Microsoft first community event for Systems Administrators

Microsoft UK, Reading, 18–19 March, 2003.

Microsoft wanted to encourage the creation of a Community of System Administrators from academic Institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland. An initial kick off event was held on 18 and 19 March 2003 in Reading, UK for approximately 50 delegates.

Presentation material

Exchange 2003 technical overview, Sasa Juratovic [PPT]

Unix and Windows Interoperability with Services for Unix (SFU), Scirocco Six [PPT]

Abstract: What UNIX power user hasn’t once wished for a simple shell prompt when using a Microsoft Windows system? Microsoft Services for UNIX (SFU) provides a rich set of interoperability tools, including NFS, NIS, and a full set of APIs and command tools, including tcsh, perl, and X11. Starting with Services For Network Filesystems, we’ll look at how to use SFU to integrate diverse clients and servers using NFS. We’ll also take an in-depth look at the Interix APIs delivered with SFU and demonstrate how to build standard UNIX applications on Windows.

Biography: Scirocco Michelle Six, was born in Chicago IL, USA but has never really lived anywhere long enough to say she is from there. She built her first computer at age ten with the help of her father. More precisely he built it and she oohed and awed a lot. Her first programming language was Fortran IV, her favourite language is forth.
Scirocco has worked in many places and roles in the industry both as a systems administrator and as a developer. She has lead sysadmin teams in such diverse places as the University of New Mexico and Lockheed Martin.
Formerly employed at Redhat as the principle systems architect for the global IS group she currently works as a program manager at Microsoft in the Services for Unix group which specializes in Unix and Windows integration solutions.
In her spare time she enjoys writing science fiction, playing ice hockey, and writing small autobiographies in the third person.

Software free to undergraduates – without too much pain, Graham Titmus [PPT]

Abstract: Experience with introducing ELMS to manage the distribution of licenses and software to undergraduates and faculty members within the Computer Science department at Cambridge is evaluated. I will discuss the effectiveness of the setup along with some of the difficulties encountered along the way.

Biography: Graham Titmus is a system administrator at the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory where he has worked for the last 19 years managing Unix and more recently Microsoft systems. He is at present in charge of the support for the Microsoft support within the department.

Securing Microsoft Systems in Hostile Network Environments, Fred Baumhardt

Abstract: This session deals with the most common threats and issues faced by systems administrators that have varied or untrusted internal networks such as Academic institutions, and open network environments. Learn some best practice tips for defending Microsoft systems such as Exchange, IIS, and SQL server from attack both internally and externally, and use tools such as Microsoft ISA Feature Pack 1 to prevent unauthorised intrusions and maintain core infrastructure integrity.

Biography:  Fred Baumhardt is a technical consultant working out of Microsoft UK’s Infrastructure Solutions Team. Fred specialises in helping customers deliver end-to-end secure connected infrastructures built on Microsoft platforms. His current role at Microsoft also includes evangelising security and engaging with customers of all types helping them get and stay secure. As co-lead of the Microsoft Systems Architecture UK Center of Excellence, Fred works closely with customers and partners implementing best practice architectures to deliver enterprise infrastructure solutions. Fred has been responsible for architecting diverse customer environments from small businesses all the way up to production Datacenters handling hundreds of thousands of clients in private, public, and defence sectors. Prior to joining Microsoft, Fred’s engagements have included companies such as Philip Morris, Abbey National PLC, Nationwide, Banyan, and an array of financial institutions. Fred is a former ESU commonwealth scholar and has studied at Carleton University in Canada, and Webster University in Switzerland, and holds Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Professional, Administrator, Database Administrator, and Trainer qualifications.

Unix/Windows Integration – Coping With Diversity in the Academic World, Colin Higgs [PDF]

Abstract: The University of Edinburgh is an organisation with approximately 24,000 people (4,000 staff and 20,000 students) using in the order of 10,000 client computers. Computer use covers the spectrum from basic office use, through computer aided design and research, high-powered parallel computing and even research into the nature of computing itself. Given this huge diversity in use and need, it is not surprising that no one platform is used throughout. Unix/Windows integration is a priority.

This talk will introduce the School of Engineering and Electronics (SEE): it's place within the University, experience with Unix/Windows integration and some of our plans for the future - some of this knowledge and speculation coming from ongoing University wide projects (indicated as appropriate). Topics covered include: cross platform administration; our use of SAMBA to provide single network drive access to all areas of file store; dynamic login scripts with Perl and SAMBA; delivery of applications across platforms; multi boot computers, and using Linux to install Windows.

Future developments expected from projects already well underway include: Integration of our printing and file store with the active directory tree which will be used to manage Windows XP desktops, and "Reduced sign on" using common authentication mechanisms between Unix and Windows.