Eric The IT Guy

I can’t believe how fast this semester went. Teaching Linux Administration at #JCCC has been one of the highlights of my year.

Watching students go from “what’s a terminal?” to confidently managing services, firewalls, accounts, and networks never gets old […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

I spent last week rebuilding my entire setup — migrating from #Unraid to #Proxmox.

New storage layout, new VMs, new containers, new automations.
It’s amazing how a clean slate can simplify everything and spark new ideas.

Still tweaking, still optimizing […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

If you’re troubleshooting a weird network issue and nothing makes sense, try this combo:
dig +trace example.com

It walks the entire DNS resolution path — root → TLD → authoritative — and shows you exactly where things fall apart. It’s one of those tools that […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Maybe we could get Nike to Sponsor #linux! Just Sudo It indeed!

#MemeMonday #SysAdmin

Friday Reflections:

Someone gave me great advice recently:
Each night: shut off your phone, meditate, take a hot bath, and fall asleep with an audiobook.

It’s simple, but it’s helped me wind down, rest deeper, and reset for the next day.

IT work (and life) […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Tech Tip Thursday!

Encryption isn’t just for spies, haha, it’s for sysadmins too. 😉

Three easy wins you can start today:
* Encrypt /home or sensitive directories with LUKS or eCryptfs.
* Use GPG for signing and verifying packages or configs.
* Enable HTTPS […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Question for my fellow IT pros:

What’s one small thing you’ve done that made your systems noticeably more secure or stable?

Could be an alias, a config tweak, a tool, or a habit.
Sometimes it’s not the big overhauls that save the day but the five-minute […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Taught about host security last week! Here are a few essentials:
🔒 Default-deny firewalls (ufw or firewalld)
🧰 Disable unneeded services
🖧 Use SSH keys, not passwords
📊 Watch /var/log/secure for odd activity

Host hardening is your first defense, not your […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Account security on Linux starts simple: principle of least privilege.

A few quick checks:
1) Ensure no one logs in directly as root
2) Use sudo with proper group assignments
3) Enforce strong password or key policies
4) Monitor failed logins via […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

VFX can’t sleep, and neither can your systems.

In my session from @almalinux Day: Vancouver, I walk through how AlmaLinux, paired with live patching via #KernelCare, keeps creative pipelines secure and stable without interrupting rendering, editing, or production flow!

Whether you’re running a […]

The Linux desktop is changing...fast.
This week, I’m joined by Brodie Robertson to talk about the display server drama of the decade: the end of X11 and the rise of Wayland.

We dig into:
🖥️ The weird, wonderful history of X11
⚙️ Why Wayland is different (and […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

I believe #openSource makes everyone better. #IT #linux #memeMonday

@techcrunch.com My heart goes out to those that have lost their jobs this year. I was laid off in March and I’m still feeling the effects.
A colleague of mine has made an amazing (and free) resource on how to find new jobs in these crazy times. He outlined it in a recent episode of my podcast […]

Burnout doesn’t always come from too much work. Sometimes it’s from carrying too much weight in the background. Between ongoing parenting hurdles and the usual chaos of life, I’ve learned how important it is to pause and protect your bandwidth.

This weekend […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

When troubleshooting network issues in Linux, I start simple:

ping -c4 host. # Basic reachability
ip route show # Check routing table
ss -tuln # View open sockets
traceroute host # Trace the path

What’s your favorite first step when something won’t connect?
#linux #networking #sysadmin #techtips

Tech Tip Wednesday:

Ever need to copy a large directory but keep permissions and links intact? Try:
rsync -avh /source/ /destination/

-a preserves permissions, links, timestamps
-v gives you progress
-h makes sizes human-readable

Bonus: add --progress if […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

I finally get to hit the road again! Next week, I'll be in St. Louis, Missouri for SuperCompute 2025!. Let me know if you plan on attending and can chat about #linux, automation, and how awesome Star Trek Strange New Worlds has been!

Hehehe, so true!

Between teaching Linux networking, recording new episodes, and keeping my own systems patched, it’s been one of those “busy but good” weeks.

Sometimes the win isn’t finishing everything — it’s keeping momentum without burning out.

What’s one small win […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Tech Tip Thursday:

Networking 101 on #Linux doesn’t have to be intimidating. A few go-to commands can tell you almost everything you need to know:

ip addr # View IPs and interfaces
ip route # Show routing table
ping -c4 host # Test connectivity
ss -tuln # […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

When you spin up a new Linux server, what’s the first thing you do after login?

Update packages? Create a new user and disable root login? Install your favorite tools?

For me, it’s usually setting up #Ansible access!

What’s your ritual?

#Linux #SysAdmin #OpenSource #ITCareers

Applying online and hearing nothing back? You’re not alone — and it’s not your fault.

I chat with #JeffryUllman, creator of the LinkedIn Job Search Masterclass, about escaping the résumé black hole, optimizing your profile, and building your brand.

🎧 […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

I have tried to wrap my head around tiling window managers, but I just haven't figured it out! LOL
#memeMonday #linux #sysadmin

👻 Scariest things for a sysadmin:

rm -rf / without a backup
“Can you just reboot production real quick?”

A surprise kernel panic at 17:00 on a Friday

Happy Halloween, everyone!
May your logs be clean and your uptime unbroken.

#Halloween #SysAdmin #Linux #ITLife

Managing printers on Linux?
You’ll need to get familiar with CUPS — the Common Unix Printing System.

Try these quick commands:
lpstat -p # List printers
lpadmin -p PRINTER -E -v DEVICE -m DRIVER # Add a printer
cancel -a # Cancel all jobs

CUPS makes it […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

Midweek question for my fellow IT pros:
What’s one old-school piece of tech or process you secretly miss?
Floppy disks? Physical install media? Walking a USB stick across the datacenter? 😅

Drop yours below ⬇️

#ITCareers #SysAdmin #TechNostalgia

It’s been a busy stretch lately — I’ve been in full-on video sprint mode producing new content for TuxCare!

I’ve been recording a ton of new explainers on how we help sysadmins make Linux management a little less… chaotic.

My latest video digs into one of […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]

This is the Way. #linux #windows #sysadmin

This year has been the hardest of my life — I lost my job, my financial footing, and my marriage.

But I’m still standing. Still learning. Still building.

If there’s one thing I’ve discovered, it’s that resilience isn’t about never falling — it’s about finding your footing again when the ground […]

Getting laid off is tough — but it doesn’t have to define you.

In this solo episode, I share my own experience and the best advice I’ve heard on recovering, rebuilding, and moving forward.

🎧 https://podcast.itguyeric.com/16

🎥 https://youtu.be/mWunqmHLHy4 […]

[Original post on mastodon.social]