I've got an Access database that's linked to a SQL database. There are a set of Access reports that run off of this, and I keep getting a "<user> does not have the necessary permissions to access <database>" error when I try to run them. This wasn't an issue before I migrated the database, and linked the tables in other reports to the new database.
Trying to link the tables in this report to the new database gives me the same error. I've given the user Full Control over the Access database it says that she doesn't have permissions for, and I've tried running the report from the domain admin account. Neither works. I do not see an .mdw file for this database (yes, I have show hidden on). The Googles do not seem to be helpful. Any suggestions?
when you say <database> in the error message which database are you referring to? The access or the sql?
How are you linking the two? odbc?
which database did you migrate? the sql or access?
Yup. Or, at least, ODBC is what I'm using to link the reports to the SQL database.
Now that you mention it, some of the reports seemed to draw from the SQL database, and the ones that are having problems draw from the Access database. Which might be part of the problem. But I can't even get them to hit the old Access database anymore.
which database did you migrate? the sql or access?
Both. The SQL does most of the heavy lifting I think, though. The Access is mostly there for the old-school adapted-from-DOS interface program to draw from.
My experience with access db's is limited, but it kind of sounds like a file permissions issue more than anything. Try resetting the owner and permissions on the directory the database is in and check the "replace owner/permissions on all child objects" box when you do.
Yeah, I already futzed with the permissions on the parent directory and the database in question; just changed the permissions on the parent of the parent of the parent, and had it propagate. No luck. Even logged in as the domain administrator, still no luck.
The exact error message is "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the 'Z:\folder\AccessDatabase.mdb' object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you."
I think the permissions thing is kind of a red herring, because it's an issue with the old pre-migration database, as well, and I never changed anything permissions-wise, there.
So apparently this EDR software we use uses CA certificates. Apparently they hand baked in certification expiration to keep people buying support packages. I can't revoke a certificate of an agent that transfers data because lol certificate's expired and I can't reinstall the EDR client to get a new certificate because I need to revoke it first.
And they won't tell me the passphrase or the method in which to revoke it.
And this, my friends, is why people prefer OSS set ups to corporate stuff. Was working fine for a year and then stopped randomly because of this certificate thing.
The email exchange turned unpleasant really fast when I said their prebaked expiration and inability to fix the situation with their software out of the box and requiring me to pay for support on it (not covered by warranty and we didn't have one anyways) was pretty piss poor.
I'm about ready to tell them to fuck off, set up rsync + nfs and call it a fucking day. Oh yeah, these boxes are some form of unix so setting up a cron job with rsync after SSHing into their OS should be child's fucking play. Fucking piss me off more why don't you.
Avoid overland/snap servers in the future if you want to use their EDR functionality.
not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
Gentlemen. As of 11 days ago, I joined your ranks as a mutant crossover between SysAdmin, CodeJunkie, and ITMonkey. I have been educated in the vastness of waste and neglect in the management of Enterprise technology systems, and properly been whipped by the chains of exclusivity to Microsoft and Oracle Products.
However, I come to you with a question (or a quest!). As I share responsibility for management of over 2000 workstations, I have no central office. I have an office in every building I work in, that I share with others, (though I have my own terminal in every building). To that end, I mostly find myself carrying around a small backpack with tools, but it is far from complete.
Current things I carry. (Mind you, I'm trying to keep weight down.)
- Screwdriver + Bit Set
- Electrical Tape
- Flashlight
- Network Cable
- USB Drives with Various Images (Ubuntu Live, Windows, Windows PE, OS X)
Do you guys have any recommendations for things that you find very useful to keep in your kit?
Daily Double: Do you guys have any recommendations for a good work laptop? A coworker of mine has a Transformer, which is super nice because it can be Laptop or Tablet, but, unfortunately, it's just Android bound, and I'd like a Windows or Linux interface to be available. Low weight but high performance is important for me. I ask because my job is willing to pay a large portion of it for me if I use it for work.
Yeah, I already futzed with the permissions on the parent directory and the database in question; just changed the permissions on the parent of the parent of the parent, and had it propagate. No luck. Even logged in as the domain administrator, still no luck.
The exact error message is "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the 'Z:\folder\AccessDatabase.mdb' object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you."
I think the permissions thing is kind of a red herring, because it's an issue with the old pre-migration database, as well, and I never changed anything permissions-wise, there.
I wonder if it's an ODBC thing...?
Is the ODBC connection set up to use a specific login?
Yeah, I already futzed with the permissions on the parent directory and the database in question; just changed the permissions on the parent of the parent of the parent, and had it propagate. No luck. Even logged in as the domain administrator, still no luck.
The exact error message is "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the 'Z:\folder\AccessDatabase.mdb' object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you."
I think the permissions thing is kind of a red herring, because it's an issue with the old pre-migration database, as well, and I never changed anything permissions-wise, there.
I wonder if it's an ODBC thing...?
Is the ODBC connection set up to use a specific login?
Yeah, and initially, I was having issues with that, until I set up the login on the SQL server. Given that it's doesn't even seem to be hitting the SQL server, though, I'm not sure what I would need to do to fix it.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
Gentlemen. As of 11 days ago, I joined your ranks as a mutant crossover between SysAdmin, CodeJunkie, and ITMonkey. I have been educated in the vastness of waste and neglect in the management of Enterprise technology systems, and properly been whipped by the chains of exclusivity to Microsoft and Oracle Products.
However, I come to you with a question (or a quest!). As I share responsibility for management of over 2000 workstations, I have no central office. I have an office in every building I work in, that I share with others, (though I have my own terminal in every building). To that end, I mostly find myself carrying around a small backpack with tools, but it is far from complete.
Current things I carry. (Mind you, I'm trying to keep weight down.)
- Screwdriver + Bit Set
- Electrical Tape
- Flashlight
- Network Cable
- USB Drives with Various Images (Ubuntu Live, Windows, Windows PE, OS X)
Do you guys have any recommendations for things that you find very useful to keep in your kit?
Daily Double: Do you guys have any recommendations for a good work laptop? A coworker of mine has a Transformer, which is super nice because it can be Laptop or Tablet, but, unfortunately, it's just Android bound, and I'd like a Windows or Linux interface to be available. Low weight but high performance is important for me. I ask because my job is willing to pay a large portion of it for me if I use it for work.
Butane soldering iron, pocket knife, zip ties, super glue?
Gentlemen. As of 11 days ago, I joined your ranks as a mutant crossover between SysAdmin, CodeJunkie, and ITMonkey. I have been educated in the vastness of waste and neglect in the management of Enterprise technology systems, and properly been whipped by the chains of exclusivity to Microsoft and Oracle Products.
However, I come to you with a question (or a quest!). As I share responsibility for management of over 2000 workstations, I have no central office. I have an office in every building I work in, that I share with others, (though I have my own terminal in every building). To that end, I mostly find myself carrying around a small backpack with tools, but it is far from complete.
Current things I carry. (Mind you, I'm trying to keep weight down.)
- Screwdriver + Bit Set
- Electrical Tape
- Flashlight
- Network Cable
- USB Drives with Various Images (Ubuntu Live, Windows, Windows PE, OS X)
Do you guys have any recommendations for things that you find very useful to keep in your kit?
Daily Double: Do you guys have any recommendations for a good work laptop? A coworker of mine has a Transformer, which is super nice because it can be Laptop or Tablet, but, unfortunately, it's just Android bound, and I'd like a Windows or Linux interface to be available. Low weight but high performance is important for me. I ask because my job is willing to pay a large portion of it for me if I use it for work.
If you do any cable work, then:
- 8P8C RJ-48 mod plugs (solid/stranded)
- Crimpers
- Cable strippers
- Electrician's scissors
- Punch down tool (w/ 66 and 110-block blades)
- Compartmentalized plastic storage box (for RJ-48s, bridge clips, little things)
Also
- Leatherman (or equivalent)
- USB to Serial adapter (if you console into anything)
- Straight-thru and cross-over Ethernet cable
- Zip ties
- Roll of velcro
- Multi-bit screwdriver set (it has phillips, flat-head, torx, hex, various security bits...)
That's what I carry between my tool bag (kept locked up at work) and my backpack (comes home with me) - network engineer by trade. I'll probably remember more later.
Yeah, I already futzed with the permissions on the parent directory and the database in question; just changed the permissions on the parent of the parent of the parent, and had it propagate. No luck. Even logged in as the domain administrator, still no luck.
The exact error message is "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the 'Z:\folder\AccessDatabase.mdb' object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you."
I think the permissions thing is kind of a red herring, because it's an issue with the old pre-migration database, as well, and I never changed anything permissions-wise, there.
I wonder if it's an ODBC thing...?
Is the ODBC connection set up to use a specific login?
Yeah, and initially, I was having issues with that, until I set up the login on the SQL server. Given that it's doesn't even seem to be hitting the SQL server, though, I'm not sure what I would need to do to fix it.
It might be a stupid question - but have you given the login the appropriate permissions for the database / tables the reports are accessing?
I won't have to work with network cables at all, not that sort of jockey. As long as I know the network cable I'm carrying is good, them I'm fine. We always have spare cables and hardware laying around in buildings (government waste). And if it is an outlet issue, then that has to go through another department.
For my part, my duties are deploying hardware, maintaining that hardware, and troubleshooting hardware, software, and software based network issues. All hardware based network issues are handled by building maintenance and the server group.
However, having Cable Strippers and Insulated Scissors is a very good idea. A pair of tweezers wouldn't go amiss, now that I think about it. (How many times I have dropped a screw between a narrow set of capacitors, I cannot count). An AC line tester would probably be useful, (two weeks on the job and I've already run into three dead outlets). The leatherman is an excellent idea that I forgot, simply due to the fact that work gave us our own Leatherman Wave the first day. Also, I'm finding out just how invaluable it is to have a VGA to DVI adapter on me, so that if I need one I have one, then grab a new one when I'm back at base.
You might also stuff a couple of those USBa to USBb ones in case you get a weird printer that didn't come with the proper cable or something. Though I haven't run across that kind of thing recently.
On the subject of leathermans, might I reccomend the Skeletool. I've found it to be invaluable as an IT guy. The tools you need without any excess weight. Bit driver (with 2 phillips and two flathead changeable tips), Pliers/cutters, and a knife. And the knife is on the outside, so you can flip it out without unfolding the tool.
Aioua on
life's a game that you're bound to lose / like using a hammer to pound in screws
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
Also, having the standard 8 or 16GB USB stick with various drivers/apps that are used by the systems is dead useful too.
This. If there's apps that your company regularly has installed on all or most PCs, you should have the installer handy if at all possible. Also, put Sysinternals on it.
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
Ninite is amazing if you're regularly reinstalling Windows.
It is worth noting, however, that if you have a very homogenous workstation type (i.e. a small number of different PC models) it may make sense to keep a disk image for each model and familiarize yourself with Sysprep.
Yeah, I already futzed with the permissions on the parent directory and the database in question; just changed the permissions on the parent of the parent of the parent, and had it propagate. No luck. Even logged in as the domain administrator, still no luck.
The exact error message is "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the 'Z:\folder\AccessDatabase.mdb' object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you."
I think the permissions thing is kind of a red herring, because it's an issue with the old pre-migration database, as well, and I never changed anything permissions-wise, there.
I wonder if it's an ODBC thing...?
Is the ODBC connection set up to use a specific login?
Yeah, and initially, I was having issues with that, until I set up the login on the SQL server. Given that it's doesn't even seem to be hitting the SQL server, though, I'm not sure what I would need to do to fix it.
It might be a stupid question - but have you given the login the appropriate permissions for the database / tables the reports are accessing?
The SQL login it's using has every kind of admin access I could see to give it. Would there be something else I'd have to do to give it permissions to the SQL server?
And I gave the login "full control" up to two parent folders of the Access Database. Also, tried it with a domain administrator, and got the same message.
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TL DRNot at all confident in his reflexive opinions of thingsRegistered Userregular
Alright, a client just dropped off a laptop that's hanging for several minutes when booting up. XP just sits there at "Running startup scripts..." for what feels like forever before it allows you to input credentials.
I'm reasonably sure it's not a failing HDD, and running XP repair from disc didn't help. Any ideas?
Alright, a client just dropped off a laptop that's hanging for several minutes when booting up. XP just sits there at "Running startup scripts..." for what feels like forever before it allows you to input credentials.
I'm reasonably sure it's not a failing HDD, and running XP repair from disc didn't help. Any ideas?
Alright, a client just dropped off a laptop that's hanging for several minutes when booting up. XP just sits there at "Running startup scripts..." for what feels like forever before it allows you to input credentials.
I'm reasonably sure it's not a failing HDD, and running XP repair from disc didn't help. Any ideas?
The last time I saw that, it was totally a failing HDD (not saying yours is, though). You should probably at least run Chkdsk. It's not like it's hard, and it shouldn't take all that long if it's running okay.
I assume you've already run malware checks, looked through Task Manager for anything that looks shady?
TuffTest is a good HDD checker, as is SeaTools. Use those to see if anything comes up on the HDD?
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Apothe0sisHave you ever questioned the nature of your reality?Registered Userregular
Today is not a good day to be an IT Monkey:
On a customer site, tasked with converting their customer's homegrown file transfer via vb scripts to operate with their new managed file transfer solution.
Some highlights: no one as the customer site knows what the expectations, limitations or behaviors of the systems on either end, so questions to the effect of "Do we have to do it this way, or is it an artifact of vbs that this step works the way it does?"
Their customer's employee who wrote the scripts has long left, no one in the organisation knows anything about them. No one can answer "why does this transfer occur by echoing the file to a telnet socket?"
No test systems or accounts except the one server I am on. It is a windows server, both ends are *nix.
Half the transfers involve a proprietary transfer protocol not supported by our software which is called via batch file on the original system. This is not installed or supported by our customer - no guidance on how to handle these.
A significant chunk of the transfers involve logging into the source server via telnet, and rolling the files into individual tars "to preserve the unix details" or moving the files to a local archive (needless to say, this is best handled on the opposite end).
The vb scripts are of course vb scripts, so are a pain to read. They are also about 50% commented out code but are entirely undocumented. I have no Internet connectivity so cannot install notepad++ and must thus use wordpad or notepad to examine them.
On a customer site, tasked with converting their customer's homegrown file transfer via vb scripts to operate with their new managed file transfer solution.
Some highlights: no one as the customer site knows what the expectations, limitations or behaviors of the systems on either end, so questions to the effect of "Do we have to do it this way, or is it an artifact of vbs that this step works the way it does?"
Their customer's employee who wrote the scripts has long left, no one in the organisation knows anything about them. No one can answer "why does this transfer occur by echoing the file to a telnet socket?"
No test systems or accounts except the one server I am on. It is a windows server, both ends are *nix.
Half the transfers involve a proprietary transfer protocol not supported by our software which is called via batch file on the original system. This is not installed or supported by our customer - no guidance on how to handle these.
A significant chunk of the transfers involve logging into the source server via telnet, and rolling the files into individual tars "to preserve the unix details" or moving the files to a local archive (needless to say, this is best handled on the opposite end).
The vb scripts are of course vb scripts, so are a pain to read. They are also about 50% commented out code but are entirely undocumented. I have no Internet connectivity so cannot install notepad++ and must thus use wordpad or notepad to examine them.
This is when you tell them "I'll be right back," walk to the nearest Starbucks, and Google/download everything you need there.
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Apothe0sisHave you ever questioned the nature of your reality?Registered Userregular
The nearest hotspot is about 20 minutes driving time, the site is in an industrial area.
The fact they have no idea about any requirements is the greatest source of frustration.
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Donovan PuppyfuckerA dagger in the dark isworth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered Userregular
So then you have to go back to the office to retrieve a flashdrive with some obscure utilities on it. Then follow Thanatos' plan.
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Apothe0sisHave you ever questioned the nature of your reality?Registered Userregular
That doesn't fix the major issue - no one knows what the fuck they want.
Anyone aware of an app that can find all IPs on my network and figure out what OS they're using? I'm trying to track down a rogue server in the rackmount and I'm not really wanting to rip it out to get a monitor attached to it.
I know it's an ubuntu system, and there's only 3 of them, so it would help me greatly save time and effort doing it.
not a doctor, not a lawyer, examples I use may not be fully researched so don't take out of context plz, don't @ me
Anyone aware of an app that can find all IPs on my network and figure out what OS they're using? I'm trying to track down a rogue server in the rackmount and I'm not really wanting to rip it out to get a monitor attached to it.
I know it's an ubuntu system, and there's only 3 of them, so it would help me greatly save time and effort doing it.
I've used nmap before. You can pass it an IP address range and it should try to guess the OS. There may be a better tool, but I've used this and it is pretty decent. The scan could take awhile depending on how many hosts on the network though.
Note that I've had it turns up unknowns often dependent on the firewall settings of the machine, but I haven't seen it be a problem with linux boxes. It usually gets those right, even to the kernel version.
Damn IT ninja's, always double posting behind your back.
SiliconStew on
Just remember that half the people you meet are below average intelligence.
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Apothe0sisHave you ever questioned the nature of your reality?Registered Userregular
While your solution does have its own appeal @bowen, I took the cowards way out:
Built a VM environment on my laptop mirroring their requirements.
Made the PM call a meeting to decide the questions
Decided to build things that do redundant/inefficient things to directly reproduce the functionality of the old system as no one knows which parts are indeed important.
The result appears to be they want to do something despite me repeatedly warning that I suspect it will fail PCI audit. So that is what I will do.
Posts
Trying to link the tables in this report to the new database gives me the same error. I've given the user Full Control over the Access database it says that she doesn't have permissions for, and I've tried running the report from the domain admin account. Neither works. I do not see an .mdw file for this database (yes, I have show hidden on). The Googles do not seem to be helpful. Any suggestions?
How are you linking the two? odbc?
which database did you migrate? the sql or access?
Yup. Or, at least, ODBC is what I'm using to link the reports to the SQL database.
Now that you mention it, some of the reports seemed to draw from the SQL database, and the ones that are having problems draw from the Access database. Which might be part of the problem. But I can't even get them to hit the old Access database anymore.
Both. The SQL does most of the heavy lifting I think, though. The Access is mostly there for the old-school adapted-from-DOS interface program to draw from.
The exact error message is "You do not have the necessary permissions to use the 'Z:\folder\AccessDatabase.mdb' object. Have your system administrator or the person who created this object establish the appropriate permissions for you."
I think the permissions thing is kind of a red herring, because it's an issue with the old pre-migration database, as well, and I never changed anything permissions-wise, there.
I wonder if it's an ODBC thing...?
And they won't tell me the passphrase or the method in which to revoke it.
And this, my friends, is why people prefer OSS set ups to corporate stuff. Was working fine for a year and then stopped randomly because of this certificate thing.
The email exchange turned unpleasant really fast when I said their prebaked expiration and inability to fix the situation with their software out of the box and requiring me to pay for support on it (not covered by warranty and we didn't have one anyways) was pretty piss poor.
I'm about ready to tell them to fuck off, set up rsync + nfs and call it a fucking day. Oh yeah, these boxes are some form of unix so setting up a cron job with rsync after SSHing into their OS should be child's fucking play. Fucking piss me off more why don't you.
Avoid overland/snap servers in the future if you want to use their EDR functionality.
However, I come to you with a question (or a quest!). As I share responsibility for management of over 2000 workstations, I have no central office. I have an office in every building I work in, that I share with others, (though I have my own terminal in every building). To that end, I mostly find myself carrying around a small backpack with tools, but it is far from complete.
Current things I carry. (Mind you, I'm trying to keep weight down.)
- Screwdriver + Bit Set
- Electrical Tape
- Flashlight
- Network Cable
- USB Drives with Various Images (Ubuntu Live, Windows, Windows PE, OS X)
Do you guys have any recommendations for things that you find very useful to keep in your kit?
Daily Double: Do you guys have any recommendations for a good work laptop? A coworker of mine has a Transformer, which is super nice because it can be Laptop or Tablet, but, unfortunately, it's just Android bound, and I'd like a Windows or Linux interface to be available. Low weight but high performance is important for me. I ask because my job is willing to pay a large portion of it for me if I use it for work.
Is the ODBC connection set up to use a specific login?
Butane soldering iron, pocket knife, zip ties, super glue?
If you do any cable work, then:
- 8P8C RJ-48 mod plugs (solid/stranded)
- Crimpers
- Cable strippers
- Electrician's scissors
- Punch down tool (w/ 66 and 110-block blades)
- Compartmentalized plastic storage box (for RJ-48s, bridge clips, little things)
Also
- Leatherman (or equivalent)
- USB to Serial adapter (if you console into anything)
- Straight-thru and cross-over Ethernet cable
- Zip ties
- Roll of velcro
- Multi-bit screwdriver set (it has phillips, flat-head, torx, hex, various security bits...)
That's what I carry between my tool bag (kept locked up at work) and my backpack (comes home with me) - network engineer by trade. I'll probably remember more later.
It might be a stupid question - but have you given the login the appropriate permissions for the database / tables the reports are accessing?
I also usually bring a cable tester. I find that it is super nice to be able to at least say that the cable is not the problem.
For my part, my duties are deploying hardware, maintaining that hardware, and troubleshooting hardware, software, and software based network issues. All hardware based network issues are handled by building maintenance and the server group.
However, having Cable Strippers and Insulated Scissors is a very good idea. A pair of tweezers wouldn't go amiss, now that I think about it. (How many times I have dropped a screw between a narrow set of capacitors, I cannot count). An AC line tester would probably be useful, (two weeks on the job and I've already run into three dead outlets). The leatherman is an excellent idea that I forgot, simply due to the fact that work gave us our own Leatherman Wave the first day. Also, I'm finding out just how invaluable it is to have a VGA to DVI adapter on me, so that if I need one I have one, then grab a new one when I'm back at base.
fuck up once and you break your thumb / if you're happy at all then you're god damn dumb
that's right we're on a fucked up cruise / God is dead but at least we have booze
bad things happen, no one knows why / the sun burns out and everyone dies
http://ninite.com/
Also, having the standard 8 or 16GB USB stick with various drivers/apps that are used by the systems is dead useful too.
This. If there's apps that your company regularly has installed on all or most PCs, you should have the installer handy if at all possible. Also, put Sysinternals on it.
It is worth noting, however, that if you have a very homogenous workstation type (i.e. a small number of different PC models) it may make sense to keep a disk image for each model and familiarize yourself with Sysprep.
+1 vote for "USB drive with handy software".
i've set up Windows Deployment Services with and it's been awesome since I got the right drivers for each hardware base.
And I gave the login "full control" up to two parent folders of the Access Database. Also, tried it with a domain administrator, and got the same message.
I'm reasonably sure it's not a failing HDD, and running XP repair from disc didn't help. Any ideas?
Anything odd listed in:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Runonce
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\ Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run
Anything that might reference a network location that's no longer available?
I assume you've already run malware checks, looked through Task Manager for anything that looks shady?
On a customer site, tasked with converting their customer's homegrown file transfer via vb scripts to operate with their new managed file transfer solution.
Some highlights: no one as the customer site knows what the expectations, limitations or behaviors of the systems on either end, so questions to the effect of "Do we have to do it this way, or is it an artifact of vbs that this step works the way it does?"
Their customer's employee who wrote the scripts has long left, no one in the organisation knows anything about them. No one can answer "why does this transfer occur by echoing the file to a telnet socket?"
No test systems or accounts except the one server I am on. It is a windows server, both ends are *nix.
Half the transfers involve a proprietary transfer protocol not supported by our software which is called via batch file on the original system. This is not installed or supported by our customer - no guidance on how to handle these.
A significant chunk of the transfers involve logging into the source server via telnet, and rolling the files into individual tars "to preserve the unix details" or moving the files to a local archive (needless to say, this is best handled on the opposite end).
The vb scripts are of course vb scripts, so are a pain to read. They are also about 50% commented out code but are entirely undocumented. I have no Internet connectivity so cannot install notepad++ and must thus use wordpad or notepad to examine them.
The fact they have no idea about any requirements is the greatest source of frustration.
A good dose of "Fuck it, I'll do it my way and see what happens" is in order. Can't treat people who won't give specs any other way.
I know it's an ubuntu system, and there's only 3 of them, so it would help me greatly save time and effort doing it.
I've used nmap before. You can pass it an IP address range and it should try to guess the OS. There may be a better tool, but I've used this and it is pretty decent. The scan could take awhile depending on how many hosts on the network though.
http://nmap.org/download.html
Note that I've had it turns up unknowns often dependent on the firewall settings of the machine, but I haven't seen it be a problem with linux boxes. It usually gets those right, even to the kernel version.
Damn IT ninja's, always installing mystery hardware behind your back.
Built a VM environment on my laptop mirroring their requirements.
Made the PM call a meeting to decide the questions
Decided to build things that do redundant/inefficient things to directly reproduce the functionality of the old system as no one knows which parts are indeed important.
The result appears to be they want to do something despite me repeatedly warning that I suspect it will fail PCI audit. So that is what I will do.