[dba-Tech] System administration

There are plenty excellent tools for this on Linux that are free and open source, but I can't really speak to Windows specifically - only the tools I have used (although some are be cross platform - some aren't!).

We use a combination of Munin (as Jim mentioned), Nagios and Puppet.

Seems like what you are looking for is something along the lines of Puppet and/or Nagios.

http://puppetlabs.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puppet_(software)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nagios


- Hans


On 2013-01-25, at 12:56 AM, "Gustav Brock" <gustav at cactus.dk> wrote:

> Hi Jim
> 
> Thanks, but I am more interested in some "bookkeeping" tool. Besides, Munin
> seems to ignore Windows completely.
> 
> /gustav
> 
> 
> -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
> Fra: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] På vegne af Jim Lawrence
> Sendt: 24. januar 2013 20:38
> Til: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues'
> Emne: Re: [dba-Tech] System administration
> 
> Hi Gustav:
> 
> I would recommend Munin from http://munin-monitoring.org/
> 
> I have not installed a package myself but know it has exceptional
> administration/monitoring capabilities. Hans and Bryan both have extensive
> knowledge with the product as it is the industry standard. The other good
> news is it is an OSS product.  
> 
> Jim
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
> [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Gustav Brock
> Sent: Thursday, January 24, 2013 5:18 AM
> To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues'
> Subject: [dba-Tech] System administration
> 
> Hi all
> 
> What do you use for administration? I mean real administration where you
> schedule tasks and checks to document what has been done on your LAN and
> what's next.
> 
> We run a small LAN on two locations (connected via VPN over ADSL2 lines)
> with as much as possible hooked into AD, and Windows-only for servers as
> well as workstations. About 10 workstations (mix of desktops and laptops).
> Not much, but still it adds up to six physical servers, eight VMs for remote
> desktops for remote clients, and about ten VMs for everything else (spam
> filter, mail, database servers, DCs, etc.).
> 
> I've found it's quite a job to keep track of updates and backup of VMs,
> data, configurations - we miss some kind of "bookkeeping for the system
> admin" for all these tasks.
> Before browsing all the good and bad advice that may be found on the web, I
> wonder if anyone here have some practical experience to share.
> 
> /gustav 
> 
> 
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