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Read-Only Friday

Read-Only Friday January 13, 2023

January 13, 2023 by ClaytonT 2 Comments

Today’s Read-Only Friday is about retiring/upgrading servers. Don’t worry no changing code today, but with Server 2012R2 going end of support Oct 10, 2023, I want to make sure you are aware and prepared to do it. By no means is this the definitive guide to do it, but hope this helps you create or improve your process for upgrading servers. Right now, I’d put a reminder in your calendar so you don’t forget and that you have enough time to take action on those servers.

I know it will depend greatly on what is on the server, but first thing before doing anything is making sure you have a valid backup. I’m not just talking about that your backup server of choice says it backed it up successfully, but actually restoring the server/files needed from the backup to ensure it works. We are decommissioning it for a reason, but while going through the process we want to make sure we have a backup just in case.

Next, I’d go through the server and make sure all services/software are documented as well as any important files. Even if you have documentation, I’d double check that all of it is correct, and that someone didn’t go out of scope and install something on it without documenting it. The last thing you need is when you shutdown the server or setup the replacement server that a department can’t do their work because the product they need isn’t online anymore.

A PowerShell one liner I’d recommend is “Get-WindowsFeature | Where installed” for one computer or you could run “Get-WindowsFeature -computername serv01,serv02 | Where installed” then you could pipe it to CSV or Excel to make it easier for documentation.

Then to get all programs installed

$InstalledSoftware = Get-ChildItem "HKLM:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall"

foreach($obj in $InstalledSoftware){write-host $obj.GetValue('DisplayName') -NoNewline; write-host " - " -NoNewline; write-host $obj.GetValue('DisplayVersion')}

This can be exported as well for easier documention as well.

Now that we know we have good back ups, we know what services/applications installed, and we did a once over for any out scope configs, I would ask your team to look over what you have to make sure nothing was missed. The more you do these, the less time it will take, but it’s always good to have a second set of eyes on it.

Great, with it having a second set of eyes on it, we can now build the new machine. Depending on your virtualization platform(Hoping you a test environment, if not look at AutomatedLabs), I’d create a PowerShell script to build the server, or if you have templates already, I’d use PowerShell to make the copy then configure IP and any one off applications and servers, as well as any files that would need to be on it. Make sure all windows updates are done to ensure none of them will break it. Once you have confirmed everything is working on the newer server os, you can now deploy it to production(Make sure to turn off the old one if it will cause issues). Before deploying it to production, I’d send out communication to users in case for some reason there is an issue, they will let you know right away or if there is anything they have to do on their side.

At this point I’d put all of the documentation for the new server together if you haven’t already which should be easy, as most of it is right in scripts. Once the new server has been working for a safe amount of time as it will depend on the importance of server, you can remove the old server and test server from your host(s).

I could definitely go in more depth on this, and if you have any questions on checklists or what to actually keep for documentation, let me know and I’d be glad to help out.

And yes, I know this is a Read-Only Friday topic, but most of the hard work is on the planning/documenting side which you can do on Read-Only Friday.

Tagged With: Automation, Documentation, EOL, PowerShell, Read-Only Friday, Upgrading, Windows Server

Read-Only Friday December 16, 2022

December 16, 2022 by ClaytonT Leave a Comment

Today’s Read-Only Friday is a little different, but feel it’s a very important topic to talk about. Do you have co-worker, vendor, or client that you really appreciate? Shoot, not even business wise, what about a family member, friend, or maybe a retail employee that always goes the extra mile? Let them know. I know you may feel that it won’t do anything or feel awkward letting them know, but you don’t know how much that person could need to hear it. Doesn’t matter if they seem like the happiest person in the world and have the best life, let them know you appreciate them or how they have positively impacted your life. Those few words could make there day or even more. Especially this time of year when times can be a lot tougher with the holidays.

That’s all I ask, let at least one person today know that you appreciate them.

Tagged With: Mental Health, PowerShell, Read-Only Friday

Read-Only Friday December 9, 2022

December 9, 2022 by ClaytonT Leave a Comment

I wasn’t going to do this for today, but decided to change it up and do it anyways. What are your thoughts on ChatGPT? I’ve seen strong opinions both ways on this, but curious on your feelings on it. One point I see it being a very useful TOOL that a person can have in their toolbox, but if it is too heavily relied on or trusted, the person can lose some important skill sets such as learning how to learn and putting your own spin on something. Also if the person is looking up completely new information, ChatGPT could make a great case with false information and the person wouldn’t know until they are called out. As long as the person is still verifying the I’m good with ChatGPT and isn’t using it as their only source of research. Then again, I’m aging myself here, people use to site wikipedia which again could be manipulated.

Also right now ChatGPT is free, who knows 6 months down the road if that will be the case. And if it has become a habit for the person, they will pay the money because  “they can’t live without it.” I do really love this type of technology and seeing how it has progressed so much over the years. It will only keep on getting better, and yes bad actors will abuse to too, but that is always the case with any type of technology or process.

And for a quick example, I had it write a “Read-Only Friday” post for me.

“In today’s fast-paced, always-connected business world, it can be hard to step away from our screens and disconnect from technology. But taking a break from technology, even for just one day a week, can have numerous benefits for our mental health, productivity, and overall well-being. That’s why many people are adopting the practice of “read-only Friday,” where they disconnect from technology and spend the day away from screens.

The effects of technology on our mental health and well-being are well-documented. Constant notifications, distractions, and the pressure to always be available can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and even burnout. In fact, a recent study found that excessive screen time can even change the structure of our brains, leading to decreased concentration and problem-solving abilities.

By taking a break from technology and disconnecting from screens, we give our brains a much-needed rest and allow ourselves to recharge and refocus. This can lead to increased productivity, improved mental clarity, and better overall health.

But disconnecting from technology doesn’t have to mean being unproductive at work. In fact, read-only Friday can be a great opportunity to focus on tasks that require deep concentration and focus, such as brainstorming, strategic planning, or creative problem-solving. You could also use the time to catch up on reading, attend a training or learning session, or even just take a long lunch break to recharge and refocus.

To make the most of your read-only Friday, plan ahead and decide what you want to do with your day. This could include scheduling specific tasks or setting aside time for relaxation and self-care. You could also try setting boundaries for yourself, such as turning off notifications on your phone or limiting your access to certain apps or websites.

Overall, read-only Friday is a great way to disconnect from technology and give your mind and body a much-needed break. So why not encourage your team to try it out and see how it impacts their productivity and well-being? You might be surprised by the benefits.”

That took a matter of seconds…

Project Site:

ChatGPT

Tagged With: ChatGPT, PowerShell, Read-Only Friday

Read-Only Friday December 2, 2022

December 2, 2022 by ClaytonT Leave a Comment

Last month of the year… a good time to start reviewing how this year went for you. If you haven’t been keeping track take some time today and over this month to write down your accomplishment(you’ll be surprised how many), learning moments, and ways you want to improve in 2023. It doesn’t need to be formal, you just need to write it down so that you can reference it.

I know it may feel  like a busy task, but really do it. You may find some patterns that you do and don’t like, and see how you can change them in 2023. Also make sure to put any thing you want to learn in 2023 to keep you honest, or if you want to start becoming a speaker at events, look for upcoming events and write them down. Is there a certification you want? What do you need to do to make it happen? Create a schedule and put checkpoints in it to make sure you are on task.

Hope this gets you thinking more about this past year and how you will improve yourself in 2023. I’ll be posting more on this topic throughout the month help you with this process. Feel free to message me if you have any questions on the topic as well, always love to help out!

Tagged With: Development, Read-Only Friday

Read-Only Friday November 25, 2022

November 25, 2022 by ClaytonT Leave a Comment

I know a lot of US workers have off today, but still wanted to post something as I know there are still many working and others who may have a little extra free time for learning. For today’s ROF, it really is a module or should I say modules, but the solution from these modules could be so helpful, I didn’t want someone to miss it.

The creator is called AsBuiltReport, which they have designed As Built Reports for different software and systems which you can customize what you want to see on the report and what thresholds should be for pass/fail.

Another way I could see using this to do to monthly/weekly/daily checks on your systems, and see if anything has been changed, but not only that, for certain(or all) systems it automatically changes back to the standard settings that it should be.

GitHub:

https://github.com/AsBuiltReport

Tagged With: AD, Fortinet, Nutanix, PowerShell, Read-Only Friday, Reporting, VMWare, Windows Server

Read-Only Friday November 18, 2022

November 18, 2022 by ClaytonT Leave a Comment

It’s coming to the end of the year and only a handful more ROF for this year, which can also mean agreements and renewals for a lot of people. How do you manage them? Do you have dedicated software, excel, sharepoint, SQL, or something else?

Do you have any automation built in for reminders to bring up to management, reminders for yourself, and/or request quotes from vendors? And yes I said for yourself, who enjoys renewing software then realizing you didn’t put in the new license and everything stops..

Going a little deeper, what about  cost wise? Do you have it so you can see upcoming costs and expected costs for the year. I know not all organizations are lucky enough to have enterprise grade software and/or dedicated departments to manage all of this. For smaller organizations, it can easily start out as an excel/sharepoint/google sheet and grow into local/cloud SQL or other scaleable solution. If you start now though, you’ll know what you want and don’t want which will make selecting solutions much easier. And from my years in the industry I can tell you that even with enterprise grade software you will still need to do some custom integrations, just a lot less of them.

Tagged With: Documentation, PowerShell, Read-Only Friday, Reporting

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Clayton Tyger

Tech enthusiast dad who has lost 100lbs and now sometimes has crazy running/biking ideas. Read More…

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