Chess is a Great Teacher: Life Lessons from Chess Grandmaster Henrik Danielsen

Note 10/30/2018: This post refers to a series of over 100 internet blitz games recorded and published by Henrik Danielsen. While his channel was lost due to his email account being hacked, I elected to republish the original post for posterity.

I discovered Mr. Danielsen’s work on his YouTube channel. His self-styled variant of the Bird’s Opening called the “Polar Bear System” is very interesting to watch, but perhaps more interesting for me was his live-game commentary.

So what does Chess have to do with IT Management? More than you might think! Understanding how components work together, making the most of strengths and weaknesses, planning ahead, perseverance in the face of adversity, execution and timing are all critical in the IT field, but also happen to be central themes in Chess!

In the process of watching his games, I collected little snippets of wisdom he imparts along the way. Amazingly, he does this while playing Live opponents in Blitz games (3 minute timer)!

Here are some of my favorites:

“Every young child is elastic, so keep your position elastic!”  (Live Blitz #106)

Are you keeping an open mind when it comes to evaluating new technologies? Is your production network capable of scaling to meet the demands of future growth, even if it grows quicker than what you’d originally anticipated? The most important thing to remember about change is that it’s going to happen, with or without you; either learn to adapt or be left behind!

 

“If you know where you’re going, you can get there very fast.”(Paraphrased in many of Live Blitz games)

No matter what you do to prevent them, problems will occur. Knowing your way around your management tools and network is the key to solving issues quickly!

 

“Everything has it’s own Rhythm…try to use the Rhythms that are successful.” (Live Blitz #51)

To me, this speaks to the importance of forming good habits. Whether it’s maintaining a healthy work/life balance, continual professional growth and learning or proactively managing your infrastructure (checking backups, testing fail-over capability, keeping up with documentation etc.).

 

“..It’s like you have to keep the pillow in front of his face and not let him breath.” (Hunting with the Polar Bear #2)

This one’s a bit sadistic, but a touch humorous as well, so I just had to throw it in :). The point he’s trying to get across is that you can’t let up when you’ve got your objective on the run!

 

“…remember our thoughts and our feelings are creating our reality, so you better think big, and you better be positive about your life.” (Live Blitz #81-82)

Set realistic stretch goals, determine what steps you’ll need to take to achieve them, then set a timeline for completion. Most importantly, stay positive!

Retrieving a copy of all Emails Sent To or Received From a Specific Domain in Exchange 2007

I recently received a request to locate and create a copy of every email sent to or received from a specific domain. Exchange 2010 possesses some inherent litigation hold and compliance management tools that could do this for you, and I even found a VB script for Exchange 2003, there was not much information out there for Exchange 2007.

Here’s what I did…

Step 1: Ensure that your account has “FullAccess” permissions to all mailboxes in your Exchange Database by running this command in Exchange Management Shell:

get-Mailbox -Database "[Database Name]" | Add-MailboxPermission -User [Your Admin Acocunt] -AccessRights FullAccess -InheritanceType All

Step 2: This hefty commandlet tells Exchange to search every mailbox in the database for a messages received from a specific domain, excluding the target mailbox as you can’t export a mailbox to itself:

Get-Mailbox -Database "[Database Name]" |?{$_.Name -ne '[Username of the Target Mailbox]'} | Export-Mailbox -TargetMailbox [Username of the Target Mailbox] -TargetFolder [Name of Folder] -senderKeywords:'*[domain name]'

Step 3: The last command does the same as the above, but looks for any emails sent to a specific domain:

Get-Mailbox -Database "[Database Name]" |?{$_.Name -ne '[Username of the Target Mailbox]'} | Export-Mailbox -TargetMailbox [Username of the Target Mailbox] -TargetFolder [Name of Folder] -recipientKeywords:'*[domain name]'

Once done, you can open the target mailbox in Outlook and save it to a PST. So there you have it!

Teaming Intel PRO 1000 NIC cards in Server 2008 R2

I’m getting ready to upgrade Exchange from 2007 to 2010 at my office and have been having a tough time getting the Intel PRO 1000 Gb dual-port NIC cards to team (load balance) properly using their Advanced Network Services (ANS) software.

Beginning with Server 2008 R2, Intel started bundling those drivers with the OS Installation media, but without the ANS tools – the OS recognized the drivers, but without teaming or any other extended functionality.

After some digging, I came across a forum post on intel.com that shed some light on the issue:

http://communities.intel.com/message/69112

I was using a similar server (Dell Power Edge 2850) for the new Exchange 2010 installation, and naturally, I wanted to run it on the latest Microsoft Server OS, so I’d installed Server 2008 R2 and encountered the same issue as the author of the above post.

If you scroll down far enough, one of the members suggests using the Intel Networking solutions CD v15.3, extracting the contents, then using Device Manager to manually update the drivers for each NIC and browsing to the ..\PRO1000\Winx64 folder and searching it.

The next step suggested that you run the “..\V15.3_CD\APPS\PROSETDX\Winx64\ProSetDX.msi” file to install the ANS features after updating the drivers from the CD. This didn’t work for me and returned the following error:

Error 2869. The dialog SetupError has the error style bit set, but is not an error dialog.

This cryptic message didn’t really help, so I tried another executable in that folder, “DxSetup.exe”

Running that .exe file worked perfectly and I was able to setup ANS Team balancing on my Intel PRO 1000 dual port NICs.

I hope this helps someone!

Product Review: HTC Evo 3D

Update 11/05/2018: I hadn’t given this phone much thought until I learned about a product by RED called the Hydrogen One.  3D phones haven’t really caught on, and I’d be curious to see how much of an impact the Hydrogen One has on the market, but at a starting price of ~$1,300, 

My Sprint phone (an HTC Hero) was eligible for a trade up in March of this year, and I was ready for a new phone. While I enjoyed my Hero, there were a number of better phones out there for the money, namely, HTC’s Evo.

Background:
While I was very tempted to purchase a new Evo, I was encouraged by a colleague to hold out for the 3D version that was scheduled to be released sometime in the summer of 2011. Sprint announced the official release date of June 24, 2011 earlier this month, so I signed up for the pre-order and picked up my new phone this morning!

Interface:
While the interface itself isn’t 3D, it looks very sharp and is quite intuitive. The lock screen allows you to access common features such as your Phone, Mail, Camera and Messages. These can be customized to use other applications as well!

3D features:
The 3D camera is very impressive, no glasses or other equipment needed! Just look straight into the screen and the images jump out at you!

The only drawback I noticed (and this has more to do with the user than the device) is that the quality of the 3D image or video is reliant on the steadiness of the person taking the picture or video.

It’s also important to note that images or video taken in 3D can only be rendered in 3D on devices that support it. Otherwise, you can always use the 2D/3D toggle switch to take images in 2D instead.

Overall impressions:
I’m really enjoying it so far! I’ve read reviews that stated some people had a hard time with the 3D images causing headaches and motion sickness after extended use but I haven’t experience this myself.

All in all, I think it’s a great phone for the price ($199 USD,  I paid $159 after getting a $40 credit for my HTC Hero)! I’d like to see more 3D content for it, but given that it’s brand spankin’ new, I’m sure there will be more to come over the new few months!

Rating: 9/10 (I would have given it a 10, but there’s always room for improvement).

Interview with Charles M. Sparks, www.blackviper.com

Update 11/09/2018: Updated several old/broken links.

Introduction

For those of us in the OS tweaking scene, blackviper.com has been a one-stop shop for all things Windows Services related. Below is my interview with Charles M. Sparks, AKA Black Viper, the proprietor of www.blackviper.com and the author of the guides, rants and content within!

 

Yousef: Many people (myself included) often stumble through search engine results, looking for relevant answers to the questions at hand without stopping to give much thought to the people (or in your case, person) who went to the trouble to get that information out there. I feel that the personal touches (e.g. your picture, bio and favorites) really give your site character, and as a result, keep people coming back time and time again. What can you tell us about the history of blackviper.com and how it’s evolved?

BV: Over the last 12 years, www.blackviper.com has changed a lot, but it all started when I left the US Navy and started work at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern CA. I wanted several things, though, but the website was a vehicle for me to learn how the web worked, examine HTML’s structure and the rather “new” concept of dynamic page presentation (verses static pages in a book or magazine).

I always wanted to be a writer, but knew I could never scrape together enough money to actually publish a book, but the “write once, give to millions” of the internet was just my cup of tea. Granted, my grammar is pathetic, but I at least make a solid effort to get my point across in the best way that I know how.

 After Figuring out HTML, I made a website with pictures of a new house that I purchased and was in the process of being built, my kitty, which he always had more hits on his photos then I did, as well as some geeky stuff that I would, more or less, figure out on my own in the process of learning computers.

 Basically, an effort to give people information that I discovered on my own, while not costing a ton of money in publishing it. I created a page with Windows 2000 Services information and how I had those particular services set for my two computers in order for me to remember the setup when I reinstalled or whatever, and discovered that people were actually going to the page in the server logs. I started updating the information and expanding the content and here I am now.
More history of www.blackviper.com is here:
 
http://www.blackviper.com/2002/03/22/bv-and-blackviper-com-rant/

 

Yousef: I’m sure I speak for many (myself included) that you took the time to document your “geeky” pursuits, to benefit of so many. I also enjoy reading your reviews and rants, my favorite being “Jack in the Box”. Some things in life are best left unchanged, and I’m sure we’ve all experienced something like this at one point in time or another, right? Which article(s) and/or rant(s) did you enjoy writing the most?

BV: I really enjoyed the Jack in the Box Rant (http://www.blackviper.com/2002/09/02/the-jack-in-the-box-rant/). Of course, I did not enjoy experiencing Jack in the Box completely screwing up a perfectly good meal, but writing the article was fun. Another one that I enjoyed writing, or actually, venting is a better term, was the “Free Beer” Rant (http://www.blackviper.com/2003/07/27/the-free-beer-rant/). I urged people to quit falling for false email claims, password stealing methods as well as virus attacks. If I helped one person gain a better understanding of what was really going on: people profiting by taking advantage of other people, I won. 

Yousef: And your audience won too! In the words of my favorite author, Robert Heinlein, TANSTAAFL: There Aint No Such Thing As A Free Lunch!

In one of your rant topics, you discussed a challenging English assignment, are you still in school? I also went back to school as a working adult; do you feel that your maturity has helped you to better appreciate the value of your education?

BV: I am not currently in school but hope to eventually go back when I am ready. I dropped out due to a couple of reasons; I was doing poorly and running out of money.

I like a consistent structure as well as “learning on my own time”. For example, watching the Discovery Channel and learning how a product is made (Modern Marvels ). “Higher Learning” was far from any sort of structure that I ever experienced before. One instructor would format their class with a completely open book exam, multiple choice questions with sentences extracted directly from the book, in order of appearance, so a person would really have to try hard NOT to do well in the class. Yet, on the other hand, I had an instructor that I had to have a Masters in English to even understand the course outline. It truly was a bizarre experience that I was not prepared for.

 On the placement exam, I scored 99% (a person could not get 100% from what I understand) and was placed in English 101 I believe. I had no clue what a verb was (after all, I had been out of school for 15 years), yet I did well on the English placement test because I could identify sentences that “looked and sounded” wrong, but had no idea WHY they were wrong. After bombing that, I dropped down a class to a “pre-college” English course.

 My instructor scolded me that I should not be there but in 101, even though she was well aware I dropped out of the class to begin with. Raving about my writing, giving my writing as an example to the class, all she could do to praise me and my unique writing style… yet, I still did not get the grade I deserved.

 Opinion grading is not my style. 1+1=2. Math I enjoy because a person either gets it right or does not. Considering the writing I am now looking at on the internet, Facebook posts, forum posts, IM’s, emails directed to me, etc. I think I have a decent grasp of the English language, even though I have no desire to point out a Noun in a sentence, I do not need a College degree to understand that. 

Yousef: I can appreciate where you’re coming from! Subjective judgment can be frustrating, especially so when the metrics are unclear. In fact, the very act tests the quality of the teacher as much, or more so than the student being graded, and not every teacher makes the cut. It’s unfortunate that you had to experience this for yourself but know that it’s not all bad, just hang in there!

You also served in the US Navy for 6 years, how did that experience influence your life and work?

BV: I learned two lessons in the military:

  1. The value of a Chain of Command, and…
  2. “I am just doing my job”

In all honesty, the military was what I needed at the time. Being age 20 in a dead-end job, barely making over minimum wage, I had to do something. I joined the military with my best friend to get an education and job skills to help me “get a real job” after leaving the military. In my small home town, I often was harassed by the local police (and looking back, I probably deserved every second of it) and was extremely bitter toward the government. What have they done for me lately? Raised the minimum wage a whole nickel? Thanks Uncle Sam. 

So, going into the military, I decided to give the Government Overlords a chance. Wow. What I experienced is difficult to put into such an interview but it is a whole different world. Different way of talking, a true melting pot of all races and social backgrounds, and extreme structure. A procedure and protocol for everything. I liked that a lot. Sometimes I thought the military had too many Queen Bees and not enough drones, but that was actually a good thing. If a person worked in a local grocery store, what recourse did you have if a dispute between management and yourself happened? Quit? Great plan. Yet, in the military, a person had a chain of command to fall back on as well as their own rank. If you did not like the decisions of your immediate supervisor, you went to your work-center supervisor, then on to your Chief, etc. Convince a higher up of your point of view, and they overruled all that the underlings wanted, but you better have a good story as well as be able to back it up because the Chain is not the place to vent.

Many people I hung out with in high school were “rebels” in their own way, bucking the system the best they knew how and received plenty of moving violations as a result… so the police were out to get them. 

When making the decision to join the military, I knew, if I was told to go into War, “I am just doing my job.” Many people struggle with this fact or not even think of their decisions to do such a thing, but I wanted to serve my Country and in turn, the Government gave me an education and skills I could use after I left, and did just that. 

I never killed anyone in the line of duty (or any other time for that matter,

Yousef: Good to know!

BV: …yet the possibility was always there. Do not blame the police for pulling you over because you were speeding and breaking the law. If they didn’t, you could very well have ended up slamming into a guard rail and then…who would you call? Yeah, that same Highway patrolman that you cursed under your breath because they were only doing their job. Give our military members a break. They are doing what they are told, even if they do not agree… they are just doing their job. 

Yousef: Well said! Clear expectations are very underrated; especially in the IT industry where vague requirements and unclear goals can be very damaging! Speaking of the IT industry, what are some of the barriers you’ve encountered in getting into IT professionally?

BV: It is the same as every other civilian profession available: you need experience to get a job and you need a job to get experience. Absolutely without a doubt, I would always recommend someone that could not directly go to college, due to financial reasons or what have you, join the military. You get training you can use later on and, for the most part… they hire anyone. 🙂 

Yousef: I can appreciate that, its kind a catch 22, but you start out low and totem pole, learn everything you can and work your way up! Still, the industry is very competitive, and so anything you can do to raise your visibility and give back to the community can only help you. In your case, you’ve maintained blackviper.com for almost 12 years now. As I’ve gathered from your writings, this has been a rewarding, challenging, fun and sometimes frustrating and thankless job for you. Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently if the opportunity presented itself?

BV: Over the years, I have taken on many challenges with regards to my internet domain. Being involved in everything has its advantages, such as learning, understanding and controlling every aspect of my publicly displayed self. From the colors on the web site to efficient delivery of the media, yet it was, for the most part, thankless.

Granted, over the years, I received tens of thousands of emails, many of them thanking me for my hard work, but I did a lot more than write a couple of rants.

When I technically could, I started serving my own domain from my house on a DSL line because I wanted to control and be part of every aspect that was my domain. In all honesty, I think that did me in. It was a simple idea that turned into an extremely overwhelming aspect of the internet itself. From configuring, monitoring and keeping up to date all aspects of domain hosting, including email, DNS and WWW servers, took a great deal of time out of my entertainment schedule (gaming) as well as the “fun” factor of having a geeky hobby. Sure, tweaking a Windows computer is great and publishing my findings saved my readers lots of time, but having the power go out at my house and then explain to someone in Europe why my domain was down for three hours, it got old… After many years of doing just that, again, money became an issue and I needed to change. I transferred my domain to an external hosting provider and have been very happy with that decision. Even though I cannot reach down and push the power button on the server next to my feet at any time I feel, the act of taking a large amount of stress out of my hands really was the best choice. I plan on creating an article (probably end up being a rant) about all the issues I encountered serving my domain from home at some point.

Yousef: With the ease and simplicity involved with turning up a web presence these days, be it Facebook, a blog or some other free hosting service, most people never learn to appreciate the work that goes into making all of that possible! It sounds like you learned a lot and had a lot of fun in the process! So, what’s in store for the future of blackviper.com?

BV: I really do not know. In the past few years, I have added a forum (BBS), a Services and Process Wiki (MediWiki) as well as a BvLOG (WordPress) to publish my news updates. Basically, I am very happy with how all of it turned out. Now, I just need to add and refine more content, such as my install guides and more personal rants, like the Free Beer and Jack in the Box.

I am also open for suggestions.

 Yousef: Your most recent addition to the website is BV Racing. You mentioned that you grew up around it [racing] and wanted to make the shift from patron to participant. Why now? What was your inspiration?

BV: I have always enjoyed dirt track racing. It is exciting for the fans in the stands and for the drivers, pure white knuckle action. The reasons for “why now” is location, location, location. I live just a few miles from a dirt track and have socialized with some of the drivers that drive that track each season. I just want a piece of the action and the only way I know how is to ask for help on the web. Get a geek into a race car! Of course, getting a “real” race car and keeping it running costs thousands of dollars to start, but I hope to begin slow by getting my “Run what you Brung” car out there on the track and get noticed by, maybe an existing driver or owner with spare parts and hope to jump into a real car this year. I have already been in talks with one driver with a spare Modified. I still need to paint the current car, purchase a helmet and jumpsuit. So my entry level spot will only cost a few hundred, not a few thousand. I do wish to get into a real ‘Modified soon, though.

Yousef: Thanks again for your time, Charles! I really enjoyed learning more about you and your site!