Lately, much of my work time has been spent upgrading the servers that keep the company network running. As the Extended Support End Date for Server 2003 has crept closer and closer, it has become essential to role out updated hardware running the latest version of Windows Server. There’s almost two years left before Server 2003 loses its support, but the earlier I can get things upgraded, the better. Now, any server upgrade can be a scary proposition, but my latest upgrade was particularly worrisome. It was time to upgrade the Primary Domain Controller (PDC), or perhaps more correctly, the Domain Controller (DC) that has the PDC emulator role assigned to it. For those not familiar with Windows networking, here’s a simple overview. DCs are the servers setup to store all network information on them. These servers work together to run a system called Active Directory (AD). Many items are stored in AD, but the most familiar to an average user would be user logins. Without AD, you wouldn’t be able to log in and access files and services on the network. So, not only was I upgrading one of the core machines behind “the network,” but I was upgrading the one that handles the bulk of the networking workload. That makes for a lot of potential for something to go wrong. Continue reading
Monthly Archives: September 2013
Building the Blog Part 2: Choosing WordPress
In part one of this series, I discussed the reasons for launching blog.danbrust.net. Having made the decision to create a blog, I then set to work on building it. Part two of the “Building the Blog” series, which you are now reading, will explain why I chose to use WordPress.
The way I see it, there are three primary choices available to someone starting a blog: Tumblr, Blogger, or WordPress. Many other choices exist, of course, but these are the big three. Each is a well-developed, mature platform, rich with functionality. While all would work well, I chose WordPress for a number of reasons. Here I’ll briefly discuss each platform, laying out what I see as the pros and cons of each system. Looking for a simpler, bullet-point rundown? Try here, here, or here.
Building the Blog Part 1: Why a Blog?
Why would I put together a new blogging site, put it out on the Internet under my own name, and make plans to start posting content to it? Well, I’m glad you asked.
Not too long ago, I decided that it would make sense to build a professional presence on the Internet. I wanted more than just a typical LinkedIn profile, though. I wanted a place where I was completely in control of the content and the presentation. A place where I could discuss the latest technology I’m working with. A place where I could share what I’ve learned, and what I hope to learn.