Update to New IT job. Where do I start. Week 2.

[root]

@-root-: I can agree to an extent...though it really all depends on what you're wanting to do with the server. For just a file server, sure a hosted server is fine if you want to be able to access it externally.

But if you're wanting to have a media server (such as Plex), or even have a "lab" setup for messing with various things such as domain controller setup, IIS, etc., having a local server is pretty much required.

yes, like everything in IT there genuinely isn't a one size fits all solution.

If you're setting up VMs for a domain etc the question is are you really using these 247? or are you trying something out, then blowing away the VMs and shutting down the hyper visor? - and yes, I use virtual things for testing, - but I do that on my laptop. I can hibernate and everything comes back on as was next time I open the lid...

Media center is a good example or a 247 powered device though. certainly my media center is 247 powered on, but it's a raspberry pi running open kodi, and media tomb (for DNLA). so pretty low powered - and I'm happy with that.

I've done the whole home server game before (even hosted small websites from home etc) it make some sense in the past but the cost of VPS $10 rather than $100 per month changes things for me now. though yes, there are plenty of circumstances where you either want a local server, (ether for power, or convenience, or running an OS these cheap places wont provide (like windows)...

...guess I didn't think of that one. very good point. What are your thoughts regarding switches?

virtual? as in you want to learn should you get a big stack of switches and have your own Cisco lab at home?

GNS3 will let you virtual switch/router/firewall things. and Cisco have just come out with a virtual lab offering that's about a hundred bucks and will work without the (sometimes subtle) limitations of GNS3.

maybe I misunderstand the question?

 

[mehmin]

virtual? as in you want to learn should you get a big stack of switches and have your own Cisco lab at home?

GNS3 will let you virtual switch/router/firewall things. and Cisco have just come out with a virtual lab offering that's about a hundred bucks and will work without the (sometimes subtle) limitations of GNS3.

maybe I misunderstand the question?

...yes to both: If we replace the ones we have here and they let me take them (regarding the electric bill). I suppose virtual would be nice as well to practice/get familiar with how switches work and what not.

 

[root]

...yes to both: If we replace the ones we have here and they let me take them (regarding the electric bill). I suppose virtual would be nice as well to practice/get familiar with how switches work and what not.

maybe my last replies weren't as helpful as they could have been...

there is not necessarily anything wrong with taking a server and using it... but in my experience, it can be more of a curse than a blessing, they tend to be big, noisy power hungry boxes that are just not suited to houses.

but for some situations it's better than nothing, even if it is in theory more expensive to run than just renting cycles on someone else's hardware.

the same can be true for switches, (and firewalls and routers). sure you *can* virtualise, but sometimes actually that's not good enough, you want real tin...


so the only question I have are what switches do you have?

you mentioned somewhere netgear? (are these managed switches?) or the dumb FS line of netgear switches?

 

[mehmin]

maybe my last replies weren't as helpful as they could have been...

there is not necessarily anything wrong with taking a server and using it... but in my experience, it can be more of a curse than a blessing, they tend to be big, noisy power hungry boxes that are just not suited to houses.

but for some situations it's better than nothing, even if it is in theory more expensive to run than just renting cycles on someone else's hardware.

the same can be true for switches, (and firewalls and routers). sure you *can* virtualise, but sometimes actually that's not good enough, you want real tin...


so the only question I have are what switches do you have?

you mentioned somewhere netgear? (are these managed switches?) or the dumb FS line of netgear switches?

I'm not sure if the're manageable switches or not;
Netgear GS116 16 port
D link Gigabit D6S 1024D
Netgear prosafe 24 port GS724T smartwitch
IOgear miniview switch PS2 KVM 8 port

 

[1etherer]

I'm not sure if the're manageable switches or not;
Netgear GS116 16 port
D link Gigabit D6S 1024D
Netgear prosafe 24 port GS724T smartwitch
IOgear miniview switch PS2 KVM 8 port

Netgear prosafe 24 port GS724T - managed (web console)
Netgear GS116 16 port - dummy switch (not managed)
D link Gigabit D6S 1024D - managed (web console)

IOgear miniview switch PS2 KVM - is just a KVM, different PCs for one monitor, keyboard and mouse

 

[root]

ok... so honestly, unless the office is decked out with a whole bunch of X brand switch, you're not going to gain a lot by getting on installed in your home network.

and you'll gain nothing but extra ports on your network by having an unmanaged switch, you can't "do" anything with it except add more devices to your network.

(again, sure there are specific usage cases where you might want to run different VLANs and segregate your home networks for different reasons but for most people, it's just a waste of time...)


If the place is decked out with some sort of device that you want to learn about, or you want to rehears configuration changes before applying changes, you may want to take a switch home to make sure that the config that you're developing actually works...
(if you want to learn more about how managed switches work and what you can do with them, then sure it makes sense to take one home...)

for my part, I'm working deploying and supporting systems, (usually network devices) around the world. if you pre-load a config and send a managed switch/firewall/router out to the other side of the world, then you need to be pretty sure that config you loaded works... because getting on a plane and flying out to the Philippines, to rebuild something is a really long flight, and it's expensive, and it's not the sort of cost a customer will take adding to their bill so you have to swallow that one!

that's where labs can be invaluable...

You can emulate a bunch of labs type configurations for Cisco with GNS3, and the limitations of that (which was very specific to some configurations/commands that could not be emulated properly) are now removed with the latest Cisco lab offerings...

so would I run a lab at home of switches? no.
succinctly,:

they are power hungry.
enterprise switches are noisy.
I don't have enough systems to fully load them (and thus I won't notice the problem at home like the time a collegue specc'd out a 48 port switch with a 750w power supply, and when it was fully loaded with poe phones it crapped out daily with power errors. because to power that many POE devices it needed the 1000w supply!)
I couldn't possibly buy every model, (where every model has a slightly different feature set, (e.g. you can't apply port macros to 2950 switches, but they do stack, you can't stack 3650s, but you can apply port macros... etc. )
then when you're talking about 3750 switches they are £3k each, and getting something like IP services to do routing on stick is another couple of K.
as I've got a price list in front of me for a project I'm working on...
if I get "given" a free switch, then just the stack cable to add it into a stack that I'd be running is £85 GBP, if I want to convert to fibre to connect a couple of switches, the SFPs to do that are £133 GBP each.

For me, at home, to test... I'll stick with a Virtual stack! (I simply can't afford investment, or running costs of a rack full of switches) - and I work with many different models that are all slightly different, so would end up needing about ten test rigs!



tl;dr,
do you need experience in using the managed switches?
do you even use the features of a managed switch
do you need more ports on your home network?

 

[mehmin]

tl;dr,
do you need experience in using the managed switches?
do you even use the features of a managed switch
do you need more ports on your home network?

These are some good questions. I think it's too early for me to tell if I'll need the experience (although I think I'd like to have it). Nor am I sure if I'll need the features, and no, I don't think I'll need more ports.
One of the few downsides at my work is that I pretty much do whatever the boss needs, and I do mean whatever. Often it has nothing to do with IT. But I'm grateful for the position. It's a foot in the door for the industry, and because I'll be exposed to so many different areas I won't have to fudge the truth on my future resumes.

With that being said, what are everyone's thoughts on when a good time to transition on to some place else be?

 

[mehmin]

Typically, you'd get the MAC address of the NIC and then check the MAC address table on the switch to determine which port it's connected to. This only works with a managed or smart switch.

So, the GS716T is a managed switch. I've got the CMD screen up, but how to I access the switch? I found a PDF for netgear interface commands. Hopefully we'll get some new equipment soon and I'll do my best to influence the boss to get some cisco gear.

 

[root]

So, the GS716T is a managed switch. I've got the CMD screen up, but how to I access the switch? I found a PDF for netgear interface commands.

try typing "show mac-address-table"

sometimes on different device there is auto complete, so start by typing sh, then hit either the tab key or the question mark key, and seeing if it brings up a list of "possible commands"

Hopefully we'll get some new equipment soon and I'll do my best to influence the boss to get some cisco gear.

what specific problem are you hoping to solve with Cisco gear that you're unable to do with the netgear switches?

it's nice (or at least I find it nice) managing lots of Cisco gear... because I get to use common commands across lots of different devices...
and I guess it's nice that there is loads of people on the internet that can help, books on the devices etc...

And there is a bunch of stuff that you "can" do... (but some of the cooler "can do" stuff has an added license cost...) you might think that you want to do cool layer 3 stuff on your switch, but... most switches come with "lan base" licenses, - basic layer 2 switch stuff, want some rudimentary IP stuff? well IP base licenses are an almost two thousand dollar upgrade... want to do eigrp, properly (not just stub) or any other "advanced" layer 3 stuff... that's another two grand...


If you're about to go and ask your boss to throw down a large (there is no cheap Cisco gear) chunk of the cold hard stuff on the table... you'll probably want a fairly sorted business case for it in your head. if not written down on paper...

I suspect that your boss probably thinks that there is nothing wrong with the net gear stuff that he chose...

 

[root]

One of the few downsides at my work is that I pretty much do whatever the boss needs, and I do mean whatever. Often it has nothing to do with IT. But I'm grateful for the position. It's a foot in the door for the industry, and because I'll be exposed to so many different areas I won't have to fudge the truth on my future resumes.

With that being said, what are everyone's thoughts on when a good time to transition on to some place else be?

sounds like my first job, started with little experience and was expected to do everything from setting up test machines, configuring servers, creating web pages, providing support for products, building machines, installing cables, hanging pictures, watering plants etc...

assuming that you have a boss that is able and willing to teach you, stay until you either stop learning, or circumstances dictate that you have to move, (e.g external factors that are a part of life, (you want to live somewhere else, you need to work different hours etc)...
but realize that if you're reporting to the CEO today. then you will be tomorrow, there is no promotions available where you are, because you;re already defacto top of the small IT department. (that can get a little frustrating having nothing to work towards...)