SysAdmin Show

SysAdmin Show

By Dustin Reybrouck: IT System AdministratorBusinessTechnologyEducationHow ToCareers
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SysAdmin Show episodes

  • SAS 018 – Patch Management

    In today’s episode I talk about patching various types of systems and my recommendations for each.  

    Workstations

    • BIOS/Firmware
      • Update at deployment then as needed
      • Drivers
        • Update at deployment then as needed
        • OS
          • Update monthly
          • Delay one month from release date unless critical
          • Applications
            • Enable auto-update if available
            • Update monthly if reasonable, otherwise as needed
              • Level of effort
              • Cost

                • Servers

                • BIOS/Firmware
                  • Update at deployment then as needed

                    • Drivers
                      • Update at deployment then as needed
                      • OS
                        • Update monthly
                        • Delay one month from release date unless critical
                        • Applications
                          • Deploy stable version and update annually or as needed

                            • Networking

                            • Firmware
                              • Deploy stable version and update annually or as needed

                                • Printers

                                • Firmware
                                  • Deploy stable version and update annually or as needed
                                  • Drivers
                                    • Deploy stable version and update as needed

                                      • Mobile

                                      • Smartphones
                                        • Update major version as stable
                                        • Enable auto-update for minor version if historically stable
                                        • Apps should auto-update, delayed if necessary for testing
                                        • Tablets
                                          • Update major version as stable
                                          • Enable auto-update for minor version if historically stable
                                          • Apps should auto-update, delayed if necessary for testing

                                            • Misc

                                            • IOT
                                              • Try to deploy only if reputable manufacturer
                                              • Enable auto-updates
                                              • Intrusion Prevention
                                                • Deploy stable version and update annually or as needed
                                                • Access Control
                                                  • Deploy stable version and update annually or as needed
                                                  • Fire Alarm
                                                    • Deploy stable version and update annually or as needed

                                                      • Final Thoughts

                                                      • Keeping systems updated is typically around 25% of your time as a SysAdmin
                                                      • Depending on the system much of this work will need to be completed after hours
                                                      • Choosing how often a system is updated is an important balance between required up time, stability and security
                                                        • 37 min
                                                      • SAS 017 – Interview with IT Client Support Specialist Jack McCarthy

                                                        This episode is an an interview with Jack McCarthy.  He has been working in IT for 6 months and it currently an IT Client Support Specialist.

                                                        Some takeaways from my conversation with Jack are:

                                                        • Don’t be afraid to try different things
                                                        • Get a job that is close to what you want, even if not the exact field
                                                        • Be read for opportunities, they often come unexpectedly
                                                        • Once you find what you like, make a 5 year plan/goal

                                                          • GCIH Certification:

                                                          https://www.giac.org/certification/certified-incident-handler-gcih

                                                          22 min
                                                        • SAS 015 – Why I Love Being A System Administrator

                                                          In this episode I talk about why System Administrator is my favorite IT role.

                                                          • Today’s Show
                                                            • This following is highly influenced by my own opinions and experiences
                                                            • The System Administrator role is my favorite in the IT field
                                                            • Education & Experience requirements
                                                              • 4+ years with 4 year degree
                                                              • 8+ years without degree
                                                              • Responsibilities
                                                                • Wide range of technology
                                                                • Highly transferable skills
                                                                • High impact on business goals
                                                                • Compensation – https://www.glassdoor.com
                                                                • Privately owned company with < 1000 users
                                                                  • IT department isn’t too large
                                                                  • Company more likely to care
                                                                  • More able to move the needle
                                                                  • Company culture/IT culture is important
                                                                    • Limited on call work
                                                                    • Reasonable approach to maintenance, projects and budgeting
                                                                    • Employee success encouraged
                                                                      • Training available
                                                                      • Mentoring available
                                                                      • Why
                                                                        • I can provide for my family of 6
                                                                        • I get to do work that I enjoy and is challenging and rewarding
                                                                        • I am proud of my job and the company I work for
                                                                        • I can focus on my family when I’m not at work
                                                                        • Final Thoughts
                                                                          • Don’t focus only on technical skills.  Take time to grow your people skills, public speaking and project management abilities.
                                                                            • You may need to switch employers a few times to get the necessary experience, or to land your desired role
                                                                              • No one should be holding you back, but don’t rush it.  Be realistic about your experience level.
                                                                              • You are in control of your own career.  Yes you can just coast and it won’t really effect you much up front, but what do you want to be doing in 5 years, or 10 years.  If you are not working towards that now it will most likely  never occur.  Prepare now, so that you will be ready when the opportunity arrives.

                                                                                • You can email me with any feedback [email protected]

                                                                                46 min
                                                                              • SAS 014 – Disaster Recovery

                                                                                In this episode I talk about the importance of being prepared for a disaster that takes your primary data center offline.

                                                                                • Being prepared to keep IT systems operating during or after a disaster is critical
                                                                                • What is DR, how does it work?
                                                                                  • How will you offer IT services if a fire destroys your data center?
                                                                                  • Email
                                                                                  • Voice
                                                                                  • Business Software
                                                                                    • Billing
                                                                                    • Accounts Payable
                                                                                    • Payroll
                                                                                    • CRM
                                                                                    • What servers will you use?
                                                                                    • How recent will the data on them be?
                                                                                    • What services and data will be available?
                                                                                    • This should be driven from management as a part of business continuity
                                                                                    • It should be driven by IT even if BC isn’t in place
                                                                                    • Hosting
                                                                                      • On premises, separate facility
                                                                                        • Up front cost
                                                                                        • Maintenance
                                                                                        • Space
                                                                                        • Data center
                                                                                          • Ongoing cost
                                                                                          • Maintenance
                                                                                          • Cloud
                                                                                          • Scope
                                                                                            • What needs to be included?
                                                                                              • Is restoring from nightly backups enough for some servers?
                                                                                              • RPO – recovery point objective
                                                                                              • RTO – recovery time objective
                                                                                              • Budget
                                                                                              • Testing
                                                                                                • Soft failover
                                                                                                • Hard failover

                                                                                                  •  

                                                                                                  • Final Thoughts
                                                                                                    • DR should be considered a critical part of every IT infrastructure, make  sure you have it, that the scope is accurate and that it works.

                                                                                                      • You can contact me by email [email protected] and twitter @sysadminshow.

                                                                                                      Thanks for listening!

                                                                                                      43 min
                                                                                                    • SAS 013 – In the Lab – Installing Exchange 2016

                                                                                                      In today’s  show I add email to the lab with Exchange 2016.

                                                                                                      • Follow Up
                                                                                                        • From last show
                                                                                                          • Grounding bar
                                                                                                          • Conduits and ladder rack
                                                                                                          • Airflow
                                                                                                          • Data Closet Specs
                                                                                                          • Today’s Show
                                                                                                            • Exchange 2016 Cu11 install files
                                                                                                              • https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=57388
                                                                                                              • The 2016 trial will not install on server 2016, but the CU is a full installer and will go into trial mode
                                                                                                              • VCC 2013: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40784
                                                                                                              • UCMA Runtime 4.0: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34992
                                                                                                              • .Net 4.7.1 Web Installer: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=56115
                                                                                                              • Office 365 ProPlus Evaluation
                                                                                                                • https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-office-365-proplus
                                                                                                                • VMware Snapshots
                                                                                                                • Email Server VM
                                                                                                                • Client workstation VMs
                                                                                                                • Create User1 & User2 accounts on the domain
                                                                                                                  • Add Email accounts for them
                                                                                                                  • Exchange Admin Center
                                                                                                                    • Web based
                                                                                                                    • https://lab-email01/eac
                                                                                                                    • Ignore self-signed certificate
                                                                                                                    • Setup Outlook on both workstations
                                                                                                                    • Send test email from user1 on workstation01 to user2 on workstation02
                                                                                                                      • Final Thoughts
                                                                                                                        • Exchange is a fairly advanced topic, so it is great to have access to it in the lab.  I could easily dedicate this podcast to only Exchange and never run out of things to talk about.  I expect to go future episodes it.
                                                                                                                        • Building a DAG would be the next logical step
                                                                                                                        • Where should we go from here in the Lab
                                                                                                                          • 1 hr 26 min
                                                                                                                        • SAS 012 – Building a Server Room

                                                                                                                          Server Room Diagram

                                                                                                                          In today’s episode I go over all the requirements for building or remodeling a server room.

                                                                                                                          • Today’s Show – Building a Server Room
                                                                                                                            • New construction or remodel
                                                                                                                            • Project Management
                                                                                                                              • Depending on the scope IT maybe expected to manage this project
                                                                                                                              • If not managed by IT you will want to ensure you are involved as early as possible
                                                                                                                              • Communication
                                                                                                                                • Email is best to communicate instructions
                                                                                                                                • It’s good to review, debate and plan in person or on the phone, but follow meetings up with emails outlining what is being done, by who and by when
                                                                                                                                • If possible have someone take meeting notes
                                                                                                                                  • Room location
                                                                                                                                    • 1st floor or above, not a basement  if possible
                                                                                                                                    • Opening to an office area, not a shop or garage
                                                                                                                                    • Away from outside walls
                                                                                                                                    • No windows
                                                                                                                                    • Room size
                                                                                                                                      • 2 racks minimum, 10′ x 10′
                                                                                                                                      • Will provide at least 3′ on every side
                                                                                                                                      • Floor, walls, ceiling
                                                                                                                                        • 9′ drop  ceiling
                                                                                                                                        • Full height walls, no crawl spaces above the ceiling to other rooms
                                                                                                                                        • Painted drywall
                                                                                                                                        • Anti-Static floors
                                                                                                                                        • Door
                                                                                                                                          • Metal if possible
                                                                                                                                          • Open out
                                                                                                                                          • Locking
                                                                                                                                          • Lightning
                                                                                                                                            • LED if possible
                                                                                                                                            • Above from and rear of racks
                                                                                                                                            • A/C
                                                                                                                                              • Dedicated split unit
                                                                                                                                              • Calculate size
                                                                                                                                              • Power
                                                                                                                                                • Input  power requirements
                                                                                                                                                  • Hard line / Plug Type
                                                                                                                                                  • Amps
                                                                                                                                                  • UPS, Calculate size & run time
                                                                                                                                                  • PDU
                                                                                                                                                  • Generator backup
                                                                                                                                                  • Racks
                                                                                                                                                    • 7′ H, 3′ D, 2′ W
                                                                                                                                                    • Cable management  6″
                                                                                                                                                    • KVM
                                                                                                                                                      • Console & KVM Switcher
                                                                                                                                                      • Demarc
                                                                                                                                                        • 3/4 Plywood, Painted
                                                                                                                                                        • Outlets fed from UPS
                                                                                                                                                        • Access Control
                                                                                                                                                          • Unique key or electronic lock
                                                                                                                                                          • Environmental Monitoring
                                                                                                                                                            • Report of Temp, Humidity, Water
                                                                                                                                                            • Storage
                                                                                                                                                              • Cabinet
                                                                                                                                                              • Safe
                                                                                                                                                              • Budget
                                                                                                                                                                • Sometimes dictated, sometimes generated by IT
                                                                                                                                                                • Should include all materials and labor
                                                                                                                                                                • Include time required by internal resources, so you can plan accordingly
                                                                                                                                                                  • Final Thoughts
                                                                                                                                                                    • Many companies will not see the value in building a proper server room, do research to advocate for it
                                                                                                                                                                    • If you do not get involved early in the conversation it will be an afterthought and very difficult to do it properly
                                                                                                                                                                    • Server rooms don’t change very often, so expect that you will need to make it work for the next 5-10 years of growth
                                                                                                                                                                    • As with any negotiation divide you requirements into needs and wants.   Don’t fight so hard for what you want that you cannot get what you need

                                                                                                                                                                      • Email me with any questions or comments on this episode: [email protected]

                                                                                                                                                                      1 hr 1 min
                                                                                                                                                                    • SAS 011 – In the Lab – Server 2016 Configuring AD, DNS, DHCP & File Server

                                                                                                                                                                      In today’s show we will continue working in the lab.  I walk through the process of deploying Active Directory on a new Server 2016 VM with DNS and DHCP.  We also setup a file server with a basic network share.

                                                                                                                                                                      Follow-Up

                                                                                                                                                                      • One way conversation so far, I want to hear from you
                                                                                                                                                                        • @sysadminshow
                                                                                                                                                                        • Some upcoming topics include server room specs, DR, patch management
                                                                                                                                                                        • I got VMRC working on Linux Mint
                                                                                                                                                                          • Download the linux .bundle file from VMware
                                                                                                                                                                          • Run sudo sh, follow install instructions
                                                                                                                                                                          • If you want to catch up go back to episodes 7,8,10.  So far we have
                                                                                                                                                                            • Setup VMware ESXi
                                                                                                                                                                            • Setup Server 2016 & Windows 10 templates
                                                                                                                                                                            • Setup dedicated VLAN for the LAB Follow Up

                                                                                                                                                                              • Today’s Show

                                                                                                                                                                              • Cloning VMs in ESXi
                                                                                                                                                                                • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/
                                                                                                                                                                                • Psgetsid
                                                                                                                                                                                • Setup domain controller, new domain
                                                                                                                                                                                  • I setup my lab root domain as corp.sysadminshow.com, but I should have done it just sysadminshow.com.  No real harm, just more to type.
                                                                                                                                                                                  • Setup DNS
                                                                                                                                                                                    • Setup forward and reverse zones
                                                                                                                                                                                    • Set DHCP
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Setup IPv4 scope
                                                                                                                                                                                      • Setup VMware client network
                                                                                                                                                                                        • Set our lab VMs to use the Lab network we created earlier
                                                                                                                                                                                          • 1 hr 17 min
                                                                                                                                                                                        • SAS 010 – In the Lab with pfSense, Networking & VMware

                                                                                                                                                                                          We continue getting the lab setup.  Configuring a dedicated network with internet access for the lab  using pfSense and VLANs on a managed switch.

                                                                                                                                                                                          https://www.pfsense.org/download/

                                                                                                                                                                                          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_network

                                                                                                                                                                                          • Configure VLANs on pfSense
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Home
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Public
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Lab
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Reset and Configure managed switch
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Patch in and test
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Configure VMware networking
                                                                                                                                                                                            • Testing

                                                                                                                                                                                              • 53 min
                                                                                                                                                                                            • SAS 009 – Managing IT Vendor Relationships

                                                                                                                                                                                              Follow-Up

                                                                                                                                                                                              • Missed from SAS 006
                                                                                                                                                                                                • Testing Hardware/Software
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Test everything, try to break it
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Don’t assume anything
                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Testing backups
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Monthly backup tests
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Quarterly disaster recovery tests
                                                                                                                                                                                                    • Annual business continuity tests

                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Today’s Show – Managing IT Vendor Relationships

                                                                                                                                                                                                      • Everyone will need an IT vendor at some point, so build good relationships for when you need them
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Staffing help
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Emergencies
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Technical assistance for core infrastructure
                                                                                                                                                                                                        • Evaluation process
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Reputation
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Size
                                                                                                                                                                                                          • Cost
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Price is important, but isn’t everything
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Core competencies
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Availability
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Location
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Qualify engineer who will actually be doing the work – these are often the best relationships
                                                                                                                                                                                                            • Contract Review
                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Larger companies won’t budge much
                                                                                                                                                                                                              • This is the basis of the relationship
                                                                                                                                                                                                              • Fixed price vs T&M vs Not to Exceed

                                                                                                                                                                                                                • Final Thoughts

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • Implement changes over time
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  • They work for you,  you can override their recommendations

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    •  

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    You can send feedback and ideas for future episodes to [email protected].

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    39 min

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                                                                                                                                                                                                                  A podcast focused on the Information Technology workplace. We discuss career opportunities, education/training and the technologies used today.