The Comms Room

TheCleaner

19:00

@BigHomie I'm getting ready to branch out. Going to start being a reseller/installer of oontzy home automation crap on the side. Maybe it'll become a full time gig someday. Around here there really isn't much competition except for the high end stuff.

Michael Hampton

@HopelessN00b Your employer needs an IT department.

3

Kevin Soviero

It doesn't hurt as much to get hit in the head... In terms of survival and reproduction (the guide by which nature judges us), the testicles are more important than the brain.

Håkan Lindqvist

@pauska Also, zooming in in the browser seems to help. (And I was only able to reproduce what you are talking about on Windows for whatever reason, not sure if it's a matter of available fonts or the font rendering.)

BigHomie

@TheCleaner Seriously? I've actually been thinking of doing work in that field

Michael Hampton

I was thinking about building an email appliance that doesn't suck.

HopelessN00b

19:03

@MichaelHampton No shit. And they're gonna need one even worse when the three IT engineers find new jobs, as we're all looking.

Michael Hampton

@HopelessN00b Your company is so fucked.

TheCleaner

@BigHomie serious. I helped out a few friends getting them a small camera security system setup, and then one wanted Nest and the other wanted some basic upgrades in their house like remote control blinds. Found out it wasn't that hard to learn it and they were more than happy to pay me for my time. So I figured others might be like them...wanting the stuff but having no idea where to start or how to get it installed. I'll start small, but hopefully it will grow.

voretaq7

@KevinSoviero In terms of content, most people have more in their scrotum than in their skull. (Yeah, I'm calling people stupid.)

pauska

@TheCleaner that's actually the same idea I had a few years ago

dropped it since I have so extremely little experience in programming, as one would probably need to create little snipplets to make everything work together

I really hope you succeed though - that's a really cool project!

Håkan Lindqvist

@pauska As I said, it doesn't make a great deal of difference, it looks silly anyway. I'm just objecting to the suggestion that it would be intentional. I would rather guess they didn't really test it on Windows, if that's the only platform it happens on.

Michael Hampton

19:07

Your post office, hard at ... work?
April 10, 2014 , 4:10 am Arrival at Post Office MANCHESTER, NH 03103
April 9, 2014 , 4:18 am Processed through USPS Sort Facility NASHUA, NH 03063

TheCleaner

@pauska I originally wanted to do it back in the late 90s, but couldn't do it for just your reason. But nowadays turnkey products, wireless, and "standards" make it pretty easy even for a DIYer. The good thing is that technology still scares a lot of people enough that they would rather someone else do it for them.

HopelessN00b

Oh, lookie here... another contender for sysadmin of the year.

So, basically, you did a domain rename, but didn't bother to follow the specific steps recommended for that procedure, or the warning not to do it unless you know what you're doing? Good luck with that. — HopelessN00b 58 secs ago

BigHomie

@TheCleaner I'd like to build a complete modular system. A 'Brain', similar to an alarm brain, that you control things from. They hook into the smart system, light switches, faucets, outdoor lights, etc.

HopelessN00b

Where the hell do they find these admins?

BigHomie

@HopelessN00b Haven't you heard? Monster.com

TheCleaner

19:11

@MichaelHampton reverse engineer an Ironmail appliance. Great product.

Michael Hampton

@TheCleaner Is that the Cisco one?

HopelessN00b

@BigHomie Yeah, the guys who responded to the job ad offering $15/hr for someone with experience in "computering," no doubt.

TheCleaner

@MichaelHampton used to be Secure Computing, then was bought by Mcafee. I think Cisco was the one that bought IronPort. Never liked Ironport because they also offered a "mass mailing" service that was designed to bypass spam filters. It'd be like Smith and Wesson selling armor piercing rounds and body armor.

HopelessN00b

@TheCleaner Didn't McAffee just get bought by Intel, itself, incidentally?

Dear McAfee Community: We are very pleased to report that Intel completed its acquisition of McAfee. The transaction cleared reviews by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the European Commission, and other regulatory bodies. It received unanimous approval from both Intel and McAfee boards of directors and overwhelming approval from McAfee’s stockholders.

Yeah, what was Intel thinking, I wonder?

pauska

@TheCleaner build your own backend if you can.. and then connect the different systems through it

Magellan

19:17

@TheCleaner More like NYPD running a side business selling those things.

pauska

It could give you the edge that secures business

kce

Here's what I leanred from our maintenance window last night. If you replace your virtualized firewall with a physical one make sure you don't turn the damn virtualized one back on.

Especially if they have the same IP addresses...

HopelessN00b

Heh, yeah. Sounds like a metric fucktonne of... "fun."

Magellan

@Iain Just saw the Meta-split Q on mSO. Pleased to see it, of course my standards are pretty low when it comes to delivery expectations from Devs. If they say 6-8 weeks, I do expect it to be closer to 6**8 weeks.

kce

@HopelessN00b - Oh yeah. Everything came back up and was working and then... the old firewall started.

pauska

19:21

@ewwhite how large was the registry size when you noticed it?

the bloat thing

Magellan

Expecting it to be done right around the middle of the next ice age is probably just about right.

TheCleaner

@pauska that part I'm not smart enough to do without outside help. Maybe in the future if it takes off well enough to be a full time gig.

@Magellan hah...perfect analogy.

HopelessN00b

@Magellan See, and that's where the environmentalists have it all wrong. Global warming isn't a threat, it's a solution to the next ice age. I don't wanna have my home crushed by a glacier, thankyouverymuch.

TheCleaner

@HopelessN00b

I have successfully renamed my domain but after renaming domain name am facing following issues. - so what you mean is "I haven't successfully renamed my domain...help!" — TheCleaner 7 secs ago

Nathan C

This copier has a split personality or something

TheCleaner

19:29

@BigHomie - I read your Matrix comment in Fishburne's voice.

Nathan C

It's reporting "low toner" to our remote monitor and it shows an error: low toner in the remote GUI, but the supplies screen on the GUI and on the printer itself shows "OK"

BigHomie

@TheCleaner classic.

@TheCleaner Can't. Help. Myself. Must. Exploit. The. Bug.

0

Q: Detect heartbleed exploit in the shortest amount of code

How little code do you need to detect the now infamous TLS Handshake bug? Any language goes.

code-golf

I have a sneaking suspicion that will get booted, even though it's on topic

HopelessN00b

@TheCleaner Yeah, no shit. I just... ugh. Get enough of that kind of ridiculous I-just-fucked-myself-being-stupid-come-halp-quick bullshit at work.

ewwhite

19:57

@pauska I think the registry was ~1.3 Gigabytes

pauska

@ewwhite where was the bloat? the DEFAULT hive?

TheCleaner

@BigHomie heh...you got burned on that one!

Michael Hampton

@BigHomie Where did you quote that from, because it's wrong

ewwhite

@pauska I can't remember. It was in the question I posted.

TheCleaner

It's the simple ways that often work out the best:

0

A: What options do I have to connect to a remote Windows server if RDP is broken?

Since it hasn't been mentioned: There's always "smart hands". Never underestimate the simplicity of calling someone and saying "can you walk over to the server and tell me what you see? ...OK...do this for me." Unless the server is orbiting the earth, that is likely an option.

HopelessN00b

20:09

Why is bad for you, personally, to be infected with herpes if you don't notice? Same answer for your computers. You also don't want them infected with herpes, even if you don't notice it right away. — HopelessN00b 28 secs ago

BigHomie

@MichaelHampton Which part?

Michael Hampton

@BigHomie The part I edited :)

BigHomie

I thought that was you.... ;)

TheCleaner

Whoa!

cbsnews.com/news/…

Stephen Colbert to replace David Letterman on "Late Show"

BigHomie

@MichaelHampton the 64 bytes was a typo, but I thought I remember seeing the bounds check implemented and if there was a mismatch then it returned -1, now the 'net is fluttered with the 'latest'

Michael Hampton

20:22

Oh. How do I do that with my live cd? — Jeff 36 secs ago

Oh god...

Nathan C

@MichaelHampton VTC'd

:P

TheCleaner

All this fuss about Heartbleed is unwarranted:
Testing youporn.com... not vulnerable.

Anonymous

Today was the "tech illiterate question day" for me

Anonymous

"Hey Pato did you see that heartbleed thing? pretty scary huh it is on the newspapers" To which I answer: 3 days late bro

Anonymous

Also, people have asked me about "uuuuh the deep web so cool bro"

BigHomie

20:30

@PatoSáinz stay away from there lad

Anonymous

deep web is just a marketing term for me

Anonymous

I'd rather use: sick shithole

BigHomie

@PatoSáinz You mean people finally know computers aren't perfect??

Anonymous

@BigHomie no they still can't realise that

BigHomie

@PatoSáinz far away

Anonymous

20:32

@BigHomie wot

HopelessN00b

@MichaelHampton "Have you tried hitting it with a hammer?"

Michael Hampton

I mean seriously. Sure I'm a Linux person, but if you stick me in front of a Windows box I can at least figure out what hardware it has, what the disks look like, whether there's a RAID array, etc...

Zoredache

@MichaelHampton Can you do that without opening the box and looking inside though? :p

Michael Hampton

@Zoredache Absolutely. Though I might have to press Ctrl+Alt+Del to log in first.

HopelessN00b

@michaelhampton That sounds like a challenge to me... Lemme set you up in front of our Windows servers, see if you can divine anything about it, other than the obvious recreational drug use by the guy who built it.

Michael Hampton

20:39

@HopelessN00b I already know about your Windows servers. The guy who built them downloaded a best practices document, and painstakingly made sure that he didn't do anything in it.

BigHomie

@PatoSáinz Da*k Web, far away

Max'd out stars again, what a day

HopelessN00b

I think it's more of a "this is your server, ... This is your server on drugs" thing, but you could be right.

TheCleaner

@MichaelHampton who gave you access to his company's SOPs? :)

Michael Hampton

@TheCleaner Ha. An educated guess.

pauska

haha.. fantastic

►

TheCleaner

20:45

@pauska hah...his first one was great...watching now...

Michael Hampton

And that's why we have group policies regarding the desktop background.

HopelessN00b

Oh, not doubting your ability to find your way around the average Windows setup.... Just offering you the chance to be haunted for life by jumping on one of ours.

TheCleaner

@pauska awesome...just as good as the first

Michael Hampton

Anyway my point is, if you're a Windows admin and yet you're responsible for a Linux box or two, it would be a good idea to have a little bit of basic knowledge about Linux in case, you know, you're actually called to do something to those Linux boxes.

@HopelessN00b And never fear. That was just a demo. The server's background actually runs a kitten slideshow.

ewwhite

I suck at computers.

6

freiheit

21:02

@ewwhite At least you're good at getting onto the starwall. That's something.

TheCleaner

@ewwhite but you rock at outsourcing!

Michael Hampton

Impostor syndrome

The impostor syndrome, sometimes called impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome, is a psychological phenomenon in which people are unable to internalize their accomplishments. Despite external evidence of their competence, those with the syndrome remain convinced that they are frauds and do not deserve the success they have achieved. Proof of success is dismissed as luck, timing, or as a result of deceiving others into thinking they are more intelligent and competent than they believe themselves to be. Background The term "impostor syndrome" first appeared in an article written by Paulin...

That's my last word on the topic.

HopelessN00b

@MichaelHampton That's how I learned that "SSH" was more than just a shorter, politer way of saying "shut your ugly face, before I shut it for you you fucking dumbass cock-weasel!"

I also started getting fired and arrested less after I learned that... for some reason.

Michael Hampton

@ewwhite Put the kittens on everyone's computer. Then they will never notice that you suck at everything else.

ewwhite

21:22

Still don't have the domain fixed.

VMware SSO was broken heavily with the customer who cloned the live domain controller

HopelessN00b

@ewwhite Yeah, no doubt.

And, to be fair, that broken domain is a big fuck-up. I wouldn't even touch it without getting full access to their backups, personally.

Michael Hampton

@HopelessN00b Back-what?

ewwhite

@HopelessN00b the backups require vSphere to access

HopelessN00b

@MichaelHampton Yeah, yeah. We have a big chunk of back-whats too.

@ewwhite Doesn't alter the case. I'd say "Newp, until I can do a proper DSR, I'm hands off. Get me the backups, and the DSRM password, or fix it yourself."

ewwhite

@HopelessN00b They can't get me the backups... without fully functioning AD, the VMware backups may as well not exist.

HopelessN00b

21:29

@ewwhite ...aaaaaaaaaaaand there it is. Of course they don't know the vShpere local credentials. Why would they need those?

Man, I tell ya... not enough money in the world to take on your clients.

ewwhite

@HopelessN00b No, it's that vSphere's backup software needs vCenter in order to work

thanks to diminishing efforts on the .NET client.

Michael Hampton

Whatever happened to good old 'root'?

HopelessN00b

@ewwhite Well, can't you login to the ESXi hosts directly, bypassing SSO? We can.

ewwhite

root works. And that gets me into the hosts.

but the backup software is integrated into VMware...

so you need vCenter for that

HopelessN00b

That... seems real shitty. Backup software that's dependent on the systems it's backing up? Ewww.

ewwhite

21:32

I'm sure nobody expects the AD to be destroyed in this manner

Kevin Soviero

@HopelessN00b Well, it's only dependent on the system it's backing up because they virtualized AD.

pauska

did you obfuscate that domain name?

ewwhite

yes...

It's really...

pauska

hah

HopelessN00b

@ewwhite Of course not, but still... seems like a major oversight to me. AD can get nuked any number of ways, which would be the whole point of backing it up. Making your backup system dependent on AD is not smart.

ewwhite

21:34

@HopelessN00b but vSphere is totally dependent on AD... well, in this revision

Mark Henderson

@ewwhite [email protected]?

HopelessN00b

@KevinSoviero Actually, in this instance, they could have a physical DC and still be fucked. Hence my statement about it being a real shitty oversight.

Mark Henderson

Or is that now gone?

ewwhite

@MarkHenderson that's for 5.5

This is why @MDMarra doesn't get paid. Never around to handle the ugly stuff.

HopelessN00b

@ewwhite Well, have you stepped through the forceful demotion process? That's what ya need to do. Forcefully demote the DC that got crunched, remove the leftover bits from AD, stand up a new one with the same IP and name.

ewwhite

21:39

@HopelessN00b doing that now.

HopelessN00b

Should put things right again, though SSO is always a touchy little bitch.

Mark Henderson

technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc781245%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

Get your NTDSUTIL ready

pauska

we might have some I/O issues going on...

ewwhite

Hey, I remember when my VNX had all of that red in the reports.

Mark Henderson

@pauska Thems some large response times

HopelessN00b

21:41

@MarkHenderson I much prefer this one. The official Technet documentation on the process is sparse and poorly organized.

pauska

our fast cache is nowhere near full util

I'm wondering if we're hitting the sequential roof based on the number of disks we have

the weird part is that our disks are at 40% util

ewwhite

22:15

You all know I love HP! - Hewlett-Packard Admits to International Bribery and Money Laundering Schemes

Mark Henderson

@ewwhite Yay large business

We have companies here doing the same thing

Paying massive bribes to win lucrative contracts

HopelessN00b

@ewwhite Meh. Bribery is just the way business is done in a large chunk of the world. And money laundering is a made-up, bullshit criminal statute anyway. Fuck the feds with a pointy stick.

Mark Henderson

> Thus far no criminal charges have been brought against American HP executives.

Nice to see that the "one law for them and one for us" precedent still stands

@HopelessN00b That doesn't make it right

HopelessN00b

@MarkHenderson Well, the alternative is not doing business in those parts of the world, which, for the most part, is everywhere that isn't Western Europe, North America and AUS/NZ. Not sure that's a better option, and is completely unrealistic anyhow.

Mark Henderson

@HopelessN00b Depends on how well you want to sleep at night. I'd rather not to business with people that I have to pay bribes to get a chunk of taxpayer funds

I'd much rather get it on my own merits

HopelessN00b

22:22

@MarkHenderson Oh, please. Your tax dollars do that anyway, and fund far worse sins to boot.

Mark Henderson

@HopelessN00b And I'm not happy about that either

But you have to start somewhere

HopelessN00b

@MarkHenderson Well, then start with the government, since funding their bullshit is compulsory. Once theeir hands are clean, then we can talk about everyone else's dirty hands. But having the dirtiest players enforce the rules against those who aren't quite as dirty is an absurdity, and an abomination.

ewwhite

Jeffrey Dahmer

Jeffrey Lionel Dahmer (May 21, 1960 – November 28, 1994), also known as the Milwaukee Cannibal, was an American serial killer and sex offender, who committed the rape, murder and dismemberment of 17 men and boys between 1978 and 1991, with many of his later murders also involving necrophilia, cannibalism and the permanent preservation of body parts—typically all or part of the skeletal structure. Diagnosed by psychologists and prison psychiatrists as suffering from a borderline personality disorder, Dahmer was found to be legally sane at his trial. Convicted of 15 of the 16 murders he ...

Mark Henderson

@HopelessN00b So in other words, "They're doing it, so therefor I can too!"

@ewwhite Friend of yours?

ewwhite

hipsters be going out of their way to look like Jeffrey Dahmer!

HopelessN00b

22:31

@MarkHenderson No, I'm saying that the government, being the worst offender of this type of behavior, is the absolute last organization that should be policing it. And honestly, if Poland or (whatever country) thinks bribery within their borders s wrong, it should be on them to prosecute it, not on say the US DoJ, or whomever else.

Anyway, time for food.

Michael Hampton

Wait... the US isn't supposed to be policing the whole world?

Mark Henderson

@ewwhite So the moral of that Wikipedia story is: If a dude offers you $50 for gay sex, he is probably going to kill you

$50 seemed to get a lot of services

Michael Hampton

@MarkHenderson Inflation.

HopelessN00b

22:47

I'm not even thrilled about the results when America polices America, to be honest.

Michael Hampton

23:11

Wild at Heart: Were Intelligence Agencies Using Heartbleed in November 2013?

Oh. I have hits from that netblock. Lots of them.

ewwhite

23:28

I'm getting back in the groooooove.

0

A: Intel Xeon E7-4807 vs Intel Xeon X5690

This is an interesting lesson in resource-planning and making hardware decisions across CPU lines and generations. I've had the unique experience of needing high-end CPUs for applications in a few different industries, but also the luxury of being able to test and benchmark before major architect...

HopelessN00b

Heh. Buy a chip with half the clock speed, get half the performance. Funny how that works ... it's enough to make the more paranoid among us suspect it's not a coincidence.

Mark Henderson

@ewwhite Sounds like someone just wanted a new toy to play with and didn't do their research

@HopelessN00b Well it does have twice as many cores, so in theory it has the same number of raw ghz

But we know it doesn't work like that

Michael Hampton

23:44

I really ought to read my logs more often.

I just discovered an OpenVPN server still running that was supposed to have been shut off ten months ago. Oops!

Scott Pack

class openvpn { ensure => 'absent';}

Michael Hampton

Well, stopped anyway. It's actually supposed to run for one week every year.

Scott Pack

Those are my least favorite business process services.

Michael Hampton

Oh, I don't mind that particular one too much. It pays for my vacation...

Evan Anderson

@Thecleaner - Thanks for the congrats. It has been a fun ride.

@BigHomie - I dunno-- I've just never had occasion to ask a question. I get a decent amount of help from Server Fault just by looking at questions others have asked.

Michael Hampton

23:58

...when I go out camping for a week and set up a temporary ISP from spare parts and duct tape.

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