroll, over here, so I've got some updates planned for the near future. I've also open-sourced Nebula CMS, which can be found here on github.

If you frequent Nebula Core for gaming, you've probably noticed the Minecraft server has been down lately. This is intentional - everyone I trust to moderate it has been busy as of late, and I'm a bit wary of potential vandalism (again). So until I've got someone who can reliably check in on it a few times each day, I plan to keep it offline. Sorry, everyone!
There is one comment. Login to post.