FeedBurner has officially been acquired by Google, which has been going around the rumor mill for at least a couple of weeks. This is very cool, my main desire is to see FeedBurner subscriber counts next to my Google Analytics stats, but that’s yet to be seen. But I don’t think it’s very far-fetched. They aren’t saying yet.

Thanks to Alan Shimel, my first source for this news (reading Google Reader feeds on my Treo at red lights on my way home — post coming very soon comparing two feed readers!).

I initially started testing the HelpSpot trial using their hosted trial service. It was a good way to determine if the interface merited further investigation. It does, as the interface is very nice and it is very easy to use and understand (from technician and user perspectives). My main issue right now is that it’s a general customer support portal, not customized specifically for IT support, and therefore no inventory/asset tracking features are provided. This may or may not be a deal-breaker, I don’t know.

However, I want to host HelpSpot internally if we select it, because internet outages are one thing I want people to be able to report and track. If it’s externally hosted, how can they access it to report an outage? They can’t :-) I could install it on a Windows box, but although my desktop is set up as an Apache and MySQL server already for testing, I want a more permanent option (there is a HelpSpot Windows installer available, which is very nice if I was going that route). And I’d rather not put it on any existing production servers, or pay for another OS license of any sort. Sounds like a good task for a virtual machine and Linux!

I’ve been eying VirtualAppliances.net ever since I found them on the VMware Virtual Appliances directory months ago, but until now haven’t needed them and haven’t had the time to play. This seemed to be the perfect opportunity for testing their LAMP Server. I downloaded their VMware image, version 1.0.110, and loaded it on my new VMware Server installation (recently switched over from Microsoft Virtual Server, the only free one at the time I set it up). Setup worked great, no issues until I started to run the HelpSpot installation script. It choked saying that Zend Optimizer wasn’t installed, even though it supposedly came with the LAMP Server. A quick browse through the configuration options from the LAMP Server control panel found the Enable Zend Optimizer option under the Apache HTTPD configuration page, which corrected the error. Installation continues, but warns that the PHP IMAP module is not installed (what do I care? I want to use POP3 for email anyway). I continue with the installation, complete it, log into the HotSpot control panel, and go hit Admin to set things up.

Looking good so far–until I click Mailboxes. Wrong answer. Apparently I haven’t kept up on PHP (I’m a Perl guy originally); the PHP IMAP module is required for IMAP, POP3, and other email functions, however misnamed. How do I get this installed? Well, that took a bit of investigation. I tried my hand at several Linux commands, some of which are available on the LAMP Server appliance, others not. PHP was hard to find, and when I discovered PEAR (CPAN clone, anyone? :-) and that it was installed, I attempted to use it but got multiple errors (about the location of PHP, and then about the configuration file which I’d modified by hand to try and fix that problem). A search of Google revealed a link to the VA forums, to a post saying that PHP IMAP was included in the most recent build. Skip to finding that in another forum entry. Download, unzip, run. Configure the appliance (turn on Zend Optimizer, re-create MySQL user and database, etc.), copy over HelpSpot files, run install script. Now we’re cooking with fire! No errors, warnings, weeping, or gnashing of teeth.

Well, almost. In either version of the LAMP Server appliance, I cannot get external name resolution to work, via the hosts file or DNS. IP-based access works fine (for ping, wget, etc.) but although DNS is configured in /etc/resolv.conf, set via our standard DHCP server that assigned an IP just fine, it just Won’t Work. This doesn’t bode well for the POP3 mail function, which I just now realized was failing to send email because I was using a hostname–which won’t resolve! Duh! Sometimes typing out a story brings the final solution. Or at least, the final problem. No, the final solution — I just tested HelpSpot using an IP address for the mail server, and it’s working! Now to set up cron to run the daily maintenance script (tasks2.php) and the every-few-minutes POP3 mail checking script (tasks.php) and I’m set! (After a false start trying to run the cron jobs using the php executable, I switched to wget calling the scripts via the URL because running PHP directly caused errors about the Zen Optimizer not being installed; it works!)

So, if I can get DNS working, things will be much better, unless the Active Directory integration add-on scripts to HelpSpot require something else that the LAMP Server doesn’t include; I haven’t made it that far yet. Until then, I’m feeling somewhat accomplished to have gotten this far given my ad-hoc knowledge of Linux with even less Gentoo experience (the distro the appliance is based on, admittedly stripped way down). Success feels good!

MozyPro required one last change to work properly, after hanging during the initial backup: changing the temporary files directory per Jason Powell. I’ve had to do this on both of the servers where I’ve installed MozyPro, due to the C drive (temporary files are stored in C:\Windows\Temp by default) not having enough free space. After the fix, one server completed its backup just fine, and the other has restarted but it just hasn’t been long enough to tell since I just fixed it today. I’m reposting Jason’s steps to the fix for my own reference (I’m pretty sure he got them from Mozy so I don’t feel too bad stealing them :-) If MozyPro would automatically detect a low level of temporary space based on the files to back up, that would be a big improvement and time saver!

How to change the default temp directory for MozyPro:

1. Make sure you’re running Mozy 1.8.2.3 or later. (You can the latest version at http://mozy.com/downloads/mozysetup.exe)
2. Create a new folder for Mozy to build its files in. Most people use something like D:\mozytemp\
3. Open your registry editor by click the Start menu, then Run, and typing ‘regedit’. Click OK.
4. Open HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\mozypro\options
5. Right click the right pane and click New->String Value
6. Change the new value’s name to tempdir
7. Right click the value and select Edit (or double-click on it).
8. Change the value to the name of the folder you created. (If you created D:\mozytemp\, make the value ‘D:\mozytemp\’)
9. Save the changes and close the registry editor.
10. Open a command prompt (click the Start menu, then Run, and type ‘cmd’. Click OK.)
11. Type “net stop mozybackup” and hit Enter
12. Type “net start mozybackup” and hit Enter.

NOTE from Jason: steps 11 & 12 didn’t work for me so I just went into Admin Tools->Services and restarted the mozy service. (David says: same for me.)

Dell is packaging software (arguably spyware) that forces users to go through Google for search especially for typos, with all above-the-fold results being ads.  This software is separate from the Google Toolbar and more difficult to get rid of.  Based solely on the post about this over at OpenDNS, I’m not very happy with this Dell/Google packaging deal.  It appears to go well beyond reasonable packaging of software with a computer.  This is the first I’ve heard of it, and I’m hoping I never get to see it in action.

In reading some of Jason Powell’s old posts about helpdesk software, I discovered a comment by the author of a system called Userscape HelpSpot. The system has obviously gone through some changes since the original post. I haven’t seen the original, but the changes appear to be good because I really like the system! The interface is simple and uses enough AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript And XML) (think Web 2.0) to be responsive and intuitive. This is my impression from using the hosted trial for the last few hours anyway.

There’s a 15% non-profit discount, and the licensing cost is not prohibitive. It also does threaded email tracking very well, and includes a knowledge base and forum that are simple and make sense from the user and administration experiences. And it includes RSS feeds of several useful areas, along with very good reporting that has flexible filtering and drill-down features.

My main problem is…no asset tracking or inventory management are included. I agree that Ian Landsman, the HelpSpot creator, has some good points when I asked about this on his forums. And the response time (to my question along with the others listed, as well as to my trial setup request) shows me that support is excellent, which makes high quality, fast support a two-for-two find recently if you include MozyPro.

I will try Ian’s suggestion of using an asset tag with a custom field to at least track which systems are being referred to in a ticket, which could work. This could work well in conjunction with Spiceworks (also see posts here and here), which has a good (not perfect) inventory interface but a newly created helpdesk that’s not as poweful as HelpSpot.

I haven’t tried all the helpdesk options out by far. ManageEngine ServiceDesk is the one Jason and team is using at Granger Community Church now. I’ve installed the free version, and I’m impressed with the very large number of features. However, it’s a bit more complex than I’d like, especially given that I may have some non-IT department help with entering tickets soon. Like Ian said, in fact, it tries to do everything. And it’s more expensive than HelpSpot for the configuration we need (initially and recurring). Does anyone want to write (or find) an inventory/asset application that has an interface that’s simple like HelpSpot and integrates with the same? I can’t put my finger on what is keeping me from liking Spiceworks as much as I want to. The speed, perhaps? The unresolved errors in some cases? Probably a combination, plus there are some interface items that just feel “clunky” to me, as nice as it is.

So I’m narrowing down the helpdesk search, and still on the lookout for the inventory side. I’m not convinced in any particular direction yet, but I’m finding more and more acceptable choices. At least it’s progress.

Well, it’s probably a good time to get to bed. And get around to enjoying the start of a long weekend. And conclude what has now turned into a rant, or a ramble. Thanks for your indulgence. Comments welcome.

I wrote yesterday that MozyPro wasn’t finding Exchange or SQL files when I selected those backup sets. I called MozyPro yesterday for support, and their Lead Support Engineer got back to me within a half-hour or so (I didn’t time it exactly) with some things to try. The first one worked; I had to edit the backup set and select the folders with the Exchange and SQL data stores manually. I expected MozyPro’s client to find these data stores by selecting the preset Backup Sets just like the other pre-installed Backup Sets do, but that didn’t work in this case. I don’t know if it normally does or if you always have to select the locations manually. I would assume the client could at least check the registry for Exchange and SQL Server and figure out where the data files were located, since on servers it’s common to install these data stores in non-standard locations to balance disk activity over multiple spindles.

The backup size went from 2.2 GB (already backed up) up to another 14 GB of stuff to back up; a lot of that is the Exchange store but SQL isn’t tiny. Because I’m throttling the uploads during the day very heavily, it will probably take maybe a week (total guesstimate) to finish the initial backup, although it may be less as I’ve gotten up to 900 kbps overnight with my first test. Hopefully I won’t run into the SQL issue Jason’s discovered, but I don’t see any indication of that yet. Kudos to MozyPro for excellent and fast support, though!

I used to listen to music in the car during my commute. I’d switch to talk radio occasionally for a change. What I’m really passionate about however is technology. None of the boring radio stations around here carry much technology-related radio for some reason. I think it’s an untapped market (OK, maybe it’s too small of a market…but Id’ listen!). Well, who cares now!? There are plenty of podcasts (or netcasts, if you prefer) available to make the commute something to look forward to (the house we’re building is closer to church, but I’m a little sad I’ll lose podcast-listening time! Can’t wait for the gas savings, though!). I try new ones out occasionally, but as it is I can scarcely keep current on the ones I listen to regularly. And that’s why I’m writing: to pass along the gems I’ve found; maybe you’ll like them, too. (All are available in iTunes’ podcast directory; search to find!)

Technology ‘casts:

• In The Trenches with Kevin Devin & George Starcher
  An excellent, long-running podcast about technology and technology careers.
• Casting From the Server Room with Matt, Bill, Rich, DJ, or some combination thereof
  A technology-in-education podcast with news, tips, discussions, and rants. Very enjoyable!
• Church IT Podcast hosted on TalkShoe.com by Jason Powell of Granger Community Church
  Get people working in Church IT together for a twice-monthly conference call, and record it. Awesome! And it’s the only podcast (currently) on which you can hear yours truly once in a while.
• Church IT Discuss hosted on TalkShoe.com by Jeffrey from IT Discuss.
  I haven’t had a chance to listen to the first episode of this discussion but it’s on my list!
• Security Now! with Steve Gibson and Leo LaPorte, from the TWiT (This Week in Tech) network
  Steve talks personal computer security with host Leo. Entertaining if not 100% accurate all the time. Steve has his detractors, but he and Leo put on a well-polished, entertaining show — and I learn something new every episode. Steve has a knack for simplifying complex topics in terms suitable for an end-user. This was the first podcast I ever listened to, and I’ve heard nearly every episode.
• Daily GizWiz with Leo LaPorte and Dick DeBartolo, from the TWiT (This Week in Tech) network
  Leo and Dick are a slick comedy-and-technology team, bringing a short (10-20 min.) daily dose of gadget. Hilarious!
• CyberSpeak Podcast with Bret and Ovie
  Hosted by two former federal agents who investigated computer crime, this is a technology Podcast covering Computer Security, Computer Crime and Computer Forensics Topics.
• A Day in the Life of an Information Security Investigator by Security Monkey
  The blog is better than the occasional podcast, but both are excellent and entertaining (and downright funny) for anyone interested in computer security and investigations. I couldn’t find a podcast website, so the link is to the RSS feed.
• Network Security Podcast by Martin McKeay
  Martin loves security and is the new Cobia product evangelist, but he keeps his own blog and podcast separate and both are very interesting.
• Run Your Own Server with Gekitsuu, Thud314, and Segmental
  Nice topical cast with useful information on running your own web server, primarily Linux-based. Plenty of useful tips and good conversation.
• Security Catalyst with Michael Santarcangelo
  Michael is doing some great work in the security field, especially with security awareness and training.

Christian non-technology ‘casts:

• Just Thinking and Let My People Think from Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM)
  Possibly the best apologetic speaking I’ve heard in my life.
• Lakeview Worship Podcast from the Worship & Creative Ministries at Lakeview Church
  A podcast put out by my homies here at Lakeview!

Other ‘casts:

• Manager Tools with Mark Horstman and Michael Auzenne
  Mark and Michael do topical casts based on their years of experience training managers in management. I’ve picked up a bunch of tips from this podcast and they are very entertaining as well.

That’s most of ’em, at least the ones worth mentioning (this post is called Podcasts that Rock after all). If you can keep up with that list and still have time for more, you live too far away from work or you have way too much time on your hands! Or maybe you work somewhere you can listen to podcasts all day.

With our recent purchase of color Sharp printer/copiers to address the issue of rising inkjet printer ink costs (much cheaper per page, and the print quality and speed rocks!), it’s time to remove the inkjet printers from everyone’s desks.  But what do we do with them?  The only possibility mentioned so far is to sell them to staff wanting them for personal use.  Is that the best option?  Is there a reason to keep any of the variety of inexpensive HP inkjet printer models on hand?  How much are they worth, if we paid $80 to $120 each for them and they’re by no means new?  Maybe it would work better to try and pay people to take them off our hands? :-)  I’m open to, and appreciative of, suggestions.

I’ve decided to follow-the-blog-leader and try out MozyPro for online backup. I set up our account last night (make sure to contact them and get the 10% non-profit discount!) and decided to try out backing up our Exchange/Shelby server first, since that dataset should be a lot smaller than our file server. Everything went smoothly, except that the Exchange Server and SQL Server Backup Sets both showed 0 files, 0 bytes to back up. I figured this was related to Jason’s issue where filesize is not displayed correctly. I included a couple of gigabytes of other files as well, then I started the backup and went home.

This morning, I find the backup complete, and additional incremental backups have also been made throughout the night. However, when looking at the backup history, it shows that the initial backup only transferred 2.2 GB of data — far, far less than our Exchange and Shelby SQL databases! About the size of the other files I’d chosen, in fact.

So, no Exchange or SQL backup happened at all. I called MozyPro’s technical support this morning. They answer the phones quickly, and have escalated the issue to a developer because everything looks like it should be working. I have C, D, and E hard disk partitions on this server, with D containing the SQL installation and database and E containing the Exchange installation and database. It’s all hardware-based SCSI RAID, which looks like regular disks to Windows, nothing special there. Yet for some reason the backup client is not detecting either product for backup. Beyond this issue, I’m happy with MozyPro so far and I’m actual glad I get to test their support early on. I’ve been using Mozy personally for several days at home, and I’ve been very impressed with the free version, and may upgrade to the unlimited version at some point soon!

I’ve been assigned a new office, in our new building.  I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that before, I may have.  But it was official just over a week ago…although I haven’t had time to move.  Until today!  My mom and dad joined my wife and son (although he mainly just enjoyed the stroller rides up and down the elevator at 4.5 months :-) at the church today and spent just over five hours helping me move so much furniture that I don’t even want to remember it all right now, along with all the rest of the contents of my old office to my new one!  Amazing how much stuff I had, um, stuffed (pun intended!) into that old space!

We left with my office set up enough to work in on Monday (so the computer is up and running on the network).  I feel both tired and accomplished.  If I hadn’t moved today, it would’ve been a couple of weeks at least before I’d have any weekday time to even think about moving much of anything.  I’ll post some pictures when I have the layout finalized a bit more and my new workroom next door is cleaned up (that’s where the non-furniture went for now).  And a big Thank You to goes to my family for all the help!  That thank-you is on top of the grilled dinner we served at our apartment afterwards!