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So this coming week, I have to deploy several dozen new VMs in a VMware environment, so I figure now is a great time to learn how to automate that! I'll be working in vSphere 6.7. I've deployed plenty of individual VMs from scratch but I really don't know how I'd go about automating the deployment of multiple VM's. The main unique variables per VM: -Computer name -Static IP A few VM's will need: -a larger C drive than most of the other VM's -an additional data drive. Additional info: -all VM's are connecting to the same domain -all of them will need our antivirus installed, which creates a unique PC record in its database and screws up if you rename a PC it's on, so it needs to be automatically installed after the PC has been named and added to the domain. There are probably a few ways to do this but I don't know about them. Are there any straightforward guides anywhere that detail how to do this? Has anybody recently done something like this themselves? GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 23:35 on Jun 14, 2020 |
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Jun 14, 2020 23:33
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MF_James posted:You can use templates for some of this, not sure how/if that will handle your AV install properly, but you can get unique machines up and running easily with them. Will templates let you to specify a computer name and static IP address directly within the vSphere environment? GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 23:45 on Jun 14, 2020 |
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Jun 14, 2020 23:43
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So I've been remoting in and messing around with the vsphere environment I'll be working in and I figured out how to deploy servers with basically one touch, even including the antivirus installation. Turns out VMWare Customization Specifications does just about everything. 1. Build master image: setup windows, update it, etc. 2. Create a new folder somwhere easy to access like "C:\antivirus" and upload the antivirus installer/downloader there. 2. Build a VMWare Customization Specification package that automatically: -sets a static IP address and prompts you for it at time of new server deployment -joins the server to the domain using VM name -automatically logs in as the local admin after joining the domain -applies Windows activation key -executes a one-time command to run the antivirus installer at 1st login I still have to individually create each VM, but that entire process now take about 45 seconds total. I don't have to touch anything in any of the deployed servers' Windows environments at all this way. That's a lot better than having to configure a bunch of Windows parameters manually in each VM. If I really wanted to go nuts I'd look for a good PowerCLI script that would do everything including adding host names to DNS, and that could import a CSV file of server names and corresponding IP's... but that's more than I think is necessary just yet. It could be really cool to learn that for the future though. GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 18:27 on Jun 15, 2020 |
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Jun 15, 2020 03:55
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Thanks Ants posted:Hostnames should already be in DNS if you're using AD Cool thanks. They won't be static though, right? GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 18:26 on Jun 15, 2020 |
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Jun 15, 2020 18:19
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Revalis Enai posted:I'm looking for back up internet so we can still process credit cards in case our internet goes down. I've been looking at mobile wifi or satellite internet and mobile wifi seems to be the most affordable one. That seems to be the most budget friendly solution I've seen that's still respectable. One company I've worked with lately uses a cellular router/wifi AP unit from Cradlepoint they seem to get a lot of use out of when they setup shop in temporary places. It's not the fastest thing around but it works in a pinch.
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Aug 17, 2020 03:37
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Bomgar is fantastic, I'll 2nd that. Some people also use LogMeIn.
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Aug 18, 2020 17:32
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Boywhiz88 posted:OK, so I've got a dumb question/situation. Managed switches usually top out at layer 2. You won't really be able to do anything with a managed switch other than turn specific ports on and off, set port speeds if available, and assign ports to VLANs, but none of those things will really help with security in this scenario. What you need is a router, placed between the switch and the outside network. Outside network -> Router WAN port. Then connect Router LAN port -> Switch port 1. Connect everything else in the office to your 7 remaining switch ports and there you go. You'll need something to act as your DHCP server within your new office network, and you'll need to make sure to set the router's LAN port IP address as your default gateway handed out by your DHCP. At that point your small office network should be isolated from the building's network. GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 06:24 on Aug 22, 2020 |
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Aug 22, 2020 05:13
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BonoMan posted:I have sort of a very unofficial marketing question for IT pros. For my research, I'd rather read up on a product or if possible, use it in a lab environment to test it out myself. For convincing management types to spend money on something, generally most of those people prefer PowerPoint for digesting information, or anything that conveys information the same way. This means videos are no good. Instead, use graphs, charts, and bullet point lists to convey information to those people. They tend to respond the best to data showing improved ROI. They don't give a drat about product features unless they can be shown to directly improve worker efficiency or customer experience so don't waste time talking about how cool a product is. Instead frame the conversation around exactly how the product will help the business. GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 18:02 on Nov 3, 2020 |
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Nov 3, 2020 17:59
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BonoMan posted:So, last question, but I'm going to pivot a second. If a client insisted on creating something a bit flashy for marketing purposes... would you prefer an animated explainer video or this type of animated infographic webpage: https://lucidworks.com/darkdata/ What's the situation here? Are you, an IT professional, being expected to put a sales video together for a client of your business? Are you part of a managed IT services provider who has a client that is expecting you to put together a marketing video for them to use to sell something to a 3rd party? Are you, again an IT professional, being asked to research different softwares for some other marketing department to use?
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Nov 3, 2020 18:47
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I have a request to use DNS to forward all requests for file server A to the new file server B. Both servers are members of the same domain. There are essentially 2 steps in this process: Step 1 is to configure file server B to accept SMB requests directed to file server A. Step 2 is to edit DNS to redirect requests meant for file server A to file server B. I'm good with Step 2. Does anybody know how to do Step 1?
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Jun 18, 2021 20:14
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Thanks Ants posted:https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/networking/dns-cname-alias-cannot-access-smb-file-server-share#resolution That article was exactly what I was looking for, thanks! Also, you and everybody else would be correct about going to DFS Namespace as well when we can deploy it. It solves so many problems.
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Jun 26, 2021 06:21
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Something else to think about, all ISP's lose connectivity sometimes, nothing you can do about that. But you can build in redundancy. If uptime is vital, you'll need at least two separate internet connections, each coming from a separate ISP, and setup for automatic failover.
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Jul 27, 2021 19:03
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Yep. Every time I hear about a server OS running on what is basically a glorified desktop machine, I shudder a bit. What happens if the power supply goes *pfft* like they so often do, and it takes the hard drives with it? Are your backups hosted elsewhere and up-to-date? Can you afford the downtime of a part replacement, server re-imaging (which you'll need to make sure you have the media and license info for), and backup restoration? Basically I agree with everybody else that you're going to want to offload everything you can onto a more stable solution. The monthly expenses for primary and secondary ISP connections and O365 should really be all you need, and you'll never have to worry about the headaches of power, hardware maintenance, software updates, backups, or physical data security.
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Jul 28, 2021 23:38
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Internet Explorer posted:I was internal IT for a small place where I wanted to leave and I advocated for having an MSP come take over. I handed them over a good 400+ passwords, detailed documentation, etc. Part of my criteria for helping hand off was that they had to change all of the passwords before my last day. I think they thought I was joking at first and then sheer dread set in. I've done work in the MSP world and I know that if I hadn't sat there and watched them do it, those passwords never would have been changed. So did that company just not use any domain accounts whatsoever? How were there 400+ passwords to change?
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Aug 11, 2021 02:20
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Rick posted:I really like zoho assist. But is there an alternative that will help me remote assist chromebook users? I always end up having to steer them to a windows machine somewhere. I'm not worried about being able to make admin changes on those machines but we have a phone process that requires some fairly simple programming of of our phones that is best done in the user's home network but it requires editing the DSS keys and I'd just prefer to do that for someone who's scared of entering an IP address into their browser to begin with. Chrome Remote Desktop?
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Aug 11, 2021 14:38
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Rick posted:Oh yeah, I forgot about this. I believe it requires an installer but after that, you just log into the remote desktop website with the associated account and the page will simply present you with a list of all the associated desktops that account can access. Click computer name, enter PIN, and off you go. The tech is really good too. if you go fullscreen and your monitor matches the resolution of the source monitor, you get a sharp, 1:1 pixel representation of the source monitor with no blurring or anti-aliasing.
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Aug 14, 2021 02:34
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delete
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Nov 24, 2021 23:24
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dexter6 posted:
If at all possible, I'd try to lock your department's support down two laptop models of your choosing, one for standard users and one for power users who will need more horsepower, then do not deviate from those two models. That will cut your image management down to two images, which will make your life infinitely easier. The "standard" model should be easy enough to choose. For your power users, I'd recommend speaking to all your power users to make sure whatever upgraded model you choose for standardization will be sufficient for their needs. Then decide how many years you want to go between manual computer refreshes. You will need approval from the brass to do this. For the inevitable presentation you'll need to make to present your case, study up on the statistics regarding how much more expensive old computers are to maintain (including cost of work for lost productivity during outages, which older computers are much more likely to face) than new computers are to cycle through every several years. Believe me. I've worked at companies that do the onesie-twosie dance with laptops (somebody needs a laptop so you're supposed to hop online, go to any old vendor, including ebay, and just find whatever is cheap that day and buy it, then be expected to support it forever) and it just makes the job excruciating. And as a bonus, you end up with closets upon closets of old PC's that maybe do maybe don't work or maybe are maybe aren't new enough to redeploy. Avoid that at all costs. GreatGreen fucked around with this message at 07:06 on Dec 1, 2021 |
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Nov 30, 2021 21:21
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