Consider this tech breadcrumbs.

Over the weekend, I was working on one of my Lotusphere demos.  This is the GSX session I have planned including a demo of Monitor and Analyser (good piece of kit btw).  Constantly bugging me regarding demo’ing this product is the demo data.  So, with the help of Logmein Hamachi (more to come on that) I setup a GSX client server that monitors the BES, Sametime and Domino servers in Bluewave.  Not to mention websites, ports and probes.

The internal BES server in Bluewave runs off SQL 2008 express (formally MSDE).  We don’t need full SQL for our few users.  However, express version’s do not permit SQL authentication, so expects windows authentication by default.  My GSX monitor box is not a member of the Active Directory Domain, so how do I get it to access the data?

Using some of the information from this blog post, I forced SQL to run off an IP port using the SQL express manager.   Then, instead of forcing the creation of local accounts, I created a Windows admin account on my GSX box with the same credentials used to launch the SQL service.  Then, switch to GSX and connect!

Around this time of year, I notice many of the blogs start to go quiet, as “panic mode” kicks in.  Finalise sessions, prep, rehearse, vms, finishing “day job” stuff, organising meetings, organising travel, planning the schedule for the week.  The todo list is endless but it has to end by Friday.

I would recommend trying to get some level of rest before you head to Orlando.  You will need it.

When Pakistanis came in for, say, Lotus 1-2-3, they were sold clean, uncontaminated copies. But foreigners, particularly Americans, were given virus-ridden versions. Why the special treatment for outsiders? The brothers’ somewhat confused rationalization hinges on a loophole in Pakistani law. According to Basit, copyright protection in Pakistan does not extend to computer software. Therefore, he says, it is not illegal for local citizens to trade in bootleg disks; technically, they are not engaged in software piracy. Then why infect American buyers? ‘Because you are pirating,’ says Basit. ‘You must be punished.

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Join Warren Elsmore and I as we present a webinar with Symantec discussing Enterprise Vault and what it has done for us, and our customers.

Thursday 20th January at 10am Pacific time (6pm GMT)

Click here to register

Aside from the biking, I have blogged little about my whereabouts for the big event.  There are reasons, but let’s not get into that.  If you are going to LS, please do come up and say hi.  By far and away, the best part of the event is the people.

So, my schedule so far is worrying.  This year I made a solemn promise to myself to back off the pedal.  But like with everyone else, Lotusphere seems to have something on all the time, and there is so much to be a part of.  I

Friday 28th Jan

Land in USA and audition for entry.  Lets hope it is not as bad as last time.

Saturday 29th jan

I will be doing this, then I will most likely end up at the ESPN bar at some point.

Sunday 30th Jan

I will be doing this, then I will most likely end up at the opening party.

Monday 31st Jan

OGS session (of course).  I shall be blogging the announcements as they are made.  I have been asked to participate in the press programme, so if you sit near to my I may just plug my airport express into my hardwire link! ;)

4.30pm – 6.15pm – Show and Tell session “How to build a better cluster, from a standing start” with Gab Davis

8pm – UK night at Shulas

Tuesday – 1st Feb

8.45am – 10.30am – BPBB04 – Surviving a disaster.  How to successfully implement Blackberry High Availability with Gab Davis.

Yep – we are going to bring you through how to setup HA on BES from scratch.  Live demo all the way.  Right here baby!  Held in Europe 5.

1:30pm – 2:30pm – IDOL101 – Lotusphere IDOL.  Yes, I am a judge.

8:00pm – 10:00pm – GEEK102 – The Great Geek Challenge.  I shall be herding the cats and the angry birds.

Wednesday 2nd Feb

7:00am – 8:00am – BOF105 - Symantec: Optimizing and Protecting IBM Lotus Domino with Symantec Software Solutions

This BOF will be an open discussion on Enterprise Vault and using it for archiving.  Experiences etc.

8.30am – 9.30am - BP101 – Adminblast.  60 tips in 60 minutes.

Another year, another brain dump of tips.

11.00am – 12.00am – GSX in the real world

For GSX Monitor, I take you through the little gems in this product.  In Dolphin Room 6109

5:45pm – 6:45pm – INV301 – This week in Lotus Live!

Stuart and Darren have asked me to participate in this live podcast which should be good fun!

Thursday 3rd Feb

10.00am – 11.00am - GURU101 – Gurupalooza

I shall be on stage (if Susan permits) to answer questions, or just hopefully keep my mouth shut for a change when someone asks me about SANs.

In between all that I will be jumping in on the Show and Tell sessions to make sure all is going well, trying to jog in the mornings, blogging, tweeting, meeting customers, partners and friends…. and rarely sleeping.  Lotusphere is a badly needed geek-enthusiasm  “shot in the arm” for us.  It alleviates depression in a tough market.  It is also an expensive trip, so I try to fit as much in as possible.  Survival, however, is not guaranteed.

Photo via vowe

Planning on going to Lotusphere this year?  It’s not too long away now, so you most likely know if you will be there or not.  Well, as blogged a few months ago the annual hog ride is kicking off again on the Saturday morning.  Two days of cocking about on the wrong side of the road on oversized machines with little protection occasionally stopping for various refreshments.  I can’t wait.  If you fancy joining in, get in touch.

One of the reasons I find myself bring my Macbook and iPad on the road with me is the inability to type much on the iPad.  The on-screen keyboard is good, but not for anything longer then a few sentences.  Enter the Freedom i-connex. The folding keyboard runs over bluetooth but has hotkeys aimed at iPhone/iPad.  I shall report findings in a few weeks.

At the start of the year, I linked this site to Google Analytics.  As of a few days ago, I placed a Google Adsense sidebar on the right side of the site.  This is an experiment and it may stay or go over time.   Suggestions welcome.

Blackberry have scored a Vulnerability issue with 9.3 out of 10 and advises updates/patches to counteract pdf distiller issue.

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Thank you Stephen.