April 2009

Dear Client,

Most of the time things run fairly smoothly around here. March was not one of those times. Two weeks ago last Sunday we had a database server seriously dump on us after applying some updates from Microsoft. The operating system wasn’t recoverable other than by reformatting. This machine also did some key functions for our network which resulted in a few 18 and 22 hour days for me. Then 4 days later another server (the backup server) tanked as an indirect result of the first system dying. We’ve been a little busy as a result.

The database server recovery that Sunday wasn’t going well at all. This isn’t something we do every day, so the question was—was it really this bad or was I doing something wrong? The only way to know is to get a very experienced Data Base Administrator involved. I’m not one.

Fortunately for me, Andy Novick is—and I found his website through a Google search (www.novicksoftware.com). And he answered the phone on a Sunday afternoon. Wow. He graciously let me buy a couple hours of his time and I watched as the master took over. He was able to verify things were as bad as I suspected, that my most recent database backups were toast, and that ones a few days older were still good. And he was kind enough to be instructive and helpful throughout the entire process. We now have a much better backup and recovery process due to his review. If you every need a top-notch DBA, I would highly recommend him. Impressive. Just lost a few minutes worth of data entry time.

On a more recent note, the conficker.c virus/worm continues to make news. It is a highly effective virus that has infected millions of PCs. If you aren’t running a current anti-virus program you really need to. Some folks believe that just because they don’t have anything of importance on their PC, there is no need. Unfortunately, your computer does have something of value—email. If you get infected your email correspondents’ addresses can be harvested and targeted. And your machine gets turned into a zombie computer just waiting for orders from a central controlling computer. This virus is difficult to get rid of, so the best approach is to be proactive and prevent it from getting a foothold in the first place. Even 60 Minutes had a segment on it, and their corporate network became infected not long ago.

Well, so far the rabbits are winning the garden game. I’m starting to resemble Elmer Fudd in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, complete with (air) rifle and cap. They are genuinely appreciative of my gardening skills. Ahem. At least the good news is…no gophers! Our dog, Cookie, has taken up the challenge of keeping them at bay. She’s now 3 to my 6 for the last month or so. Good girl! Just wish she could catch rabbits. It is fun to watch her try, though. :-)

Best wishes!

Sincerely,

Ben Conner