Our resident GP expert talks about everything BUT Group Policy!

This week, I’m taking a break from Group Policy stuff.

If you think these tips of the week, since they’re not GP-related
aren’t that useful, then let me know, and maybe this will be the first
and last issue like this.

But here goes. All about NOT GP stuff:

Tip #1: Encrypt Everything

I stumbled across a free piece of software absolutely everyone running XP laptops
should have. It’s called TrueCrypt and you can check it out at TrueCrypt.org.

I don’t need to explain that walking about and traveling with an unencrypted laptop
is like waving your credit cards around in plain sight. Just not smart.

If you’re running Vista Business or Ultimate, you’ve got access to BitLocker –
the “entire disk” encrypting technology.

Well, that’s what TrueCrypt does too.

Because it’s open source software, I was expecting, well,
a bunch of command lines and a script to make this all happen.

Nope. It’s all super easy, and performed in a very slick fashion.

In short, the software is VERY polished. It starts out by asking you how you want to perform
the encryption. You can carve out some space, do an entire partition, or the whole disk.

So, I just “went for it” and did the whole disk. Then, it forces you to select a password,
create an Emergency Rescue ISO, forces you to burn it, then VERIFY IT (so if you blow up mid- encryption, there’s a way to get out.)

So now (after 5 hours of letting it encrypt), every time I boot my laptop, I’m password protected. Even with the rescue CD, the bad guy would still need a password.

So.. Password + Your Own Rescue CD = ability to get files off the drive in case of emergency.

Nice.

So, if you can’t get BitLocker (because you don’t have one of the two editions of Vista that have it)
and you want something (free) that really seems to work.. try TrueCrypt.org.

And it works on Linux and Mac too. Wow.

Tip #2: Hire the right people

Recently, I had to find a new assistant. And that’s tricky for me, because I’m a geek, and not Mr. Awesome Interviewer guy. So I did what I thought I should do and interviewed a bunch of people and tought I had a match. I hired that new somebody.

Who promptly left me after only 4 days.

Ow. Okay.

Well, better to break up now than later, I guess. But I couldn’t help thinking there must be a better way for someone like me, who doesn’t know much about how to interview to ask the right questions.

So I found this firm called “Hire-Intelligence” (cute name.) And they were very helpful for me.

I was able to get little assessment exams which helped me understand where we might work well together, but even better — it gave me questions to ask the candidates based upon their unique answers.

So, I hired a new assistant, Diane, and I think it’s working out!

I’m guessing the best link to check it out woudl be this one:
http://www.hire-intelligence.com/trial-site1.html

Tip #3: Get smarter in ITIL

People sometimes ask me “my secret.”

I don’t have a secret. I’m just like you! I have a life, a job, and have to make
computers work when they break (see Tip #4 below.)

The only “secret” I have is that I read EVERYTHING
(PC Week to Wired Magazine to the magazines I write for)
and get to go to listen to smart people speak on stuff they really know.

And while I had some passing familiarity with ITIL, I didn’t really “get it.” Now I “got it.”

My good friend Jill Knapp from www.knapp-it.com does what I do for Group Policy — for ITIL.

And whew. My brain is full.

So, with a hearty recommendation, I would recommend Jill’s classes for either
ITIL v2 or ITIL v3 training. I wasn’t interested in passing any ITIL exams,
but I can’t imagine someone taking the class wouldn’t be able to pass them
after taking her sessions.

She only does private classes, so if you’re interested, you’ll have to contact her directly.
jill (at) knapp-it.com. Tell her I say Hi.

Tip #4: I’m trying something new

I’ve reached “that point.” You know “that point.” The point where Windows just
s-l—ow–s d-o–w-n to a crawl and won’t open your docs.

Here were the symptoms that finally made me say: “FDISK!”

In my case, I would walk up to my machine with 100% CPU utilized, unable to run task manager.

I wasn’t able to install Silverlight. And I wasn’t able to un-install Micorsoft Business Contact manager.

Meanwhile, Outlook 2007 would take about 10 minutes to download 1MB. Ow.
(Though Outlook 2007 was always like that for me, actually –
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/940226 and http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=932086.)

So, it was time for a wipe and re-load.

Sure, you all have Ghost, etc and big SANs with your corporate install files.

And maybe someone to help repackage your applications into MSI files.

But I don’t.

Nobody likes the wipe and re-load. But, here I am. All day today, and likely all day tomorrow.

And maybe some more on Monday.

But this time, I’m doing something different as an experiment. I’m going to be using
Microsoft’s Application Virtualiztion client. This was previously known as Microsoft SoftGrid.

The idea is that with SoftGrid, er, App-V as it’s come to be recently nicknamed, you can
RUN applications without having to actually INSTALL them.

This is discussed in detail in the BLUE book
(www.GPanswers.com/books) and in some of my upcoming talks at WinConnections
(and, maybe coming soon as a bigger endeavor for you guys.)

Anyway.. the App-V 4.5 system was released, um.. yesterday. So, I installed the client piece on my new machine TODAY to get started. I was saddened to learn that it only works with 32-bit
clients, not 64-bit clients. Bah. But, okay. So, I’m back to 32-bits again on my laptop.

But, I’m hoping its worth it. The point of App-V is that the applications aren’t really “installed” on your machine, even though they “run” there. So, hopefully no more gunky build-up. No more pegged CPUs, and no more in-ability to install Silverlight or un-install Outlook Business Contact Manager.

The downside is, each application need to be processed, or sequenced first. (We have a whole
chapter on Softgrid Sequencing Secrets in the BLUE book.) And, I’m basically working
though my arsenal now (and working my arsenal off) sequencing my apps.)

But .. someone has done a percentage of the work for me. Over at
http://www.instantapp.net/ there are a bunch of freeware applications
that are pre-sequenced and ready to rock.

Well, they’d be ready to rock if you used the SoftGrid 4.2 client. Except I’m not.
I’m using the App-V 4.5 client. So, to “convert” you can run the existing project
thru the new sequencer and POP — out pops an App-V 4.5 compatible sequence
for me to use on my machine.

I’ve done it for several apps — like Firefox.. and whamo. Worked perfectly!

If you want to learn more about SoftGrid / App-V “on the road” check out my
article in WinIT Pro mag here: windowsitpro.com/articles/print.cfm?articleid=99397
or check out the BLUE book (www.GPanswers.com/books.)

Thanks to my pal Eric Johnson (who also helped with the SoftGrid chapters in the book)
for his help today too!

Well, that’s it for this week of non-GPO-specific stuff. Let me know what you think.

I have some survey questions here I’d really appreciate your input on if you have a moment.

Click here to participate:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=4BBLNjICfDtcc6IeQm58oQ_3d_3d

Thanks team, and talk soon.