techyphil

We are looking into a new network for the music department. Now im not sure about how it works at all any more (Citrix). Initally 8yrs ago at school I was under the impression that dumb terminals are used.. screen, keyboard and mouse then a beefed up server provides the GUI and processing etc or was that only UNIX mainframe gubbins? Although im looking at solutions whereby windows workstations are running like a remote desktop into the server. So a normal workstation running XP does nothing and the server still provides the processing. I figure whats the point of that? We need a space saving solution as there is about 60cm's either side of the keyboards to place the new workstations. Could anybody please advice me on how it works these days? I would really appreciate it Thank you!!!1

I tried it out last year but theres no central control for it unless you make your own gp addons. The problem I found was that although students can revert back their home drive, they can also revert back entire mapped drives. I didnt try it using a student account only that I had the option to and thought... ummmmm. Would user rights to that folder prevent it going back?

This is a concern of mine also. Since the loss of sensitive data in the government im always wondering what measures we have in place. We have CCTV, locked doors, safe, seperate alarm system etc but should a tape get stolen then how would we ensure it cannot be opened. I thought that if a user encyripted a file then that file would never be accessable again if the user account was removed. Which happens. Also with TrueCyrpt, encyrpting an entire HDD would have performance issues and issues about recovery. Seems very long winded and difficult to implement whilst on a live system. Fortunatily the really sensitive data is on sims and only read remotely, nothing is stored on users laptops. Would you all agree that as long as the physical security is in place and that folder permissions are maintained and tight then extreme attempts to get this data are required. e.g someone breaking into the office and ripping the safe from the wall? How far do we go?

Think i've done it Changed the default ports on my bros machine to something different

Ok then, Just brought a new router Linksys WRT54GS (v7.50) to replace my netgear thinking it was the problem. I cant connect 2 workstations behind the router to the same game server in CS:Source. If I join, my bro lag's or can not connect. If hes already in then I cant connect. I've googled everything and ppl suggest that I disable UPnP. Still does not make a difference. Wouldnt port forwarding simply forward all those server packets to just the 1 machine? As ppl also suggest playing with that. Doesnt make sense :S Please HELP! Just upgraded his machine as well just so we can go on a rampage!

Btw I think your the guy that was at the LP Plus VLE training over in Northampton a few months ago. You come over and spoke to me about instant messaging and the possibilty of hosting it externally. Nice Mac btw

GrumbleDook: that will mean that my laptop will need to be assigned a static ip address correct? It's alot of hassle as my laptop goes all over the place connecting to all different networks. I suppose I could use DHCP to assign me the same IP by mac everytime? I only wanted to remote out to my pc at home heh... see how my encoding was doing

Well, managed to get hold of Testout Linux training cd's so I think i'll give them ago first. Get an idea how it all works.

Our LEA has blocked logmein.com but you was able to access it via the secure.logmein.com. However, im no longer able to do this. Could someone please confirm logmein is down or blocked. EMBC is our provider. Thank yOu!

Yeah, use con2prt and script it. We use If c:\command.com exists then exec the 98 gubbins else exec the rest. I cant remember for sure what the checking was for though as we do not use 98 machines any more and havent done for yrs.

absolutly awesome... pwn it I'll have to add you to my Friends list!!

This is odd because 5mins ago I was talking to the new school nurse who asked if we had a medical database where she can basically keep track of students.. how many times they have visited etc and the problems. So I initally thought... ooh Im going to have to create one. But then I thought sims may already have such feature. It does but its not confidential and anybody with sims access can see the students records. I'm still looking for a solution.

Ok you guys, thanks very much. I'll install Ubuntu again. I've seen some very eye candy versions of Ubuntu with some awesome visual effects applied over the top. Anyone know what distribution that is or would you definitly recommend sticking to the bog standard release and then add things as I go along?

Jesus is it really £2k? I started working as a tech and it was already in place in 1 of 2 library's. They now want the 2nd library to be able to add/scan/manage the books from their workstation and give a student version to all laptops and workstations in the school. I assume we can just move the database from the pants workstation in library 1 to the servers. Then install like a Librarian version on the 2 workstations in the library's and the Student Client on the students laptops. All querying the main server. I havent personally looked into any of this yet but have been told that will be the case by the librarians.

Jesus your not even 16 yet... silly of me for asking you those questions. Your going to be a bright kid mate! I thought I knew alot when I was your age at school. One of the first to download mp3s when I was in yr8/9 and swapping them on floppy's with me school mate. That was about 7-8 yrs ago.

Ok thanks jackd Are you realistically able to manage network tasks using Ubuntu? e.g "Students come to your and ask for you to open an Office 2007 doc to convert to 2003" or "Enable their user account in AD". "Create some graphics work for a department that needs to be put onto the website." I remember trying to connect a network printer to Ubuntu... wouldnt work though when I tried a test print.

Sorry, im not sure what your trying to do?

We had a similar problem with Sophos AntiVirus. On laptops it would take 2hrs to update? The network usage was next to nothing. The wireless status said that only 12-30mb had been received on average. Even when hardwired in, it would take 30mins+ as opposed to just 5-10mins after a big update. That problem slowly solved itself, but we was on the verge of going elsewhere for AV support. Btw anyone using the new Enterprise Console v3? I like it alot, easy and ties in with AD! w00p

Can't you just get a USB floppy drive and make a boot floppy using the Ghost Server? I think USB floppy drives are more likely to boot then USB CD Drives. What motherboard did you use?

Ok, i've always been a Windows person myself because I know it and the tools to use if I want to do something. Now linux is getting easier and easier with reguards to drivers and software applications I'm wanting to use it. Problem is, I feel the only way im going to learn is by formatting my work laptop and just installing it. I have setup vm's in the past with Ubuntu on it, but because its not always there, it's not like I have to use it. How have you guys gone about teaching yourself it and what distribution of Linux would you use? I've tried Ubuntu and I got very impatiant with it... waiting for it to boot then anything I wanted to do I had to sudo it etc etc... With more job descriptions saying "Experience with Linux or OSx" I really need to pick it up :S Thanks for your advice, much appreciated.

w00p for chkdsk... we must use that all the while. It fixes 90% of all the BSOD's or the "missing file..." on boot. Infact I repaired a relativily new dell workstation today with that. I got UNMOUNTABLE_BOOT_VOLUME BSOD just as it went into windows... i figured a bootfix or fixmbr might do the job, but nope chkdsk c: /r Saves my bacon all the while!

Ages over the wireless, otherwise 2-3mins via a 100mb link. We have around 50 staff on average accessing sims a day. Thats all the admin offices plus a handfull of staff laptops. Sometimes users of laptops will plug in during the update thinking that will speed things up, obviously it doesnt take over and definitly won't do unless the Local Area Connection is given priority over Wireless via the Advanced Settings. BTW: it does take 20-30mins on an old pc. Try copying a 100mb file from the server to a couple of desktops. See how long it takes to download and then determine if its the link or not. It might just be the workstations are slow and processing what ever Sims does during an update? Hope that helps

OK, slight problems with blocking website via Microsoft's ISA Management Server. The majority of the blocked websites in my list are blocked and redirect the user as it should do. Although some do not. I have added *.google.co.uk/ig http://www.google.co.uk/ig http://www.google.com/ig etc etc. None of which actually get blocked. Im not very clued up with ISA management but get the jist of it. Is there anything obvious that needs to be checked?

Does you block iGoogle? I want to block iGoogle here because all the kids use game and chat addon's whilst working and switch to and from it during pretty much all their lessons. I thought about blocking just the ip address as its different to google but users can still click the iGoogle link from google. I think I might just go down the route of making the window title illegal in Ranger if theres no definite way via the ISA. Cheers

My jobs up for review this year and am hanging on till sept incase it has gone up. Im a Senior Tech @ 16k. Does it look likely to go up much? If it goes down then im off