Archives for 2005

Well, the past 3 weeks have definately been interesting. This is going to be a pretty long post, since it covers a lot, so I’ll try to break it up.

So on Monday August 22nd, I received my new Dell Poweredge 750 server I ordered. But when it arrived, there were 2 boxes. Both had the same packing slip (with my server listed on it), but they were 2 different boxes. I opened the first one and found my Poweredge 750 server as it should be. But in the 2nd box, I was suprised to find a Dell Precision 650 workstation with Dual Xeon processors. I definately did not order this (a $2000+ system). So I called my friend Chad who is a Dell reseller and asked him about it. He said he’s heard of people being shipped extra things, and said Dell often says to keep it.

I wanted to do the right thing, and only keep it if Dell said yes. So I called them up, explain the situation to them. I read them the service tag on the workstation (they didn’t even have record of that service tag in existence!). They scheduled DHL to come pick it up the next day. Boo hoo, oh well, I didn’t get to keep it, at least I was doing the right thing and returning it. It’s not like I had ordered it and never received it.

Well, we got the new server installed. We being Tim and myself, Tim is my new system administrator. We drove down at 9pm Tuesday night to US Internet to install it in the rack. We got done a little after midnight and started the 2.5hr drive back to Duluth. When I turned off of Hwy 694 onto 35W to go towards Duluth, there were a lot of cop cars parked on the shoulders. So we slowly drove past them and got on our way. About 3 minutes later, a car comes rushing up behind me, I check my speed, and I’m doing 78 in a 65. “Oh Great!” I said as the cherries lit up on the cop car behind me.

When the cop walked up to my car, he asked us where we were coming from. So I said “We’re coming from Duluth, headed back to Duluth” The cop did a little double take “Say what?”. So I explained that we’re from Duluth, and came down to install a new server in Minnetonka for our internet business. The cop then asked for both Tim’s and my drivers licenses, and said that there was a crime committed in the area, and my car matched the description. So he took our licenses, did some background checks, asked to look in my trunk and then let us go. I was kind of bummed I didn’t get to sit in the back of the squad car, since it seems like something fun to do at 1am, especially when you know you’re innocent.

So Tim and I were finally on our way back to Duluth, we were making good time, doing about 80mph, when all of a sudden 2 deer appear on the freeway. Tim yelled “Lookout!” and I swerved, but ended up hitting one of them. I didn’t hit my brakes until after hitting the deer. It was so fast it was one of those “What was that?” moments. I slowed down, but didn’t stop driving. I looked over the hood of my car and couldn’t see any damage, but I stopped at the next exit to get gas and check the damage.

Luckily, all that happened was a small dent in my hood (barely noticeable) and my front bumper is cracked. The headlight is fine, albeit a little loose now, but still properly aligned. It looked as though I ended up driving over the deer. There were some guts in my intake/radiator, and blood streaking along the side of my car. (I drive a white car). So after getting gas, I got a carwash to wash off the blood/guts. Thankfully the rest of the trip back was uneventful.

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Aside from all the excitement driving late at night, another thing that has been happening the past few weeks is server problems. And lots of them! It all started when some malicious user uploaded an IRC bot to my main webserver ‘Phoenix’. This crashed the server, so we went in and cleaned that up. In the process of installing a new firewall, the kernel died, so I had to drive down to the cities at midnight to fix it. Yay! I got back to Duluth at 8am, and headed up to the end of the gunflint trail (4hrs north of Duluth, spitting distance from canada) to work on a contract for a client, and got back to Duluth at 9pm. Then we went through our other servers updating them to make sure the same kind of malicious files couldn’t be uploaded. The same kernel problem happened on another server, so at 10pm I got to drive back to the cities to fix the issue. I got back to Duluth at 5am and was able to sleep for the first time in 40hrs.

Fast forward to the past week, that initial attack on Phoenix left the server a wreck. Luckily, we just installed a new web server ‘Unicorn’ so we began migrating customer account off of Phoenix and onto Unicorn. Along with the migration came all the problems with DNS propagation, IP changes etc. Couple this with a buggy Apache update from Psoft (the makers of H-Sphere), apache kept dying on Unicorn. This did not bode well with customers that were promised the move to Unicorn would solve the server issues.

Well, finally almost all of the accounts have been successfully migrated to Unicorn, another Apache update has come out so Apache is running stable now. But last night I was adding the final few IP’s to Unicorn, and for some reason, the server went down. The Tech at USInternet said it was booting just fine, but wasn’t showing up on the network. So at 10pm last night, I got to drive to the cities yet again. I brought along the new Extreme Networks Summit24e2 managed switch I bought to replace the unmanaged Dell powerconnect we were using.

I get to the datacenter about midnight thirty (12:30am). Log into Unicorn, and find out I made a mistake in my IP configuration file with the netmask, which unbound all of the IP’s from the server. Great! After 1 change, the server was back online (without even needing to reboot!). I then installed the new Extreme Networks Switch, and took the Powerconnect with me. I was out of the datacenter by 1am.

About 1:30, I’m driving through Blaine, just got onto 35w (about where I was pulled over last time) and I received a phone call. It was the datacenter telling me that none of my servers came back online (they all went down while I was there). I instantly knew it was the switch. I failed to test/check and make sure everything was working properly. So I turn around, and get back to the datacenter again at 2:15am.

One look at the switch and I smack myself in the head. My Dell powerconnect switch was auto-sensing with auto-crossover. I had a patch cable going from USI’s switch to mine, and on my new switch, that port was dark. I moved that cable over to port #1, and it the crossover button and the port lights up. Instantly all my servers come back online. Ugh, lesson learned here, even though it’s late, and you’re tired, and you have a 2.5hr drive home. Take the time to double check everything is working.

So I took that time to use a workstation in the NOC to make sure all my servers were online, and I responded to a few trouble tickets/emails. I didn’t get out of there until 3am, due to chatting with the USI Tech.

Passing through Blaine again at 3:30am, I decided I couldn’t make it all the way back, so I stopped to sleep in a Home Depot parking lot. Woke up at 7:30 and made it back to Duluth by 10am.

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For some reason, I’m not looking forward to school starting next Tuesday. My life has been hectic enough without having to worry about homework, and class, and grades. I’m thinking of taking the semester off and just getting things stablized with my business. I can’t wait for Tim to come back from his vacation so he can worry about the server stuff, and I can focus on everything else that I have on my plate.

I feel its time for an update here. I’ve been so busy with business and things that I don’t have time to keep my own blog updated. So this is going to be a long post.

In the past few weeks, Utaria (my business) has exploded, and I have to give God the credit. It isn’t anything that I’ve done, but a series of things that has happened that can only have come from God. I started working on a consulting contract for a local company, doing some wireless networking. That project has really taken off and has brought a lot of work. I also have 2 more companies lined up to do networking/consulting for that I will be meeting with tomorrow and Saturday. The consulting jobs are really nice, as that will 1) bring in more business revenues, and 2) give Tim (one of my employees) more work. Right now, Tim is working about 10hrs a week for me, and I’d really like to see him move to a full time status as soon as possible.

The ARCO Coffee website was launched a few weeks ago, I’ve mentioned it in the past, but since it’s launch, it has already been getting orders and enquiries through the site. I’m very proud of the work we did on that site. I have to say, that their site is one of, if not the best web development creation I’ve done so far. Now we get to try to out-do ourselves again with Patriot Water’s website. That site is currently in progress, so I can’t give any previews yet.

Since moving into our new offices, business has picked up, we’ve received a walk-in ‘potential’ client. I still need to meet with him sometime next week to go over his needs for a website. It has also allowed us to be more productive. For one, Tim now has his own desk with workstation that he can use for his projects. So he can actually get work done when he comes in. The same goes for me, I no longer have kids from the game center coming in to ask me to help them with their game etc. I can also meet with clients without having to be distracted or interrupted by kids yelling in the game center.

I just purchased a new system for the office yesterday. I picked up a Mac Mini, with 19″ Dell LCD monitor. It’s a really nice system, and I’m actually making this post from it. I bought it for Jason and/or Jill to use when they come in to do web development. That way I can provide them with the software and tools they need to work with, rather than having them use their own computers, or use not-so-legit software.

Actually, just this morning, I met with Jill, and we had a good conversation on what our business relationship was going to be. Since she already does web design herself, and has several of her own clients that she would be bringing over with her etc. All in all, I think we worked out a really good deal that works well for both of us. I want her to be able to succeed and do well with this business. I’m excited, because Jill brings a set of skills that I myself am lacking in. One of those is technical writing. One of the things she is working on is writing up user manuals for the MXR content management system that we use for website development. The other is her network of business contacts, and her ability to sell.

In the past 3 weeks, I’ve been running around non-stop for my business. It’s a little draining at times, but it is also so relieving to be caught up in all my bills, and know that I am financially set for the next few months. Both personally, and as a business. God has really blessed me this summer. Just like 2 years ago when He allowed me to buy Integra Hosting. Sometimes I just can’t help but sit back and be amazed by His glory, and how much He pours into our lives, whether we realize it or not.

Jim, the owner of New Tech Concepts (The business that I have my office in the back of), bought the VFW building right next to the building he was leasing. He had to be out of his old place by August 1. So we spent the whole weekend moving everything over to the VFW. So right now, everything is in disarray.

The NorthLAN Gaming Center (also a business of Jim’s that I help out with) will be going on the main floor on one side, New Tech Concepts will be going on the other side. The back half of the main floor will be where the VFW Post has their location now. I have a nice new office upstairs, with windows! Jim will also have his office upstairs next to mine, and the main floor part will be his showroom for all the satellite equipment.

I’ve been excited about this move for the past 3 months. Now I actually have a real office, not just a desk in the back of a Game-Center. No more having kids swearing while playing games while I’m trying to meet with a client or potential client. I have enough room in the office for 3 desks. So Tim, my new sysadmin will have a desk to work from, and I’ll be setting up another desk for web development, so Jason will have a place to work when he comes in. Although, I think I’m going to look for another web developer, since Jason is graduating UMD in December, and wont be around much longer after that since he is moving out to South Dakota to join Intervarsity Staff. This fall, I’ll probably start looking for a graphic designer from the art school.

Well, back to getting everything settled down from the move!

I’ve been really busy the past few weeks. Although not as busy with the kind of things I’d like to be busy with. I find I am doing a lot of development on projects that aren’t generating an immediate return. I guess it’s a good thing that I enjoy developing. And I know the key to success is building a residual income. I suppose I just need to keep on trucking, and developing… but only if I could catch some bigger fish, land bigger clients, pitch larger projects…

In other news, my sister is up visiting me, and helping me clean my house so that I can sell it. It’s a shame, really, that I need to sell my house, considering that I bought it almost a year ago. But I don’t like the drive to Duluth, and I don’t like the fact that I can’t find a roommate, and I don’t like paying $1000+ a month to “live” there when all I do is sleep there. I finally cancelled my 3meg cable internet that I had, 2 months after I moved all my computers to the office. Now I’m at the office from about 8-9am till after midnight most days. Which is both a good and bad thing.

My Goals for this next week: My goals for this next week are go finish tweaking the shopping cart and fully launch arcocoffee.com, re-do the design and launch gnublu.com, get a good start on 2 new sites for clients, and get another 100 members for journalplanet.com. Oh, and I want to find an accountant to help me keep track of my books.

Well this summer has had its ups and downs so far. In June business really started to pick up, and I did really well on sales. However in July its died down and I’ll be lucky if I get 2 new projects for July. That is kind of bumming me a little, but I’ll live.

I started working with the youth group at church, which is really great. I used to work with the youth group at Lakeview Covenant, and I really missed working with the youth while I was large group coordinator for IVCF. Now I’m back working with the youth and I’m enjoying it. I only wish our youth group were larger. It pains me to see that none of the high schoolers that are part of the church congregation want to come to youth group. Hopefully I can help things take a turn for the better.

Since there has been a downturn in projects recently, I’ve taken up a new personal project. Journal Planet. Journal planet is a site that provides free blog hosting. I’m hoping that this site will grow as fast as GetAForum did. I don’t have any plans to sell Journal Planet like I did with GetAForum, I’d like to see Journal Planet grow to be like LiveJournal, MySpace, or Xanga.

Speaking of projects, I’m excited because the ARCO project I’m working on for a local coffee company is coming to its culmination. I finally was able to get the domain registration into ARCO’s control from the company that managed it previously. Now I can update the name servers and set ARCO’s site live! Then it will be promote-promote-promote to build online sales. That will generate 1) a great revenue stream for ARCO, and 2) a great revenue stream for me.

Well, I really should post more often, and as I get into a more regular schedule at the office, I probably will.

Well, this weekend is the 4th of July, and keeping in accordance with tradition, my family is going up to the family cabin near Iron Mountain Michigan. We’ve been going there for the 4th of July for as long as I can remember. It’s my Uncle David’s cabin, it used to be my grandparents, but my Uncle bought it when my Grandpa died. My Mom’s side of the family gets together for a family reunion of sorts every 4th of July. I’m looking forward to a relaxing weekend at the cabin, and getting to spend some time playing with the boat on the lake.

Leading up to this weekend, however, I’m quite busy. I’m in the process of launching 2 online stores, along with fininshing a website for another client, and continuing to work on another site for another client. The online stores I’m launching are Gnu Blu, a clothing brand I’m developing, and ARCO Coffee, a local coffee company that wants to sell their coffee online. Both stores are coming along and nearing completing, and I’m shooting for a Friday July 1st launch.

It’s my goal that these 2 stores take off and start generating some good monthly income. If they do well, it will add to my list of accomplishments in web development, but more importantly will help me build a good revenue base upon which my business can grow.

So if I look a little tired this week, or you don’t hear from me for a while, have no fear, I’m just up to my elbows with work so that I can afford to play a little this weekend.

Well, as most of you know, I currently own and operate my own business doing website development and hosting. This past month, I have really learned the importance of managing my business vs. working for my business. Up until these last few months, I’ve always done everything in my business. Finally its grown to a point where I’ve becomed swamped, almost overwhelmed with the amount of work coming in that I’ve had to hire. Thankfully, I’ve found some talented people who I feel have similar vision to myself, and am in the process of training them.

When someone starts their own business, it becomes their baby. When it succeeds, it becomes their pride and joy, and it is often hard to let go of parts. Similar to raising a child (which I hope to experience some day), you need to let go of things to let it grow. I’m confident that once my employees are trained, business will grow more than ever. I’ll be turning over responsibilities and trust to my employees, that they will do better jobs than I at their tasks.

I’m very thankful for my Human Resource class that I took back in May, I learned a great deal of information about managing employees, as well as hiring practices, and the legal ramifications of being an employer. Someone once told me that their biggest event with their own business, was moving from a 1-2 man operation to having 3-5 employees, and business just took off. I’m praying and hoping that I will have a similar experience.

Well, this has been a fairly good summer so far. Besides the fact that it has yet to get warmer than 70 degrees and go for more than 3 days without raining. I finished my Human Resources class that I took in May, and got an A-. I liked taking it as a May class for 3 weeks rather than a regular term class, I learned it better with the accelerated pace.

With my business, it seems like I constantly have 2-3 projects on my plate. I’m currently hiring, and recently met a lady who is going to start working for me, and helping me with web development. I’m excited, as this means that I can focus my time on things that need to get done, besides spending all my time actually making the websites themselves. Now I just need to hire someone to do system administration to help with the long list of projects I have going on with my servers.

Right now, I’m setting a goal for myself. I want my business to acheive $100,000 in the next year. And to start off this goal, I have a short term goal of getting $3000 in sales by the end of June. So I really need to get my butt in gear and start marketing. Thankfully my good friend Mike Frankosky recently finished my new logo for Utaria, and I LOVE IT! I’ve passed the logo on to my good friend Bryce Howitson who is going to do his magic and create a fantastic new web-layout using my new logo for me.

It’s funny how I develop websites for other businesses, and I feel that I do a pretty darn good job at it. Yet I don’t have time to develop my own website! I guess it is a cost-benefit thing, where my time is better spent making sites for clients to bring in money to pay the bills. This is exactly why I need to hire.

This is all for now. I really need to try to blog more, I find that blogging helps me organize my thoughts so I am aware of where I am currently, and I think its cool to read the comments of those who I’ve never met commenting on my life. So, until another day, cheers!

Right now, I’m taking a May class, Human Resource Management. It is 8am to 11am, Monday thru Friday for 3 weeks. It’s a pretty intense class, but I’m doing well (I got an A on the last exam). I really like the course because we are covering the different aspects of Human Resource Management, things like legal regulation on hiring practices, job descriptions, recruitment etc. Basically, a lot of things to do with employment. This is good because right now, I’m looking to hire a new employee or two.

Work has picked up a little for my business. I have several projects on the table that I am working on, and am at the point where for me to grow anymore, I need to hire. I’m excited, yet at the same time, terrified. My big fear is that I’ll hire someone, and have to pay them, but they won’t be a benefit to my business.

Being a small business, I need to examine the cost/benefit for each hire. Ideally, I want to find someone with a similar skillset to myself, who understands some business, and who is willing to help grow the business and make it succeed. Basically, any employee I hire needs to help make the business more profitable, otherwise the employee becomes a liability. So I’ve been putting together a fairly detailed job description, as well as job requirements. But the more I look and focus on that, the harder it is going to be to find someone to fit that job.

So as I pursue this new opportunity/need for my business, I’m really prayerfully considering God’ plan in all of this, where He wants me to be, as well as where He wants my business to progress.

Well, I took my last final last night. And it feels good to be done with class for the semester. Too bad I’m taking a May class, and start class again on Monday!

Work is picking up, I’m getting a few more web design projects lined up. I need to get on the ball more and finish the ones in progress so I can get paid for them. I’m really excited about getting ARCO’s site up and running, I just need to get in touch with them and get the finalized contract signed.

Gerdus did a good job on the latest version of MXR, I like the new admin interface, as it is more intuitive. So it will be easier for me to use and teach others how to use it. For those who are unaware, MXR is the content management system that I use for most of my web development projects. It was coded by Gerdus van Zyl, a hosting customer of mine. It works great, and is a good CMS for designers/developers as it is quite customizable. I hope to be giving Gerdus a lot of work this summer as more projects come in.

I’m looking forward to the next few months. I’m going to focus on re-vamping my YouResell.com site, and doing a big push for resellers. My plans include updated reseller plans, value-added services, and a detailed internet marketing campaign. More details to come!