[wplug] Homeless Shelter Help

[Bryon Gill]

I have quite a few older monitors that I'd be happy to donate if they're wanted.

Bryon

On Thu, 1 Jul 2004, Wise, Jeremey wrote:

> Thanks for those who replied to my original email so far (always glad to
> have more:>)
> *********
> Who is in need of help?
> Northside Common Ministries
> 1601 Brighton Rd
> Pittsburg, PA 15212
> 
> P.O. Box 99861
> Pittsburg, PA 15233
> 
> Phone: (412)-323-1163
> Fax: (412)-323-1749
> 
> Janet Holz is the Executive Director
> Renee Hill is the Executive Assistant
> 
> 
> **************
> So far I have volenteer help from the following:
> Sean McCune <sean at redhandsoftware.com
> Brian Sammon <wplug-list at brisammon.fastmail.fm
> Gentgeen <gentgeen at linuxmail.org
> Tom Rhodes <trhodes at FreeBSD.org
> Carl Benedict <cbenedic at pittsburghtechs.com
> 
> This help includes hardware and / or software support. I realize that
> this is all provided as a gift and is greatly appreciated. I apologize
> that I can not be more fully involved but I did not feel right in
> introducing Linux to them when they have never heard of it. Here is a
> little more details. Based on the information I supply I would like to
> get a conferance call together review what they need. As in most
> migrations and transitions it can only be done successfully in stages,
> so the end user can assimilate the new processes. I pushed as hard as
> possible to get them to some semblance of stability but it will likely
> take some onsite surveys.
> 
> *********************
> The count of computers that I have is as follows
> 
> Hostname Class OS Function Issues
> DebXP PIII? 256MB XP Office Suite AOL,Spyware
> Manager PII 32MB 98 Office Suite Virus?, Spyware
> Pantry PII 500 64MB XP AccessDB PornoViruses,Spyware <100MB HDDFree
> NewPantry PII 64MB 98 AccessDB PornoViruses,Spyware,<100MB HDDFree
> Accounting PIV,CDburner,2x40GBHDD XP Server None when I left:>)
> ?Manager2 ? ? Office ?
> 
> Layout Overview:
> As you can see their systems are also donations like all things they
> get. The facility is in an old three floor where-house. Basement floor
> is a soup kitchen and food pantry. Second floor is a homeless shelter
> for ~40 beds a night. Third floor is for administrative. The two
> "Pantry" computers are where all their clients information is inputed
> into. Someone built a simple MS Access DB which tracks their
> information. They have NO (NEVER) backed up that DB!!!!!!!! I tried all
> week to simply make a backup of the DB but the 98 system had two major
> porn programs fighting for control with 64MB RAM and <100MB disk space
> to work with and a faulty network connection (donation of a punch-down
> panel on third floor with no labels). This computer and the second
> pantry computer are both in similar shape of software and virus as the
> users login with full admin rights and as such their systems are messed
> up. The computers on the third floor have basic issues of users loading
> 'crap' programs on their systems to make XP suck (yes Linux is better
> but any OS is only as good as the user treats it)
> 
> The Access DB: This is the main program that keeps the place open. I
> took a quick look at the structure and it looks simplistic but the data
> is in major distress. As it tracks all clients it is used to justify any
> government matching funds they can get and at this time has major
> inconsistencies. It has about 3500 clients in it. It became very
> unstable after an issue a month ago when they lost power. They have had
> to revert to manual paper process for much of their reporting which is
> becoming too much for them to handle. Their is another DB which tracks
> food alocation (I think) which I did not get to look at because I was
> scrabling as is to help them out with basics. I am sure that is also
> never backed up.
> 
> Network and Infastructure: They have a punchpanel on the third floor
> which seems ok but needs some help of tracking (I have a tone generator
> I can loan if their is not one amounts the local group). They do have
> wiring issues on the links down to the pantry systems. Their is a DSL
> router and a Lynxsys 8port switch which is VERY much in need of a
> cleaning and maybe some mounting to a wall or shelf. Cable quality is
> actually not too bad. Some connnections may be in need of looking at.
> The traffic load on the network is around 90% due to the viruses and
> Pornoware. I killed several programs on the pantry computers but that
> was not all of them.
> 
> 
> *****************************
> If it were local and I could help them out I would:
> 
> 1) Reload the Accounting computer as a Linux server with mirrored
> drives. IPtables firewall. SAMBA for file services. Second NIC one for
> pluging in and doing PPPoE and the other for LAN traffic. Use the
> CDBurner for backups and build a simple script to backup all /home where
> each user would have data stored. Install UPS with appropriate software.
> 
> 2) Bring server online and copy all data to the server.
> 
> 3) Rebuild Access DB or at least make a empty copy version and import
> what data is resonable. Supply both the old (for referance) and new for
> going forward.
> 
> 4) Add more RAM into computers downstairs to min 256MB and reload. They
> now have a spare 20GB drive so migration could be an easy rotation
> installation. If possible get drives larger then 2GB but the only need
> base OS plus Access and IE (or ?mozilla?). Lock down administrator
> account and create domain login process to new SAMBA server. 
> 
> 5) Rebuild Systems upstairs one at a time until all systems were rebuilt
> with good loads and viruses removed.
> 
> 6) Purchase some network Print Servers and install and setup LPD to
> eliminate Peer to Peer use of network.
> 
> 7) Enable remote control access with critera for when, how, and how they
> can feel they are not being "watched"
> 
> 8) (Possibly) Rewrite DB program to add some needed functions. The youth
> I took did much of the data entry one of the days and it needed a much
> smoother interface (MySQL with Web Portal).
> 9) Build Disaster recovery plan; Spare system, Contact list, process to
> recover documents or DB in case of corruption.
> 
> *****************
> 
> This is not to say that priorities may need to be different or that I am
> not missing something of more criticality to them (I was their for only
> four days). The sad thing was that plan above requires a minimal input
> of hardware (thanks to Best Buy). 90% of what is needed is
> administrative input and time. I see this as a great opportunity for the
> Linux community to not only help them out but get some real word
> experience. This would be great for newbies and seasoned alike. I told
> them you guys were out their and that some of the help would possible be
> a little "green" but as you can see they are in dire need of any help.
> 
> Thanks, 
> 
> 
> Jeremey Wise
> Jeremey.Wise at Agilysys.com
> Office: (440)-519-6006
> Cell: (216)-647-1121
> MCSE,CNE,CSE
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