GeekNights 20110411 - SNMP

MrPeriod

Tonight on GeekNights, we discuss SNMP: the Simple Network Management Protocol, and how you can trivially use it to monitor Linux servers. In the news, Adobe moves to a subscription model and drops Soundbooth (thankfully), human brains are more malleable than one might think, and Google is liable in Italy for defamation from search results.

• Rym's Thing - Parrots, The Universe, and Everything
• Scott's Thing - OCD Cutting Board

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Rym

Net-snmp. This is some bog-standard Linux administration.

Coldguy

I've worked at one company that actually used SNMP, and it was a tech school. It still baffles me when I tell people about this and they look back at me and tell me "that sounds cool, but we need to see if we have the budget it." Ah well, thanks for the episode I am re listening to the admin episodes and to throw a suggestion into the fire, got any good project management applications that an IT place should use?

Matt

We use SNMP at my job to monitor the health of rack-mounted power supplies. Very useful.

open_sketchbook

I just want to thank Geeknights for doing these specific IT Tech shows. I'm one of those casual computer users that Rym and Scott hate so much (ie I only dual-boot Linux so I can occasionally use Linux-exclusive programs, I don't actually know how most of my software works, I can't code for shit, and I haven't built my own computer recently) and it's very useful to know how little I know, so I at least have a decent baseline knowledge when I interact with real tech people and I'll be less likely to make stupid or impossible requests. As an artist, I hate that whole "20% cooler" thing in commissions; these tech shows help me to avoid doing the same thing to IT guys.

Rochelle

So exactly how is 5.1 surround sound supposed to be set up? I got an LG 5.1 surround sound system a while ago. We followed the instructions of setting it up and there is sound coming out of all of the speakers. We notice sounds coming out of different speakers during certain events of whatever we're watching, so is it safe to assume we're doing it right?

How are people doing it wrong?

Rym

How are people doing it wrong?

1. They don't read or follow the instructions.
2. They wire their speakers incorrectly.
3. They configure their TV/receiver incorrectly.

Apreche

So exactly how is 5.1 surround sound supposed to be set up? I got an LG 5.1 surround sound system a while ago. We followed the instructions of setting it up and there is sound coming out of all of the speakers. We notice sounds coming out of different speakers during certain events of whatever we're watching, so is it safe to assume we're doing it right?

How are people doing it wrong?

I could write a fucking book. To keep it short the most common mistake is wiring the system in such a way that a stereo signal is sent to the surround receiver as opposed to an AC3 signal. However, people still think surround is working because Pro Logic and other technologies will still make sure all the speakers are used.

The best way to test if your surround sound is setup properly is to do this. Get a DVD that has a 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track. Make sure there's actually a Dolby Digital logo on there. Pixar DVDs are usually the best for testing home theaters since they are so well engineered. Play the DVD with the 5.1 audio track selected. Then look at your audio receiver. There should be some sort of light or indicator that says Dolby Digital or DTS on it. If it says something else such as Dolby Pro Logic or whatever, then it's not setup properly. Next do the same thing for every other device you have, like your game consoles and TV and HTPC and such. Putting the same DVD in your XBox is a good way to test that.

From what I've seen some people have those cheap ass all-in-one surround systems where the DVD player is built into the receiver, so they get surround sound working properly for DVDs without having to do anything, but surround sound for the rest of their devices isn't right.

Dr. Timo

Gorgeous, though expensive, SNMP frontend software Lithium. Macfags only (including iPhone app).

EDIT: Correction, they do provide a virtual machine app that can be deployed on Windows/Linux.

YoshoKatana

Oh mans. Bian Dang is teh awesome. They stop in front of my building (on 24th St.) every few days.