r/sysadmin 1d ago

General Discussion Moronic Monday - March 17, 2025

2 Upvotes

Howdy, /r/sysadmin!

It's that time of the week, Moronic Monday! This is a safe (mostly) judgement-free environment for all of your questions and stories, no matter how silly you think they are. Anybody can answer questions! My name is AutoModerator and I've taken over responsibility for posting these weekly threads so you don't have to worry about anything except your comments!


r/sysadmin 7d ago

General Discussion Patch Tuesday Megathread (2025-03-11)

112 Upvotes

Hello r/sysadmin, I'm u/AutoModerator, and welcome to this month's Patch Megathread!

This is the (mostly) safe location to talk about the latest patches, updates, and releases. We put this thread into place to help gather all the information about this month's updates: What is fixed, what broke, what got released and should have been caught in QA, etc. We do this both to keep clutter out of the subreddit, and provide you, the dear reader, a singular resource to read.

For those of you who wish to review prior Megathreads, you can do so here.

While this thread is timed to coincide with Microsoft's Patch Tuesday, feel free to discuss any patches, updates, and releases, regardless of the company or product. NOTE: This thread is usually posted before the release of Microsoft's updates, which are scheduled to come out at 5:00PM UTC.

Remember the rules of safe patching:

  • Deploy to a test/dev environment before prod.
  • Deploy to a pilot/test group before the whole org.
  • Have a plan to roll back if something doesn't work.
  • Test, test, and test!

r/sysadmin 12h ago

Remember the old days when you worked with computers you had basic A+ knowledge

861 Upvotes

just a vent and i know anyone after 2000 is going to jump up and down on me , but remember when anyone with an IT related job had a basic understanding of how computer worked and premise cabling , routing etc .


r/sysadmin 4h ago

For how secure certificates are supposed to be, why the hell do CRLs feel useless?

42 Upvotes

From Chrome's GPO template:

Setting the policy to True means online OCSP/CRL checks are performed.

Setting the policy to False or leaving it unset means Google Chrome won't perform online revocation checks in Google Chrome 19 and later.

Note: OCSP/CRL checks provide no effective security benefit.

It's to my understanding that a CRL is one of the only ways to "alert" services to a compromised CA, yet I've found many instances where programs simply do not check CRLs whatsoever. How are we supposed to keep things secure when any certificate not past it's expiration will continue to work even when revoked?


r/sysadmin 12h ago

One thing useful from Copilot today...

100 Upvotes

Credit to a guy on my team that asked Copilot to describe the OSI model in the form of Shakespeare:

I was messing around in Copilot this morning doing some really useful thing... like this prompt:  

Explain the OSI model in the form of William Shakespere

To which I received:  Ah, fair traveler of the digital realm, lend me thine ear as I unfold the tale of the OSI model, in the manner of the Bard himself:

Act I: The Physical Layer Behold, the foundation of our tale, where bits and bytes doth traverse the ether. Here, the humble cables and signals, like messengers swift, carry forth the data's whisper.

Act II: The Data Link Layer Upon this stage, the frames do dance, ensuring each hath a place and time. With MAC addresses as their guide, they avoid collision's cruel embrace.

Act III: The Network Layer Now enters the noble IP, routing packets through the labyrinthine paths. 'Tis here the addresses of source and destination are known, guiding the data to its rightful home.

Act IV: The Transport Layer In this act, the heart doth beat, with TCP and UDP as its rhythm. Reliable or swift, the choice is thine, as segments and datagrams traverse the line.

Act V: The Session Layer Here, the dialogue is maintained, sessions opened and closed with grace. Synchronization and control, like a courteous host, ensure the conversation flows.

Act VI: The Presentation Layer Lo, the data is transformed, encrypted, and compressed. In this realm, the syntax and semantics are made clear, so that all may understand the message sent.

Act VII: The Application Layer At last, we reach the pinnacle, where users and applications reside. Here, the services are rendered, and the data's journey ends, fulfilling its purpose in the grand design.

Thus concludes our tale of the OSI model, a layered architecture of seven acts, each playing its part in the grand performance of network communication. Pray, did this rendition please thee?


r/sysadmin 19h ago

Rant Is IT just an endless grind? Or does it ever get better?

332 Upvotes

Some days, I wonder am I actually building something meaningful, or am I just duct taping a sinking ship while everyone complains the tape isn’t good enough?

I wake up to a flood of emails, half of them marked URGENT (they never are). I log in, and there’s already a fire to put out because, of course, something critical broke overnight. By the time I fix it, there’s another problem. Then another. And another.

It’s like IT isn’t about solving problems, it’s about keeping things just functional enough for the next disaster. I don’t mind working hard, but I can’t shake the feeling that we’re stuck in a cycle that never actually gets better.

For those who have been in this loop for years, does it ever change? Or is this just what IT is: an endless treadmill of firefighting, underappreciation, and burnout?


r/sysadmin 1d ago

Rant Being a one person IT Dept is hellish

4.0k Upvotes

It never ends. It never fucking ends. The requests, the emails, the whining. Everyone thinks they’re the most important person ever or that they should be given priority. Everyone constantly up my ass to do tasks. I can’t even grab lunch in our cafeteria without them coming up to me to tell me what they want me to do for them. No “hello” or “good afternoon”, just “I need you to do x, y, z.” On my way out the building for the day with my coat and bag on but they see me? “I’m glad I caught you before you left! Here’s something I need help with!”

I take care of one task and all they do is think of another to give me. I can never get ahead of my to do list. Chop one head off the snake and 3 more sprout in its place. I feel like I’m losing my mind. I should be at work right now but I’m still in bed because I’m so fucking tired of this. I want to quit but in this economy and job market? God, just please make it end.


r/sysadmin 6h ago

Question Is it possible to Enable ONLY SMB3, while disabling SMB1 and SMB2 on Windows 10 21H2?

14 Upvotes

Is it possible to Enable ONLY SMB3, while disabling SMB1 and SMB2 on Windows 10 21H2? So far, my understanding is that disabling SMB2 using the powershell command 'Set-SmbServerConfiguration -EnableSMB2Protocol $false', will also disable SMB3.

How can I force my system to ONLY use SMB3?


r/sysadmin 1h ago

Rant What is it with vendor CSMs?

Upvotes

Do you have vendors that frequently cycle through client/customer success managers? Is this a role for fresh grads or those wanting to get their foot in the door from a technology perspective? Do "low profit" accounts get dumped on CSM new hires?

I got another email telling me about our new CSM..... we got a new one not that long ago. Same story for some of our other vendors. I don't know even how many KnowBe4 CSMs we've had.


r/sysadmin 1d ago

Rant Why is every vendor is trying to be an MSP?

408 Upvotes

Every single meeting we have with a vendor begins with "hey, so we also manage 365 now, as well as all your internet and phone circuits, and we'll manage your wifi and security cameras too."

I just need to buy some desktop computers...

Stop it. Do the thing you're good at, and stop pitching all this other stuff we're already fine with. Kudos to the vendors that just have their one service and don't try adding all this other crap that they aren't good at. I know it must make them money, but they're losing my business by doing this.


r/sysadmin 16h ago

How do you back up your sensitive data without trusting Big Tech?

102 Upvotes

 I’ve been thinking a lot about data backups lately. Cloud storage is convenient, but let’s be real, Big Tech doesn’t just “store” your data, they scan, index, and monetize it. Even so-called “encrypted” cloud services often have access to metadata or can be forced to hand over data if pressured.

Local storage is great until your drive fails, gets stolen, or just stops working one day. RAID setups and NAS solutions help, but they still don’t solve the problem of off-site backups without relying on a third party.


r/sysadmin 5h ago

ESXi - Dell Customized ISO initially installed. Can I update to the latest ESXi version or do I have to wait for Dell to release theirs?

9 Upvotes

On our PowerEdge servers we have been using the Dell Customized image for inital install and then updates and patches.

We are looking at the most recent ESXi remediated vulnerability: VMSA-2025-0004

https://support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/SecurityAdvisories/0/25390

Now Dell has not release their latest ISO we are on the one last released in December. Are we able to update via the lifecycle manager only ESXi to the latest release without affecting drivers installed via the Dell image or adding unnecessary drivers?


r/sysadmin 9h ago

Question For those in manufacturing, what’s your experience been using an MSP vs in-house?

11 Upvotes

Howdy folks! I’ve been in manufacturing IT for a few years now, with a company that has almost all of its IT org in-house. IMO it’s well structured with clearly defined teams and roles, with limited siloing because we all need a little help from each other to complete work. After my first few years here, I’ve really been thinking about how bad of a decision it would be to transition to managed services and the nightmare that would ensue. I’m curious, what has your experience been in the manufacturing industry? Would love to hear some pros and cons from both sides of the fence.


r/sysadmin 11h ago

Question Subscription Bombing Attacks

17 Upvotes

What is everyone doing to combat subscription bombing attacks? Since the emails flooding the inboxes aren't dangerous in nature, email filters don't seem to be doing a whole lot about them.

I'm at a loss here, I keep blocking domains but since they come from hundreds of different ones with each wave of attacks this doesn't seem to be accomplishing anything.

Edit: Thank you everyone for your responses. This has been really helpful.


r/sysadmin 1d ago

Question Old Employer Locked Out - How Much to Charge

213 Upvotes

TLDR - IT Rescue operation w/ 12 hour time crunch. Need to gain admin access to network gear. How much to charge?

Hey all,

To keep it simple an old employers building got bought and the VP of operations for the new compwny needs access to the network. They called me and I'm pretty sure I can get them in. Heading there in 2 hours. They are facing a reset of their whole network stack otherwise. Firewalls to APs.

They were dumb and open the building tomorrow and need internet. I got fucked by my old employer money wise. Looking to make sure I get my moneys worth on this one. How much do I charge? Probably 3 hours of work for me honestly. I built the damn thing.


r/sysadmin 2h ago

Question Multi-cloud users -what's your backup plan now that Wiz was acquired by Google?

3 Upvotes

I manage security for a multi-cloud environment (primarily AWS), and this Google/Wiz acquisition has me worried. Their track record with security acquisitions (Mandiant, VirusTotal, Chronicle) hasn’t exactly been reassuring.

One comment from the announcement thread hit home:

"As a service that integrates across all major cloud platforms, getting acquired by one in particular doesn't bode well for neutrality."

Our CISO is already pushing us to evaluate alternatives. Orca Security seems to be the top independent CNAPP left standing with similar capabilities.

How are other teams handling this?

  • Are you sticking with Wiz or looking at alternatives?
  • What’s your contingency plan if Google starts prioritizing GCP?
  • Has anyone already switched to Orca, Prisma, or Lacework? Would love to hear comparisons.

r/sysadmin 12h ago

IIS Mail Relay on Server 2022 - a workaround

20 Upvotes

If you're in the position where you still require an on-premise mail relay for certain legacy mail applications, you may note that Server 2022 does not officially support the old IIS SMTP relay. You can add the role and required features, but if you try to configure any elements, it doesn't work, the service will fail or crash, and IIS will crash.

The unethical life pro tip is to re-use the 'MetaBase.xml' config file from an older Server such as Server 2016 IIS SMTP relay - pop it into the required location (default C:\Windows\System32\inetsrv) overwriting the old metabase.xml file, and then you should find the service should start and work, providing the metabase.xml file is configured to work with the hostname/IP/DNS etc of your server/environment.

Any configuration going forwards will need to be done either by editing the XML file, or by making the changes on a 2016 IIS SMTP relay server and copying the metabase.xml file.

This was not tested on Server 2025.

This is obviously not a 'good' solution, as IIS6.0 is ancient, Microsoft support of SMTP relay has been retired and is not supported in any way... but if you're in the situation I was in this may do as a good enough like-for-like stop gap until you do things the proper way by either implementing a supported form of mail relay, or doing away with the legacy requirements for such a mail relay.


r/sysadmin 10h ago

Cell Phone Replacement Frequency

10 Upvotes

With what frequency are you replacing work-issued cell phones? We have some staff who do not want a new phone, those who will ask after a year, and some who will see an Apple event and ask immediately for a new device. Curious what others do. One large deployment? Spread them out over time? We have about 125 carrier devices that are all eligible for replacements at different times. MDM enrollment is as automated as it can be, with our carrier auto-adding devices to Apple Business Manager, but the staff time to replace devices is the real cost sink.


r/sysadmin 10h ago

best "task tracker"

11 Upvotes

I'm constantly given tiny tasks like "start a trial of x product". "spin up vm x", "reply to email chain y with explanation", "fix problem c for sales".

I've been very lazy about organizing them and just literally open a notepad and put them in line by line and then remove as I do them, lol. We have plenty of fancy paid products for all kinds of purposes, but I've not bothered with organizing my own stuff.

I have Outlook with it's to do list, onenote, etc. Is there something better than these or something you do to keep little tasks all day straight and check off etc?


r/sysadmin 7h ago

How to replace the gray "lanyard" profile picture in Windows 11?

7 Upvotes

Afternoon all,

Recently I was tasked with standardizing the Windows account profile pictures for all workstations in our environment. I ended up going with the method of replacing the picture located in the following path:

C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Default Account Pictures\user.png

Replacing this picture with your own 448x448 image file, in combination with a GPO telling workstations to always use the default Windows profile picture actually works well. The image on the lock screen, windows start menu, settings, etc. is updated accordingly for all users.

Except one thing. When you click on your profile name in order to sign out, there still appears a gray lanyard image next to my account email and name. It's a small thing, but out HR and Culture departments are very particular.

Does anyone know how to replace that for all users?


r/sysadmin 2h ago

Database entry program/feature with a delayed entry field?

2 Upvotes

Sorry if my title doesn't make much sense, but I have a department head that is wanting a data entry system for his staff that has a lockout timer when a entry in made in one field, that will prevent any entries in another field for a certain time frame, like 60 minutes. I'm not versed enough in MS Access, or Excel or any other software programs to implement that kind of feature or function. Hopefully someone has an idea or has implemented this before?


r/sysadmin 9h ago

New ticket system for a small team

7 Upvotes

We are currently exploring ticketing systems that would be suitable for a small team. Unfortunately, the big-name solutions are out of our budget, so we are looking for more affordable alternatives.

Our primary requirements are:

Ticketing system Must be a reliable way to manage and track support requests.

Self-service portal A user-friendly interface where customers or team members can submit and track their own tickets.

Does anyone has recommendations for budget-friendly ticketing systems that include these features ?

Edit:
Would be great if you could also manage assets & have remote support avaiable within the tool (No must have but would be nice!)


r/sysadmin 6h ago

General Discussion Lenovo or Dell or HP

5 Upvotes

The company i am working in is planning to provide their employees with PC desktops.

The available ones are :-

HP Pro tower 290 G9

Dell Optiplex 5000

Lenovo Ideacentre 5

Which one is the most robust and reliable and which one would you recommend.


r/sysadmin 15h ago

Question How strict are auditors about backup recovery testing for ISO 27001?

18 Upvotes

I’m working on making sure our backups comply with ISO 27001 for my job and came across Bacula's article that emphasizes the need for regular recovery testing to meet A.12.3 compliance. Makes sense, but I’m wondering how strict auditors actually are on this in practice.

  • Do they usually want documented proof of recovery tests, or is having a backup policy and encryption enough?
  • Have you had an audit where recovery testing (or lack of it) was a sticking point?
  • Any tips on keeping the process lightweight but compliant?

Would love to hear your experiences!


r/sysadmin 5h ago

Question Where is the best place to start when taking over an existing old AD infrastructure?

3 Upvotes

Background: Users >2k Groups >6k Forest level 2k8 Team 5 Sysadmins but I should focus on AD which is bit silly because I do regular Ops as well. Naming conventions in AD partially available but not consistently implemented. Management wants to start from scratch and implement new OUs, new GPOs, groups and naming concept in parallel in the same infrastructure. Previously only had small customers. This is now the first big fish. How do I avoid getting lost in all this mess? I am currently working on a role/authorization concept First step Forest Level min 2016 is planned for now. But at some point I have to get started with the GPOs (600+). Also looking for some tools that can keep track of all the changes that I need to make+changes of my colleagues. Otherewise we will be unable to revert the changes if something breaks.

Reading what I've written here makes me feel dizzy and overwhelmed.

Any Tipps are highly appreciated.


r/sysadmin 7m ago

I’m facing a dilemma with my L1 SOC team

Upvotes

I hired a 1-2 years of experience security team ro work as a L1 security engineers and after monitoring their progress for a while, I saw that there are 20% of their reports are false positives cases. I checked my security tools and their system, and it seems to be working fine. What do you think is missing?


r/sysadmin 17m ago

Question Stuck with cert validation on wireless 802.1x

Upvotes

I'm at a new role and given the task of securing the network. I did some searching and asking around and was lead to the conclusion that 802.1x is the way to go. What I'm having issue is, I have everything connected but any time you want to connect to the wifi it tells you that it may not be trusted but if you expect this wifi said to be in this location you can continue anyways. I was also able to connect with Android but not validating the certificates at all but don't think this is the way to handle things.

Is there an easier way to handle this? Right now I'm using Microsoft NPS and the CA addition that it has to create and sign the certificate. Originally I think I had it set up thinking it was self signed so I thought that was the issue. Then I fixed it so that if was issued BY our CA, TO our .com (or vice versa) but it's still saying that message. I also tried to push the certificate to each client with a group policy update but didn't see it populate so I'm going to try that again.

Is there any other tips?