@scottalanmiller said in Incorporating Ransomware Protection into Backup Plan:

A solid D2D2T stock "by the book" solution

This is exactly the method I've used to provide a solid backup solution for a similar situation. A total of ~45 TB of data with multiple SQL database and VMs. The DBs were backed up via built-in methods, but were also backed up "as a whole" as part of the VM backup (but that's besides the point).

This gave quick and efficient local on-prem backup and restores, and also allowed for off-site rotation.

Daily incrementals were done on-prem, whcih was quick using veeam with it's block change tracking.

I did NOT use their synthetic fulls because those took ridiculously long and and on top of that it just seemed like a very volatile process at those sizes, because the daily incrementals could be TB+ sizes. So daily incerementals to on-prem backup repo, weekly fulls to on-prem backup repo, monthly backup repo to tape to off-site. There were 3 or 4 tape sets, so that allowed nearly 6 months of retention of daily backups. Some of the DBs were backed up via built-in methods so because of that we also had hourly DB backups for some DBs for ~6 months (rougly speaking).

And yes, do pay the fee to bring in a tape from off-site to test restore a production system and some data in a test environment. I did this a couple times with success, but you never know.

UPDATE: 2020-02-24
Windows 10 Pro, official 1909 ISO

It looks like the original post is still mostly accurate:

After selecting your region and keyboard layout:

Create local account by clicking Offline account:

Click Limited experience to continue creating a local account:

Type your name then click Next:

Type your password then click Next:

Type your password again to confirm, then click Next:

Select and answer three security questions, then click Next:

Default Windows 10 Pro 1909 ISO Desktop and Start Menu layout:

Default Windows 10 Pro 1909 ISO version (this is a VM):

The exams are following a career or job role based path.

Apparently, Microsoft sees a Windows Server administrator type of role as something the market is shifting away from. I see this in the enterprise completely, as anyone touching Windows Server services isn't spending most of their time there. It's all towards or in support of Cloud services. So it makes sense from that perspective. Someone who specializes in AD and associated services will, at least in the enterprise, spend most of their time with it in support of cloud services... making it work with Azure AD, other SaaS integrations, SSO, federation, MDM (LANless based), etc... you get the idea. That can basically be said regarding any traditional Windows Server based services.

However, I do see the point in that many SMBs only have a few Windows Servers and needs someone who specializes in basically what the old Server 2012-2016 server infrastructure MCSA/MCSEs covered because that's all they'll do there. But for how long? Who knows.... but what matters is that you realize what it is you want to do and how long you want to do it.

The market has been, and is, shifting. Embrace it now to stay ahead, move away completely from MS, or play catch up later. Up to you.

The new Azure role based certs have these levels:

Fundamentals
Associate
Expert
Specialty

And what they cover reflect the job roles in the markets Microsoft obviously makes the most money from, future thinking in mind. Could they update the Server Infrastructure MCSA/MCSE path to 2019? Sure. (but what you are thinking of in those BARELY changes... most that stuff is the same as it was since 2008R2!) Even with 2012 R2, in those cert paths were starting to get a little "Cloud-y" back then. ESPECIALLY with 2016. At some point, you need to draw the line and cut them away. And in Microsoft's eyes, that time has come, I see it too, as well as many others.

Maybe Jim-Bob working at Kathy's Suburban Dentistry who keeps their 15-device Windows environment running on the single Windows Server they have in the closet may never see anything for awhile. But at some point, he may need to configure their new Dentistry SaaS app authentication via AzureAD from AADSync or some other means. Maybe not, but just trying to make a simple point. Or better yet, he may not even want to be there long enough and wants to move on to greener pastures.

But really, that's not what MS is creating their Certifications for. There's a much bigger market than that, and it totally makes sense to do what they are doing.

@DustinB3403 said in Windows Domain routing question - dual-nic:

@IRJ said in Windows Domain routing question - dual-nic:

Are you just verifying it works? ICMP is disabled in windows firewall quite often, and really isn't necessary.

No I can confirm that DHCP works, but from my client which is on an separate network I'm unable to route to the internet. Which is what I'm attempting to do.

I want to route internet traffic from 10.200.1.X network through 192.168.1.9 so that the scope has internet connectivity.

A Windows Server with DC, DNS, and DHCP server roles does not do network traffic routing. Are you wanting to do RRAS?

@gjacobse said in PS ISE: Unsaved Projects:

Right now, I'll have to pencil GIT onto the project list. I just don't have the bandwidth to investigate it right now. If the unsaved scripts are lost,... they are lost - my own fault and I recognize that. I had some hope that I could recover them.

I just have to much going on to take on another project I can't truly invest time into. If I start something, I'll just have to ensure I save it - I think I saw something about making PS:ISE autosave....

Thank you for the suggestions and recommendations.

Just use vscode. Hell, even notepad++ does autosave more reliably than ISE. But I've never lost anything I didn't save while working in vscode.

@PhlipElder said in Can you run a Windows desktop OS as a server to run AVImark Veterinary Software?:

If the product says it can run on Windows 10 or 11 and falls under the 20 connection limit then go for it but with one caveat: Make sure the hardware has ECC memory to avoid a memory flipped bit error that can wreak havoc and at least a RAID 1 array between two SATA SSDs.

No, the 20 connection limit ONLY applies to the built-in Windows file and print services. File sharing and printing (leaving out IIS and the others as they don't apply).

That is exactly NOT AVImark Veterinary Software.

What you said to do is undeniable theft.

Is there any way possible I can search for this? What a horrible name for search engines! I have no idea what Sodium is or does and searching brings up... well, actual sodium... not this.

Is there a website? Is there a better name to search?

My workspace... I work better with a clean organized space:

You could always split things.

If you have $10,000 to spend on ads, give $8,000 to Google and $2,000 to Bing. After that's finished, take a look at the results, and then make adjustments.

I found this website which looks interesting and helpful:

https://automatetheboringstuff.com/

SAM: Hey there! I see you are running towards a cliff! Let me explain the situation to you so you understand what your doing wrong, and see if I can get you to change your direction so you don't run off the cliff you are heading towards.

SW Mod: No, he may not want to hear that nonsense. Give him a push in the direction he's going!

I was a part of that topic and seen the whole thing. It's disgusting, and the above is pretty much how I understood it.

I was thinking like this:

User PC has ClamAV/ClamFS (on-access scanning). SS is being used in the environment.

User downloads a malware file, ClamFS detects it and logs it. SS produces a notification.

Also,
SS also provides a basic interface for configuring ClamAV/ClamFS... like how often it scans, where it logs to, quarantine (if any), how often definitions are checked/updated, etc...

Yeah I would have just asked if it was a video or voice call "so you can be ready on the correct device".

But if video... shirt and tie, nice hair, no pants just kidding lol

@scottalanmiller said in Dipping Toes Into Programming:

Cool

I'm pretty close to being done with my first project to drive home chapters 1 and 2 of the book (plus what I learned on SoloLearn).

Edit: It takes advantage of HTML5 and PHP7+ only features

Here's the results so far:

First Screenshot:
This is the default page, and all of this is automatically generated and filled in with just a few lines of PHP, and allows you to adjust as needed before submitting how much one bar weighs.

Second Screenshot:
This shows the results of everything from the first screenshot.

I know I need to work on formatting and prettyness a bit, but my main goal was first functionality.

I also have error handling, and defaulting to ZERO:

As well as injection prevention, null setting before any handling, and strict checking:

A snippet of just the $grams variable (but applies to everything):

(that's an old comment to myself that I haven't removed yet)

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." - Einstein

(... although there is argument it wasn't reallysaid by him, see:)

http://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/8742/did-einstein-say-if-you-cant-explain-it-simply-you-dont-understand-it-well-en

Just an FYI, the Google results for SodiumSuite show the Support link and page with the Loren ipsum stuff still present.

I know the site is new, but it may not sit well with people when they see that, scaring off potential users before they know what SodiumSuite is all about.

@gjacobse said in Question of the morning:

@EddieJennings
it happens... I go to hit WinLogo + L to lock and end up hitting WinLogo+<enter>

+1 if you hit WinLogo+Enter to see what it did...

@eddiejennings said in Organization of sample code:

In the last month at my new job I've collected a few code snippets and sample scripts that are scattered between text files, OneNote entries, and saved E-mails. This is unsustainable, and before it snowballs out of control, I'm considering how best to manage this material. I'm curious of the tools you folks use (if any) to organize your code snippets and script samples or templates.

GitLab and VSCode.

You can categorize them by project, folder, etc.

New arrival, set to run Hyper-V 2016 for a smaller company:

Here's another like it, with a slightly different configuration already racked:

Just bought 4 round-trip plane tickets from LAX to ARN (Stockholm, Sweden). Staying for a week shy of 3 months. Should be a good summer!

Still going to work, remotely though.