IT Professional eTips

When users report problems browsing the Internet or connecting with various IP addresses on the network, the problem often boils down to something very small and simple. Unfortunately, small objects can be hard to find in a haystack, but knowing some of the typical things to check certainly helps.

One cause for a host of weird problems resolving IP addresses is errant entries in a hosts file (typically %SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\ in Windows, or /etc/inet/hosts or /etc/hosts in Unix-based operating systems). These may be caused by various software programs or possibly malware or perhaps a user edited the file. Whatever the cause, look at the hosts file or try renaming it and rebooting the machine to see if that resolves the issue. Then it may be a good idea to investigate how the errant entries got there, lest they return.

If you are a Windows Server administrator, one of the critical jobs you usually do is manage the server, especially File Servers.

File Servers are usually accessible to more than one user for retrieving, adding, modifying, or deleting files. And the reality is, it is hard to keep track of what changes have been made over a period of time.

The only way to keep track of the changes is to document the baseline and the differences at every step. Sort of like a daily inventory and audit of your directories.

To do this, you need to create a batch file using a text editor. It will record the date & time when the record was taken and the actual details which you can use to compare the changes. Directory structures or files present in the directories will be saved in Filesys.log

1.    In your text editor, preferably Notepad, type in the following :

echo OFF
echo Filesystem Snapshot in Progress
echo OFF
echo Snapshot Time: %date% %time% >> "Filesys.log"
echo >> "Filesys.log"
echo ==== START OF LOG ================== >> "Filesys.log"
tree /F >> "Filesys.log"
echo ==== END OF LOG ==================== >> "Filesys.log"

2.    Save it as <filename>.bat in C:\ .

3.    Once saved, on the command line, just type in the name of the batch file to execute.

Example:   C:\> FSAUDIT.bat

This should execute and produce a file Filesys.log on the same directory.

4.    Rename Filesys.log into a filename indicating the date when the snapshot was taken.
Example:   C:\> ren Filesys.log_Mar_24_2010.log

5.    To compare changes between various log files, execute gfc h command.

Example:   C:\> fc Mar_10_2010.log_Mar_24_2010.log
Comparing files Mar_10_2010.log and Mar_24_2010.log
***** Mar_10_2010.log
C:.
"    angel.txt
"    BA_activities.doc

***** Mar_24_2010.log
C:.
"    jhjhjhangel.txt
"    BA_activities.doc
*****

For a secure database, don't neglect patch management

To make sure the machine housing your database is secure, keep the operating system patched regardless of which OS is in use. You might not actually be the one doing the patching, but you should check it regularly and raise the issue if necessary.

Monitor security alerts issued by Oracle, and patch the software promptly. Check the Oracle security website at http://otn.oracle.com/deploy/security for information on security alerts and useful whitepapers concerning security.

Imagine this scenario: You've inherited a network with a multitude of changes to the default domain group policies. You don't know what your predecessor enabled or disabled in these GPOs. All you want to do is get your domain back to the default domain and default domain controllers policies included with Windows Server 2003—and fast. You can then begin the process of creating or modifying group policies to suit your needs.

Here's the solution: You can use the DCGPOFix command to reset both the default domain policy and the default domain controllers policy to their default settings. The basic syntax for this command is dcgpofix. When you enter this command, you'll see a warning message reminding you that you'll lose all settings in these two GPOs. To continue, enter Y.

Spammers now send email that is nearly indistinguishable from legitimate messages. Previous red flags, such as misspellings and poor grammar, no longer exist. You should NEVER follow links sent in emails - always open a new browser window and type in the URL you know to be correct for the company if you want to verify your account status.

If you're curious where a link will take you, point at the link and a tool-tip box will appear with the actual address for the link. If the address in the box doesn't match the address listed in the link, you an be pretty sure the message is a scam. These links can be deceptive, too, as http://verify-ebay.com has NOTHING to do with eBay and is a cleverly-disguised scam site.

If you follow a link and want to know where you are, enter:

javascript:alert("Real URL: " + location.protocol + "//" +
location.hostname + "/");

in the address bar of FireFox and press Go. A JavaScript alert box will display the URL of the site you're looking at.

Often links lead to files that can cause you major harm if you download them - even screen savers - so it's best never to click on links in emails - no matter what.

Quickly change Internet Explorer's home page

The home page is the first page that loads when you open Microsoft Internet Explorer and is often a page you wish to visit every time you're online. Many Windows power users set their home pages to their favorite search engines, their email client, or their corporate portal.

However, if you tire of seeing the same home page day in and day out, you can easily change your home page to another of your choice. Open Internet Explorer, and then navigate to the web page you want to designate as your start page. Choose Tools | Internet Options. In the Home Page section of the General property sheet, click the Use Current button. You'll notice that the URL in the Address text box changes to the URL of the site you're currently visiting. Click OK to save your changes.

Change the default applications appearing in your Start menu (Win XP)

In Microsoft Windows XP, your favorite programs are displayed in the top-left column of the Start menu. By default, you'll begin with Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook Express; however, you can easily have a different set of programs appear here.

To do so, simply right-click on an empty portion of the Start menu's left column and select Properties. Then, click the Customize button. At the bottom of the General property sheet, deselect the program you no longer want displayed (either Internet, E-mail, or both), and then click OK. Then, using Windows Explorer or My Computer, navigate to the program you want to appear on the Start menu instead. Right-click on the program, and select Pin To Start Menu.

You may think that querying the records between two dates is a simple process. But if you forget to consider both the date and time values, you may not get the results you want. And because such data omissions usually don't cause software errors, they may never get fixed. Nobody will ever know what caused, say, someone's medical records or banking transactions to go missing.

For instance, consider the following query against a table using the timestamp data type with no fractional seconds-i.e., timestamp(0) (the same principles apply to date or timestamp with fractional seconds, although the notation in our examples would differ slightly):

SELECT *
FROM meetings
WHERE meeting_time
BETWEEN '11-JUN-07' AND '12-JUN-07';

Although at first glance this query appears as if it will return records for 6/11 and 6/12, in practice it's likely to return records only for 6/11.
Oracle defaults to 12.00.00 AM because the query doesn't specify a time. In other words, the BETWEEN clause evaluates to this:
BETWEEN '11-JUN-07 12.00.00 AM' AND '12-JUN-07 12.00.00 AM'
   
As a result, the query returns only those meetings that fall on June 11 because 12.00.00 AM is the beginning of June 12, not the end. By not specifying a time, your query eliminates an entire day from the results.

You can avoid the above error by explicitly entering a time value. For instance, the following query includes all records for the two days:

SELECT *
FROM meetings
WHERE meeting_time
BETWEEN '11-JUN-07 12.00.00 AM'
AND '12-JUN-07 11.59.59 PM';

A few important things to notice:

• BETWEEN is inclusive, so the query returns records that exactly match 11-JUN-07 12.00.00 AM and 12-JUN-07 11.59.59 PM (as well as everything in between).
• Just specifying a time that evaluates to 11.59.00 PM may not be good enough. You'll miss records marked 11.59.01, for example. The data loss may be so intermittent that the debugging team take days to locate the source of the problem.

With more and more Windows power users working on laptops from airport lounges, hotel rooms, and coffee shops, it's essential to keep this portable and valuable piece of equipment safe from thieves. Check out these tips for securing your system while you're on the road.

• Never leave passwords in your carrying case. Keeping your password with your laptop is like taping your house keys to the front door. In the unfortunate event that your computer is stolen, a thief will have a harder time accessing your personal and corporate information without your passwords.
• Carry your laptop with you whenever possible. Always take your laptop on the plane or train rather than checking it with your luggage. It's easy to lose luggage and it's just as easy to lose your laptop. If you're traveling by car, keep your laptop out of sight.
• Keep your eye on your laptop. When progressing through airport securíty, don't lose sight of your bag. Hold your bag until the person in front of you has gone through the metal detector. Many bags look alike and yours can easily be lost in the shuffle.
• Avoid using computer bags. Computer bags can make it obvious that you're carrying a laptop. Instead, try toting your laptop in something more common like a padded backpack.
• Don't set your laptop on the floor. This is an easy way to forget or lose track of your system. If you have to set it down, try to place it between your feet or against your leg, so you're always aware it's there.
• Purchase a laptop securíty device. If you need to leave your laptop in a hotel room or even in an unsecured office, use a laptop securíty cable to attach it to a heavy chair, table, or desk. You may also want to purchase software that will report the location of your laptop if it's stolen. When the laptop connects to the internet, the software can trace its exact physícal location. Laptop-tracing programs include zTrace, available from http://www.ztrace.com and ComputracePlus, available from http://www.nettrace.co.za%2fLossControl.htm.
• Purchase computer insurance. Most homeowners, renters, and business insurance policies don't cover mobile PC damage or loss. And the coverage that's offered by some businesses is very limited. If you travel frequently with your laptop, consider buying third-party insurance from a company such as Safeware (http://www.safeware.com), which specializes in computer insurance.

Quickly access the Save As dialog box in Microsoft Office XP applications

If you haven't yet saved a new document, the Save As dialog box automatically appears when you click the Save button. However, once you've saved your new Excel workbook, PowerPoint presentation, or Word document, clicking the Save button no longer opens the Save As dialog box; instead, it saves your document in its current location using its current filename. If you want to access the Save As dialog box to save your document in a different location or to a different filename, you can choose File | Save As from the menu bar, as you already know. If you want to spare yourself a few mouse clicks, however, simply press the [F12] shortcut key instead.