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August 30, 2005
No more FTP for AVIATION...(how do I FTP now)?
In this entry I spoke about moving the student printer server out of the AVIATION domain and bringing it into the MASH domain. The other thing this server did provide, was the FTP service. For those (relatively) few folks still in AVIATION, we'll need to migrate you in order to restore your FTP ability.
Travis altered the CNAME entry for FTP.wou.edu so that it points to ftp's new home on radar.wou.edu http://www.wou.edu/~crowej/blog_pics/radar.jpg.
This means that you can simply alter your password for FileZilla and be okay. You will get this message which warns you of a change of server identity. As this is indeed the case, you should click yes to proceed.
Posted by crowej at 9:28 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Student Printing Up and Ready for Stress Testing
Well, now that SOAR is done for a few moments, I had the time window to migrate the server that holds the Student Printing (well Sunday...but that counts, doesn't it)?. Overall, it went fairly well. I've applied the fall term 225 credits to the Student group.
For those familiar with the printing approval and management of printing jobs, you likely will recognize a change in the user login process. The former system involed username and password. The new method uses the format of mash\username and password. There is an ini file that originally listed the netBIOS name of the NT 4.0 PDC (kitty_nt). I've tried multiple variations of this with a MASH DC. I'll contact the developer to determine if this is an AD issue, a version issue or simply a configuration issue that I have overlooked. I expect that this will be determined by the end of the week.
Posted by crowej at 9:17 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
MCSA goal achieved
Well today marked a bit of a milestone for me as I now have passed the last exam to make me a Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator. These exams were no joke. This was a significant departure from the NT 4.0 track, which I gained with minimal bother. The last exam was more difficult than it's predecessor, as it dealt partially with areas for which I have no current responsibility. Any area for which I have current WOU experience I was able to answer with rapidity.
For those interested, I've placed what this covers. This was a very good (and harrowing) experience. Studying items that I don't use in a daily routine can only lead to improvements in our network.
Skills measured by exam 70-290
Managing and Maintaining Physical and Logical Devices
Manage basic disks and dynamic disks.
Monitor server hardware. Tools might include Device Manager, the Hardware Troubleshooting Wizard, and appropriate Control Panel items.
Optimize server disk performance.
* Implement a RAID solution.
* Defragment volumes and partitions.
Install and configure server hardware devices.
* Configure driver signing options.
* Configure resource settings for a device.
* Configure device properties and settings.
Managing Users, Computers, and Groups
Manage local, roaming, and mandatory user profiles.
Create and manage computer accounts in an Active Directory environment.
Create and manage groups.
* Identify and modify the scope of a group.
* Find domain groups in which a user is a member.
* Manage group membership.
* Create and modify groups by using the Active Directory Users and Computers Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in.
* Create and modify groups by using automation.
Create and manage user accounts.
* Create and modify user accounts by using the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in.
* Create and modify user accounts by using automation.
* Import user accounts.
Troubleshoot computer accounts.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to computer accounts by using the Active Directory Users and Computers MMC snap-in.
* Reset computer accounts.
Troubleshoot user accounts.
* Diagnose and resolve account lockouts.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to user account properties.
Troubleshoot user authentication issues.
Managing and Maintaining Access to Resources
Configure access to shared folders.
* Manage shared folder permissions.
Troubleshoot Terminal Services.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to Terminal Services security.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to client access to Terminal Services.
Configure file system permissions.
* Verify effective permissions when granting permissions.
* Change ownership of files and folders.
Troubleshoot access to files and shared folders.
Managing and Maintaining a Server Environment
Monitor and analyze events. Tools might include Event Viewer and System Monitor.
Manage software update infrastructure.
Manage software site licensing.
Manage servers remotely.
* Manage a server by using Remote Assistance.
* Manage a server by using Terminal Services remote administration mode.
* Manage a server by using available support tools.
Troubleshoot print queues.
Monitor system performance.
Monitor file and print servers. Tools might include Task Manager, Event Viewer, and System Monitor.
* Monitor disk quotas.
* Monitor print queues.
* Monitor server hardware for bottlenecks.
Monitor and optimize a server environment for application performance.
* Monitor memory performance objects.
* Monitor network performance objects.
* Monitor process performance objects.
* Monitor disk performance objects.
Manage a Web server.
* Manage Internet Information Services (IIS).
* Manage security for IIS.
Managing and Implementing Disaster Recovery
Perform system recovery for a server.
* Implement Automated System Recovery (ASR).
* Restore data from shadow copy volumes.
* Back up files and System State data to media.
* Configure security for backup operations.
Manage backup procedures.
* Verify the successful completion of backup jobs.
* Manage backup storage media.
Recover from server hardware failure.
Restore backup data.
Schedule backup jobs.
Skills measured by exam 70-291
Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining IP Addressing
Configure TCP/IP addressing on a server computer.
Manage DHCP.
* Manage DHCP clients and leases.
* Manage DHCP Relay Agent.
* Manage DHCP databases.
* Manage DHCP scope options.
* Manage reservations and reserved clients.
Troubleshoot TCP/IP addressing.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA).
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to incorrect TCP/IP configuration.
Troubleshoot DHCP.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to DHCP authorization.
* Verify DHCP reservation configuration.
* Examine the system event log and DHCP server audit log files to find related events.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to configuration of DHCP server and scope options.
* Verify that the DHCP Relay Agent is working correctly.
* Verify database integrity.
Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining Name Resolution
Install and configure the DNS Server service.
* Configure DNS server options.
* Configure DNS zone options.
* Configure DNS forwarding.
Manage DNS.
* Manage DNS zone settings.
* Manage DNS record settings.
* Manage DNS server options.
Monitor DNS. Tools might include System Monitor, Event Viewer, Replication Monitor, and DNS debug logs.
Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining Network Security
Implement secure network administration procedures.
* Implement security baseline settings and audit security settings by using security templates.
* Implement the principle of least privilege.
Monitor network protocol security. Tools might include the IP Security Monitor Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in and Kerberos support tools.
Troubleshoot network protocol security. Tools might include the IP Security Monitor MMC snap-in, Event Viewer, and Network Monitor.
Implementing, Managing, and Maintaining Routing and Remote Access
Configure Routing and Remote Access user authentication.
* Configure remote access authentication protocols.
* Configure Internet Authentication Service (IAS) to provide authentication for Routing and Remote Access clients.
* Configure Routing and Remote Access policies to permit or deny access.
Manage remote access.
* Manage packet filters.
* Manage Routing and Remote Access routing interfaces.
* Manage devices and ports.
* Manage routing protocols.
* Manage Routing and Remote Access clients.
Manage TCP/IP routing.
* Manage routing protocols.
* Manage routing tables.
* Manage routing ports.
Implement secure access between private networks.
Troubleshoot user access to remote access services.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to remote access VPNs.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to establishing a remote access connection.
* Diagnose and resolve user access to resources beyond the remote access server.
Troubleshoot Routing and Remote Access routing.
* Troubleshoot demand-dial routing.
* Troubleshoot router-to-router VPNs.
Maintaining a Network Infrastructure
Monitor network traffic. Tools might include Network Monitor and System Monitor.
Troubleshoot connectivity to the Internet.
Troubleshoot server services.
* Diagnose and resolve issues related to service dependency.
* Use service recovery options to diagnose and resolve service-related issues.
Posted by crowej at 9:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Setup Western Streaming Server
Today, I worked with Troy to setup a streaming audio feed. Russ Blunk in Public Relations dials into a phone number, a device answers and his voice is routed to the server. Using Windows Media Encoder v9 from http://www.microsoft.com allows clients, both Mac and PC to listen to this stream live over the internet. To tune into the events, click this link:
Posted by crowej at 8:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 24, 2005
The Move of the move of the Lab Printers moved (or something like that)
Well, in this entry, I spoke about a scheduled date for moving the student lab print server. With public pressure from the Library, that date was pushed forward. Turns out that was a bad idea. Soar begins tomorrow and the prospecitive students will still require access to the printing functions of the labs. So it does appear that the date proposed (then altered) is once again viable.
Posted by crowej at 2:05 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 22, 2005
FTP Server available for MASH
I now have an FTP server available for the MASH domain. Of course this only contacts information that has been migrated. At the time of this posting, the main WOU Website is still in Aviation. The same holds true for the "class" folder. For folks wishing to FTP to these locations, please continue to use the instructions provided here.
If you are interested in uploading to your public_html folder, then read on...
Using this photo as a guide mimic the settings shown. Of course, you'll want to substitute my username with your own. Please keep in mind that this will need your MASH username and password.
Posted by crowej at 4:19 PM | Comments (0)
August 19, 2005
Student Lab Printing will be offline on Aug 25th
Tailspin_NT is the print server (and print balance account manager) for the student labs. Rick Thompson, the Lab Manager, is ready to begin setting up the labs for fall term. These will all need to point to MASH to be useable. In order to print, Tailspin will need to be migrated as well. While I anticipate this change going quickly, I wanted to ensure that WUC and Hammersly Library were notified that printing in those areas may be offline for that entire day.
I'll be reconfiguring PCOUNTER to query the MASH domain for use print balance and logging. It's currently running on a server with dual PIII procs. I plan to relocate that to a faster/better machine over the Winter Break...
Posted by crowej at 12:42 PM | Comments (0)
Automatic Password Synching
We all know the joy of holding dozens of passwords in our heads. Travis and I are actively working on reducing this headache. We are in the process of setting up a method that synchs passwords for Network and Email/Calendar logins. The tricky part at this junction is securing communication between Active Directory LDAP and Solaris LDAP. We currently have it working for all users if the password is changed on the Windows side. Summer has written a web application that will speak directly to the Sun iteration of LDAP. Once Travis and I get the synching flowing _from_ mail _to_ the network, then users will be able to change (or reset) their passwords online.
We also need to deal with password complexity. Our current standard for the network is:
* 7 or more characters
* having 3 of the 4 following characteristics:
* UpperCase Characters
* LowerCase Characters
* Numbers
* Symbols
We need to implement the same for the email side so that synching may occur from the direction of email to network.
Posted by crowej at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)
August 16, 2005
Prepping for the replacement mac labs
If I wasn't already a huge Mac fan, I would be after 10.4. This latest iteration of Apple's OS includes a super-smart settings transfer tool. I was expect it to work like the windows version...it would transfer the documents and settings folder. Nope...this tool saved me hours of installtion and configuration time by transferring not only settings, but programs, serials and updates. I have put in a call to Dr. Bucy to go over this image so that we're sure it's ready for the first day of fall term.
Posted by crowej at 12:30 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
August 9, 2005
...Communications Express Tutorials (part 1)
Well, I thought I'd try something a bit different in this blog. I'd like to make these things useful to Campus Users. I've created a number of very short quicktime movies that walk you through HOWTO's in Communications Express. You will need Quicktime version 7 to view (and listen) to these movies. Please make sure that your resolution is at least 1024x768 (or the movies will be too big).
I'm attempting to address both common functionality as well as unique "gotchas"
Click Here to View
How to change your Communications Express passwordClick Here to View
How to get your Personal address book to fill out to, cc and bccClick Here to View
What is a Corporate Directory and how you use it
Posted by crowej at 10:56 PM | Comments (0)
August 5, 2005
...Macintosh Imaging
Ghosting, imaging, cloning...it all boils down to efficiency. Efficiency can be defined in a multitude of ways. I prefer to define it like so:
Efficiency is the art of automating that which is boring, repetitive or banal. This frees up one's time to engage in creative pursuits.
Setting up a "perfect" machine is fun....once. Believe me that the second time it loses it's charm :-). We use a process to clone a "perfect" machine to other machines. This ensures that all necessary programs are loaded and configured identically.
Kudos to Mike Bombich for his excellent site on how to setup a netboot environment. Using his program, Net Restore I'm able to image a Mac simply by having someone netboot (i.e. holding the "N" key). A Mac server has an option 99 on DHCP. When our DHCP server gets the Netboot request it answers "I have no friggin' idea...go ask that guy!" Well that guy is a Mac Server that uses TFTP to "load" a diskless OS (OS X) into RAM. Part of this stateless image has the meat and potatoes that will block-copy the image onto the Mac's Hard Drive.
Whew! There was a nerd alert for a reason.
Anyway, this leads me to having a machine with far less setup time and, more importantly, far less down time should I need to redeploy it.
Stay tuned for more adventures in Nerdland...
Posted by crowej at 12:33 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack