Diary of a Network Geek

They've been waiting for me.
I can tell that the folks at my company have been waiting for a guy like me to show up. Today, I had three different persona PCs from three different employees in my cube. Mind, I mean three machines that they brought from home to have me look at for them, not machines from the office. Mostly, they just needed to be defragged and have their anti-virus files updated, but, c'mon, three? Obviously, these people have just been waiting for a "real" computer person to show up so that they can get me to do basic maintenance for them. Actually, come to think of it, I need to update my anti-virus signatures myself!
But, that doesn't mean I have any less work that's work related, either. Just this morning I was setting up a PC for yet another person from New Orleans. Which is a good thing, I guess, when you consider some of the alternatives. Of course, it would have been nice if they hadn't promised that same cube to two different people without telling anyone. I was about to try and move his e-mail from the Windows 2000 machine he had in the office to his G4 Powerbook, but then we decided to take a "wait-and-see" stance instead. With all the miscommunication flying back and forth, we thought that was better. The chaos from Katrina has everyone sort of "runnin' and gunnin'", if you take my meaning, and that makes things extra challenging sometimes.
So, with all this craziness going on at the office, I find myself asking, "Should I be doing all this for people?" I mean, it's not really my job, but the folks asking me to do this for them are the top-level managers. Should I be telling them "no"? I'd really rather not do that, since everyone seems to like me and the work I do for them. Granted, I'm not sure that most of them have any idea what I actually do on a day-to-day basis, but still, they seem pleased, so I'd rather not rock the boat.
Oh, and in recent updates, I did finally manage to get the satellite phone working, but now, since it took so long, we're trying to return one. Not sure if we can do that at this point, but we're trying. And, I've been messing around with all kinds of Windows 2000, NT and XP issues on the network. Getting all the folks from both offices working has been a bit of a challenge. In fact, if not for the DMZ port on my firewall, I'm not sure I could have had the two domains working together, since they're named the same. I'm sure that would have caused problems if they'd seen each other on the network.
And, I really should be looking more closely at the version of Linux I want to run on that mythical server that I should be getting spec on. I'm leaning toward either Red Hat or SuSE, possibly even SuSE with all the Novell Open Enterprise Server stuff on it. I have to admit, if I were to get good install media, that could be really cool. All the stability and flexibility of Linux with the way cool administration tools from Novell. Those tools are, after all, what they're known for developing. It's the best "value added" product for Linux that I've seen so far.
Well, I guess I have some time before we're really ready to do all that, so, while I wait, I'll probably just read Sams Teach Yourself UNIX System Administration in 24 Hours, so that my skills are sharp when the time comes. But, now, I'm tired, so I think I'll just go to bed.

Yes, gentle readers, wardriving is alive and well and living in New Orleans.
At least, that's what the folks over at BoingBoing claim in this entry/article. Honestly, though, in many places, wouldn't it be warboating? And, yes, I found myself wondering as I skimmed the article, just how many live wifi hotspots there were running along all happy and unknown as power gets restored to parts of the city that were either relatively unscathed or have cleaned up quickly and well.
I really think it's neat that there's someone out there doing this. I mean, think about all the search and rescue teams, or police, or FEMA officials, or whatever that could use some kind of connection out there. I really think this is where something like wifi can shine. This kind of disasterous situation is just the right time for open access all over the city with little to no restrictions. But, without knowing where the hotspots are, they can't be used.
I really hope this is helping, though, and not just a couple of geeks grabbing headlines for the "fun" of it, or under the guise of "citizen journalism".
Either way, it's an interesting article.

I finished reading Industrial Magic this week.
It wasn't my usual fare, but it wasn't bad. Probably not good enough to hunt down more of the series, but not bad. Honestly, the title is what got me. If I'd actually read the back cover, I probably wouldn't have bought the book at all. I categorize this type of book as, basically, "chick lit fantasy romance". But, again, that being said, it still wasn't as bad as some of the stuff out there. For instance, I liked it better than Obsidian Butterfly, which I couldn't even read past the first two chapters. When I read trashy fiction, I don't want to read endless conversations with the main character's old boyfriends, or potential boyfriends, or whatever. I want action. Plain and simple. I want something to be happening. I want plot based on events going on, not semi-romantic thoughts and feelings. In that regard, Industrial Magic delivered.
The basic plot is that a killer is stalking the heads of semi-secret magical Cabals, who are the sorcerous rivals of the more feminine, and witch-run, Covens and must be stopped. (So, yes, this really could have been a simple murder mystery without the magic, but, well, I guess that wouldn't be as fun or sell as well.) The main character is a witch, Paige Winterbourne, who used to run a big Coven, but, in an earlier book, lost that position. Her love interest is Lucas Cortez, heir to the Cortez Cabal, but who is a crusading lawyer that fights the Cabals. It's that connection that gets them drawn into the plot. They're trying to find, and stop, the killer. And, to avoid spoilers, I'll stop describing the plot there.
There's magic all over the book, but, mainly, as a prop. Light spells being used instead of a handy pocket flashlight. Binding spells instead of a stun gun. Necromantic conversations instead of a CSI-type crime lab. Everything they used magic for could have been replaced with modern technology fairly easily without impacting the story. Except for one point when they "cross over" to the realms of death. Other than that, everything else could have been avoided by simply planning ahead. In other words, it was a wasted metaphor.
The other thing that bothered me was the Cabals. Sure, they were obviously some kind of metaphor for corporate America and/or organized crime, but at no time was the source of the Cortez Cabal's fabulous wealth ever explained. They just were really organized and had a lot of money. Period. Ignore the writer behind the curtain. Frankly, I thought that was a shame. It could have been a really neat sub-plot. And, with the title, it was what I was hoping to see more about! Ah, well, at least I can still write my own take on that without worrying about repeating something that's already been done.
All in all, Industrial Magic was a decent book, but not great. If you can find it at a discount book store, it's worth getting.
(And, yes, again, this review first appeared on my other blog!)

Linux in your car.
Hey, why not? This guy did it and documented it at his website. Again, this might not be everyone's idea of fun, but I am, after all, a network geek! I love the idea of having a built-in PC so that I could go war driving to the extreme. I mean, that would really redefine war driving, wouldn't it? To have the PC running off the car, built-in and scanning literally as I drove to or from work would be so cool. Geeky as all get out, but cool to me.
Heck there's even a book about doing that kind of thing, including the PC, called Geek My Ride. And, yes, I own it already.
God, help me, I am such a geek.

Well, anyway, if you're feeling secure in your geek-hood, click the link and have some fun this weekend.

In 60 Minutes!
Yeah, I know that sounds a little crazy, but, according to this PDF from the NSA, it can be done. No joke. The National Security Agency doe NOT joke about computer security. Trust me, I would not lie to you about something like that. (Not that I know from personal experience, and that's the story I'm sticking to!)
In fact, these folks have a bunch of security guides that are freely available on the 'net. I'm sure the idea here is that computer security is important to Homeland Security which is the biggest buzzword since "synergy". Whatver the reason, when the NSA offers me security guides for free, I just thank my new governmental overlords and welcome them to my network!

No, I'll not be extolling their virtues!
I know, I know, I shouldn't drink, smoke, curse or get "frisky" with loose women. Well, I'm working on it, friends. I am working on it. So far, I've done pretty with avoiding the wild women, though, honestly, I'm not sure how much longer I'll hold out. When they're so darn good looking and aggressive, it's hard to resist!
I promise I'll only drink in moderation, for a change and when the smokes run out, I won't buy more, for at least nine years. My poor Uncle Chuck, who's "Deacon for Life" in his Baptist church on the Southside of Chicago would be horrified, I know. Or, perhaps, he'd be secretly envious. He's hard to read sometimes. Either way, he'd give me the dispairing looks in public, good friends, and loudly disapprove. Certainly, my dear, departed Grandmother would have scolded me mightily. Probably even whacked me with her cane, if I know the hard-nosed Kraut. Then, of course, baked me cookies or suet pudding. (Hey, it's a family tradition! Back off!)
So, lest you think I heartily endorse these sins of the flesh, I give you...

Cigarettes, Whiskey and Wild, Wild Women
by Tim Spencer, 1947

Dear Friends: A little warning never did anybody any harm, and there are manifold temptations in this world, all of which you would do well to avoid. So let's sit down and sing together, and learn a little bit about life from the mistakes of a poor sinner who has seen the error of his ways...

(spoken)
A preachment, dear friends, you're about to receive,
on John Barleycorn, nicotine, and the temptations of Eve...

(sung)
I once was happy and I had a good life
I had enough money to last me for life
I met with a gal and we went on a spree
She taught me to smoke and to drink whiskey.

Refrain:
Cigareets and whuskey and wild wild wimmin
They'll drive you crazy they'll drive you insane.
Cigareets and whuskey and wild wild wimmin
They'll drive you crazy they'll drive you insane.

Cigareets is a blot on the whole human race.
A man is a monkey with one in his face.
That's my definition, believe me dear brother,
A fire on one end and a fool on the t'other.

Refrain

Write on the cross at the head of my grave
"To wimmin and whuskey here lies a poor slave".
Take warning dear stranger, take warning dear friend,
They'll write in big letters these words at my end:

Cigareets and whuskey and wild wild wimmin
They'll drive you crazy they'll drive you insane.
Cigareets and whuskey and wild wild wimmin
They'll drive you crazy they'll drive you insane.
They'll drive you crazy they'll drive you insane.
Hallelujah brother!

Do you have one?
Why not? In my case, it's because I just started at this company, but I really should have gotten on this ASAP when hurricane season started. We got lucky. Everyone got out and we were able to get all our essential equipment (ie. server and associated drives) out of our New Orleans office. But, what if we hadn't been?
I was thinking about that a lot as I ran around Thursday and Friday trying to quickly, with little notice, cobble together a network for the folks from NOLA to use. At least they're able to bill, so we have some income and can keep some of the folks from over there employed. Not sure how long we can maintain that, but at least it's something. I actually made them their own, isolated network with their own hub. (Yes, "hub", not "switch". I didn't have any spares laying around!) We had to buy a printer and wait until some of the equipment came over from New Orleans to test everything, but I did get them working. It's a bit of a mess, too, with cables hanging all over the three cubes that they've occupied, but it's better than nothing. This way, we can keep at least some of the people who made it through employed.
It's a little sickening to me when I think of it, but this disaster is going to make my company a lot of money. There are all kinds of things out in the Gulf that need to be repaired and, frankly, to get the oil flowing again, price isn't much of an object. I hope we keep it from getting too out of control, though. I'm all for making money, but I'd hate to see gouging going on.
Oh, and our Iridium phones came in, though there were some parts missing. Still I managed to get them charged up and teach the two guys who needed to know, how to use them. It's amazing to me how small they are. Not really any bigger than the old-style cell phones. The antenna, however, is gianormous! Need to do funky stuff to call to and from these bad boys, too, but I got dialing instructions off the Iridium website. All in all, very cool. Now, if we could just get past the "Emergency Calls Only" message, we'd really have something!

You know, I'm getting invaluable experience here, but I'd really rather not. I'd rather this never happened. This is going to mess up the local economy for years and years, not to mention the national economy. This disaster shut down the busiest seaport in the United States. That impact will be felt for a very long time, all over the world.
If you're the kind that prays, now would be a good time.

... pause.

Excellent advice that I all too rarely follow. In fact, just a couple of days ago I mentioned that same thing. So, today, instead of posting the "open letter" that I started, I decided I should simply...
Pause.

I may never post what I wrote in that state of high emotion last night, but, for now, I'm thinking about it.

TSR, er, sorry Wizards of the Coast has a new "educational" campaign.
Now, they've recruited librarians to the cause. No, really, they have a new program called "Afternoon Adventures with Dungeons and Dragons". It's a program designed to give librarians free materials to learn and teach kids D&D after school and then to use that as a jumping off point to more literary adventures.
Actually, it's not a bad deal. As far as I'm concerned, anything that gets more kids interested in reading or even just going to the library after school is not half bad. I know my own reading and love of the written word was very much fueled by the same things that drove my attraction to D&D. Even today, though I haven't played in years, I have the new, "Third Edition" rules on my shelf. Of course, I have other, much more obscure games, too, but D&D was pretty much the start of it all for me. (DragonQuest almost was, but that's another story...)

Anyway, it was a great story to read and brought back all kinds of fond memories. So, in a sad, middle-aged, nostalgic sort of way, it's the perfect fun link for a Friday.
(And, yes, this is also appearing on my other blog.)

Apparently, you can add telecom specialist to the list.
I've been avoiding talking about Hurricane Katrina because: a) everyone else is talking about it, b) there's neither anything I can add or do, and c) I didn't have any real news anyway. Well, after yesterday, I do. We have offices over there. Notice, I wrote "have" not "had". The facility is still standing, as far as we can tell. So, when the rest of the city settles down, we'll be able to resume business there. In the meantime, we're more concerned with people. Not everyone from that facility has checked in yet. I'm not sure how many are missing, but, some are. Of those who have checked in, their families all seem to be okay, but many of them have lost everything they didn't take with them. It's like the recent tsunami in Asia, but with a lower, thankfully much lower, death toll. But, the damage to property and business is very similar.
So, how does that make me a telecom specialist all of a sudden? Simple, actually. Our regular phone guy in house is out on vacation, so when one of the boards on our phone switch died over the weekend, they came to the computer guy to get it straightened out. Phones, computers, same thing, right? Not hardly! Thankfully, I already have some experience with telecom and high-stress troubleshooting. About the time I settle down from that fracas Monday, I start getting questions about cell phones. How to get them fast, but still on our account. So, all day Tuesday, I ran around getting that straight and getting a local cell phone for the "senior partner". But, wait, there's more! Yesterday, I had to get more cell phones lined up and get two Iridium satellite phones ASAP. Oh, yes, they had to be Iridium phones, not just any sat phone. Why, you ask? Because the "senior partner" is getting a new plane and wants to be able to use one of these on the plane which, you guessed it, can take only certain models. If everything goes right, which I highly doubt, we should be getting the two Iridium phones Friday morning. So, any guesses who gets to figure them out and teach everyone how to use them?
Yeah, time to update the resume with all this high-end telecom stuff I'm doing. A little more chaos thrown my direction and I'll be all ready to be the Director of IT somewhere bigger. Anyone looking for a guy like me to head your IT department? I'm willing to consider anywhere that's not California, New York City, or prone to hurricanes. Blizzards and tornados I can handle just fine, but I'm really not liking this hurricane business.