Anyone else getting false positives on PurpleKnight?

I'm getting NTLM V1 enabled and LDAP channel binding not required, which obviously isn't true. Maybe it's the context or the location I'm running from?

https://redd.it/1ngoat8
@r_systemadmin

How do fellow sysadmins relax after (or during) work?

I'm genuinely curious — as a system administrator, what do you do to relax after long working hours or even while you're on the job during a quieter moment?

Personally, whenever I need to unwind and feel truly calm, I just fill my bike with a full tank of petrol, head far outside the city, and reach the most peaceful spot I can find—where vehicles are few and far between. I park my bike by the roadside, lie back to watch the stars above, and listen to people passing by, overhearing their conversations. It’s actually funny to hear how everyone has their own problems and is rushing through life in such different ways. Somehow, that whole experience helps me disconnect and find real peace.

What helps you feel calm and recharged? Do you turn to hobbies, music, gaming, small breaks, or something totally different?

I’d love to hear what makes your soul feel lighter and happier outside (or in between) all the troubleshooting and firefighting of our workday

https://redd.it/1ngth6g
@r_systemadmin

windows Server 2016 azure VM Stuck in Reboot Loop after Sept9th updates - any ideas?

HI,
Yes, I'm aware I should not be running 2016 still, but that's besides the point ;)

We have an RDS farm in Azure and all our servers took the update fine, except our RDS Broker which seems to be stuck in an infinite reboot loop.

We had to roll it back to a previous backup, but when the updates went on again, to no surprise, the issue returned.
I cannot find anything out there about this issue (checked the megathread), so I"m hoping for any ideas here.
We can't really get on it to check logs. We don't have Bastion setup so can't really connect to it upon bootup unfortunately.

The updates it's trying to install are below.

2025-09 Servicing Stack Update for Windows Server 2016 for x64-based Systems (KB5065687)
2025-09 Cumulative Update for .NET Framework 4.8 for Windows Server 2016 for x64 (KB5065749)
2025-09 Cumulative Update for Windows Server 2016 for x64-based Systems (KB5065427).


The one thing I thought of doing was changing the underlying server hardware (moving it from a Bseries to a Dseries) though I don't really get why I'd need to do that either though...

Kinda running blind here...looking for ideas. Thanks!

https://redd.it/1nguilz
@r_systemadmin

InTune Migration

Hey, everybody.
My organization is currently using hybrid AD. We have an on prem domain controller in both locations which replicate to Azure. We are setting up InTune to take over device management and group policy.
Any recommendations as far as best practices or pitfalls to be aware of? What was the your best method for joining existing devices to InTune?
Thanks!

https://redd.it/1ngu50b
@r_systemadmin

Windows 10/11. A service added by a Software kill/Stop Events

Hey Team,

I've been banging my head on where are the events in the Event Viewer.

I did a quick test to see if any service stop events can be seen; I did

sc stop spooler

but in the Event Viewer > System > No logs are generated.

Can anyone help please!!?????

https://redd.it/1ngyu9c
@r_systemadmin

I am so confused is a Corporate Intranet still called an 'Intranet' or are we now using language like 'Digital Workplace', 'Employee engagement platform' etc

After 25 year in what I have always called the "Intranet" Software Industry, I'm finding that since the Pandemic and subsequent work from home phenomenon prospective customers are now using new terms for the platform. How do I square this when I'm trying to put together our marketing plans for next year. Can anyone help clear this up? Is this a generational language shift?

https://redd.it/1ngz72i
@r_systemadmin

I've taken on a monster....

I've just left a long term job for an organisation where I'm now in charge of the following disaster.

- most devices Windows 10
- all devices have no encryption
- all servers haven't had an update in multiple years and all have out of date OS's
- each device user is a local admin and that's how they want to keep it
- switches all have default credentials
- one of the servers has a hardware fault
- they are using Access databases and pivot tables for crucial systems

There's no processes, no helpdesk, and there's politics to get through before I can even begin to form a plan.. And the team is comprised of.... Just me!
My first week and a half was comprised of writing a report to make them away.

Do I run?!



https://redd.it/1nh0g7z
@r_systemadmin

new to all this

hi folks
so i am new to this space (being called a sys admin when i only have 6mths of soc experience under my belt) or ill say the noscript and well the work too. I’ve been tasked to create a firewall through microsoft 365s suite of tools and i’m
not sure where to start. Yes i am new to any type of computer or admin work like this. i was inspired when i had a SOC internship opportunity and saw how that company worked with endpoint and SIR. so

Objective: create a filtering system where this wall can monitor the entire domain network from phishing attacks and other iocs like that so that as this business is growing it will have some form of security infrastructure.

what i think id have to do: create a baseline so that there’s a basis for what regular traffic looks like. i can have access to the ceo’s credentials (at least my thought process would be if he’s the one probably getting the most traffic he would have a more wide range of incoming and outbound emails)

i know that they are using azure for mdm and i want to be able to spread that security around to the devices as well since they are all being monitored through apple business management and azures MDM.

im not gonna lie i am kinda stuck i have multiple tabs open trying to understand submitting things, about copilot and just where to go from here to be honest. i would appreciate no malicious feedback back telling me find another job or something because i believe i can do this im just stuck and could really use some help cause the “zero to hero” videos on youtube for azure aren’t really helping. i hope i don’t sound to pessimistic just overwhelmed with the task but working my way through and utilizing any resource i can except chatgpt (unless that would help just haven’t tried that either)

thanks

https://redd.it/1nh3a1d
@r_systemadmin

Greybeards - What is the plan for when you can't/wont retire and you are inevitably pushed out of SysAdmin?

40 years under the yoke. Linux and storage admin. Still current, still learning the new stuff. I will get RIF'd eventually and dread the job search. Hiring Managers gonna take one look at the grey hair, the stress lines and nope right out. Did the Management track for 20 years and hated it. Much happier as an individual contributor. Thought about going into teaching, but I hate people (Linux guy! Duh). What's the next phase for us to earn a paycheck until they find us dead at the wheel?

https://redd.it/1nh4i80
@r_systemadmin

Starwind Vsan questions regarding SRV-IO

Hey fellow sysadmins,

Im currently setuping a two node starwind vsan (CVM based) system, that uses Windows clustering to provide high availability file servers. Everything is running under Hyper-V. I'm having trouble getting SRV-IO to work. When I use a VF interface within the CVM, I get not connection between nodes or the hosts. I am using Intel x540 10gb network cards for my replication and ISCSI networks. Two questions:

1. Will i really notice much of a perfomance gain with SRV-IO vs the normal virtual interface and virtual switch in this use case?

2. If so, any suggestions to get this working? Good places to start for troubleshooting?

Thanks yall!

https://redd.it/1nh7xjf
@r_systemadmin

Dell Smart Docks and Dell Device Management Console

I am tearing my hair out with this one.

I cannot get my laptop or any smart dock to register with the Dell Device Management Console. The DDMA Console is blank, like shown here in the Dell guide https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-au/000348677/host-does-not-appear-in-dell-device-management-console-after-installing-dell-device-management-agent

I've removed the agent several times and re-ran the CLI with the group ID but still the PC wont register.

The smart docks also will not check in either. I've set option 180 and 190 as described here: https://www.dell.com/support/manuals/en-au/device-management-console/peripheral_mgmt_1.x_rn/configuring-dell-pro-smart-docks?guid=guid-17712791-e4c2-4dfe-a19b-c5d27f766686&lang=en-us and have used wireshark to verify both options are appearing. I've confirmed the key several times and tried also making custom groups as well.

Where am I going wrong here??

https://redd.it/1nh9dty
@r_systemadmin

Windows 10 Extended Support Subnoscription - Updates - How?

If you buy the $61 USD Subnoscription to extend support for Windows 10 for 12 months, will the updates turn up when you do a windows update from the computer (or via the API in an RMM situation), or, is it a case of it having to be enrolled into the cloud management console and managing updates via that? I am trying to make sure that our RMM will be able to update Windows 10 who have a subnoscription or will it need to be done via Azure Arc?

TIA


https://redd.it/1nh9t00
@r_systemadmin

Oracle Exadata

Hello. So my one of my company's client recently got their hand on some Oracle Exadata X10M, and my managers decided that it's up to me to get them up and running. Config the server, storage tuning, tshoot etc. I haven't even seen the server up close, yet I'm supposed to know how it work. I've worked with Sparc series and know my way around them, but from what I've heard Exadata is a whole different beast.
So my question is have you worked with it? If so, Can you give me some pointers on what should i do or where should I begin? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

https://redd.it/1nheztv
@r_systemadmin

How do small companies without a SOC team handle cybersecurity?

I’ve noticed that most small and mid-sized businesses don’t have the budget or people to run a full-fledged security operations center.

For those of you managing IT/security in small teams:

What are your biggest security pain points (phishing, ransomware, insider misuse, cloud misconfigurations)?

Do you currently use any tools (SIEM, endpoint detection, log monitoring)?

If not, what’s stopping you — cost, complexity, or lack of time/people?

Curious to hear real-world experiences. This will help me understand how smaller companies actually tackle security day-to-day.

https://redd.it/1nhfmj4
@r_systemadmin

Moronic Monday - September 15, 2025

Howdy, /r/sysadmin!

It's that time of the week, Moronic Monday! This is a safe (mostly) judgement-free environment for all of your questions and stories, no matter how silly you think they are. Anybody can answer questions! My name is AutoModerator and I've taken over responsibility for posting these weekly threads so you don't have to worry about anything except your comments!

https://redd.it/1nhhoyc
@r_systemadmin

local AD Password Complexity Error

Hi fellow Microsoft people,

I have a local AD running on Functional Level 2016, main DC Server 2016, secondary DC 2019.
Last week, my users started getting errors when changing their passwords - the classic "password does not meet complexity standards".
I just have the default complexity standards applied with a GPO, unchanged for years now - used to work pretty well.
Even when testing myself, I get hit with this error message, despite the new, randomly generated passwords, which definitely meet the complexity requirements.

Has anyone seen this problem before and has any tips for me?

https://redd.it/1nhh5q4
@r_systemadmin

O365 to O365 Migration

Hey, I've done these in the past for smaller companies (20-30 users, max, they work less than 5 days a week so the migration was even easier). However, now I'm up against a 200 user beast, well established on O365, however, we need to move over to a new tenant due to some billing issues. Is BitTitan still the best option for these migrations? Anything new I should know? (havent done one since 2020)

https://redd.it/1nhiwd8
@r_systemadmin

Do you let employees DM IT, or force a structured intake?

1. One of the biggest debates we see:
Allow DMs (easy for users, chaos for IT)
2. Force tickets/requests in a structured way (less chaos, more complaints from users)
Which side are you on?

https://redd.it/1nhlc2d
@r_systemadmin

Looking for Cheap (free) Ticketing system

I'm a one man shop, internal IT for about 200 people and growing. I'm at the point where email/text/phone calls is getting cumbersome to manage. I don't think I'm busy enough to justify spending thousands of dollars either yet.

Anyone know of a cheap, preferably free IT Ticketing system to help manage IT issues? I've never really used any in the past so I don't even know where to start looking.

https://redd.it/1nhk8wm
@r_systemadmin

Controlling Chrome extensions in schools?

i m ed tech coordinator. Teachers love installing free grading helpers but most ask for sensitive permissions and access. Is there a tool to whitelist only safe extensions?



https://redd.it/1nhj9pz
@r_systemadmin

I'm shocked at how bad GoDaddy is

GoDaddy are our domain registrar and they host a managed WordPress site for us

About a month ago, we moved name servers and updated them in GoDaddy - everything was working fine after the TTLs expired (nothing has changed in DNS either - this was just some shuffling around for better DNS management)

Today we find that the WordPress site is dead with an SSL error

This is entirely managed by them, and when I log into our account, I don't see any errors or issues - nor can I get to the WordPress admin page as it's behind the dead site

So I call their support - first red flag - they asked me for my MFA code

No not the support PIN on my account, my MFA code from my authenticator app

You know, the thing we train users to NEVER GIVE TO ANYONE

And what do they tell me? The name server change somehow caused them to change the IP of the WordPress site, so we're pointing at the wrong place

Did they inform us of this change? Nope - no emails or anything

They give me the new IP and I update our DNS and try it again on my machine using Cloudflare DNS since CF don't seem to care about TTL

Nope, same error - so this new IP has the same problem

Next thing they tell me is domain verification is failing because our name servers are 3rd party and not hosted with them (as is best practice)

They then recommend transferring our name servers back to them

Just what the fuck? Our name server change was just a recreation of the zone in another RG in Azure using IaC to configure it - and it's a direct match to what it was before

I genuinely don't understand how they've shit the bed so hard here

https://redd.it/1nhojjb
@r_systemadmin