A vital tool in an IT Professional’s armoury is a test bed or lab. In this series of posts and tech notes I’m going to detail how I built my test lab. I will detail what software I use and why, where to download it from, how to install and configure it. In this first post, I’ll run through the host hardware, the Operating System on the host machine, and then the virtualization software. Continue reading
Author Archives: Lee Fatibene
Blog: Hands on labs at IT Innovation – Preview
At the end of March I received an email from Microsoft UK offering a free day of technical training, at one of their events in the UK during April and May. This is a superb opportunity and not one I was about to miss out on. Continue reading
Tech Note: Introduction to PowerShell
What is PowerShell?
What exactly is PowerShell? A scripting language? A command line interface? Well both and more, PowerShell is a platform that provides the ability to interface with your environment via a number of tools, called cmdlets. PowerShell can be used to perform a number of tasks such as gathering remote computer information, performing user tasks and troubleshooting system problems, so whether you’re an entry level helpdesk technician or experienced IT Professional, PowerShell is a tool you’ll need to learn. Continue reading
My Tech: Lumia 930 Gets Windows 10 Mobile
On Friday Microsoft released Windows 10 Mobile to a number of Windows Phone 8.1 handsets. On the list of supported handsets was the Lumia 930 which has been my daily driver for the past 8-9 months. I’ve been keen to have a look at Microsoft’s new mobile OS and this was a good opportunity. Continue reading
Blog: Microsoft Lumia 650, First Impressions
Microsoft latest mid range handset arrived this week, the Lumia 650, which is going to be my wife’s new phone. Upgrading from a Nokia Lumia 520, she is used to Windows Phone, and the 650 should be a nice upgrade for her, and at no extra cost, its a great deal.
Blog: Replacing Perc6i Battery in Dell R710 Server
Having worked with a lot of server hardware over the years, the two vendors which really stand out are HP & Dell. Both provide a wide range of sever models offering superb reliability and performance. One of the server models I’m particularly fond of is the Dell R710. Having worked with this server for a number of years I can personally recommend it for is build quality, reliability and versatility.
Certs: 2.3 Configure & Optimize Storage (70-412)
In this post I will cover the final group of topics in the “Configure File and Storage Solutions” objective domain, Configure and Optimise Storage. The topics are iSCSI, configuring both the target server and initiator, iSNS, what it is and how its used, Features on Demand, Data Deduplication, and finally Storage Tiers which are new to Windows Server 2012 R2.
Tech Note: HP Systems Management Shows No Items
This was a rather unnerving issue I discovered on a production file server last week, after running HP System Management, the home page shows “No Items.” Not a great situation to be in if you are trying to perform routine maintenance, investigate a problem or preparing for an upcoming hardware configuration change. Continue reading
Blog: 2016 Looking Forward
Looking forward to 2016 I’ve already thought about my IT Certification goals and where I want to be this time next year. As you probably know, back in July I achieved the Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MSCA) certification in Windows Server 2012. This involved passing 3 exams, 70-410, 70-411 & 70-412, all are challenging in different ways, which I have already documented in this blog.
My Tech: Microsoft Band 2
My latest item of technology is the Microsoft Band 2. This is my first foray into the world of tech wearables, and the band is primarily a fitness device, with some smart watch capabilities. How I’ll use this device going forward? Who knows, but it will be an interesting journey for sure.