____________________________PLAY ANN____________________________

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[Keith] Welcome to the Mind Of Root. I'm Keith Albright

[Steve] and I'm Steve Murawski and this is Episode 123 streaming live on Ustream.tv on Wednesday December 2nd, 2009. Today's show is sponsored by Quest Software; Helping you rule your domain.

Chit-Chat - What's going on with you?

[Steve]

  • Moving

[Rich]

[Keith]

Housekeeping Items

[Rich]

[Steve]

[Keith]

____________________________READ QUEST AD COPY____________________________

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____________________________READ TPN PROMO____________________________

  • Modules make everything better (in PowerShell) [STEVE]
-Modules are the new way of packaging functionality in PowerShell.
-Binary or Script or Both
-Good places to start experimenting
-BSonPosh? Module
-Link: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/bsonposh
-PowerShell Pack
-Link: http://code.msdn.microsoft.com/PowerShellPack
-PoshCode?
-Link: http://poshcode.org/PoshCode.psm1
  • PC's shutting Down At Random [KEITH]
-Turns out to be an incompatibility between Power Supply on PC and UPS.
-PC has Active PFC (Power Fault Correction) and expects power input in a True or Pure Sine Wave. When power brown-out occurred and battery power kicked in to compensate, it was not in pure/true sine wave, so PC would fault and shut down.
-
-Link: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&taskId=110&prodSeriesId=3785403&prodTypeId=12454&objectID=c01718939
-Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulse-width_modulation
-Link: http://www.apcmedia.com/salestools/RMUZ-7DTKRC_R1_EN.pdf
-Link: http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5181
  • Microsoft Being "Helpful"? [STEVE]
-Sites are OS aware
-Limit download choices or tell you that KB articles don't apply to your OS
-XPS viewer
-Link: http://
  • Clearwire Testing [KEITH]
-Done testing. Wasn't impressed.
-No service at my house, so testing over holiday was limited.
-Link: http://www.clear.com
-Windows Management Framework
-PowerShell v2
-WinRM? v2
-BITS 4.0
-Link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968929
  • Video killed the X-Windows Star [KEITH]
-Had a remote site I inherited that was connected via ISDN. No real need to be connected full-time, so I worked with operations to convert to dial-up VPN.
-This remote site has occasion to pull up the production control system which is on UNIX and accessed via X-Windows.
-We decide to load this on the production control workstation at this plant.I get the VPN client loaded and can connect, but when I launch the X Server, it is unable to get to the desktop.
-I start to troubleshoot and run TCPView? to see the connections. All looks well until the connection back from the UNIX host to the X-Windows Server running on the desktop tries to establish. It lists the connection but nothing comes up. That's when I notice the executable that is listening on that port; VideoProxy?.exe
-I figure it's part of the Hummingbird Connectivity Suite, but search for the executable. It comes up under the D-Link program files directory.
-A little research finds that they have several D-Link cameras in the facility and there is software on the PC to view all the cameras at once. It uses port 6000 to proxy all the camera connections to the software and was interfering with Hummingbird launching a listener on that port.
-Shut down the VideoProxy? component and X-Windows connected perfectly.
-Since both had to co-exist, I created documentation to shut down VideoProxy? before using VPN for production control stuff and how to re-enable when done.
-Link: http://www.iana.org/assignments/port-numbers
  • Exploring Internet Explorer [STEVE]
-Dynatrace (free)
-Measure Javascript performance, network times, and browser rendering speed
-Link: http://ajax.dynatrace.com/pages/
  • More trouble with laptop user [KEITH]
-User gets AntiVirus2009? trojan over the weekend. Says he ran SAV scan but it couldn't fix.
-So, he decides to use the HP partition factory restore utility.
-Now, it won't boot.....Hmmm.
-Get NTDETECT failed. Was able to boot to UBCD and run SuperAntiSpyware? scan and remove the trojans. Then I restore NTDETECT.COM from i386 and booted fine.
-Link: http://www.techsupportforum.com/microsoft-support/windows-xp-support/149634-ntdetect-failed-resolved.html
-Digging around in a Crystal Report with PowerShell.
-
-Link: http://blog.usepowershell.com/2009/11/so-easy-i-could-kick-myself/
  • This one has Rich written all over it....Not the porn part though. [KEITH]
-IT Admin loses job searching for aliens.....using all the schools computing resources.
-IT Admin installs SETI app on all PC's in a school district and racks up incredible stats.
-One person estimated (not sure how correct) that his account would have had to process 150 Terabytes of data.
-Oh, and apparently he surfed porn at work.
-I load the SEPI client on all my machines....Search For Extra-Terrestrial Porn Intergalactically.
-Link: http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/147847
-Link: http://www.nbc-2.com/Global/story.asp?S=11606225
-Link: http://news.cnet.com/8301-11386_3-10406588-76.html
-Link: link?

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Listener Feedback

From listener....Steve in the UK

Dear Keith and Rich,

I've been a long time listener to your podcast after stumbling across it on iTunes. Unfortunately, living in the UK and working for a living means I can't join you via live chat but always look forward to downloading your episodes to hear the ramblings of like-minded admins. However, after listening to your Thanksgiving edition I felt I ought to take issue with a couple of your comments. Firstly, we Brits are responsible for Canada having a Boxing Day. Secondly, I admit I am a VMware? fanboy, but your comments that VMware? do not want users to back up ESXi? is not true. VMware? are actively pushing for the ESXi? version of their software to become the Norm over their ESX classic version. The main difference between the two versions is that ESX classic has a Linux based Service Console which allows direct command-line access to the server whereas ESXi? does not. The reason for the move to ESXi? is that the Linux based Service. Console needs to have its Linux OS patched far more often than the native ESX code needs to be patched. Thus VMware? was getting a bum rap for issuing frequent patches that it had no control over. Realising that most users manage ESX with the VI Client GUI or use Powershell or the Remote CLI virtual appliance; that you mentioned in the show; they decided to get rid of the Service Console altogether. Because they have decided to do this ESX backup vendors who rely on running agents in the Service Console Linux OS are having to re-think their approach. Obviously Veeam is having problems doing that hence their comments. Other ESX specific backup vendors do not rely on agents, such as esXpress from PHDVirtual? or VMware?'s native VCB (VMware? Consolidated Backup) solution. Also, do not forget that VMs? are servers too! As such ordinary backup software can be used within them and used in the same way as physical servers. VMware? ESXi? servers can be brought into an enterprise ESX estate with the relevant license so have the same feature set as their ESX Classic counterparts.

Anyway, to paraphrase Keith, /CounterRant?. Sorry but at least I feel better now. I guess I've just backed up Rich's view about geek fanboys.

Keep up the great work and I hope you both had a great Thanksgiving break.

Here's to the geek in all of us.

Steve London UK

[KEITH]

OK, first. Rich takes the hit on the Boxing day thing and I have to take the hit for the VMWare thing.

I'm going to have to claim ignorance on this one. I truly went off of the comments from Veeam in their forum and assumed they would have the nod as to where VMWare was heading with their strategy. I had no idea of the background regarding the changes to the underlying structure of the ESX system. It does make sense as you've explained it. As you mention, there are traditional backup methodologies that I can use (and I currently do use them), however, to fully realize the potential of a virtual infrastructure, I want to take advantage of the disaster recovery capabilities as much as possible and VM level backup seems to me to be the goal.

I'm also looking into a free VCB counterpart called GhettoVCB? that would be interesting if it works well.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day

Website Picks

Rich - http://

Steve - http://

Keith - http://

Last Call

Anyone....Anyone....Buehler.....Buehler....

Closing Test- I'd like to thank everyone in the chat on UStream?.tv we always enjoy the additional comments and interaction. everyone should remember that there are numerous ways one can interact with the show. For listener feedback post comments on the main show site, or email us at feedback[at] MindofRoot?.com.

It's always fun to see where our listeners live, put a pin on our frappr map there is a link to this on the main show site.

To become even more involved you can leave suggestions for future shows on the topics request wiki. Again a link to the wiki can be found on the main show site.

There is a link to the wiki on the main show site. If you would like to participate in the show; either through an interview, a segment contribution, or any other way, please let us know. We are also a member of the Techpodcast network. Check out some other great shows by going to Techpodcast.com.

test end-

All right, well that is it for the show. For listener feedback; you can email us at Feedback [at] mindofroot.com or post a comment on the main site at mindofroot.com. If you use iTunes, you could write a review. If you just want to show us your listening, drop a pin on the Frappr map...there's a link on the show site.

Lastly, you can drop any show ideas or topic requests on the wiki. There is a link to the wiki on the main show site. If you would like to participate in the show; either through an interview, a segment contribution, or any other way, please let us know. We are also a member of the Techpodcast network. Check out some other great shows by going to Techpodcast.com.