MS SQL Database Backup
A simple, yet very powerful script that will backup all of the databases on your Microsoft SQL Server to flat file for easy backup and restore. Additional features, such as limiting the number of archive files to keep and copying the latest file to a different directory, are also available.
PPTP & Routing Interesting Traffic
Today I was a client’s corporate office configuring a new Cisco PIX 506 firewall with VPN support. While the PIX supports IPSEC, we decided to use PPTP because client side configuration on Windows 2000/XP is very straight forward and rather simple for a non-technical employee to configure.
After configuring PPTP on the PIX (which is a snap), I configured and tested a Windows XP workstation using a dialup connection. While the test was a success (the tunnel was established and the secure network could be accessed), internet access failed because the PIX won’t/can’t redirect traffic that isn’t on it’s local network (Plug: the Cisco VPN Concentrator can perform this task with ease). A simple fix for this problem would appear to be to modify the Windows VPN connection and disable the use default gateway on remote network option, but now no traffic is getting though the VPN tunnel to the secure network.
Downstall Utility
Downstall - download & install - is a quick utility I wrote using AutoIT that downloads and installs a program in one step.
It’s usage is rather easy, from the command line run Downstall with three command-line options and it will do all the work: download the program and run the executable with options that you define. In addition, status of each step along the way will be outputted to a log file for examining upon failure.
Hello World (x3)
Some say that the third time is a charm, hopefully that’s the case. I guess we’ll see…
Read-Only Cisco Router Config
Many internet hardware products offer a read-only access mode, which I’m guessing is to keep Mr. Slacky from screwing up the config - ahem, no router bgp 6078 - on your live core router. But that’s the problem, Cisco doesn’t offer an elegant solution for read-only access to their routers. You can modify the exec level for show running-config, although the output ends up being completely useless because you didn’t supply a new exec level for all of the associated commands that are necessary to gather the configuration.
File Limiter
A quick and simple way to limit the amount of files in a certain directory. Maybe I shouldn’t use the word limit - how about manage. A quick and simple way to manage the number of files of a certain file type in a directory.
Locked out of Windows Terminal Services?
It’s when the simple things don’t work that I get mad. I’ve been working on one of our servers all day using Windows Terminal Services in remote administration mode. Somewhere between Thanksgiving dinner #1 and #2, my connection decided to drop causing it to continue to run on the server. While this typically wouldn’t be a problem, it appears that someone else has done the same thing (probably not today) which now makes it impossible to log into my server remotely.
Bogart Wordpress Theme
After spending countless weeks trying to find a theme I wanted to use, I stumbled across the web site of Jim Mitchell. While the design was an excellent match for what I was looking for, Jim hadn’t released it for download… yet.
After emailing Jim persuading him (err, begging) him to release the theme, he happily agreed to do so if I assisted in making it widget ready. A few days later the Bogart theme was released!
Here’s looking at you, Jim! 
JC-IPRestrictions
Restrict access to your web site by IP address and/or network, with the ability for each restriction entry to be based on day(s) of week and/or time of day. In addition, each restriction can also have a separate message displayed to the end-user and a password in which the restriction can be bypassed.
Features Include:
- Single IP addresses or entire networks (using netmask) can be blocked
- Block every day or on selected days during the week
- Always block access or just during specified time
- Bypass password configurable for each restriction entry
- Custom message for each restriction entry
- Global restricted message, with replacement variables for detailed entry information
Why did I create this plugin you might ask, well because I really didn”t want people at my place of employment accessing my web site during the work day. Sure I don’t mind if they come to my site (not that there’s really anything to read), but I didn”t want it to happen during business hours. That could come back to bite me!
Download JC-IPRestrictions - as well as installation directions, instructions on use, screenshots and more - from the official Wordpress Plugins Directory.
Good Luck!