____________________________PLAY ANN____________________________

____________________________PLAY OPENING MUSIC____________________________

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

[Rich] and I'm Rich Niemeier.

[Keith] and this is Episode 98 streaming live on Ustream.tv on Wednesday May 6th, 2009. Today's show is sponsored by Quest Software; Helping you rule your domain.

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

[Steve]

[Rich]

  • Just want to be thankful I have a job. Seems like I know a lot of people who have been laid off.

[Keith]

Housekeeping Items

[Rich]

[Steve]

[Keith]

  • Peer Resume Review - Send your resume's to Resume [at] mindofroot.com to get in on the action.
  • 100th Show - We're on track for May 27th for the 100th show. We'll have to firm that up since the following week I will have a new arrival at home and I'm told I probably won't be on the show. Wives are funny that way.
-Send your favorite MOR comedy sketch to Keith [at] mindofroot.com and we'll play a couple as part of the show. If you're new to the show, you might hear some that you haven't heard before.
-I've got a $25 gift card prize, but I'm just trying to figure out how to give it away. Since we'd like some chat room attendees, I think we should give it away there.
-I've got a couple new funny bits in the queue, so I'm hoping to have them done as well.

____________________________READ QUEST AD COPY____________________________

When it comes to scripting, you’re a warrior. But mighty warriors need mighty tools!

For awesome PowerShell scripting, nothing matches the might of Quest’s PowerGUI?. Versatile and easy to use, PowerGUI? helps you build commanding scripts that leverage PowerShell’s strength across the enterprise. Now, ruling your domain is easier than ever.

Is your scripting might equal to the challenge? Put the power in your hands. Visit www.quest.com forward slash mind of root and download PowerGUI today.

____________________________READ TPN PROMO____________________________

  • Neighbors laptop wireless problem [KEITH]
-Neighbor upgraded to Verizon FiOS? and the tech couldn't get their laptop on the wireless.
-I stopped over and setup the wireless and all seemed to be fine. He told me the tech did get it on, but it would eventually drop. We were about 5 feet from the AP/Router and it worked fine.
-We moved it back to the kitchen (20 ft, direct line of site to AP) and it would quit after 5-10 minutes of surfing. (No packets received looking at status). I changed channels, looked for new drivers, etc.
-We agreed to try it on my wireless (same ActionTec? router) and see what results. Oddly, it worked fine for a while on mine. Then it died. I found updated drivers and that did not fix it. I'm suspecting the WEP implementation on the ActionTec? since the best result I had was without encryption. I'd think it is a TKIP thing given the fact that it seems time-based, but we've only tried WEP or no encryption.
-When it locks, disable/enable the card brings it back online.
-Link: http://
  • Computer Imaging [RICH]
-Corporate now using Imagex, utility from Microsoft AIK
-Added Gimagex to my boot CD so I don't have to remember the commandline
-Linkhttp://www.autoitscript.com/gimagex/
-This utility reminds me of an old system almost 10 years ago I used
- everything uses existing utilities
- Create partition
- format Partition/Drive
- Copy Files
- Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows Vista SP1? and Windows Server 2008
-Link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=94BB6E34-D890-4932-81A5-5B50C657DE08&displaylang=en
  • Basic project tracking software [KEITH]
-Looked for a FOSS MS Project replacement. Honestly, I've had better luck using Google and Wikipedia recently than searching Sourceforge and Freshmeat.
-Found this among several other possibilities, but this was simplest for my needs. Although it has features I will explore in the future. MS Project import, etc.
-Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_project_management_software
-Link: http://ganttproject.biz/
-Link: http://
-Link: http://
  • Broken Server repaired by salvaged equipment [RICH]
- I throw nothing that is still usable away? good or bad?
- Should I have a ten year rule?
- This is a case that also proves standardization a good policy.
-Link: http://
  • Know it all end users [RICH]
- Okay so maybe I'v been down this road before, but still annoys me.
- If an EU wants to do my job why don't they do it?
- This is about the failed server. I wonder to waht degree this EU actually was part of the cause of the problem?
- Not sure how I deal with these types of EU's but I do.
-Link: http://

____________________________PLAY SWEEPER____________________________

Listener Feedback

From listener....The Link Meister

Network Subnet Calculator Many IP calculators out there but for ease of use and the fact that no download or application is involved, I have yet to find any subnet info that I have not been able to obtain through this network calculator website http://www.subnetmask.info/

Cisco configs Useful to have up to date backups of your configs and nothing touches Kiwi CatTools for price and features. You can easily pull together configs, IOS versions, MAC-to-port ID look up lists, update software or make changes on a massive scale. Needless to say it is a very powerful utility with massive scope to bring down you network if you decide to roll out a number of changes on a grand scale. However, it certainly makes your life easier and I only hope that Solarwinds do not mess with it too much following their purchase of it. http://www.kiwisyslog.com/kiwi-cattools-overview/

Putty Sure everyone has heard of Putty as a SSH/Telnet client http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/. There is a freeware putty connection manager that is still in alpha stages that should bring it up to the functionality of a purchased product with tabbed connections, central encrypted credentials database etc. One to keep an eye on anyway http://puttycm.free.fr/

P.S. Rich, just heard the podcast when you were looking at your working out which site they are logging in from. IP address parsing etc is an option although I gather there may have been an easier way of doing it though the use of a KixTart? macro called @site. Assuming you have the relevant sites and subnets setup within AD, this should return the AD name of the site that the user is logging in from. Gather you may not want to rewrite your script now but worth a look for the future. This is a link to all of the macros available in the newer versions of kixtart - http://helpdesk.kixtart.org/KixManual2001/Reference/macros.asp.

[KEITH] I like the subnet calculator since it is web-based. I also like the decimal calc. I've played with this where you can type 'Ping 3232235795' and it will convert and ping 192.168.1.19. I've always used a little app from 3Com called 3CIPCalc. This is available anywhere. I didn't know Kixtart had the @site macro, I'm glad I know now. Not sure if all sites/subnets are defined in Rich's AD environment. Rich, do they put in sites with no DC?

[RICH] Jon thanks for the feed back regarding using @site. unfortunately the way they have designed the AD it does work consistantly.

From Listener - Robert Dowell Hey Rich. I was in the chat for last night's show (4/29) and we were discussing site aware login scripts. I mentioned that I wrote and maintained an AD site aware login script at my work and that you were welcome to the code. At the time I didn't realize how linked you were to Kixtart. My script is written in VBScript. Would switching up to VBScript be possible for you? I completely understand if you are reluctant to change languages at this time. I haven't done Kix in a while, but I might be able to help you out with some logic. If I understand then one of your needs is to be able to efficiently identify the site based on the first 3 octets of the IP? See if it gives you any ideas:

$octetList = "192.1.2.", "192.3.4.", "192.5.6.", "10.142.80." $siteList = "CHI1?", "CHI2?", "CHI3?", "TEST" $scriptList = "CHI1?.kix", "CHI2?.kix", "CHI3?.kix", "TEST.kix"

$ip = join(split(@IPADDRESS0?,' ',3),'') $index = AScan?($octetList, $ip) $mySite = $siteList[$index] $myScript = $scriptList[$index]

? $mySite ? $myScript 

 Ect ............

[Rich] I appreciate your ideas but I have subnets that has the same first three octets. But this may well work for many others. Great Idea. As far as VBScript, would love to learn it. But haven't taken on that challenge yet. Still stuck in the KixTart? world.

Website Picks

Rich - http://

Steve - http://

Keith - http://www.lefthandedtoons.com/ Some NSFW content. Not as cool as XKCD, but some interesting and funny stuff.

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.