7/29/2009
Sam here.
As a network engineer I have to manage a large number of systems on a regular basis. Obviously it behooves me to have many technical shortcuts under my belt lest I spend all my time right-clicking and "properties"ing everything. This means having a lot of commands and utilities in my virtual toolbox. Very often utilities for certain administrative tasks aren't included with the operating system (because of lack of foresight or because the company wants to make an extra dime) and must be downloaded either 1st or 3rd party. However, sometimes they are included - and this is one of the cases where they are.
In this article, I'd like to discuss Windows Management Instrumentation, WMIC - the built-in utility used to access it, and how I was able to use WMI on a remote server without having to have physical access to collect physical memory information. Hopefully this information will lead you to easier and more automated management for your systems. Microsoft defines this technology as "Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) and it is the infrastructure for management data and operations on Windows-based operating systems." (1) and this is certainly true. For the most part, using WMI for managing systems means writing programs or scripts that use the Windows interfaces that expose WMI. Sound complicated? Well, it can be - especially if you've not spent any time programming. Luckily, there is a little documented yet very powerful tool that comes with Windows called "WMIC". WMIC can get you just about every single piece of information Windows keeps internally for itself, which is pretty great. Let's look at how we do some basic tasks with this tool.
First - we open a command prompt. From the command prompt we type "WMIC" - if you have never run this utility it will give you a short message about WMIC being installed. This is normal and nothing to worry about. After it's installed you will be greeted with a rather unfriendly "wmic:root\cli>" prompt. I'm not going to go into what this rather archaic looking prompt means, but I will show you some of the basics today. First thing to know is that /? <enter>(2) will get you a longish list of available commands.
As you can see, it's a pretty extensive list. The first list (which starts with "/NAMESPACE") is a series of "global switches". These can be ignored for now as they represent some of the more complex topics of WMIC. The next list (the one that starts with "ALIAS") are the commands that can get us some good information pretty quickly. I would encourage you to play with these commands on your own to get a feel for what's immediately available in WMIC.
--- on to the example ---
Okay - I'm assuming you've familiarized yourself a little bit with WMIC. Now let me paint you a scenario. You're sitting at your desk and someone is complaining of a slow computer... you look at your records (or whatever) and see that it's only got 256MB of memory and should be upgraded. What do you do? You might immediately think of looking up the model and seeing what kind of memory it takes, how many slots are available, etc. But how do you know which memory slots are used? For instance if the board has four slots, do you know if it's one 256MB chip or is it four 64MB chips? See what I'm saying?
The WMIC way to do it:
First we are going to open the WMIC prompt and type the following:
/Node:<computername>
in my case, I'm connecting to a server that I want upgraded so I type "/Node:SBS2k9p01"
Now I am connected to that server and have access to all of the WMI information. First thing, let's find out what kind of a server we have - I can do this by typing "Computersystem".
As you can see, that dumps a lot of information at me... let's try this: "Computersystem get model,manufacturer"
Much better. As you can see, I can specify which pieces of information I want by name. Try it yourself.
So now we have the model number. But this doesn't quite help us with our immediate memory dilemma. So, run /? again to see if WMIC can help us right out of the gate. A couple of screens down and we see that, yes indeed there are some built-in memory commands.
It's safe to play with these commands, and it's probably a good bet that "MEMPHYSICAL" is going to give you some physical memory properties. When we issue that command there is a lot of data that is available. Of course the question is what is the important information? Well - One is the MemoryDevices value which Microsoft defines as: "Number of physical slots or sockets available in this memory array" and MaxCapacity which Microsoft defines as "Maximum memory
size (in bytes) installable for this particular memory array. If the size is unknown, the property is given a value of 0 (zero)".
So far we have gotten the Model and Manufacturer of the server, the server's maximum memory capacity and how many total slots are available. Now we want to figure out how many memory chips are installed. If we go back and look at the memory commands for WMIC you'll see one called MEMORYCHIP - which will give you information (and a count) of the installed memory.
After all this is done - what do we know? Well...
Computer is a Dell, PowerEdge 1900.
It has 8 slots for memory, 4 of which are filled with 1 GB chips.
We also know the part number that I can google and hopefully find someone who is selling that type of memory. And as a recap, this is what it took me to get all of that information:
WMIC <enter>
/NODE:SBS2k9p01 <enter>
COMPUTERSYSTEM get Model, Manufacturer <enter>
MEMPHYSICAL get memorydevices, maxcapacity <enter>
MEMORYCHIP get capacity, devicelocator, speed, partnumber <enter>
Not too shabby for 5 commands.
Good management
Sam
2. /? is actually short for "/?:Brief" there is a list with descriptions if you were to type "/?:Full"
7/16/2009
Bob here. InfoWorld just published a neat video that gives a decent quick view of 20 top new features of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7. Simple, straight to the point. Worth a couple minutes of your time.
Click here to see the video (you have to endure/skip an ad).
Interested in more info about Windows 7? Let us know by clicking here. 7/1/2009
Hello everyone!! Cary here. Perhaps you have heard the "buzz" about the new Windows operating system called "Windows 7"? It's been out for testing for quite a while and has been getting great reviews! Next newsletter I will be reviewing Windows 7 in more detail, but for now I wanted to let you know what has been happening and how you can take advantage of some great pricing!! First, let me start off by saying that Windows 7 will be released on October 22, 2009. But if you wait until then you'll pay the full "retail" price. Right now Microsoft is selling a limited quantity of Windows 7 for ½ the retail price. This deal is for the upgrade versions of Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional. The costs are $49 for the Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade and $99 for the Windows 7 Professional upgrade. If you are currently running Windows XP, you are still eligible but you will need to backup all of your files and perform a "clean" install of Windows 7. (In other words, you will need to completely reformat your hard drive and install Windows 7 rather than just "upgrade" XP) Current Vista users can simply upgrade their current OS (VISTA) to Windows 7 without needing to reformat. If you have an older PC or are not sure if your system will meet the minimum requirements to run Windows 7, you can visit the WINDOWS UPGRADE ADVISOR and download a free utility which will tell you if your PC will be able to run Windows 7. The Upgrade Advisor can be found here. If you have several programs that only work on XP and not VISTA I would recommend buying the Professional version of Windows 7 because this version has the ability to run those types of programs in "XP MODE". I will talk more in depth regarding this in next issue, but very quickly, XP Mode will run your program in a Virtual PC session that is running XP, therefore your software will run on Windows 7. BUT, XP MODE is only available in the Professional and Ultimate version of Windows 7. Note: Microsoft is not offering Windows 7 Ultimate in this promotional pricing. For more information on this offer or to purchase Windows 7, you can visit their site. For more information on what the different versions of Windows 7 you can click here.
As always, if you have any questions regarding this article or any other computer issue, feel free to email me. Cary Sam here. Sorry it's been so long since I last posted - life at Simplex-IT has been quite busy as of late. Some of the time that I wasn't blogging was taken up by a client up in Cleveland who has been searching for a low-end routing solution for their network. (By low-end I mean < $300).
Now, this client had some very, very specific requirements that had to be met and we tested out a couple of SMB routers to see if they were up to the task.
Requirements:
1. VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Mask)
2. LAN-LAN routing capabilities.
These requirements basically mean that, even though this is a firewall/routing device, I want it to be able to redirect traffic to another internal router on the same interface the traffic came in on. The Cisco ASA that they had in place does not allow for that. The other requirement (VLSM) means that I want to use a subnet mask that falls outside of the Class A/B/C - in the case 255.255.252.0.
Routers:
Linksys RVS 4000:
This is a solid SMB router, however its subnet masks are class C or smaller. It's a drop-down list and cannot be modified without hacking the box. Now, one can hack the box as it's running Linux ( http://rootit.org/2008/06/linksys-rvs4000-p1/) is a reasonably good how-to on that). I don't like violating the EULA if I'm going to use a Router (or anything else) on a production network - so this guy is out. D-Link DIR-130:
Not a bad little Router/Firewall combination (although I liked the interface of the Linksys much better). This router, according to tech support, did meet all of the requirements that I defined earlier - but like so many things, once you spend a little time yourself having a look, you realize that what happens to Liars when they grow up is that they because either a) weathermen or b) tech support. So what didn't it do? It supports static routers (including VLSM) but only on the external (WAN) interface. So no LAN-LAN routing.
After these two disappointments, I decided to go back to old-faithful, the Netopia R910. I have deployed Netopias probably 50 times and every time they are rock solid. I've used Netopia in Site-To-Site VPNs, SDSL or ADSL connections, T1s, etc with nary a problem. They are a bit more expensive than the other two (the R910 is about $200) but have never failed me, and in fact did not fail me this time.
Netopia R910:
To me - even though the interface can be a little off-putting to people who only manage routers or firewalls with a GUI - this is the Cadillac of SMB routers. LAN-to-LAN routing? Check. VLSM? Check. Multi-homing an interface? Check.
For the price - these routers just do what you need. (Be sure you buy one that has the -ENT or Enterprise firmware - Netopia makes a home model that I don't like quite so much as the enterprise counterpart).
So, what have I learned here? Nothing - I still like the Netopia and the other routers still don't really compete for the price. Sam6/17/2009Bob here...many people are interested in Microsoft Certifications as a way of moving their career forward. And not everybody is aware of the changes in their certs. For example, how the MCSE ain't what it used to be, and what the heck is an MCTS/MCITP anyway? In this free low-key, no-sales online meeting, we'll investigate the latest Microsoft certifications, and review the resources that Microsoft makes available online. And of course, you'll have a chance for Q&A.
This is an online meeting using Microsoft's Live Meeting.
I'll be leading the meeting. I've got several Microsoft certifications, and has spoken widely on the topic of certifications and their usefulness in the employment game. As you know, I've always got an opinion, and I'm not afraid to use it!
This meeting is free and open to the public. This marks the first meeting of the Greater Cleveland PC Users Group to be run using Microsoft's Live Meeting.
Date: Monday, June 22nd
Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Please RSVP, and you'll get a link to the meeting.
Feel free to pass this email along to anyone you feel would be interested.
Hope to see you there!
6/14/2009
Bob here...
As some of you may know, over the past month or so I’ve organized, presented and spoken at 3 events dealing with developing your IT career. At the Hudson Library I spoke to about 30 or so people for a specific IT Career meeting that was put together from scratch. I was the main speaker to about 100 or so people at the Streetsboro Chamber of Commerce meeting (60 or so of the attendees were graduating seniors). And finally yesterday I spoke to about 30 or so people at the monthly Greater Cleveland PC User Group meeting.
Now, before I break into my wondrous thoughts, some thanks here. Thanks to Microsoft Corporation for putting together their Thrive materials that provided the stepping stone for these events. They also provided several raffle prizes as well. Thanks to the Hudson Library for letting me use the really cool facility. Thanks to Oxford and Associates for helping me out at the Hudson event with their take on the job market in Northeast Ohio. Thanks to the Streetsboro Chamber for inviting me to speak and letting me choose my topic. And finally, thanks to the GCPCUG for letting me present.
Ok, enough of that. Here is what I believe the key takeaway points are:
1> Nobody cares about your career but you. No easy way to say this. Bosses, co-workers, spouses, training centers, mentors, gurus…nobody. Everybody else will help, nurture, encourage, whatever…but it’s up to you. Period.
2> Soft skills are critical. It’s great to be the best programmer/network admin/dba/desktop support/insert geek term here that you can be. But if people don’t want to interact with you, it really doesn’t matter much. The days where companies could afford to bury their best coders so they didn’t have to deal with end users is pretty much gone.
3> Why shouldn’t you be outsourced? Face it, if somebody is willing to work twice as hard as you (they are), and they’re more up to date on the technical stuff (they are), and they cost ¼ the amount that you do (they do), why shouldn’t you be replaced? Is it fair? That’s not the point. The question is, do you add value that can’t be had from an outsider? Hint: If it’s strictly technical value, the answer is “no.”
4> Is learning a priority? If you wanted a nice, quiet, stable career…boy, did you choose the wrong career. IT changes drastically every 5-6 years. If you enter the IT world in your 20’s, by the time you’re ready (possibly desperate?) to retire, you’ve gone through about 10 or so “technology revolutions. You should always be spending part of your waking hours picking up new technology. If not, you’re going to obsolete. Not a good career move (can you say “buggy whips?”).
5> Network, network, network. Most folks who I speak to about this estimate that 40% of job openings never make it out in public. They’re filled by people that the hiring body is directly or indirectly introduced to. Is it fair? Not the issue. It’s the way it is. How much of your time is spent networking. And if your definition of “networking” involves the same group of people that ain’t networking. You need to get out more. Check out resources like LinkedIn, Neosa, Cose, local Chambers, user groups.
6> Start Now. One of the phrases I found myself using rather frequently is “The worst time to learn CPR is when you’re having a heart attack.” The meaning? Even if you’re currently happily employed, you should be networking. You should be aware of what skills are in demand out there, and how marketable your skill set is.
Well, that’s what I’ve got for now. I’ll probably add more down the road.
Bob 6/3/2009So, you wanna be a geek?
Bob here...Under the best of circumstances, a career in IT (Information Technology) isn't for the faint of heart. In times like these, it's even more so. It sounds like nothing but gloom and doom out there. However there are many things we can do about it. And surprisingly, many of these options can be had at little or no cost. How do we keep up with our technical skills, when companies are slashing their internal training budgets? What are the latest "hot technologies?" Is certification valuable? What are "soft skills," and why are they so hard (yup, it's a pun) to find?
This event will include an overview of the challenges facing us. Then we'll enjoy a deep dive into some of the online training resources available (with focus on the free/low cost ones). Then we'll wrap up with a panel discussion featuring some lively discussion of IT careers in NorthEast Ohio.
Although not exclusively, we'll be focusing on materials from Microsoft, including their Thrive site. This free site includes resources for developing/improving both your technical as well as your soft skills.
There will be several raffle prizes as well (yeah, greed works, I know<g>).
This will be similar to the event we sponsored last moth in Hudson (about 30 people attended!). But it will be the monthly meeting of the GCPCUG (go here for directions).
When: Saturday June 13th, from 9:30am - noon
Where: Cleveland State University Cost: Free
5/20/2009Microsoft often offers free resources, real resources, to its latest technologies. Often it's through free e-Books. And we're talking some good stuff here, but act soon!
From Microsoft:
Microsoft Press 25th Anniversary "Free E-Book of the Month" Offers
Help us celebrate our 25th anniversary with a free e-book offer. Read your Microsoft Press Book Connection Newsletter to learn about the offers, then register and download the selection each month. The monthly free e-book offer can be found in the top right corner of this monthly newsletter. These offers expire on May 27, 2009, so download the e-books today:
Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Resource Kit, by Christa Anderson and Kristin L. Griffin with the Microsoft Presentation Hosted Desktop Virtualization Team
The Practical Guide to Defect Prevention, by Marc McDonald, Robert Musson, and Ross Smith
4/22/2009Bob here. And I've got another free eBook offer, but this time it's from Red-Gate software. The book "Mastering SQL Server 2005 Profiler" is available for downloading here. You can choose to either download their SQL Response Trial and the eBook, or just the eBook itself.
Thanks to Bob Cramblitt who posted this on LinkedIn recently! 4/19/2009Bob here.
Interested in either VB.Net 2008 or Small Business Server 2008? If so, take heed, but hurry up. Microsoft's Learning Community and Evangelism Team have put up a pretty cool offer. For free (yup, free) you can get either of these eBooks from Microsoft:
-or-
Just click here for more information. Think this is one of those lame 30 page eBooks? Nope, the SBS book is a 719 page puppy, full of some pretty decent information.
But hurry, because this is only available through April 22nd! |
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