Wednesday, November 17, 2004 - Posts

Getting technical help

I will use Google before asking a dumb question is what Bart is writing on the chalkboard.

Tristan has a great blog post about how to gather information for a tech issue.  This is very timely given our “community” issue last week with the security patch.  As much as we hate issues with patches, I think all of us need to pat ourselves on the back.  As I posted in the patchmanagement.org listserve today, it's only when we call in, report the issues, work with Product Support Services can we make the patching experience better.  Thank you to everyone who called in and contacted PSS and got to the bottom of the patch issue.

I have another page that lists the recommended steps before posting to the newsgroups.

Just remember:

  • There are no dumb questions
  • More often than not, you are not the first with this issue
  • Computers are objects that YOU WILL MASTER [trust me... they'll finally let you think you are in control
  • Computers are unionized.  If one thing breaks on one computer, there will usually be something that breaks on another
posted Wednesday, November 17, 2004 11:04 PM by bradley with 0 Comments

Pre move clean up

I'm warning my folks to clean up their mailboxes before the move and I'm purposely going to leave the deleted email behind.

I'm going to turn OFF the mail quota and turn OFF the drive space quota, but some firms might need to keep these in mind.

One of the things you should keep in mind that Dana talks about is how SOX kicked in for large companies and while, no, you don't have to keep all your emails, it is a good reminder to first and foremost have a good email policy in place.  The SANS.org site has lots of good policies to look at and tailor for your organization.  Notice I said “tailor”.  You don't just blindly copy policies, you adjust it for your organization.

This weekend I'm going to <gasp> use a script [Jeff would be so proud] to document my network.

posted Wednesday, November 17, 2004 10:08 PM by bradley with 1 Comments

Have you visited the download page lately?

Just a reminder that Windows update at this time is NOT enough to keep us patched up. The WUS public beta just opened up but it's not [let me repeat that] NOT MEANT to be put on production machines.  As a consultant on a TEST BOX you can try it out, give feedback and be an annoying SBSer, but DON'T put it on a production setting.

In the meantime, don't forget our download page.  On that page there are some additional patches that are NOT Windows Updatable.  Our ISA 2000 patch for SBS 2003 premium is not yet on the site but it was “just” re-released.

Remember when you sign up for the beta [IF you sign up for the beta] that you download the readme file and READ IT [you know... read the um.... manual].  There are some SBS specific steps, so make sure you read the instructions.

Go here, go into the reporting bugs section, follow the instructions for getting to The WUS OEP Beta site and click on the known issues link.

posted Wednesday, November 17, 2004 8:29 PM by bradley with 2 Comments