Posts made by ElecEng

@scottalanmiller What's the best thing to use on green field networks that are private and have no public facing services?

I am working on a small data center build and need to make 45 different windows server VM's that will be running on vSphere / ESXI.

I am working on making a stripped and hardened windows server installer ISO currently but are there any tools to maybe automate this process to help me build these VM's off this ISO with common network and account configurations etc?

I use smart deploy for desktop operating systems but it's not setup to build running VM's or server based OS but looking for similar functionality.

I am trying to make a rule in Outlook or Outlook 365 that will take email from a specific sender with a specific subject line and delete after so many days after the email was sent (or arrived in inbox) but I don't seem to find this level of granularity with the built in rules unless i am missing something?

I can make it delete with the built in rules but only after a specific date and not after the date the email was received as i get theses daily. I looked at outlook add in's but didn't see anything that would do this.

@scottalanmiller SAM do you have anything you have written before to compare KVM to other hypervisors like VMware perhaps?

We have Metro ethernet that is managed, and changes have to be done by the ISP. We have 10 sites where we need to expand the IP address space for an upgrade as we don't have enough addresses (only 15 per site) We are adding some network gear and need 5 more per site.

Going to each site to change this with the ISP and dealing with any issues is a PITA. I suggested we open up 15 more for growth, but my manager insists that having unused addresses like that are a security risk.

These are all remote and unmanned sites we are expanding that have crap for physical security, such as cheap locks, no cameras, and no security alarm. My rebuttal is the headache of not having room to grow is more headache than security risk. If they are really concerned with security, they should worry about the physical security issues because if someone gets physical access to our network gear, it's a done deal.

Who is right, and who is wrong? Is his thinking that having extra unused addresses already set up for each site is a valid security concern? I know it's theoretically valid, but is it reasonably valid?

Does anyone know who makes a rack LCD console with an integrated digital KVM? with 8 or 16 ports?

Finding many with integrated analog KVM but not digital. APC used to have one, but it was discontinued and not replaced.

Rack space is extremely limited, thus why I am looking for an integrated unit versus two pieces of gear.

@Dashrender Yes as I need to get this going as soon as possible.

I am in need of some volume licensing help for a small business with around 25 users. Can someone recommend a good knowledgeable vendor to assist?

I have been using these recently and love them plus they give you BIOS-level access and virtual media with no limitations.

https://tinypilotkvm.com/?ref=ga3&gclid=CjwKCAjwyaWZBhBGEiwACslQo4pjQM3MLVoZgitDcyDn41jEzDcbBF3k29MzbVb8urtl0MIDuJQ49hoCJ0wQAvD_BwE

We have been using these for increased life and less maintenance.

Youtube Video

I am about to purchase 4 desktop-style tape drives LTO-9 and can't decide between the major brands and I wanted to see if anyone had any thoughts on the brands below one vs. the other?

Magstor/ IBM
Quantum
MLogic
Symply
HP
Dell

Move to a Virtual Inbound and Outbound fax service. Much cheaper than real fax and much more flexible

Tring to add a public location to outlook 365. If I start entering the hotel name I get some selections in other states but nothing near me and not the one I am looking for?

How can this be expanded for a larger search or what criteria is it using for its auto results?

@pmoncho These will be device RDS CAL's and pretty much the same account logging in all the time. But we may have technicians from time to time login and open an additional session so we may need extras to cover that.

I know by default it says they return to the pool after 89 days but I am curious to see if there is a way to have it return to the pool in a much shorter amount of time.

@jaredbusch That is the correct way and the way it's done in most manufacturing plants in the U.S. and International. That has been best practice for the last 25-30 years. I am in 8-10 different manufacturing plants [per week as a consultant and that's how it done.

@dashrender It is a manufacturing network for equipment comms, etc. Printers are on the corporate network but both networks are isolated from each other. Very common.

@dashrender the organization already has user CAL's because all employees have email and can log in to the local computers, etc.

Do need user CAL's for every employee on every system or does 1 user CAL cover an employee on any and all systems corporation-wide?

Trying to figure our how many CAL's i need for a system. Its has 5 thin clients so I know I will need 5 device cals. We will be using terminal services in a redundant setup so at least 10 RDS cals

Bu the systems has 20 virtual servers total and more thin clients and RDS sessions will be added over time. But for the existing 20 virtual servers that almost all work together do I need any CAls there? I assume i do because i get no cal warnings when doing RDP session from one VM to another. I know that can be extended and bypassed but for correct licensing i am trying to determine my needs for a CAL purchase.

What's the easiest and cheapest backup to employ on ESXI to backup VM's once they are configured?

I have vSphere essentials and not essentials plus so I don't have the built-in backup.

Is there something that will auto backup all the ESXI host settings / config also?

@gjacobse Use security groups for access control?