David Whiteside

Claude Code Token Budget Plugin

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000

claude-code-tokenbudget was just released. There currently isn’t a good mechanism for preventing cost overruns with Claude Code if your using AWS Bedrock for example as a backend. I ran into a few accidental cost overruns, this plugin will help you prevent accidental cost overages.

Its easy to install, give it a try.

claude plugin marketplace add thedavidwhiteside/claude-code-tokenbudget
claude plugin install tokenbudget@claude-code-tokenbudget

Guide for having fun (and winning) a Jam Session at re:Invent

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

AWS Jam Sessions are hands-on, gamified events designed to test your knowledge of AWS services, security, architecture, and operational best practices. Competing in a Jam requires a mix of AWS expertise, problem-solving skills, quick thinking, and teamwork. If you want to maximize your chances of winning, here’s a strategic guide to your next AWS Jam Session.

What to expect

AWS Jam Session teams must solve under time constraints. Challenges range from security incident response and infrastructure automation to networking and AI/ML deployments. Teams are typically made up of four members.

Simple Tool to Create Throw-Away Python Virtual Environments

Sat, 07 Dec 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Managing Python dependencies in isolated environments is a common practice in software development. But what if you need a quick, temporary virtual environment that you can discard after use? Here’s a simple tool and workflow to create throw-away Python virtual environments.

The Problem

While Python’s built-in venv or tools like virtualenv are excellent for managing environments, they require setup and cleanup. For quick experiments or isolated dependency installations, this process can feel cumbersome.

Using a Smartcard (PIV or CAC) with Ansible

Wed, 07 Mar 2018 12:00:00 +0000

As part of the Ansible 2.12 release, pkcs11/smartcards are now supported by Ansible. Now you can use smartcards and other devices that support pkcs11 (Yubikey) to configure systems with Ansible.

Setup your middleware for pkcs11, below is how to install opensc on a Mac using homebrew.

$ brew install opensc

To use pkcs11 for authentication set the ANSIBLE_PKCS11_PROVIDER environment variable

$ export ANSIBLE_PKCS11_PROVIDER=/usr/local/lib/opensc-pkcs11.so
$ ansible-playbook -u USERNAME -b -k -K PLAYBOOK.yml --connection=ssh
SSH password: << Enter your PKCS11 Pin for your smartcard
SUDO password[defaults to SSH password]: << Enter your user account password for sudo

For more details see the feature PR.

Setting the InfiniBand (IB) Node Description on Solaris

Sun, 07 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0000

In Solaris, configuring the InfiniBand (IB) node description can make your network easier to manage by assigning meaningful names to nodes. This guide explains how to set the IB node description.

View the current IB node description

$ set_nodedesc.sh

You can set the IB node description to whatever you want using the -N option with set_nodedesc.sh.

$ set_nodedesc.sh -N 'something'

You can reference the man page for the set_nodedesc.sh command to see the full command reference.

Solaris Shutdown, Reboot, Init, and Halt Command Differences

Mon, 07 May 2012 12:00:00 +0000

The init and shutdown commands cleanly shutdown the system by running the shutdown rc scripts.

The advantage of shutdown is that you can set a shutdown delay and warning message.

halt and reboot are not as clean, no shutdown rc scripts are run so applications will not be brought down clean, I generally do not use these commands unless its a last resort.

$ init   # runs the shutdown scripts in /etc/rc*
$ init 0 # shutdown (on sparc it takes it to the ok prompt)
$ init s # single user mode
$ init 5 # shutdown
$ init 6 # reboot

$ shutdown # runs the shutdown scripts in /etc/rc*, prints message warning users
$ shutdown -y -g 0
$ shutdown -y -i 0 # shutdown to ok prompt
$ shutdown -y -i S # single user mode
$ shutdown -y -i 5 # shutdown
$ shutdown -y -i 6 # reboot

$ sync; sync; halt # (ungraceful shutdown, use sync;sync;halt)

$ sync; sync; reboot # (ungraceful reboot. Always run sync;sync;reboot. The prefered method is using init.)
$ sync; sync; reboot -- -r  # reconfiguration reboot
$ sync; sync; reboot -- -s # reboot into single usermode

SPARC OK Prompt Command Reference

Sun, 07 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Maybe you don’t care about the forth programming language, but if you work on Sparc systems long enough you are going to have to work from the ok prompt.

Here are the essentials commands you must know.

Boot the system normally

ok> boot

Boot the system and allow for discovery of new devices (reconfiguration boot)

ok> boot -r

Boot into Single-User Mode

ok> boot -s

Boot into a ROM, useful if your system isn’t bootable

Mon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000

About Me

David Whiteside is a skilled cloud architect and software developer with expertise in Cloud Computing, High-Performance Computing (HPC), Linux, DevOps, and Programming, with a passion for exploring technology. His interests span the entire spectrum of software development, from crafting web applications and mobile apps to delving into embedded systems at the firmware level.

Beyond cloud computing and software development, David has a keen interest in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and the intersection of technology with real-world problem-solving. He enjoys hands-on projects like 3D printing and exploring advancements in renewable energy, electric vehicles, and solar power. When he’s not in front of a screen, you’ll likely find him snowboarding, mountain biking, or rock climbing in the mountains, embracing the same sense of problem-solving and adaptability that he brings to his engineering work.