@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
I will look into Zabbix. It's just that SW network monitor does exactly what I need so I stuck with it.
Zabbix + SodiumSuite might be a nice combination. One for traditional network monitoring, one for the more robust tracking and reporting, helpdesk, and so forth.
Will look into this after my current project.
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
I would highly recommend splitting these into three different VMs then. No reason not to, right?
Microsoft Licensing is a very likely reason.
Your right on that.
So an offset to this is you can easily setup a linux server to act as your file server. So you can "save" a license here. The other services, Email (I'm assuming exchange) has to be run on Windows as well does SW Network Monitor.
Email is Kerio Connect. Now GFI. They do have a Linux appliance but sometimes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
As for fileserver, I setup RBAC in AD and even with Samba 4.4, permissions are an issue. Like I mentioned to Scott, my lack of knowledge could be the issue here.
But you can easily replace SW network monitor with Zabbix or literally anything else, while using less system resources and not have to think about the licensing.
I will look into Zabbix. It's just that SW network monitor does exactly what I need so I stuck with it.
The biggest issue is it's forcing you to spend for Windows licensing which just doesn't make sense.
Yeah, Windows Server licensing, as it can't be used on a desktop OS. Not cheap, and it uses a fair amount of resources, so it's not generally a small VM. It can suck a large percentage of your platform IOPS.
I did notice, a few versions ago, that it sucked up resources but with the latest release it has been pretty tame.
As for the Windows license, at the time, I had it already and the file/email server had the extra resources. So it didn't cost me anything but configuration time.
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
I would highly recommend splitting these into three different VMs then. No reason not to, right?
Microsoft Licensing is a very likely reason.
Your right on that.
So an offset to this is you can easily setup a linux server to act as your file server. So you can "save" a license here. The other services, Email (I'm assuming exchange) has to be run on Windows as well does SW Network Monitor.
Email is Kerio Connect. Now GFI. They do have a Linux appliance but sometimes, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. 
As for fileserver, I setup RBAC in AD and even with Samba 4.4, permissions are an issue. Like I mentioned to Scott, my lack of Linux knowledge could be the issue here.
But you can easily replace SW network monitor with Zabbix or literally anything else, while using less system resources and not have to think about the licensing.
I will look into Zabbix. It's just that SW network monitor does exactly what I need so I stuck with it.
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
I would highly recommend splitting these into three different VMs then. No reason not to, right?
Microsoft Licensing is a very likely reason.
Your right on that.
Oh, I just went through, it is specifically SW Network Monitor. So that is Windows Server only, sorry missed that it was that specific tool.
Its all good. I want to get rid of that someday too if SodiumSuite is comparable? Do I have that correct?
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
I would highly recommend splitting these into three different VMs then. No reason not to, right?
The issue is I don't have the server licenses. I would like to split these up like Dustin suggested.
Most of those workloads aren't things you'd want to use licenses for though, I would imagine. Network monitoring would basically always be a Linux or BSD workload item, I would think. I can't think of any reasonably competitive product that works or works as well on Windows. And if it isn't on Windows, no license needed.
I would agree for the longer term future. My linux/BSD knowledge is not quite up there yet but that is my goal for the year.
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
I would highly recommend splitting these into three different VMs then. No reason not to, right?
Microsoft Licensing is a very likely reason.
Your right on that.
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@pmoncho said in Combine fracture VM folders:
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
I would highly recommend splitting these into three different VMs then. No reason not to, right?
The issue is I don't have the server licenses. I would like to split these up like Dustin suggested.
I am also trying to plan for the near future. Within the next month or so I will upgrade to ESXI 6.5 (backup software has held me up). In the next year I would like to move to Windows 2016. I have a few old apps that need to go away first before I can change OS's.
@scottalanmiller said in Combine fracture VM folders:
" via separate VMs
In this instance, it is a single VM doing three tasks.
This server does not get taxed very much. Network Monitor is more of a strain than email or file services.
@dustinb3403 said in Combine fracture VM folders:
The whole process you have described in both 1 and 2 is overly complicated as far as I can understand.
Simply create a new VM on the storage that has enough space for everything, copy everything, robocopy or xcopy or rsync and then re-share the information.
That is a good idea too. I was hesitant as this is our email server and SW Network Monitor also.
I was thinking about #2 as the vmdk (HD files) are fine where they are at. It is only the config files I need to actually move. That would be moving 10 Mb vs 500 Gb of data.
I fall short in understanding the Remove/Add from Inventory process in vCenter. Did some googling and searching SW and it seems pretty easy. It actually seems to darn easy that it makes me wonder if I am missing something in the process.
@pmoncho
Just realized, after rereading my post, I didn't actually ask a question.
If I want to combine the filesvr1 folder on the NAS datastore with local datastore folder which of the three options above would be best?
In the past, I've only cloned VM's so options 1 and 2 above are new to me.
ESXI 5.5 Essentials with local storage and NAS datastore's
In prepping for an upgrade to ESXI 6.5 I am going through the VM's on my three hosts.
For my current 2008R2 Fileserver VM ( with SW Network Monitor and Email server) named filesvr1, I found out the following data locations;
Local Datastore folder filesvr1 has 3 of my hard drive files (vmdk files)
NAS Datastore folder filesvr1_1 has 4th hard drive (vmdk file)
NAS Datastore folder filesvr1 has the config and log files
I want to combine the filesvr1 folder on the NAS datastore with local datastore folder.
My first thought is to just move the config/log files from the NAS to the local datastore, change the .vmx file to point the .vswp filename but don't know if that is possible.
Remove from inventory, move the files together in the same folder on the local datastore and then add back to inventory. I believe vCenter will fix the .vmx file???
Clone to a different host on a single datastore and then clone back to original host.
TIA
@scottalanmiller said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
@pmoncho said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
@scottalanmiller said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
CDW has no techs, only sales. So you can't use those services.
Maybe I got lucky a few times in speaking with the right person.
The biggest question is... how do you know that you got lucky? If a sales person is really effective, they make you feel like you got good advice, even when getting sold to.
It is definitely possible and may have happened in my licensing situation. As for my printer situation, I feel I received good advice because I already knew the printer specs I needed but decided to use them to do my hunting. (You may or may not know how hard it is to find a good printer with an envelope feeder. Use to be easy) I verified the model they suggested vs others and it fit perfectly.
@matteo-nunziati said in Just one more failure...:
@dashrender said in Just one more failure...:
where people print out the old stuff, then scan that into a PDF then upload into the chart - don't ask why we don't just print to PDF
welcome! we even print emails and keep paper version stored for months. not legal stuff at all. just customers' orders
Ohhhh the pain with which we live.
@scottalanmiller said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
CDW has no techs, only sales. So you can't use those services.
Maybe I got lucky a few times in speaking with the right person.
@scottalanmiller said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
@pmoncho said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
@scottalanmiller said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
@dave247 said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
I got a quote from CDW for O365 for Exchange only (just for S&G) and for 75 users, it came to $10,800/year. You guys weren't kidding...
Yeah, CDW is a shit show. I would not deal with them, even for normal stuff. You can never trust them, their prices are all over the map. Get a good deal one day, totally screwed the next. It's not that they don't deliver what you buy, but the cost of overseeing the use of them is too high that you can't actually save money with them and they don't have any technical value. So if they aren't the cheapest, they are crap.
I am not saying that CDW is all that great but I have found they do offer me decent help when I need it. I know about their pricing issues and that is why I use Amazon, Ebay and Xbyte for some items.
At a recent CDW Security Event, I was surprised to hear them say their pricing will not be the cheapest but they hope the extra customer service and pre-sales tech support offer and advantage over competitors.
What CDW needs to do is figure out free shipping. I would probably order from them a lot more if they had free shipping because they have a warehouse pretty close and its like I get "free" next day shipping at regular shipping cost.
When I do find a product much cheaper elsewhere with free shipping, I don't even bother with CDW.
But isn't their "assistance" a huge negative? Their claim to fame is using their "technical resources" as sales people to screw customers. There isn't much I'd think that you could get from them that wasn't a negative. What "value add" are you seeing from them?
I mostly use Mangolassi and SW for help now but there have been times when working through MS licensing, and a few different pre-sale FW questions, CDW has been very helpful. Oh also, finding me a printer from different manufacturers to meet my requirements. Their pre-sales tech's have saved me a bunch of time in a couple different situations.
That is where I find the value with them. It is not often but it is there.
@scottalanmiller said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
@dave247 said in question about setting up a new domain controller:
I got a quote from CDW for O365 for Exchange only (just for S&G) and for 75 users, it came to $10,800/year. You guys weren't kidding...
Yeah, CDW is a shit show. I would not deal with them, even for normal stuff. You can never trust them, their prices are all over the map. Get a good deal one day, totally screwed the next. It's not that they don't deliver what you buy, but the cost of overseeing the use of them is too high that you can't actually save money with them and they don't have any technical value. So if they aren't the cheapest, they are crap.
I am not saying that CDW is all that great but I have found they do offer me decent help when I need it. I know about their pricing issues and that is why I use Amazon, Ebay and Xbyte for some items.
At a recent CDW Security Event, I was surprised to hear them say their pricing will not be the cheapest but they hope the extra customer service and pre-sales tech support offer and advantage over competitors.
What CDW needs to do is figure out free shipping. I would probably order from them a lot more if they had free shipping because they have a warehouse pretty close and its like I get "free" next day shipping at regular shipping cost.
When I do find a product much cheaper elsewhere with free shipping, I don't even bother with CDW.
@dashrender said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
@tech1 said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
@coliver said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
The oddest thing is he still hasn't responded. Seems like this would be a good time to justify/explain your comments and save some face. Or someone might send that thread to that users CEO.
He finally did and clarified some things.
That must be a rough situation to be in.
It feels fishy. He had to change the title significantly to make it make sense. He started off claiming he was a system admin. Then when clearly it didn't fit his story, he changed it to "head of IT".
That's like saying you were hired as a mechanic. Then when you claimed you should be in charge, changing your story to claim you were the manager. It doesn't add up and it's not a natural mistake to make - claiming yourself to be a technical employee, then after getting busted, claiming that you were, in fact, the manager instead.
Well - at a small SMB (100 or so employees) I wouldn't want the title Director of IT, even if I really was the end all be all of IT decision making.. So I could see not calling yourself Director, head of, etc in that case.
In my current SMB, being the end of all of IT decisions, my title is Director of IT but it was given to me a long time ago and never cared to change it. Heck maybe "Bench-Worker General" is the best description as that is the majority of my work.
@scottalanmiller said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
@tech1 said in What Are You Doing Right Now:
@scottalanmiller I love when you said , "It's the CEO's network, the CEO's company. " I've met some people who have a power struggle about it.
It's a VERY common failing in IT to feel a sense of "ownership" of a network; instead of realizing that we just help to maintain other peoples' networks.
I'm guilty of this ^^^^^^. Been in current job for 20+ years (still loving it).
I am working on changing this thought process though.
I defintely understand the pain of old records though. I cannot wait to ditch a bunch of old data myself. Been sitting there waiting on its 20 year anniversary. Plus I have a bunch rolling off the 7.5 years retention period also.
@scottalanmiller said in What did you have for lunch or dinner today?:
@pmoncho said in What did you have for lunch or dinner today?:
IMHO, you cannot really BBQ a steak (Strip/Ribeye), hotdog or hamburger but you can BBQ or Grill a chicken.
Why not? I mean "why would you", of course, but it should work just fine.
Let me throw it out this way, Q'ing a steak is like having a physical DC. LOL
