Mr_Flibble1 Tracker

Re: Rename "root" username.

Mr_Flibble1 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:50:46 GMT

It is common practice in the windows world to rename the administrator account to improve security.

In the Unix world, you can rename the root user but it serves no real purpose.

The reason for this is Unix uses a setting called "User ID" (UID). Usually, a user has a UID above 500 on a Unix system. However, any user that has a UID of "0" is automatically root. Thus, if you can change the UID of a user called "jimbo" to zero, jimbo is now root. For the same reason, there is no reason to change the username of the root user. Because, once you have access to a Unix system, you can start looking for the users who are UID zero (and thus root). So, in short, changing the name of the root user does not add to the level of security as it does in windows because it is the UID that sets the "godlike" permissions of root, not the name root itself.

So, while you can change the name of the root user, it does cause certain scripts to break, and anyone with basic Unix skills will see through the name change instantly.

Re: Oops, mangled VI Center permissions.

Mr_Flibble1 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 23:14:29 GMT

Unfortunately, I have not been backing it up because it is, as you mentioned a test system. It does intrigue me though, that I could go into the VI database then and actually add the permissions back in that way.

Oops, mangled VI Center permissions.

Mr_Flibble1 — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 22:31:19 GMT

On our test machines, ESX 3.5, VI Center 2.5 I was playing around with the permissions on one of the images. I deleted "Domain Admins" from the permissions list on the VM, but left a test user access with "VM Power User settings". Right after I did this, the VM vanished from my sight, as I am a domain admin. I can still log in as the test user and gain access to the image (or direct through ESX and root).

I now have no administrator level privileges to this VM, so now I can no longer edit the permissions on the machine and restore access to my regular user. It turns out that this machine has no access other than the test user. Thus, I have no access to modify the image as the test user does not have that level of access!

I know I can just turn the VM off, and bring it back in under my regular domain user and everything will keep on ticking along . However, given that this is a test environment, and I am trying to test stuff just like this on purpose, how can I go about getting the permissions set back on this image without re-importing the VM as my user (the administrator) cant see the machine?

Message was edited by: Mr.Flibble - edited for ease of reading

Re: 64bit guest O/S will not install

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:08:43 GMT

Can you check what type of Xeon you have installed? I can't remember if all the G4's were 64 bit capable.

Re: VMware Compatibility question

Mr_Flibble1 — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:03:47 GMT

I have ESX running on what would be considered an "unsupported" system. That is, it is not on the HCL. However, most any system that has 2 cpus and a decent amount of RAM can run ESX. This is not exact of course, but it is a good general rule.

Systems that are on the HCL are ones that have been vetted by VMware to be fully functional with ESX, and are the least likely to cause problems.

Re: CA Unicenter - remote control of virtual machines

Mr_Flibble1 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:43:10 GMT

A few other things to check:

Is the VM a 64 Bit version of windows? If so, URC 6 won't work on it. You will always get that error message if it is 64 bit. (Works in version r11 though.)

If it is not 64 bit, then under your address book, go to the target machine, then connecte and options. Under options select "color reduction".

I hope this helps!

Re: CA Unicenter - remote control of virtual machines

Mr_Flibble1 — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 16:35:12 GMT

Well, here is hoping you go to r11. Note, if you do, it will be much easier to perform a full new install than an upgrade. Trust me on that.

Here are a few other solutions I have seen for URC 6:

- From the console, log into the machine, then log out. (Yes, I know, seems strange)

- Run Terminal Server Manager and search for session id then execute the following command :

reset session <SessionID> /server:<servername> /v

Re: CA Unicenter - remote control of virtual machines

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:48:11 GMT

(Argh, the internets went funny and I double-posted. I think the tubes got blocked with a truck.)

Message was edited by: Mr.Flibble

Re: CA Unicenter - remote control of virtual machines

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 16:44:28 GMT

Ah, you are running 6, I pity you! I work with 11.2 much more, which is a bit more fun.

First thing to try is to reboot the target machine. In version 6 you need to reboot after the agent install OR reboot after connecting to the machine via terminal services. That is, if someone connects to the machine with Terminal Services it will mess up the Unicenter Remote Control agent and you will get the video error.

That would be the first thing to try on my list.

I guess I am an expert on CA Unicenter as I am a consultant who makes my living off of installing Unicenter DSM r11.2

Re: Virtual Machine/Hypervisor technical information

Mr_Flibble1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:51:41 GMT

You are probably looking for this stuff: http://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/vi_pages/vi_pubs_35u2.html

Note, I found that there was additional information in my VMware Infrastructure course which I took before the VCP exam. Some of the information in that manual I have not seen replicated elsewhere.

Re: Change a directory name on ESX

Mr_Flibble1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:39:29 GMT

Note, to crawl through things on the command line to perform a rename you can use the following:

find ./ -type f -exec sed -i 's/vmname/newvmname/' {} \;

I have used this command often in Linux, (great for fixing oracle hostnames etc.) I honestly have never tried it on a VM, but the concept should work.

Re: Change a directory name on ESX

Mr_Flibble1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:34:27 GMT

Try this thread:

http://communities.vmware.com/message/822788;jsessionid=F44C51342768E9B02B25A12A26A4571D

I found that creating a new vm with the name, and pulling in the disk from the old VM works.

Re: CA Unicenter - remote control of virtual machines

Mr_Flibble1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:05:59 GMT

Note, Unicenter Remote Control uses Microsoft Terminal Services to make the connection, it just adds another layer on top for security purposes. If you can't connect with mstsc.exe, then you won't be able to connect with Unicenter Remote Control either.

I take it you have the agent running on each of the target VMs?

Re: CA Unicenter - remote control of virtual machines

Mr_Flibble1 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 17:39:04 GMT

By CA Unicenter I assume you mean Desktop and Server Management? I run it in a VM Environment. (Note, CA Unicenter is a suite of many different products, I think there are about 20 of them.)

Thus, I suspect you are using the Remote Control feature of "DSM.

Which version are you using?

Can you attach a screenshot of the error?

Re: Basic ESX 3.5 Server recommendations?

Mr_Flibble1 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:52:28 GMT

The R900 is good, but it is a bit of overkill for our needs here where we do Dev/Test. There are really only 5-6 people using images at the most, and when that happens many of us are using the same images. It is a far cry from when we do consulting where we are in large ESX cluster environments.

It is funny really, I am used to working with ESX in an environment where cost/hardware is usually not a limitation!

Re: Basic ESX 3.5 Server recommendations?

Mr_Flibble1 — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:49:52 GMT

The Dell currently has 6 GB of RAM.

I just installed ESX 3.5 on it today, and it seems to be working fine. Mind you I have not yet migrated any of our GSX images over to it yet. I will be installing VI Center on a Windows 2003 as well. I don't really need it with only 1 ESX machine, but we are planning to branch out in the future, so I might as well get it done.

Re: Basic ESX 3.5 Server recommendations?

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:04:54 GMT

Yes, I have also looked at FreeNAS as well. The thing is though, the 1800 is currently running Red Hat Enterprise and VMWare Server (GSX) and it is using around 2% CPU utilization. It is really just sitting idle. We are looking at moving most of our application/server stuff here in DEV/TEST to ESX, and given how lightly loaded the 1800 box is, ESX looks like the best solution.

Why so if GSX is currently buring so little CPU. Well, the feature set difference of course, and all the other goodies that ESX provides that GSX does not. (And yes, it really is GSX, it has not been upgraded in a few years!)

Re: Basic ESX 3.5 Server recommendations?

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:26:40 GMT

I should add, the intended use for this box is for development running at most, 10 VMs at any one time, although, most of the time it will likely be running 4 VMs. The OSs will be similar (mostly 2003) and thus the memory will be overcommited.

We don't need a beast, just a test/dev server.

Basic ESX 3.5 Server recommendations?

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:08:10 GMT

I have a Dell 1800 Power Edge server here at work, and in previous threads I found out that it will work with ESX 3.5, even if it is not on the supported list. However, it does not have enough RAM for our purposes, thus we are left with a choice.

Upgrade the RAM in this old system for around $1200, an then convert it to ESX 3.5 or, purchase a new Dell box such as a Power Edge 2900.

Now, of course the newer system will be faster and supported etc. However, currently, we do not have a NAS or a SAN at our office, it will probably be over a year before we get one added in here. We only need to run Dev/Test at this location.

What do you think for running ESX 3.5 on either a 1800 or a 2900 in a non-NAS/SAN configuration? Save the budget by getting RAM for the 1800 so we can get the SAN/NAS later, or go with the 2900 for standalone now?

Re: Dell 1800 Power Edge Compatibility

Mr_Flibble1 — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 20:33:48 GMT

That is a perfect solution, thanks! Yes, it is for Dev/Test, so full enterprise support won't be needed on this machine. Still, it will be good to get use out of it given that it has less than a 1% CPU utilization at the moment.