Guy recommends :
Free – WMI Monitor
Get more ideas for your PowerShell scripts with SolarWinds’ WMI Monitor.
Guy's Review of Computer Tools
1) Belarc Advisor
2) Network Perf Mon
3) Freeping
4) PuTTY
5) Bandwidth Analyzer
6) Secunia
7) Net-SNMP
8) Permission Analyzer
9) DNS Stuff
10) WinDiff's Compare
Guy’s Best Practice & Litmus Tests Ezine
Best Practice
Everyone wants to know whether they are doing a job, any job, in the best way possible. Guy’s ‘Best Practice’ ezine is always worth skimming through because you will always find at least one piece of useful advice that you can apply to your network.
Litmus Tests idea
The idea behind my Litmus tests is to bring fun to computer networks. Each test asks a question about an aspect of best practice. The answer indicates whether you are dealing with a Professional or an Amateur. The majority of my tests are based around computing. However, you can have fun extending the Litmus test idea to include everyday activities like going to hairdresser, entering a shop or buying a new car.
Where the idea came from
Each Litmus testgives you an instant answer to the question: – "Is this a good idea or isthere a better way?” The brainwave for Litmus tests came to me when a delegate said: "Guy, I havejust joined a company; how do I know if our network and servers arerunning properly?" So I suggested simple checks that he could make to testif his network was run by amateurs or professionals.
Flash back
My mind flashed back to my schoolboy days when my chemistry teacher ‘Sniffy’ Pugh showed us Litmus tests. Perhaps you remember the test? Red means acid, blue means alkaline, so Litmus test was ideal name for a quick test where there are only two possible results.
Guy Recommends: The Free IP Address Tracker (IPAT) 
Calculating IP Address ranges is a black art, which many network managers solve by creating custom Excel spreadsheets. IPAT cracks this problem of allocating IP addresses in networks in two ways:
For Mr Organized there is a nifty subnet calculator, you enter the network address and the subnet mask, then IPAT works out the usable addresses and their ranges.
For Mr Lazy IPAT discovers and then displays the IP addresses of existing computers. Download the Free IP Address Tracker
Ezine Topics
The topics are Microsoft based. The main themes are Windows 2003 and Exchange 2003. Obviously, I get ideas from a wide variety of sources, but I never copy other people’s tips directly.
The early Ezines featured a spread shot of tips on different topics, whereas the later editions focus on one topic and provide tips, insights and even challenges. By and large I focus on those who are getting started, however even the most experienced techies have Achilles’ heels
Guy’s Best Practice Ezine: Back Issues
- BestPractice202 #202 – Permissions Analyzer
- BestPractice201 #201 – Autohotkey
- BestPractice200 #200 – Stuxnet
- BestPractice199 #199 – Readers 10 Apps
- BestPractice198 #198 – Office 2010 Upgrade
- BestPractice197 #197 – iPad Ripper
- BestPractice196 #196 – Network Security
- BestPractice195 #195 – Router Security
- BestPractice194 #194 – Deleting Accounts
- BestPractice193 #193 – Litmus Tests
- BestPractice192 #192 – Google’s OS
- BestPractice191 #191 – Cloud Computing
- BestPractice190 #190 – Free Net Monitor
- BestPractice189 #189 – Windows 7 Sp1
- BestPractice188 #188 – Screen Toast
- BestPractice187 #187 – Easy Transfer
- BestPractice186 #186 – W7 Deprecated
- BestPractice185 #185 – Joongel Search
- BestPractice184 #184 – Windows 7 Phone
- BestPractice183 #183 – Reader Recommended
- BestPractice182 #182 – It’s a Ripper
- BestPractice181 #181 – Config Generator
- BestPractice180 #180 – Godmode Folder
- BestPractice179 #179 – Hide Users
- BestPractice178 #178 – Lo Jack
- BestPractice177 #177 – Upgrade Vista
- BestPractice176 #176 – Superuser Forum
- BestPractice175 #175 – 7 Fun Windows 7 Tips
- BestPractice174 #174 – Windows 7 Traps
- BestPractice173 #173 – Handy Utilities
- BestPractice172 #172 – Review of Windows 7
- BestPractice171 #171 – Computer Wisdom
- BestPractice170 #170 – Have fun in the Registry
- BestPractice169 #169 – Uninstall .Net
- BestPractice168 #168 – UAC in Windows 7
- BestPractice167 #167 – Windiff
- BestPractice166 #166 – IPAM Tracker
- BestPractice165 #165 – 5 Nifty Utilities
- BestPractice164a #164 – Is Internet Altruism Dead? Browser redirect problem
- BestPractice164 #164 – Is Internet Altruism Dead? Browser redirect problem
- BestPractice163 #163 – Windows 7
- BestPractice162 #162 – IE 8
- BestPractice161 #161 – ObserveIT Xpress
- BestPractice160 #160 – Security anti-virus software. Worth hassle?
- BestPractice159 #159 – Free Kiwi Syslog Utility
- BestPractice158 #158 – MBSA and CPU-Z
- BestPractice157 #157 – Service Packs
- BestPractice156 #156 – Network Monitor
- BestPractice155 #155 – Windows 7 of Cloud 9?
- BestPractice154 #154 – Free Security Tools
- BestPractice153 #153 – Utilities – Ideas
- BestPractice152 #152 – Out of the server closet
- BestPractice151 #151 – Review of Google’s Chrome
- BestPractice150 #150 – ‘Dragons’ Den’ for Computer Utilities
- BestPractice149 #149 – Performance Monitoring
- BestPractice148 #148 – 64-bit Operating System, 32-bit Apps
- BestPractice147 #147 – Disk Problems
- BestPractice146 #146 – Handy Free Utilities
- BestPractice145 #145 – Bluster, or the Real Deal?
- BestPractice144 #144 – Training Advice
- BestPractice143 #143 – XP’s SP3
- BestPractice142 #142 – Virtual Server
- BestPractice141 #141 – Defrag Litmus Test
- BestPractice140 #140 – IE 8 Beta
- BestPractice139 #139 – End of Microsoft?
- BestPractice139 #138 – Free Utilities
- BestPractice137 #137 – IPv6 Update
- BestPractice136 #136 – IPv6 Introduction
- BestPractice135 #135 – Vista SP1 Update
- BestPractice134 #134 – DevCon and Antigen
- BestPractice133 #133 – Response Point
- BestPractice132 #132 – SrvInfo & Reskits
- BestPractice131 #131 – BgInfo
- BestPractice130 #130 – Vista SP1 Review
- BestPractice129 #129 – Vista SP1 Beta
- BestPractice128 #128 – Windows Update Fix
- BestPractice127 #127 – Reminders of Basics
- BestPractice126 #126 – The LCD Luddite
- BestPractice125 #125 – Readers Recommend
- BestPractice124 #124 – 5 Stages of Regedit
- BestPractice123 #123 – Windiff – Regedit
- BestPractice122 #122 – WVHA Assess Hw
- BestPractice121 #121 – NCPA.cpl Keyboard Shortcut
- BestPractice120 #120 – Website Insights
- BestPractice119 #119 – Windows Server 2003 SP2
- BestPractice118 #118 – Vista Registry
- BestPractice117 #117 – DST (Daylight Saving Time)
- BestPractice116 #114 – Vista Upgrade
- BestPractice115 #115 – Specops Gpupdate
- BestPractice114 #114 – SFC & SourcePath
- BestPractice113 #113 – Notification Icons
- BestPractice112 #112 – Help and Support
- BestPractice111 #111 – Vista for Mobiles
- BestPractice110 #110 – Computer Emulator
- BestPractice109 #109 – Test 0ffice 2007
- BestPractice108 #108 – Vista’s Gadgets
- BestPractice107 #107 – Registry’s Future
- BestPractice106 #106 – Readers Tips Sept
- BestPractice105 #105 – Vista Opportunities
- BestPractice104 #104 – Vista Guesstimate
- BestPractice103 #103 – Vista Anyone?
- BestPractice102 #102 – Sysprep Installs
- BestPractice101 #101 – OWA Tips
