Just released small app for Android platform. This app allows to decrypt type 7 password from Cisco devices as well as passwords from Cisco VPN profiles (PCF files).

Password which can be recovered using this app:

• wireless keys fro Cisco access points,
• RADIUS/TACACS shared secrets
• NTP authentication keys
• Enable passwords (NOT enable secrets, which are stored using MD5)
• enc_GroupPwd – VPN group password from PCF file
• enc_UserPassword – VPN user password from PCF file

You can find app in Google Play:

Few times in the past when I was doing some changes on Cisco devices remotely I was a victim of myself, when wrong order of commands just disconnected me from device without ability to connect back. After few experiences of this kind I discovered magic command “reload” which can help and save the day.

So, when doing changes which can impact remote terminal connection to device it’s a good idea to initiate reload before making changes. In case something goes wrong device will reboot itself and will come back with previous configuration.

lab-r01#
lab-r01#reload in 15
Reload scheduled in 15 minutes by admin on console
Reload reason: Reload Command
Proceed with reload? [confirm]
lab-r01#
*Mar  1 03:11:11.659: %SYS-5-SCHEDULED_RELOAD: Reload requested for 03:26:09 UTC Fri Mar 1 2002 at 03:11:09 UTC Fri Mar 1 2002 by admin on console. Reload Reason: Reload Command.
lab-r01#

Once everything is configured and connectivity to device was not lost we can cancel reload process.

lab-r01#
lab-r01#reload cancel
lab-r01#

***
*** --- SHUTDOWN ABORTED ---
***

*Mar  1 03:11:19.415: %SYS-5-SCHEDULED_RELOAD_CANCELLED: Scheduled reload cancelled at 03:11:19 UTC Fri Mar 1 2002
lab-r01#

It is very helpful and can save time and rescue from trouble.

When browsing repository of all scripts I did use in past, I found one which might be interesting. What this script does is:

• Backups database to disk (name of database stored in @dbname, patch for backup stored in @archive_path, name of backup fine stored in @fname)
• Compresses database backup using WinRAR (full command where to find WinRAR and how ot use it stored in @archive_cmd)
• Generates set of commands for FTP client (series of xp_cmdshell commands redirecting output to F:\Backup\ftpcmds)
• Uploads compressed backup to FTP server using command prompt FTP client command

I had that as small procedure executed automatically with SQL Server Agent. Script is for Microsoft SQL Server and I was running it on SQL Server 2000 and 2005. Here is code for that small procedure:

DECLARE @fname varchar(255)
DECLARE @fname_backup varchar(255)
DECLARE @fname_archive varchar(255)
DECLARE @archive_path varchar(255)
DECLARE @dbname varchar(255)
DECLARE @archive_cmd varchar(255)
DECLARE @put_cmd varchar(255)

SET @dbname = 'dbApplication'
SET @fname = @dbname + '_' + LTRIM(STR(DAY(GETDATE())))  + '.' + LTRIM(STR(MONTH(GETDATE()))) + '.' + LTRIM(STR(YEAR(GETDATE())))
SET @archive_path = 'F:\Backup\'
SET @fname_backup = @archive_path + @fname + '.BAK'
SET @fname_archive = @archive_path + @fname + '.RAR'
SET @archive_cmd = '"C:\Program Files\WinRAR\WinRAR.EXE" a ' + @fname_archive + ' ' + @fname_backup
SET @put_cmd = 'echo put ' + @fname_archive + '>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'

PRINT @fname_backup
PRINT @fname_archive

BACKUP DATABASE @dbname TO DISK = @fname_backup WITH INIT

EXEC xp_cmdshell @archive_cmd
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo open 192.168.10.101> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo user dbupload>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo password123>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo cd DB_Backup>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo bin>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo ha>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell @put_cmd
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'echo bye>> F:\Backup\ftpcmds'
EXEC xp_cmdshell 'ftp -d -i -n -s:F:\BACKUP\ftpcmds'

I hope that will be handy for someone to automate databsae backups and transfers.

Installation screenshots from System Center Virtual Machine manager 2012 installation. I did installation in my virtual LAB environment as part of excercise with System Center 2012.

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Quick procedure to logon or logoff phone extension to or from ShoreTel IP phone. Steps listed below will allow to bring your phone extension to phone located in remote site and then send back to home ShoreTel IP phone. Of course both phones have to be part of same ShoreTel infrastructure (have to be managed from same ShoreTel HQ server).

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RSP platform installed on Riverbed allows to run VMware virtual machines on it. THat gives very powerful environment as Riverbed might become the only appliance deployed for branch office and with WAN optimization we can also provide basic services/systems to site. That gives us huge flexibility and same time no need to deploy additional systems for site can be placed on Riverbed as virtual machines. Of course that reuires special license and also additional RAM would be recommended, so we won’t suffer performance issues (additional memory can be purchased with Riverbed appliance and RSP license, so we get ready to go environment).

But it is not enough to create VMware cityual machine on PC and upload it to Riverbed. Few more steps is involved in the process and here we will go through all steps to see how to prepare virtual machine for Riverbed on Windows 7 PC with VMware Workstation 9 installed.

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