Some handy wmic commands which might be helpful when automating OS deployment:

wmic bios get serialnumber
wmic computersystem get manufacturer
wmic computersystem get model

From script repository I did use in the past, VBscript which allows to clear EvenLog on Windows machine. I did use that on computers with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. however, this script will work also on Windows 7 and Windows server 2008.

By default script clears EventLog on computer where script is executed. To clear logs on remote machine just modify variable strComputer and replace dot with name of the target machine.

Script will read all EvenLog files from machine and will go through them removing all events.

And here is script itself :

strComputer = "."
Set objWMIService = GetObject("winmgmts:" _
& "{impersonationLevel=impersonate, (Backup, Security)}!\\" _
& strComputer & "\root\cimv2")
Set colLogFiles = objWMIService.ExecQuery _
("Select * from Win32_NTEventLogFile")
For each objLogfile in colLogFiles
objLogFile.ClearEventLog()
Next

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.

In previous articles in the RANCID series I described:

• How to install RANCID on openSUSE
• Add devices to RANCID

So, we have RANCID collecting configuration from network devices to repository with version control. Only question is how to get access and make use of information collected there.

In this part of RANCID stories I will show how to install and configure WebSVN to access RANCID repository via web browser.

(more…)

Some time ago I described How to : Install RANCID on openSUSE 11.4 “Celadon”. However, just after installation RANCID will do nothing without proper configuration.

So, in this lab I will show how to:

• create group of devices in rancid
• add information about credentals to RANCID
• add 2 Cisco routers to that group
• collect configuration from routers
• setup cron task to run rancid automatically

Systems which will be used to demonstrate how to add device to RANCID and collect configuration:

• lab-gw-01 – IP: 172.16.90.5 – openSUSE witn RANCID – installed on VMware Workstation
• lab-r1 – IP: 172.16.90.123 – Cisco router – started on GNS3
• lab-r2 – IP: 172.16.90.124 – Cisco router – started on GNS3

(more…)