Troubleshooting – 2/7/2011

Today we finished up the book by having a BIG day in terms of projects.  We covered four chapters (10-13) and discussed such topics as:

• Active Directory – what it is, how to install it
• WSUS – The Windows Software Update Service.  This allows you to have the best advantages of the old Microsoft-based Automatic Updates (which most of you use from home) without those pesky disadvantages of ineffective bandwidth use and possible software breakage.
• Remote Assistance/Remote Desktop – Remote Assistance allows us to view the users’ desktop and “assist” them with troubleshooting tasks.  In order to access someone’s computer via Remote Assistance, you have to receive an invite from them, and then they must be present to allow you to access at the time you accept the invitation.  Remote Desktop allows you to access a remote computer within your own session and do tasks on it.  You simply initiate contact to the computer and, assuming everything’s set up properly (enabled, Remote Desktop Users Local Group, Port 3389 open) you should be in.  Remote Desktop is only available on Business and higher versions of Windows; Remote Assistance is available on all versions.
• Software Installation – Here, we looked at not simply installing a single program onto a single computer using an install file — we used Group Policy, which allowed us to install that file onto all or as many computers as we want to.

We did a nice, long project that allowed us to practice each of those skills and more, as well as review the things we’ve been talking about over the last month.

This class represents the last of this particular book (the 70-622 book).  For next week, make sure you bring the 70-623 book (the white and black Sybex one) to class.

Homework:

• Take Home Test #05 – Chapters 10-13: download it here.
  

Security – 2/1/2011

Tonight, we forged ahead with finishing up chapter 4 from last week and covering chapter 5 this week.  The main task was running the Security Configuration and Analyzer tool along with talking about WSUS, which is a method by which Server keeps computers connected to the domain updated.  Next week, we will install a WSUS server of our own and configure it so that it will update our computers with up to date security patches, etc.

Homework:

Take Home Test #03 – download it here.

Security+ – 2/1/2011

Today, instead of lecturing through chapter 5, I decided it would be better to bestow some actual skills for you to learn.  So, make sure you read chapter 5, because we most definitely did not talk about it in class!

What we did talk about was learning how to use the Security Templates and Security Configuration and Analysis tools provided by Windows in order to better secure our computers.  We played with an older server, Server 2003 in order to play with these, as the current Microsoft server, Server 2008R2, does not include security templates.

Security templates are collections of security settings that we can apply broadly to our computers.  This helps in administration by saving us time and providing consistency between computers.  This is where the Security Configuration and Analysis tool comes in to play — we can load a template into a database and then use that database to either compare our computer’s current settings to what the template might have us do (that would be the Analysis part of the tool).  Likewise, we can also choose to apply the settings inside a template to the computer; that would be the Configuration portion of the tool.

Don’t forget!  Please e-mail all homework to NSA155@benbedo.com!!!

Homework:

• Chapter 5 Review Questions
• Listen to and write a summary of Security Now #127

Troubleshooting OS – 1/31/2011

Today’s exploration into Windows 7 took us to the Windows Firewall, UAC and Task Scheduler (chapters 7, 8, and 9).

Homework:

• Take Home Test #04 – download it here.
  

Hey?!? Where the heck have you been?!?

Yeah, so, the blog has been a bit dead lately.

Without getting into the dirty details, this past week has been absolute hell-on-wheels with every possible thing that could go wrong going wrong.  As such, I’ve had absolutely no time to update the blog, and as such, get you your homework in a timely manner.  That is my fault, and I profusely apologize.  Since that is my issue and not yours, I”m going to throw out this past week’s homework — don’t sweat it, and we’ll just do this week’s homework.  Enjoy the time off.

Technology and Society – 1/20/2011

Today we met and discussed each others’ podcasts. 

After that discussion, we dove headlong into Part 1, talking about how technology has assisted in and played a part in our evolution over the years.  Some concepts I want you to take away from this division of the book is

• The concept of The Great Leap Forward
• Who was George, and why was he so important?
• How has technology affected our use of energy changed over the past years?
• How has technology affected how we handle ethics?

Homework:

• Read Part 2
• Listen to two podcasts, and summarize them on your blog
• Write a third blog entry of your choice.

Security (MS) – 1/18/2011

Tonight, in week 2, we actually went through introductions since snow prevented us from having class last week.  We then dove into the first three chapters of the book.

In Chapter 1, we talked about the concept of authentication, and why that is so important in server administration.  We also introduced the concept of a Directory Service and talked about the Microsoft implementation of that: Active Directory.  We talked about what a domain, tree and forest is and then about some of the ways that Active Directory allows us to keep our networks secure: group policy, encryption, password policies, etc.

For Chapter 2, we drilled down a little more into the concept of authorization.  Authorization is different than authentication in that authorization determines what a particular user can do; authentication determines who people are.  We some key things we talked about: Access Control Lists, User Rights, creating and assigning users to groups, etc.

Finally, for Chapter 3, we discussed security templates and how we can make use of them in our networks.  We installed the Security Configuration tools that Server offers us and experimented applying them to our server installations.

Homework:

• Take Home Test #1 – download it here.  DO NOT TURN IN PAPER!
• E-mail homework to NSA298@benbedo.com

CompTIA Server+ – 1/18/2011

Today we covered chapter four which was the theory behind coming up with a security plan.  We spoke about 4 types of policy: program-level policy, program-framework policy, issue-specific policy and system-specific policy.  We also talked about the framework within which you should set up security and who should be responsible for security (arguably, everyone!)

Homework:

• Chapter Four multiple choice questions e-mailed to NSA155@benbedo.com
• Listen to Security Now Podcast Episode #65 and write a one page summary, e-mailed to NSA155@benbedo.com.

Don’t Forget!! Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Don’t forget!  Monday, January 17 is Martin Luther King, Jr. day!  To celebrate, we will not be having class that day, so please don’t come in, or you will be hanging out in the parking lot all by yourself.  We’ll resume class again on January 24!

Technology and Society – 1/13/2011

Today we started class by introducing the requirements for class.  There will be three legs for being successful in this class:

1. Read the text.  While this class is NOT going to be solely based around the textbook like many of your other classes, we still will use the textbook quite a bit.  Especially since there is so few of us, having had read the text before coming to class will make our discussions go much smoother.

2. Listen to two podcasts.  Each week, listen to two podcasts on any topic you want, as long as it’s not entertainment oriented (I personally believe that celebrity gossip can do nothing but harm!).  I love to learn, so the craizer, more out-there, the better.  Summarize those podcasts in an about 300 word post to your blog.

3.  Your blog?  Yes, you will have a blog for this class, that you will post the summaries of your podcasts to.  In addition, make one additional blog post of your choosing — it can be your reaction to current events, goals, recipes, just whatever!

Homework:

• Read Part I of the text
• Listen to two podcasts
• Summarize the two podcasts on your blog and write a third entry of your choice.
• If you haven’t already, PLEASE send the address to your blog to sci305@benbedo.com.