How to statically assign an IP address in Linux...and keep it after reboot

Whether you're using Fedora version gazillion, Ubuntu 10, or Backtrack, I'm sure you've experienced some issue with setting your network configuration...and ensuring the figures you enter actually stick after a reboot. How annoying is that? It certainly makes you feel like a noob when you can't get your systems to talk because of an IP configuration error.

Well, you're not alone. There are some variances of Linux that do not save the IP configuration you input unless you hard code it into the appropriate networking file. You can set it 'ifconfig eth0 192.168.x.x/24 or go into the GUI of Fedora, but it loses its config after a simple reboot. Here's a simple way to avoid all that mess:

Create a linked clone in Vmware's Vsphere to save disk space

How to create a linked clone in Vsphere:

Are you trying to grow you lab two-fold? Or a hundred-fold? Before you know it, your 1TB drive looks infant-like and you're screaming at Microsoft for taking up too much space for their OS.

Well, it appears we are in luck courtesy of Vmware's 'linked-cloning' option. Here's what I found courtesy of sanbarrow.com:

Exchange 2007 pre-requisites(PT2)

You need to prepare the Domain Controller(Active Directory prep) to get Exchange to work as well. You must be logged into the Exchange Server as 'Administrator' since that domain account are in the schema/enterprise/domain admin account groups which is mandatory. Follow these steps:

1) setup /pl
2) setup /ps
3) setup /prepareAD /OrganizationName:"First Organization"
4) setup /prepareDomain

Add drivers to a .wim file when creating a Windows Image

Prereq: Obviously you do need Windows AIK installed on a system



<start><all programs><Microsoft Windows AIK> run Windows PE Tools Command

Mount your boot.wim (i assume boot.wim on C:\ and you have an empty folder called C:\MOUNT and your Driver is in c:\driver) Imagex /mountrw C:\boot.wim 1 C:\MOUNT

Add driver
Peimg /inf:c:\driver\driver.inf c:\mount\windows

Save changes to boot.wim
Imagex /unmount /commit c:\mount

That should be it, just add the changed boot.wim to wds

Not sure there is a way to speed up adding the boot image other than using WDSUTIL from a command prompt

WDSUTIL /Add-Image /ImageFile:<bootimage> /ImageType:boot





I can't remember where I got these instructions but they work...kudos to the IT community

Difference between Apt-get 'update' and Apt-get 'upgrade'

For some reason, I was confused between which option was better to ensure you receive all the latest and greatest updates to your Ubuntu related distros specifically Backtrack.

So I did some digging and came across this site to pull the following info:

'Apt-get update'

update

Used to re-synchronize the package index files from their sources. The indexes of available packages are fetched from the location(s) specified in /etc/apt/sources.list (5). An update should always be performed before an upgrade or dist-upgrade. 

'Apt-get upgrade'

upgrade

Used to install the newest versions of all packages currently installed on the system from the sources enumerated in /etc/apt/sources.list (5). Packages currently installed with new versions available are retrieved and upgraded; under no circumstances are currently installed packages removed, nor are packages that are not already installed retrieved and installed. New versions of currently installed packages that cannot be upgraded without changing the install status of another package will be left at their current version. An update must be performed first so that apt-get knows that new versions of packages are available. 

'Apt-get dist-upgrade'

dist-upgrade

In addition to performing the function of upgrade, this option also intelligently handles changing dependencies with new versions of packages; apt-get has a "smart" conflict resolution system, and it will attempt to upgrade the most important packages at the expense of less important ones, if necessary.

The /etc/apt/sources.list file contains a list of locations fromwhich to retrieve desired package files. 

Change the System Info in a Windows 7 system

This would apply mainly to System Admins who are creating their own custom Windows 7 image. You want it to fit your organization or just get rid of the default information.

Run as administrator and open 'regedit.'

Go to this location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OEMInformation

There are several files there that you can edit to your liking. Hope this helps.