Logs, Damn Logs, and Statistics
Edward Marczak – Google
Is there any way to know what your beloved mac is doing when something is not working? Is there any weapon we can use to fight against people who think that everything works correctly and the problem is yours? The answer is: YES. Logs, logs, logs. For all of you out there who are scared about the amount of messages contained in log files, Ed Marczak performed a very interesting session based on the concept that logs are just text and if you can read text then you can read logs. Showing where those files are located and how easy it is to access, read and decrypt them, the session also gave an overview of useful utilities and tools that OS X makes available (such as syslog, logger for bash, NSlog for Obj-C and logging modules for Python and Ruby). Also covered was how to manage the file lifecycle, the facility and severity of the reports as well as a good number of brilliant suggestions to survive with a huge amount of information. So now that we have ammo for our weapons, we know what to look at when the Mac is not doing what we are expecting…we just have to practice, practice and practice.
Moving to a New Home
Per Olofsson – University of Gothenburg
Standardization is never a simple activity to design and perform, especially if this has to be done in a variety of dynamic (and why not, confusing) environments like the Academic world represents. Per Olofsson is living proof that a thorough analysis and a detailed process plan gives, at the end, amazing results. Starting from a real complex situation in terms of architectures and technologies (6-8000 users, around 15.000 machines and more than 50 directory domains), Per and his team have started a process of standardization. This process began with a common email platform migration, walked through a re-organization of the standard windows environment and a refresh of the network and security architecture to the integration of the Macs into this structure. Per highlighted which solutions have been used and merged to get this huge project done. Definitely well done.
Dino Libertino
Consultant for over 15 years supporting most of the largest Italian publishers and advertising agencies, now senior mac systems engineer for a large entertainment company. Based in Milan (Italy), he is specialized in desktop management, imaging and software deployment across regions. When he is not behind a Mac he shares the time between his two passions: family and soccer!
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