Every so often, a customer will call in, saying that they are unable to access one of the servers that are mapped through their login script. There are generally two reasons for this; either there’s an issue with the network connection, or the drive letter is already being used for another device. To troubleshoot the issue, then, we start by confirming that the computer is online, and then have the customer log off and back on again. ‘
Leave a CommentThoughts on many things Posts
I am, with surprising regularity, faced with the need to access UNC paths from the command line, as that is perhaps pretty much the quickest way to browse to network shares with a different user than the one currently logged in. There’s just one issue: the Windows command line does not support UNC paths from the cd/chdir command. There is, however, a way to work around this issue; by creating a temporary virtual drive.
Leave a CommentOne of the things that is stressed in the DevOps Handbook, is the need for telemetry, or monitoring of services. For services you run on your own infrastructure, there are several tools that can be used for this, such as SCOM, Zabbix, and Splunk. When you don’t have an infrastructure that supports these tools, however, you need to find a different approach.
Leave a CommentIn July of 2018, Peak Design launched their eighth (!) kickstarter campaign, launching a whole line of products designed with travel in mind. At the end of the campaign, the line-up included:
Leave a CommentAs should be clear to anyone who has read any of the other instalments of this long series of reviews of the Model S, I am a very happy Model S owner and driver. The car is comfortable and fun to drive, while getting me from a to b with a minimum of fuss. I have not, however, claimed that it is the perfect car.
Leave a CommentAsk anyone who has a glancing familiarity with Kanban what they know of it, and one of the (if not the) first things they will mention, is the use of a kanban board. This is true; the kanban board, whether physical or digital, is one of the most visible parts of the Kanban method. It is an eminently visual way to represent WIP. So, how do you implement a kanban board in IT support?
Leave a CommentIn keeping with my tradition, I am inviting you to take a look at the year which is about to end with me, as it pertains to me, my life, and the blog.
Leave a CommentFor the third year running, I am writing a favorite discoveries post. 2018 has been an exciting and interesting year in terms of discoveries, and I have found a number of new toys and tools that help me in my pursuits. This year they fall neatly into two categories; those related to my video and photo pursuits, and those that improve my day to day.
Leave a CommentFor many years, the following has been part of my LinkedIn profile:
Leave a CommentThis is one part of the review I was not expecting to write, yet events would have it another way. Back in April, while on our way to kindergarten and work, a pedestrian suddenly stepped into the street (just ahead of an SUV on my left). With one bad option, and the other significantly worse, I opted for the bad one, and veered right, ending with the front end planted into a lamp-post. My quick reaction resulted in no serious damage to anyone, though the front end did suffer more than a little:
Leave a CommentOne of the questions that pop up every now and again, yet not often enough for me to consistently remember how to do it, is some variant on “What user is blocking my file access?” A user will typically call in, complaining that they are unable to open/edit/delete a given file on a file share, and ask the support tech they reach to solve the issue.
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