IT Pro Tuesday #84
MSP Podcast, Powershell Book, Service Manager & More...
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Hello IT Pro,
This week we're looking for your favorite IT-related books to share with the community. Please leave a comment with your suggestions, and we'll be featuring them in the coming weeks.
As always, we’re updating the full list on our website here. Enjoy.
But on with this week's tools...! Here are the most-interesting items that have come across our desks, laptops and phones this week. As always, EveryCloud has no known affiliation with any of these unless we explicitly state otherwise.
A Tip
Keyboard shortcuts, compliments of Satisfying_Sequoia:
- WIN + X -> R R — Quickly restarts the workstation
- WIN + X -> A — Quickly opens up a new PS window as Admin
- WIN + . — Enter emojies into any chat window
A Podcast
The BrightGauge Podcast focuses on how to grow your business, with guests from all segments of the IT Service Provider industry. Offers practical tips and advice from experts from various areas of importance to MSPs. Suggested by Corey Trach.
A Free Tool
Wireless Network Watcher is a small utility that scans your wireless network to display all computers and devices currently connected. Lists IP address, MAC address, network card manufacturer and optionally computer name for every computer or device connected to your network. You can export the list into html/xml/csv/text file or copy it to the clipboard. Reverent recommends it because of its "no frills and very small portable package."
A Book
PowerShell in Depth 2nd Edition is an expert reference for sysadmins who already know PowerShell basics. In this hands-on guide, PowerShell MVPs Don Jones, Jeffrey Hicks and Richard Siddaway have covered every major technique, technology and tactic to create a hands-on guide to almost everything an admin would do in the shell, including automating tasks, packaging and deploying scripts, intro to Desired State Configuration and security. For PowerShell version 3 and later.
Another Free Tool
NSSM (the Non-Sucking Service Manager) is a service helper that, as the name suggests, doesn't suck. Unlike service helper programs that don't handle failure of the application running as a service—so you see a service listed as started when the application has died—NSSM monitors the running service and will restart it if it dies. You can also configure it to let Windows take care of recovery actions. Logs its progress to the system Event Log for help in troubleshooting. Features a graphical service installation and removal facility. Recommended by mythofechelon.
P.S. Bonus Free Tools
H2testw is a Flash drive test utility with a simple, easy-to-use interface. It writes the entire flash drive with test data then tries to read it back to verify integrity. Can be good for detecting counterfeit flash drives that report a size larger than the actual memory inside. Doesn't require installation.
QuickTextPaste is a small, portable Windows program that lets you run commands and programs via keyboard shortcut. Simply paste text in applications with your predefined shortcut. Recommended by Sgtjuggmasterr, who explains, "you can create context menus that you can access via keyboard shortcuts, these shortcuts can include system commands... You can also take the .ini file and import it to any other computer you may use, like save it to a network location. And it’s a run as exe, so it’s portable and easily launchable from a USB or network location."
Have a fantastic week and as usual, let me know any comments.
Graham | CEO | EveryCloud