From the engineering team
Blog
100 practical articles on the problems we fix every week.
Practical writing from the RackLedge engineering team: helpdesk fixes, racking and data center practice, ransomware defense and recovery, managed IT operations and Microsoft 365 migrations. No fluff, no fake case studies.
Helpdesk issues and fixes
The problems that fill a helpdesk queue, and how to fix them properly instead of rebooting and hoping. 30 posts.
Password Resets: Set Up Self-Service in Entra ID and On-Prem ADHow to handle a password reset ticket safely, and how to set up Entra ID self-service password reset with writeback to on-prem Active Directory.Helpdesk issues and fixesMy Computer Is Slow: A Triage Checklist for the HelpdeskA practical checklist for the slow computer ticket: the questions to ask, what to read in Task Manager, the usual causes, and when to replace instead of fix.Helpdesk issues and fixesPrinter Not Printing: Fix the Spooler and the Usual CausesWhere a stuck print job actually is, how to clear the spooler safely, and the driver, port and print server problems behind most printer tickets.Helpdesk issues and fixesOutlook Stuck on Trying to Connect: What to Check and FixWhy Outlook shows Trying to connect or stops syncing, how to read the connection status window, and the credential, profile and OST fixes that resolve it.Helpdesk issues and fixesVPN Won't Connect: A Step-by-Step Helpdesk Troubleshooting GuideA helpdesk walkthrough for VPN connection failures: what the error codes mean, how to separate internet from tunnel problems, and the client and server fixes.Helpdesk issues and fixesOffice Wi-Fi Drops and Roaming Problems: How to Find the CauseHow to troubleshoot Wi-Fi that drops or sticks to a far access point in the office: client-side checks, roaming settings, channel planning and DHCP.Helpdesk issues and fixes
All helpdesk issues and fixes posts
Racking and data center tips
Rails, cabling, power, airflow and staging: the physical side of servers, done so the next technician thanks you. 10 posts.
How to Rack a Dell PowerEdge Server: ReadyRails and Safe LiftingStep by step for racking a Dell PowerEdge: sliding or static ReadyRails, fitting them to square or round holes, the two-person lift and the cable arm.Racking and data center tipsRack Layout and Weight Distribution: Heavy at the Bottom, UPS LowHow to lay out a server rack so it does not tip or overheat: UPS and batteries at the bottom, storage above, servers mid-rack, network gear at the top.Racking and data center tipsCable Management That Survives the Next Tech: Velcro and LabelsRack cabling that stays tidy after the fifth change: velcro not zip ties, labels at both ends, service loops, power kept away from data, and a door card.Racking and data center tipsAirflow for a Small Server Room: Hot Aisle, Cold Aisle, PanelsHow air should move through a small server room: front-to-back gear, racks facing the same way, blanking panels, sealed gaps, sensors at the top-front intake.Racking and data center tipsRack Power Planning: PDUs, Dual PSUs, A/B Feeds and UPS SizingFeed a rack so one failure does not take it down: two PDUs on separate feeds, dual power supplies split across them, and a UPS sized from measured load.Racking and data center tipsLabeling Standards for Racks, Ports and Patch Panels That Hold UpA practical labeling scheme for a small data center: naming racks, U positions, devices, switch ports, patch panels and outlets so labels make sense later.Racking and data center tips
All racking and data center tips posts
Ransomware, viruses and malware
Prevention, detection and recovery, written for the people who will be on the phone when it happens. 20 posts.
First 60 Minutes of a Ransomware Attack: Isolate, Preserve, CallWhat to do in the first hour after ransomware hits: cut the attacker off, keep the evidence, and get the right people on the phone before you touch anything.Ransomware, viruses and malwareHow Ransomware Gets In: Phishing, RDP, VPNs and Edge DevicesThe four doors ransomware crews use most: phishing, exposed Remote Desktop, VPN appliances and unpatched edge devices. How each works and how to close it.Ransomware, viruses and malwareThe 3-2-1-1-0 Backup Rule and Why Immutable Copies MatterThe 3-2-1-1-0 rule explained: three copies, two media, one offsite, one immutable or offline, zero restore errors. How to build it with real tools.Ransomware, viruses and malwareTesting Restores: A Backup You Never Restored Is Just a GuessGreen checkmarks in the backup console prove nothing. How to test file, VM, database and Microsoft 365 restores on a schedule you will actually keep.Ransomware, viruses and malwarePhishing Defense That Works: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and Real TrainingSet up SPF, DKIM and DMARC so nobody can spoof your domain, then build user training around reporting rather than blame. Records, settings and a rollout order.Ransomware, viruses and malwareMFA Everywhere, and Why SMS Codes Are the Weakest OptionWhere MFA has to be on, which methods resist phishing, and why text message codes should be your last resort. Settings for Microsoft 365 and VPNs.Ransomware, viruses and malware
All ransomware, viruses and malware posts
Managed IT and project management
Fleet deployment, service agreements, onboarding, documentation and running IT projects that finish. 20 posts.
What a Managed IT Service Agreement Should Actually IncludeA managed IT agreement is only useful if it names what is covered, what is not, and how fast someone answers. Here is the checklist to read it against.Managed IT and project managementOnboarding a Company Onto Managed IT in 30 Days: A PlanA week-by-week plan for moving a business onto managed IT: discovery, agent rollout, credential capture, documentation, and the first review with the client.Managed IT and project managementDeploying an RMM Agent Across a Fleet Without Breaking ThingsHow to roll out a remote monitoring agent in staged rings, what to check at each stage, and how to catch the conflicts that turn a rollout into a support flood.Managed IT and project managementStandard Device Images and Zero-Touch Provisioning With AutopilotWhy a golden image is no longer the goal, how Windows Autopilot and Intune replace it, and a practical checklist for shipping a laptop that sets itself up.Managed IT and project managementPatch Management Policy: Rings, Maintenance Windows and RollbackA written patch policy that names the rings, the windows, the approval rule and the rollback path is what turns patching from a monthly scramble into a routine.Managed IT and project managementAsset Inventory and Lifecycle: When to Refresh Your HardwareHow to keep an asset inventory that stays accurate, and the signals that tell you a laptop or server is due for replacement before it becomes an outage.Managed IT and project management
All managed it and project management posts
Office 365 and Exchange migrations
Planning and running Microsoft 365, Exchange, Google Workspace and file migrations without losing mail or weekends. 20 posts.
Planning an Exchange to Microsoft 365 Migration Step by StepHow to plan an Exchange to Microsoft 365 migration: discovery cmdlets, mailbox sizing, bandwidth, choice of method, and a timeline a small company can keep.Office 365 and Exchange migrationsCutover vs Staged vs Hybrid Exchange Migration: Which One FitsCutover, staged and hybrid migrations to Microsoft 365 in plain terms: what each requires, where each breaks down, and how to pick the right one for your size.Office 365 and Exchange migrationsExchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard: Setup and What BreaksA practical guide to the Exchange Hybrid Configuration Wizard: prerequisites, what it changes, where the logs are, and the errors that stop most hybrid setups.Office 365 and Exchange migrationsMigrating Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 Without Losing MailHow to move Gmail, Calendar, Contacts and Drive from Google Workspace to Microsoft 365 with native tools, plus service account setup and coexistence routing.Office 365 and Exchange migrationsIMAP and POP Migrations to Microsoft 365 from GoDaddy and cPanelMoving mail from GoDaddy, cPanel and other legacy hosts into Microsoft 365: how IMAP migration works, its limits, POP mailboxes, and the DNS cutover.Office 365 and Exchange migrationsDNS Cutover for Mail: MX, Autodiscover, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and TTLThe DNS records to change when mail moves to Microsoft 365, in order: TTL planning, MX, Autodiscover, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and how to verify each after the switch.Office 365 and Exchange migrations
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