Monthly Archives: August 2020

Admin Admin Podcast #085 – Verbosely build your objects

In this episode, without Jerry this time, we talk about Object Orientated Programming, provisioning machines with Terraform, Ansible, and Azure DevOps, and how to build new machines.

Show Notes: https://www.adminadminpodcast.co.uk/ep085sn/

Admin Admin Podcast #085 Show Notes – Verbosely build your objects

No Jerry this time, but we do have Al back!

What have we been up to?

Feedback

  • Wayne (from the Binary Times podcast) contacted us to suggest that we’re not being very good at explaining what terms mean. We try to clear some of the terms up that we use!

Techniques for Rebuilding a machine using Post-Provisioning Tools (like Ansible)

  • Jon suggests a process of using Git on /etc/ and /home/<user>/ with Vagrant to test each stage of the build, and to see what files are changed by each action performed. Once you’ve got your build instructions based on that, you can use something like Ansible, SaltPuppet or Chef to apply pos-install statements.
  • Stu mentions using Chocolatey for installing packages in Windows. Jon mentions that using BoxStarter works well for automating Chocolately installs. He mentions using boxstarter paths which are currently not documented – https://boxstarter.org/package/<yourpackage> and https://boxstarter.org/package/url/?some_path_to_a_boxstarter_set_of_instructions.
  • Jon mentions the Ubuntu Server Vagrant Box file, and the Desktopify script written by Martin Wimpress. He also talks about provisioning Windows machines where Terraform renames machines and adds them to the Active Directory Domain.

Object Orientated Programming

  • Al wanted to know more about what Object Orientated Programming (OOP) is, as he’s started looking at ASP.NET and has previously only known Classic ASP. Jon talks about it from his previous PHP experience and perspective. Jon talks about when he used OOP in a previous role to perform network device backups. Jon mentions he’d used OOP in CCHits.net and the now defunct CampFireManager.

Wrap up

We’re a member of the Other Side Podcast Network. The lovely Dave Lee does our Audio Production.

We want to remind our listeners that we have a Telegram channel and email address if you want to contact the hosts. We also have Patreon, if you’re interested in supporting the show. Details can all be found on our Contact Us page.