vSphere Client on Windows Server 2008

VmWare vSphere Client 5.5

If you try to run the installer as usual you would get an error complaining that you are not permitted to install the client on a DC.
But I can't access my esxi box from Linux so I do need to RDP to the windows box in order to manage my VM's.
To get around this as with many installers just silence the OS check of the installer by running it from the CMD with the following switch:
/VSKIP_OS_CHECKS="1"

Next you would be prompted to install .Net framework if you haven't already done so and reboot the server once the installation completes.

Now at this point I had to run the installer again inc. the switch from the command prompt.

Result !!

Minicom for serial console connections

Mini ...what?

Every now and again  I fail to ssh to various device that being a server, firewall box or a random router. The only option at this time is to get physical access to the box and plug my trusty serial pl2303 connector.

At work is straightforward as I use putty on Windows box, but at home I use Ubuntu so the only option that I know of is to use a utility call minicom.

I keep forgeting how to do it as don't have to do it very often  so here's my reminder.

• Install Minicom
• sudo apt-get install minicom

• Find out which connection is being used by your serial cable by executing  the command below
• george@uc:~$ dmesg  | grep tt
• [    0.000000] Found optimal setting for mtrr clean up
  [    0.000000] console [tty0] enabled
  [    0.212709] vgaarb: setting as boot device: PCI:0000:00:02.0
  [    0.641198] input: Power Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0C:00/input/input1
  [    0.641202] ACPI: Power Button [PBTN]
  [    0.641244] input: Sleep Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXSYBUS:00/PNP0C0E:00/input/input2
  [    0.641247] ACPI: Sleep Button [SBTN]
  [    0.641288] input: Power Button as /devices/LNXSYSTM:00/LNXPWRBN:00/input/input3
  [    0.641291] ACPI: Power Button [PWRF]
  [    0.654926] ACPI: Battery Slot [BAT0] (battery present)
  [    0.697515] evm: HMAC attrs: 0x1
  [    0.698208] rtc_cmos 00:02: setting system clock to 2016-05-14 21:26:40 UTC (1463261200)
  [    0.988132] pps_core: Software ver. 5.3.6 - Copyright 2005-2007 Rodolfo Giomtti <giometti@linux.it>
  [    1.030838] tg3 0000:0a:00.0 eth0: attached PHY is 5761 (10/100/1000Base-T Ethernet) (WireSpeed[1], EEE[0])
  [    1.373946] sd 0:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg0 type 0
  [    1.416301] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk
  [    1.734473] sr 1:0:0:0: Attached scsi CD-ROM sr0
  [    1.734574] sr 1:0:0:0: Attached scsi generic sg1 type 5
  [    7.568508] systemd[1]: Created slice system-getty.slice.
  [    7.568525] systemd[1]: Starting system-getty.slice.
  [ 1559.436187] usb 2-1.3: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
  [ 1626.066967] pl2303 ttyUSB0: pl2303 converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
  [ 1629.436887] usb 2-1.4: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
  [ 1788.507218] pl2303 ttyUSB0: pl2303 converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
  [ 1791.877138] usb 2-1.4: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
  [ 2373.961110] pl2303 ttyUSB0: pl2303 converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
  [ 2376.303718] usb 2-1.4: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
  [ 2517.698598] pl2303 ttyUSB0: pl2303 converter now disconnected from ttyUSB0
  [ 2523.630796] usb 2-1.3: pl2303 converter now attached to ttyUSB0
• From the output above I can see that my cable is attached to ttyUSB0 
• It's time to configure Minicom
• george@uc:~$ sudo minicom -s -c on
• You should now see the config window as below

• Select the Serial port setup and press A to change the port
• Now this will depend on individual set up but in my case I need to change the port to /dev/ttyUSB0
• Select E and change the baud rate to 9600

• Save the setup as DFL and exit minicom
• Now run 
• sudo minicom
• You should now be able to connect to your device if you press the spacebar a couple of times 
• I just tried it with putty on my Ubuntu box and it worked as well as with minicom , some of you may find it a bit more intuitive by using putty

Now what was the password for that box ????

Cisco IOS Voice Gateway

Here's some of my quick reference CLI commands for troubleshooting and testing Cisco Voice Gateway

Which ISDN channels are in service
VG224#sh isdn service

To show which rule is matched
VG224#test voice translation -rule 10 XXXXXX

How to monitor Cisco Unity with RTMT

One way to find out what's going on with your Unity box is to use standard tool such as RTMT.

• Download the tool from the Plugins section of your call manager.
• Once all set up login to RTMT with your normal admin account
• Navigate to Unity Connection> Port Monitor

• You should now be able to see all your ports as configured in CUC

• At this point to see the result press the Msg button on your phone and login to your mailbox
• You should be able to see now in information in real-time as users dial in and access the server