IT

Rotate Apache log files they easy way

Here is how I configured access.log, ssl_request.log and error.log to rotate at midnight every day.

Put this below script in a file named rotateall.cmd and schedule a task to run at 12:00am every day.

Change the paths and service name to sute the setup.

@echo off

REM
REM Apache Log Rotation Script
REM

REM The location of the squid log files
SET APACHE_LOG_PATH=C:\Apache22\logs

REM Stop Apache service
net stop Apache2.2

REM date format
REM FOR /F "tokens=1-4 delims=/ " %%j in ('date /t') do set YYYYMMDD=%%l-%%k-%%j

REM date format
FOR /F "tokens=1-4 delims=/, " %%i in ('date /t') do set YYYYMMDD=%%l-%%k-%%j

REM Rename the log file
ren "%APACHE_LOG_PATH%\access.log" "access-%YYYYMMDD%.log"
ren "%APACHE_LOG_PATH%\error.log" "error-%YYYYMMDD%.log"
ren "%APACHE_LOG_PATH%\ssl_request.log" "ssl_request-%YYYYMMDD%.log"

REM Restart the squid service
net start Apache2.2

By • IT, Scripting • 0

Daily backup of Cisco router to ftp server

Today’s job was to configure a daily backup of our Cisco routers configuration to an FTP server. The setup we have here are a number of Cisco ADSL routers connected to head office via a IPSEC VPNs.

The good news is you do not need to purchase utilities or software.

1. If the router is remote to the ftp server you will  most likely need to tell the router which interface to use (for us it is BVI1).

router#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
router(config)#ip ftp source-interface BVI1
router(config)#exit

2.  Create a policy-list, backup_ftp is just the name of the policy and following are the commands to run.

router#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
router(config)#kron policy-list backup_ftp
router(config-kron-policy)#cli show run | redirect ftp://192.168.5.190/router-confs/router.cfg
router(config-kron-policy)#exit
router(config)#exit
router#

3. Tell the router when to run and what polices to run (5:00AM every day).

router#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
router(config)#kron occurrence daily_backup at 5:00 recurring
router(config-kron-occurrence)#policy-list backup_ftp
router(config-kron-occurrence)#exit
router(config)#exit
router#wr
Building configuration…
[OK]
router#

Hope it helps someone.

By • Cisco, IT • 0

Adobe reader install on Terminal Server

I had an outstanding job to update Adobe Reader 9 on a Windows 2003 Terminal Server.

Here are the steps I took.

1. Apply for a free Adobe Reader distribution license
http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/distribution.html?readstep

2. Download the setup file from Adobe
http://get.adobe.com/reader/enterprise/
or from ftp://ftp.adobe.com/pub/adobe/reader/win/10.x/

3. Download Adobe Customization Wizard
http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=4950

4. Download the Acrobat Enterprise Administration Guide this will be a reference and explain all the options in detail
http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/837/cpsid_83709/attachments/Acrobat_Enterprise_Administration.pdf

5. Extract the redistribution package
Open a command prompt and type or paste the below (I saved the download to C:\Adobe)
The command below will extract all the files to C:\Adobe\Extract
C:\Adobe>AdbeRdr1014_en_US.exe -sfx_ne -sfx_o”C:\Adobe\Extract”

6. Make a AIP (Administrative Installation Point) what is an AIP? uncompressed setup files
msiexec /a AcroRead.msi

7. Patch the AIP with the latest update that came with the download package (in the Extract folder).
msiexec /a C:\Adobe\AIP\AcroRead.msi /p C:\Adobe\Extract\AdbeRdrUpd1014.msp

8. Install Adobe Customization Wizard
This will allow you to make a custom install MST file to control what settings your users have in Adobe Reader.

Note;  setup.ini was not there when I made the AIP.  You may need to modifying the extract folder msi then copy it.

9.  Install with MST

Note; options /i = install /qb = Displays a basic user interface TRANSFORMS= custom settings MST file

E:\Adobe\Extract>msiexec /i AcroRead.msi TRANSFORMS=AcroRead.mst /qb

Note; Add double quotes if you have problems.

E:\Adobe\Extract>msiexec /i AcroRead.msi TRANSFORMS=”AcroRead.mst” /qb

Hope it helps someone, let me know if you have any comments or fixes.

By • IT • 2

Block group policy for a single user on Terminal Server

Today I was asked to block our Outlook Read Receipt group policy from applying to a single user account when logged onto our Terminal Server. Currently there is a group policy that sets Outlook tracking options to “Always send a response” for all users. This user needed the option “Ask me before sending a response”.

I did this by denying the user account access to the group policy

1. Open Group Policy Management from Administrative Tools

2. Go to Group Policy Objects container and right click on the policy and select edit from the menu

3. From the Group Policy Object Editor right click on the policy and select properties from the menu

4. Select the Security tab and add the user account you want to block and then set the permission to deny

helpful reference: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/260370/en-us

By • IT, Outlook • 0

Olympus DSS Player Pro won’t open – Windows 7

I received a call from one of our users about a problem opening Olympus DSS Player Pro 4 (update 4.10.4) transcription module.  It was working perfectly on Windows 7 until now.

When you double clicked on the shortcut to TpstWnd.exe an hourglass appeared briefly then nothing; there were no error messages. I opened task manager and could see the process running.

I started to troubleshoot by checking licence key, registry entries, changing compatibility setting and finally re-installing the application but none of this worked. I then turned to sysinternals suite procmon.exe and discovered some buffer overflows errors. This led me to start checking windows updates and sure enough it turned out to be kb2670838 and the only solution was to uninstall it.

Problem solved but if kb2670838 fixes something else for you then you may need to get a new version of the DSS Player Pro.

By • IT • 22

VMWare change failed network management adapter

We experienced an unusual fault today, it started out with remote users complaining about voice quality from their Cisco IP phone and remote desktop was dropping out. At first I thought it was a network problem as the users connect via a Cisco router IPsec VPN.

While I was checking the main router, local users started complaining about voice quality,  which changed my focus to the pbx (Asterisk running on Linux). I connected an IP phone directly to the pbx and voice quality as good so I moved onto the switches. I noticed port 20 was intermittently changing between amber and green so I removed the cable and all the problems disappeared. I could replicate the problem on any port so it was not the switch.

I traced the network cable back to our VMWare hosts first network adapter which is assigned to the Management Network.  Now I needed remove the faulty one and assign another adapter to the management network.

Here is how I did it, I hope this helps someone else.

1. I logged in to the VMWare host console via the IBM Integrated Management Module KVM (you may have some other connection method)

2. Select Configure Management Network and pres enter

3. Select Network adapters and press enter

4. Un-check the faulty one by highlighting it and pressing the spacebar

5. Select the one you want to use and press the space bar

6. I received this warning message, this did not concern me as I knew the adapter was not assigned to any guest so I pressed enter.

7.  This part of the following message did concern me “In case IPv6 has been enabled or disabled this will restart you host”. I did not find this very clear, I am not using IPv6, will it restart my host? To be safe shutdown your virtual machines first. My VMWare host did not restart and all was ok.

Now I can call IBM and get them to replace the Network adapter

By • IT, VMWare • 0

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