I work at the computer help center here on campus and what we do is basically provide support for students connecting to the campus network. This includes things like updating their OS, installing campus standard software, and configuring their settings. All pretty simple, basic stuff… 

One of the projects I’m working on at the moment is a Linux PXE Terminal Server for use here at the help center. When its done it will be a standalone system that is not connected to the campus network for in house use. It will allow Technicians here to easily do port scans using Nessus (the server will be on the Linux Box, with a Windows Client on a Thumb Drive) allow us to quickly copy over standard software which is not under the Microsoft License Agreement for installation to student machines (McAfee Antivirus, Ad Aware, etc…) have freeware Hardware Diagnostic Tools, and also have a Driver Database so that Technicians don’t have to go hunting around the internet to get the proper drivers for a system and wait for the drivers to download (Some of the manufacturer’s sites are VERY SLOW!).

Right now as I’m typing this I’m doing a hard drive installation of Knoppix Live (a Linux distro that fits on a CD and can be run from the CD without installation), and then the configuration begins :) When the project is done, technicians will be able to connect a user’s machine to our private switch and boot from the Knoppix Server using the network PXE boot option that is included in most new BIOS. They will boot into an environment that will allow them to quickly carry out their tasks, be it installation of troubleshooting and thus reduce turnaround time. 

I will keep you guys posted on the progress…

Cheers,
Thar.

Hello everyone, like the title says, this is my first blog and there’s a lot of catching up about my life to do here. So the description of this blog says that this is about my school, business, and personal IT projects. So let me start first with my personal IT projects, the first one I think I should mention is my room. At the moment my dorm room is probably the most wired up dorm room in NY state, if not in all America :-P You can see pictures of it here, and that will probably be the best way for you to see what I’m talking about…

Let me just try and explain what’s going on: At the moment I have six systems running in there which I use for my day to day work, and also for testing out web apps, and network apps. Here is a little bit about each of my systems:

HADES
Hades is my domain controller, it is running Windows Server 2003 with SP2 (180 Day evaluation which I got with one of my books). It is a custom built system with an AMD 1700+ Processor, 1GB of PC 3200 DDR Ram, and two hard drives (8GB for the OS, and 250GB for apps and storage).

CHARON
Charon is my backup domain controller and is a Compaq Deskpro with a 800Mhz Pentium 3 processor, and 512MB of PC133 Ram.

CERBERUS
Cerberus is my firewall, running Smoothwall Express 2.0 with 256MB of PC133 Ram and two Network Cards.

TISIPHONE
Tisiphone is my main workstation with an AMD 1700+ Processor, and 768MB of PC2100 DDR Ram running Windows XP with SP2. It uses a 80GB Hard drive for storage and the OS.

ALECTO
Alecto is my Fujitsu C6659 Laptop, it’s a P3 1.13Ghz system with only 256 MB of PC133 Ramand a 20GB Harddrive. This is the machine I actually sit at and work, I love M$ Terminal Services :)

APOLLO
Apollo is my media center its another Fujitsu Laptop (C6651) with a busted LCD backlight. Its got a 30GB hard drive and 256MB of PC133 Ram. Its connected into my Sound System (SPDiF) and my TV (S-Video) for great movie watching

Those are all the systems running at the moment, but there are more to come before this May, so stay tuned :)