Stepped into a NA position with no documentation.

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Morazl

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Jun 13, 2003
Messages
1,147
So, I stepped into a NA position part-time at a local internet cafe and apparently their old IT guy did custom programming for all their software they use on their machines as far as restrictive access and whatnot...

They have Windows Server 2003 platform with about 50 clients or so connected to it. I walk in and this place is an absolute MESS, cables and shit strung everywhere. Basically all I need to do is figure out how to use Altiris Deployment Solution and hoping I can copy over a complete image of a client hard drive including all special programs that they use. Some stations are infested with virus' due to customers finding work-arounds, around the systems restrictions... I think all I really need to do is just learn how to re-image them in a PXE environment remotely from the server...

There's a lot of passwords that I don't have considering I didn't set them up and they only had ONE IT guy for this whole internet cafe (including 2 stores the same size) So I think it would be essential that I get into contact with him to get that information or I'm not going to be able to preform my job...

I setup a station in the back with the server so I can do testing on as far as deploying working and stable images, I'm not sure what PXE method he used, remote or media... So I have to find that out too... Another bad thing is all BIOS' on each client computer have a password that I also don't have, so I can't change boot priority to try a PXE boot CD and experiment with re-imaging...

Their server seems to shut down completely every 6-8 hours for the past few days, prior to me doing anything on the system. I have been digging in the System event logs via Event Viewer but have found nothing but garbage, I can post the errors of which happened on the approximate time of each crash if anyone is willing to help me with that.

As far as my experience goes, I have completed the MCSE courses and my Cisco 1-4 semesters, and a Network Security course. I have limited experience with RAID but I have played around a lot on server 2003 and know Active Directory for the most part.

I just need to make this server stable and setup scheduled re-imaging for a few client PC's, sounds simple, right?

Sorry for epic length, I truly appreciate anyone who takes the time to actually read all this and hopefully someone can give me some insight. I just don't want the owner of this store giving me heat because their old IT guy ditched on them, without providing ANY documentation or network history.

THANKS!
 
I did the same with a 200 room hotel with the most complex system I have ever seen. no docs, no plans, not even a wire digram or visio cabnet diagram. It took me 18 months to work it all out. there must have been 10 miles of cables in that plce, 20 servers etc etc. It was a bad bad job, but I did it and got them sorted out. I was quite shocked they got into that mess as they are part of a huge world wide setup and I think most of you will know the name.

I feel for you, i really do.

post the errors and I will do my best to help you.
 
If it's that big of a mess, it may be about the same or even less time to start over from scratch than to try to fix everything.

Setup a test environment with one workstation. Get it the way you want it and then use that as an image for the rest of them. I'd consider reloading the OS on the server and start over on the server as well.

Hopefully you can get the BIOS password. If not, then you'll be popping the covers on every one of them to clear the CMOS. :(
 
Spartacus said:
If it's that big of a mess, it may be about the same or even less time to start over from scratch than to try to fix everything.

Setup a test environment with one workstation. Get it the way you want it and then use that as an image for the rest of them. I'd consider reloading the OS on the server and start over on the server as well.

Hopefully you can get the BIOS password. If not, then you'll be popping the covers on every one of them to clear the CMOS. :(
Click to expand...


if he doesn't understand the current setup how can he start again? uptime needs to be as close to 100% as possible.
 
Spartacus said:
If it's that big of a mess, it may be about the same or even less time to start over from scratch than to try to fix everything.

Setup a test environment with one workstation. Get it the way you want it and then use that as an image for the rest of them. I'd consider reloading the OS on the server and start over on the server as well.

Hopefully you can get the BIOS password. If not, then you'll be popping the covers on every one of them to clear the CMOS. :(
Click to expand...

Yeah I have my test environment setup, but I don't think I want to clear the BIOS just yet as it could have some options that are user-configured...

As far as reinstalling/configuring the whole system, I'm not experienced enough with that nor do I know any of the settings that need to be manually configured... for now this isn't really an option :(

As far as hardware goes, this is what i've gathered so far.
Brand: MPC
Windows Server 2003
Looks like a RAID5 3-disk configuration, managed by LSI MegaRAID
MySQL Server running on it
4GB DDR2 Fully buffered ECC RAM
2x Dual-Core Xeon's @ 2.0ghz

Networking hardware:
2x Cisco IAD2400 Series (routers)
2x Cisco Catalyst 3500 SeriesXL 24-port switches
2x 3Com superstack II 24-port switches
Symantec Gateway Security

Pics:
Main Server with Cisco Routers below:
IMG_0038.png

How it looked when I got there:
IMG_0034.png

I moved a few things around and setup my testing client:
IMG_0036.png

Cable mess :(
IMG_0037.png
 
the cable isnt really a mess? there is just alot of them, walk into any server room and you will see similar things like that on a rack.... i guess the issue is, where does each one go...
 
i love just sitting in server rooms and figuring stuff out... the loud fans block out distractions....
i've got friends who are just the opposite, it drives them nuts... i guess they aren't cut out for big IT :D

+1 for steadystate, i havn't actually deployed it, but i've messed with it, plus its free, thanks microsoft for killing deepfreeze
 
goodcooper said:
i love just sitting in server rooms and figuring stuff out... the loud fans block out distractions....
i've got friends who are just the opposite, it drives them nuts... i guess they aren't cut out for big IT :D

+1 for steadystate, i havn't actually deployed it, but i've messed with it, plus its free, thanks microsoft for killing deepfreeze
Click to expand...

Are you in the chicago area? :D
 
So my main concern here is all the software including POS on the registers was all a custom creation by their previous IT guy.

Could anyone recommend some software for an internet cafe that uses magnetic cards to logon? I think I found the origional program that is used for billing so it shouldn't be TOO hard to maybe transfer over to a new system...

Another really important question I have is, with Steady State, I would probably just enable the disc protection for the files being changed considering the software they already use will suffice for temporary usage. Is steady state able to be deployed to computers remotely? from just the server at least? or does it have to be manually installed on each client?

Unfortunately, even with administrator access, they have some weird setup where you can't just login to a client PC as a regular XP install and do what you need to do... I have this "administrator" card that allows you to do special things but like I said before it's custom-created software so I don't know what can be done. I will try and post screen shots of what options it's giving me and how the system works... I'll actually take some video if necessary.

Thanks guys I hope more people read this and are sympathetic :)
 
If Altiris was in place you should be able to PXE boot a test machine. Do you have access to the deployment server ?
 
Morazl said:
Are you in the chicago area? :D
Click to expand...

nope

wish i was though, sounds like fun :p

as long as you're getting paid...

it is surprising to see software that the previous guy actually wrote... that would be very interesting (and probably difficult) to tear apart
 
Wow sounds like a complete mess hehe but I think I am in the right direction if I would like to do this later in life
 
If MPC = Milwaukee PC, lol... I used to work for them in High school.

I think that one of the above posters has it right. It may be better off for you to see what the client wants to happen, then work on setting it up that way from scratch in a phased-rollout sort of approach. That way you know what's going on and can make it a bit more standardized, etc. Sounds like you've got some work cut out for you. Good Luck!
 
Morazl said:
I moved a few things around and setup my testing client:
IMG_0036.png

Cable mess :(
IMG_0037.png
Click to expand...


I'd trade you my cube for that setup any day. And that is no cable mess, that looks pretty good if you ask me. You want mess? You should see where I work.... 4 racks of floor to ceiling of complete spaghetti.
 
oakfan52 said:
If Altiris was in place you should be able to PXE boot a test machine. Do you have access to the deployment server ?
Click to expand...

Yep, but I'm completely unfamiliar with how it works, so I figure i'm just going to have to play with it for awhile, and sift through the 600 page PDF about their Deployment Solution
 
StarTrek4U said:
If MPC = Milwaukee PC, lol... I used to work for them in High school.

I think that one of the above posters has it right. It may be better off for you to see what the client wants to happen, then work on setting it up that way from scratch in a phased-rollout sort of approach. That way you know what's going on and can make it a bit more standardized, etc. Sounds like you've got some work cut out for you. Good Luck!
Click to expand...

MPC's Website
 
Morazl said:
Yep, but I'm completely unfamiliar with how it works, so I figure i'm just going to have to play with it for awhile, and sift through the 600 page PDF about their Deployment Solution
Click to expand...

Good luck. lol I found their guide to read very poorly. You should be able to capture an image very isaly if your systems alre already in the Altiris database.
 
I like how the computers are on a drafting table in the one pic. So why all the custom software?
 
oakfan52 said:
Good luck. lol I found their guide to read very poorly. You should be able to capture an image very isaly if your systems alre already in the Altiris database.
Click to expand...

I actually successfully captured an image, but I am having trouble deploying it.
 
goodcooper said:
i love just sitting in server rooms and figuring stuff out... the loud fans block out distractions....
i've got friends who are just the opposite, it drives them nuts... i guess they aren't cut out for big IT :D

+1 for steadystate, i havn't actually deployed it, but i've messed with it, plus its free, thanks microsoft for killing deepfreeze
Click to expand...




i am the same way, i put my office in my small server room, it is not that loud but it doesnt bother me at all, it is almost soothing, you could prob put a server in my room and it's noise would put me to sleep.
 
Update:
I found an MPC Netware 3610 sitting below their primary server, not hooked up so I figured I'd crack it open considering i'm the only IT guy for their company, I guess it was fair game.

Seemed to POST, but got an error saying the array was degraded, so I had to end up re-building/verifying it, starting from scratch. Pics:
IMG_0050.png

Cracked it open, dusty as hell:
IMG_0051.png


I talked with my professor at school, and he said I should just rebuild the whole thing to make it mine, that way I know exactly what's going on. Sounds good to me, hopefully I can get this server working properly and use it as a test server, possibly implementing it as a secondary server to take some load off the main one.

What do you guys think?
 
Morazl said:
I talked with my professor at school, and he said I should just rebuild the whole thing to make it mine, that way I know exactly what's going on. Sounds good to me, hopefully I can get this server working properly and use it as a test server, possibly implementing it as a secondary server to take some load off the main one.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

couldn't have said it better myself.... but hey, thats work....


as long as you're getting paid... why not...

you'll never understand it better... and try to standardize it a bit without so much custom software for the next guy...
 
If I were you I would learn how to use SNMP and setup a hobbit server on that new box. Plan your transition around monitoring, this way you don't have to wait for a customer to complain something is not working.
 
Update:

The DNS service on the server will not start. The event viewer will not work.

Here is from a log I captured the night before, when the event viewer was working.

I think it's time to start over, huh guys?

DNSError.png
 
Looks like it was completely done wrong from the beginning. In my experience there's only 1 solution.

Start Over.

Reload server, reload all the PC's, re-do the networking/cabling, this will all be good experience.

-Mike
 
Looks like the other guy left becuase he was either in over his head or lazy.


It looks like a mixture of different AD errors effecting your DNS replication.

Use netdiag /test:dns and dcdiag /test:dns

How many DCs do you have? Why is this trying to replicate in this way?
 
There is another domain controller (and store) a few miles away and their systems are working just fine for the most part (aside from the same re-imaging issues) I don't know how they're trying to replicate, if at all... I haven't had the time to try to figure out exactly what's going on yet...

I do know that they have the ability to transfer customer's accounts from store to store, so I assume that's some sort of trust relationship, or child domain? correct me if I'm wrong.
 
WBILLC said:
Looks like it was completely done wrong from the beginning. In my experience there's only 1 solution.

Start Over.

Reload server, reload all the PC's, re-do the networking/cabling, this will all be good experience.

-Mike
Click to expand...

Q F T .
 
Well they ended up calling in a professional, considering I had to go to my real job today. There store has been down since opening, DNS has yet to be fixed. I'm just curious to see the documentation this guy leaves us with. Hopefully a logical explanation!
 
Jay_oasis said:
do these connect to eachother Via a VPN, MPLS etc?
Click to expand...

I stopped by their other store today, I saw a VPN connection setup pointing to the other store (at least that's what the shortcut implied) but other than that, I don't really know any other details.
 
So this supposed "Tech" was there for about 4-5 hours and didn't come up with any resolutions, other than the obvious that DNS wasn't working, which I figured out in about 10 minutes earlier this morning.

The owner is pretty heated, seeing as how they've been down for about 13.75 hours so far, today. 80% of their income comes from access time, of course.

I think he should have made some wiser investments to his IT budget, considering that's where all his income is coming from, but that's just my opinion.

At least now I don't feel like a fool because the tech spent just as much time there and came up with the same results.

Another day, Another dollar.
 
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