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Just finished posting two examples of the dashboards I've been creating for a few of our clients. Image by cobalt123 via Flickr One is a Visit Log , and the other is a Demographic Map . Demo went well with one of our clients, they appeared even a bit exited at the possibilities it represents for them... I'll start working on exposing other data, like Relative Values of services provided, attached receipts, etc.

Some time ago, I wrote an article about using Cognos Impromptu to export data to CSV from a then Misys, now AllScripts Tiger data source, and use DTS in MS Sql Enterprise Manager to import it for displaying data in ASP pages. I started using this method to export other types of data, in an attempt to create a dashboard for our clients. I quickly found that Impromptu is not well suited or reliable enough for scheduling multiple jobs. The requirements and caveats for using Impromptu in this manner are: Each report must be scheduled so as to not be running when the next is scheduled. Impromptu will not allow the next scheduled report to wait too long, and this may cause the "chain" of reports to fail. The workstation running the reports must have a user logged in with the Cognos Scheduler application running in order to fire the reports off. It cannot run via the Windows Scheduled Tasks (AT for us old-timers). If you run your reports against multiple companies, as we do...

Image via Wikipedia I recently had the need to provide printer admin access on an ERP server to ordinary users. Nothing makes me shudder more than elevating a users access on a machine that holds your entire business operation on it's drives... I was able to come up with a solution using CPAU.exe which I've written about here . The scenario: An active label printer and a backup. When one goes down, the other needs to be put into service, but it needs to have the same name as the active one did. The users then also need to be able to "flip a switch" to put the active one back into service. First, I needed the guts of the switching script, which makes use of Microsoft 's prncnfg.vbs script, stored on all Windows boxes in the %windir%\ system32 directory (Called ChangePrinter.cmd) : @ECHO OFF @SET _ONE=ACTIVEPROD @SET _ONE_DOWN=ACTIVEPROD_146 @SET _TWO=BACKUPPROD @SET _HOST=BAPFSVR03 :: PRINTERS RECEIVE ADDRESSES VIA DHCP :: WHEN NO ERROR CONDITIONS E...

Image via Wikipedia Looking for methods to exclude files in our Indexing Service repository, I found some information on the MSDN with sparse descriptions of registry values. Fortunately, Microsoft KB article 322896 provides a direct set if instructions.

John Croson 2121 Taylor Avenue • Racine, WI 53403 • 262-237-8227 • john@croson.us 8 years of cross-platform experience in systems administration including analyzing, designing, installing, maintaining, and repairing hardware, software, peripherals and networks. Superior troubleshooting and technical support abilities with migrations, network connectivity, and security and database applications. Develop exceptional relationships with co-workers, management and end users. Excellent communication and problem solving skills Skills Technical Operating System Network Administration Server Design Internet / Intranet Configuration Hardware / Software Maintenance Security Testing / Patching Backup Solution Processing Technical / User Support VBA Solution Provider Windows 95, 98, NT, 2000, XP Clients Windows NT, 2000, 2003 Server Apple OS 9, OS X Linux Redhat, Debian, Gentoo, SuSE, Mandrake, Slackware, FreeBSD Cisco IOS Managerial Software Cost Containment & Budgeti...

I like scripting . It helps me manage my client PC 's, perform redundant tasks, push out software updates, among other things. Most of the users on my network do not have privileges to install software, so this affects how some of my scripts function . I discovered that setting GPO to install applications with elevated privileges doesn't mean that the logon scripts also get processed the same way. This annoyed me, and I quickly found a solution. Introduce CPAU, from http://www.joeware.net/ . A neat little utility that takes the place of RUNAS, and very easy to use. I use it to launch my domain logon script, as it copies a HOST file , and other batch files run locally by the scheduler service, which are not allowed write by ordinary users. The following line encodes a file that will run logon.cmd using the credentials provided it. \\mydc\netlogon\cpau.exe -u mydomain\UserWithPermissions -p UserWithPermissionsPassword -ex \\mydc\netlogon\logon.cmd -file \\mydc\netlogon...