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MacTech Boot Camp Curriculum
Speakers: The below is the curriculum designed to give consistency for all MacTech Boot Camp’s across the country. Divided into individual sessions with times outlined, we’re looking for you to cover all of the items outlined for your session and embellish them with any additional information or resources you think may be important.
In short, we are setting the expectations with attendees by the below curriculum. If you cover the topics, attendees will be satisfied.
Overview: MacTech Boot Camp is specifically targeted at the issues facing techs supporting home users, small office, and small to medium sized businesses, often referred to as SOHO or SMB markets. Specifically, it is not for Enterprise or developers (those topics are covered at the annual MacTech Conference). MacTech Boot Camp’s sessions cover a variety of topics from those in the know about the following topics: all designed to make Boot Camp attendees more successful in supporting these markets. See the individual session descriptions below for a break down of each topic.
General: It’s important to realize that each session should focus on the topic of the session. If you think there’s something relevant to cover, see first if it’s covered in one of the other sessions as these build on one another.
Building Your Brand: Marketing and Business Concerns
Time: 40 minutes including Q&A
You are new in business, or you’ve been doing this for years; in either case you can’t apply your skills as a technology consultant until you have customers to apply them to! Marketing is one of the most important, but most overlooked skills in our business. We will teach you how to market yourself using your social skills, and contacts, as well as people and organizations you may not have considered. You will learn to market your skills to specific communities where word of mouth can catch fire to set your business above the rest.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Structuring your business so you can keep doing the work you love to do
● Which to serve? Business Customers or Home Users, Pros and Cons
○ Do you have different hourly rates for these groups?
○ What about flat fee rates? Pros and Cons
○ Determining rates through market feedback. Based on each locale.
○ Grandfathering early customers at lower rates
– Get credit for it. Invoice at current rate, and then discount invoice
● Marketing: What is it?
○ Getting potential customers interested in your services
○ Advertising is a part of marketing, but not all of marketing
○ Publicity is a part of marketing, but not all of it.
○ Face to face marketing: another part of it
● Face to face marketing:
○ Talking about your business and what you do
○ Events: Parties, social events, etc. Just talk it up
○ Networking events: Look for small business oriented
– BNI: Business Network International
– Rotary, Toastmasters
– Media Bistro, Meetup, Google Groups
– Any event that shares interests with you
○ Look for potential clients, but also referral partners
○ Trade shows and conferences
○ Mass transit: Trains, Airplanes, etc…
○ The Gym, Coffee houses, lines at a store, etc…
○ Ask your clients for referrals: Make sure to let them know you want to grow
● How to talk to a total stranger
○ Some people are shy. Others will talk to anyone.
○ Practice makes it easier.
○ Do some homework: Research ahead of time related to the event
– who is going to be there? what’s the topic? what’s the activities?
– Will help you as you meet people related to what you found
○ Sports: Ok. Weather: Ok. Politics: Bad idea.
○ Easier to break into a group of 3 than it is 2 or 4 (people like pairs)
○ Look for people standing alone: Introduce yourself
○ If you are overwhelmed by groups, get their early: it will ease you into it
○ Volunteer to do things at an event. Forces you to talk to others.
● Your elevator speech
○ What do you do? (in English, not tech speak)
○ What makes you different? What makes you better than your competition?
○ Something that makes you memorable.
○ Practice it. It should be smooth and comfortable.
○ Show confidence at any moment.
○ Adjust it for situations, with feedback, response results
● Social media marketing (mailing lists, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more)
○ Twitter, facebook, foursquare, LinkedIn, YouTube, yelp, Podcasts, blog
○ So many different options: How do you choose?
– Do the one you love and will do a lot.
– That’s what will be effective and compelling
○ Build out your site: The more you put online, the more you are visible
○ People search for weird combinations. Make posts on a blog on everything interesting.
○ Take advantage of whatever social media that you choose
● Specific Suggestions
○ Personal vs. Business: Where do you draw the line? Do you draw the line?
○ Twitter, but beware of time sink
○ Facebook
○ LinkedIn
● Creating business systems: Anything that helps you keep order and be organized
○ Where are you “messy” or disorganized?
○ Calendar: Not just technical solution, but personal habits of using it
○ CRM: Customer relationship management
– Really just a database of your clients.
– What did you do for someone in the past? Follow ups?
– Anything from FileMaker, to Bento, to Daylite or whatever
○ Automation: iCal Reminders, Recurring Invoices, eMail Filters
– Put your Mac to work for you on repetitive tasks
○ Finances: AccountEdge, QuickBooks, Freshbooks, etc…
– What are you spending, and what are you taking in.
– Makes it a lot easier to work with your accountant or do taxes
○ Professionals: You’re an expert in your field. Use experts in fields you aren’t.
– Accountant, lawyer, business advisors
– SEO experts to be ranked better
– These people should feel like your ally. If not, change them.
○ Consider using “Virtual Assistants” as part time solution to help you
– https://www.getfriday.com/
– http://virtualassistantisrael.com/
○ Doing these will make your more productive and better organized
● Awesome list of resources at http://www.ivanexpert.com/bootcamp
An Experts Guide to Working with Clients
Time: 30 minutes including Q&A
So your marketing paid off! You have clients. Now, can you talk to them? Can you translate those often misspoken needs and wants into tangible technical deliverables? Can you help your hard won customers to understand your ongoing value and keep coming back for more? We’ll guide you through some of the most important steps to help you lead your customers; guide them to the right solutions, and convert their unfocused dreams into fully understood needs.
Learn how to best protect yourself from scope creep, incorrect needs assessment, miscommunicated rate structures and other communications faux pas’ that can lead to unpaid invoices, or worse. Your customer now knows what they want, and what you can deliver and you have agreed to do it for a mutually understood price. You are well on your way to a positive customer experience, and repeat business.
Now, how are you going to document all of this? In fact, once you get started, how will you document your work, the customers serial numbers, inventory, and other important data they surely assume you will gather, keep and protect on their behalf? We will show you how to safely and securely document information for your customers, and we will expose you to some of the pitfalls of failing to do so properly.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Know your client ahead of time
● Up front: Communicating rates, rules and expectations
○ Use a pre-visit phone call to make sure everyone is on the same page
● Use the right approach and attitude
○ Always remain calm. Don’t freak out — as it will freak out your client.
○ Work in concert with a company’s IT person, it’s not a competition.
○ Try to avoid animosity with people in the org that believe they have IT knowledge
○ “I don’t know. I’ll get back to you.” is a VERY useful and respectable answer.
● Setting realistic goals, and limits at the same time
○ Listening is your key
○ Stay on target, but use your insights to guide them
○ Aligning perceptions with reality
● Your client knows what they want.
○ Take copious notes.
○ Figure out their goals and wish list
○ Hardware needs, financial needs, emotional needs
○ Let their comments roll off their back. If they are stressed, they may take it out on you.
○ Stay within their policies (and yours)
○ Realize, you may not be the first consultant on the project. Be sensitive to accusations, and finger pointing.
● How to write the proposals efficiently
○ Process is: Listen, Learn, Resolve
○ Create a realistic list of what you think they need, and they think they need.
○ Be realistic on time for each project, and timeline.
○ Reality check with details, and review that with the client in advance.
○ Define limits, times
○ In short, set expectations
● Communicating Rates and Rules
○ How much is it going to cost?
○ What protocols you need to follow (theirs or yours)
○ What they should expect as the result
○ Your rate card should not look like a Deli menu. Make it understandable
● Communicate in real-time
○ Communicate problems right away
○ Communicate when they “one more thing…” that they keep trying to add
○ Deflect add-ons until current job is done. Easiest to say “Let me finish what we’re doing first, and then we’ll address that.”
○ Kindly correct bad information. Approach like a teacher rather than a know it all
● Speaking tech, and human at the same time; avoid talking above their heads
○ Otherwise, it can talk them out of using you, and cost you the gig
○ Avoid bragging or trying to impress them. Results are what will impress them.
● Documenting for customers, Job Notes, and Reporting
○ This is CYA
○ Notes in English for clients
○ Notes for tech (you and the company)
○ Submit your notes
○ Review with them
● Working with passwords:
○ Explain password strength
○ DMGs, keychains, PDFs, Encrypted Databases
○ You may not want to hold their passwords. If you do, get a liability waiver
○ If you do store passwords, do so in some encrypted manner
– Make sure that they or you have an offsite copy
● Creating policies for your clients: An additional revenue stream
○ Using policy generation kits is a good way to start
● Key: Help your customers save money, reduce risks, make more profits
Best practices: Hardware, Software and Network Deployment
Time: 45 minutes including Q&A
What are best practices for installing new computers? What about Windows partitions, how to install an OS, software updates, and more? What do you need to know about password strength, printer setup, and more? How do you handle serial numbers? What are the basic choices your clients need to know for wired and wireless networks, and VPNs? What are the benefits of master images and deployment methods? We’ll discuss these and other items.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Installing a new client computer
○ Reformat or not reformat? Benefits of using base images for your clients
○ Purpose of partitions. How many and why?
○ What is journaling for hard drives? Why it’s good to use.
○ All hard drives are in a state of failure. Using reformat for full drive reconditioning.
● Windows Partitions
○ FAT32 vs. NTFS – Apple does only FAT32. Windows will do NTFS.
● Installing Base OS
○ Use Customize to trim printer driver brands, language kits and possibly fonts
○ Consider other parts of default install (e.g., ClamAV, VM archiver, Flip4Mac, and AppleJack)
○ Migration Assistant: Should you use it? It can bring the problems with you
– Takes finessing to get all the user data and pieces, however.
● Software Updates
○ Wait for updates for at least 24 hours after their release
○ Use combo updates rather than delta updates (and what the difference is)
● User account types
○ Create 2 admin users: one for tech, one for user (cust can always delete one)
○ Root user is dangerous and turned off by default. Leave it that way.
○ Standard user has to go to an admin to install software
○ Guest Access: recommend turning off, or make sure to manage (e.g., kiosks)
○ Sharing User
● Password strength: how to judge strength.
○ Use 8 chars min. Change up chars and use numbers
○ Use password manager to manage password lists
○ Be careful with auto login – educate your customers as to the risks
– How to use startup modifier keys if you do this
– What happens if you forget the open firmware password?
● Printers, scanners and peripherals
○ What is CUPS? Why did Apple replace their printing system?
○ Acting as a fax server
○ What is Bonjour?
○ Multifunction Device Support
○ Sharing Local Printers: What is it for?
– Be careful not to share network based printers (and why)
○ Using Presets: creating add-on benefits for your clients
○ PDF Workflows
● Target Disk Mode: What is it?
○ Useful for disk recovery too
○ Not all systems supported
● iOS devices for individuals in a group
○ Keep up to date on the OS software. Even more important than desktops
○ What are the main methods for managing a group of iOS devices?
● Managing Serial numbers: Site licenses, scripting, or Sassafras type product
● Fundamental networking principles
○ What is the difference between IPv4 and IPv6
– When will this affect people? How to prepare
○ Private vs. Public IPs, Static vs. Dynamic IPs
○ What is a subnet mask
○ What is a MAC address
○ What is DNS? Why not to use registrars DNS?
– Why you should use options like ZoneEdit, OpenDNS, and others
○ Manual Ethernet Configuration: When is it useful?
○ 802.1X Authenticated Networking
● Fundamentals of wireless networks
○ Creating private and guest networks: benefits of each
○ Security: WEP vs. WPA, Hidden SSIDs, MAC Address Authentication
○ Built-in Firewall
○ Tools: Airport Utility, AirRadar, KisMac, Wireless Grapher, AP Grapher
○ Wireless Bridging: Extend wired LAN with AP
● VPN: What are they, and why should you use them?
○ Built-in VPN, VPN Tracker, IPSecuritas
● Creating master image. Cloning a model system. Why and what to put in it?
○ Building a modular image with a sparse image
○ Preparing module image for restore
○ Cloned system images vs. Module restore images
● Deployment
○ Deploying items to multiple computers: ARD, zip, Package Maker, DMG
○ System Deployment: Disk Utility, NetRestore, System Image Util, Automator
○ Software Update Server, ARD, Asset Management, LANrev and JAMF
○ Benefits of Installation Packages
Troubleshooting Hardware, Software and Network Problems
Time: 45 minutes including Q&A
You’ve worked your magic on the problems you’ve encountered and nothing is working. It must be hardware, but how can you be sure? What are the tests and tricks you should try, and in what order? How do you know when a problem is software based or hardware based, and how will that determination change your plan of action to get the problem solved for your customer? We walk you through the best tests and utilities, along with a best practice methodology for troubleshooting, and what to do when you are sure hardware is the problem.
The solutions to so many advanced technical problems are found in a string of text typed into a terminal interface. As a technology consultant you need to know the command line basics so you can feel comfortable working. Because Terminal is to the uninitiated, what a blank canvas is to an artist, we’re going to give you some of the most useful commands, how to type them, and what they are going to do. You will see how similar working at the command line is to what you imagine would be true of magic and incantations, because when you get to this level, you truly are becoming a technology wizard.
You’ve come to this job not knowing that the network was setup by the owners nephew as an after school project. Now it’s your job to take what is clearly not working, unravel the mystery, come up with a plan to put it all back together without destroying anything that is actually working in the process, and make it work like a charm. So the customers network works now, that’s a relief, but they still can’t print. Why is it that after all these years we still can’t print? We will walk you through the classic “I can’t print” user statement and we go through the proper troubleshooting steps to help the customer get that print job out.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Proper diagnosis, then remedy
○ Ask lots of questions
○ Listen to your senses
○ Gather data with tools, knowledge and “feel”
● Troubleshooting Mindset
○ Work with a calm mind: Be methodical
○ Avoid overlooking causes by slowing down
○ Look to fix the root causes, not superficial symptoms
○ Look for multiple causes and perfect storm scenarios
● Soft Skills
○ Let the user speak to you. Let everything else speak to you as well.
○ Speak only when user is listening. Speak at the level of the user
○ Realize that boasting stops flow of clues
○ Occam’s razor
● Best Practice Methodology: Basics
○ Can you reproduce the error experienced by the user? (PEBCAK)
○ If not, is it a different user or is the user using the system differently?
○ Real life common causes and how to check them
– Electrical, grounding, cabling, connections, temperature, dust
○ Re-seat connections — do NOT just check them: unplug and replug
– why? connection is cleaned from dust by the act of unplug/replug
● Best Practice Methodology: Things to assess
○ Are other machines in the setup having similar issues? What is in common?
○ Directory, firewall, DNS, DHCP, Network Services, box changes?
○ Hardware upgrade, damage or repair? Intermittent?
○ Clock battery, noises or other physical signs?
○ Software updates, upgrades or installs?
○ Excessive forced restarts, settings and plist changes?
● Best Practice Always
○ Assumptions Change.
○ Make unknowns known.
○ Replace suspect things with known good things
○ Eliminate one variable at a time
○ Split-half tests: Reduce and eliminate variables
○ Research online. Posts on lists. Consult with colleagues
○ Contact tech support
○ Sleep on it. The brilliance of the subconscious
● Troubleshooting Physical Tools
○ Service HD, Netboot HD
○ Known clean bootable OS
○ Favorite diagnostics applications collection
○ Common updaters and installers
○ High quality known good cables and clean power (UPS)
● Troubleshooting Tools: Apple Tools
○ Command Line Shell: Terminal
○ Directory Services Editor: Workgroup Manager
○ Log Reader: Console
○ Network Tools: Network Utility
○ Server Services: Server Admin
○ System Activity: Activity Monitor
○ System & Configuration Data: System Profiler
● Troubleshooting Tools: Third Party
○ Command Line Manuals: ManOpen
○ Directory Queries: LDapper
○ Files & Permissions: BatChmod, fseventer, Sandbox
○ Network Discovery: Bonjour Browser
○ Plist Viewer & Editors: PlistEdit Pro, TextMate
○ Text Editor: TextWrangler or BBEdit
○ Disk Utilities: DiskWarrior, TechTool Pro, Drive Genius, and AppleJack
● Troubleshooting Tools: Command line
○ DNS & Directory Services:
– changeip -checkhostname, dcsl, dscacheutil -flushcache, host, hostname
○ Files & Permissions:
– chmod, chown, fsck, ls, ls -la
○ Network:
– dig, ifconfig, ipconfig, netstat, ping, traceroute
○ System Activity:
– tail, top, ps
● Printer troubleshooting
○ Beware of printer sharing vs. network printers
○ How to identify whether the issues are computer or printer related
○ Troubleshooting tips specific to printing
● Network troubleshooting
○ Isolation of problems: How to diagnose the invisible
○ Wireless vs. Wired Techniques
○ When you need a router expert
Integrating Mobility into Small Business
Time: 40 minutes including Q&A
Implementing an individual iPhone or iPad is relatively simple. But what happens when it’s 5? 50? 500? Which platforms do you support?
Items to make sure to cover:
● Know your target platforms: iOS, RIM, Android, etc…
● Main Players: Pros and Cons of each
○ Kerio, CommuniGate Pro, Zimbra, Microsoft Exchange
○ Hosted vs. Managed Solutions: Which is appropriate?
○ Apple Server Software:
– new mail server, iCal 2, Address Book Server
– CalDAV/CardDAV protocols
– Mobile Access Server: What is it and why?
● Mobile Device Management Options
○ Why? Control over how the devices are used. Examples.
○ Huge Industry. Much larger than you may think.
○ AirWatch, Tarmac (Equinux), MobileIron, BoxTone, ZenPrise, Afaria (SyBase), JAMF (Casper Suite)
– Give a bit of info about them, pricing, and more
– Don’t look to support all of them: Just know your options
● Common Apps Your Customers Want
○ Find apps that will peak your customers interests
○ Focus on vertical market solutions your customers would find useful
○ AirPrint
● iTunes DJ, a gateway to get your customers into iOS
○ Hooking your customers by showing them something they’ve never seen before
● iOS as remote control for various devices
○ AirPlay
○ BlueSLR
○ Mobile Mouse
○ VNC Viewer
○ L5 Remote
○ Savant Commercial and Home Automation Systems
○ iDriver
○ X Commander
○ Luminair
● iOS integration on a Mac
● iOS integration best practices on a PC
● Security and Encryption
○ VPN connections and SSL to secure your communications
– Shimo, VPN Tracker, IP Securitas, WiTopia
○ PPTP
○ Cisco IPSec
○ Common problems with Apple Airport Base Station (e.g., L2TP)
● Enterprise Support for iOS
○ Provisioning
– Even if it’s only five devices, it’s a rollout. Learn a little from each one.
– Need iPhone Developer Account: Enterprise account is $300
– Set up profile for the iOS for applications and configuration
– iPhone Configuration Utility for managing profiles and devices
– Once setup, new device setup is plug it in and autoconfig
○ Best Practices
– Start with small groups of devices
– Non-user specific and user specific profiles
– Backup keychains
– Backup ~/Library/MobileDevice
– Security? EAS and crypto requirement
○ Distribute Profiles: Pros and Cons of each
– Direct USB, Email, Web, Over the air deployment
– Building a time table for deploying devices: Estimating time per device
○ Things to Consider
– Profile Formats: Unsigned, Signed, and Encrypted. What’s the difference?
– Policy Considerations: promiscuous use of wireless, network policy over 3G, loss/theft/termination actions, passcode policy, iTunes sync
Windows Concerns in a Mac Office
Time: 40 minutes including Q&A
With everything you’ve done for your customer so far, they think the world of you. It would be horrible to lose that trust just because they ask you to put Windows on their Mac. You may not be a Windows person, but you can absolutely handle Windows on your customers Mac, and we’re going to show you how. We will cover VMware Fusion, and Parallels Desktop, CodeWeavers’ CrossOver as well as Apple’s Boot Camp solution and why you may want to avoid other options. What options should you avoid? You’ll have to attend if you want to find out!
Items to make sure to cover:
● Why Windows: Switchers, mission critical software, makes A/P happy
○ Help your customer to reduce risk of switching
● Third Party Products and Installing Windows on a Mac
○ Needs: Intel-based Mac, Windows licenses, Plenty of RAM
○ Thursby’s DAVE and ADmit Mac
○ Options: Boot Camp, CrossOver, VMware, Parallels, VirtualBox
○ MacTech Benchmarks
● Boot Camp
○ Have to reboot
○ The machine is now a PC, subject to malware and security issues
○ File transfer can be an issue. macwindows.com/disks2.html
● Virtualization
○ Parallels, VMware, and VirtualBox
○ Runs Windows and Mac OS side by side without reboot
○ Can work with a disk image that’s deployable
○ Can run multiple number of VM’s at once
○ Can more easily share files between Mac and PC
○ Networking has more configuration options
○ Overhead is minimal at this point
○ What is an “Appliance” virtual machine?
○ What is the difference between client and server virtualization?
● VMware Fusion
○ Huge appliance library
○ Rich networking stack
○ Fits into a VMware world of products in Enterprise and other platforms
● Parallels Desktop
○ Faster for many virtual machine function
○ Graphics and gaming compatibility far better
● VirtualBox: Useful Open Source solution. Do not install for any end-user.
○ No support.
○ GUI not appropriate for them
● CrossOver:
○ WINE implementation, doesn’t require a Windows license
○ Not Windows, but allows you to run many, but not applications
○ Won’t do certain “Windows things” like VPN or directory integration
● DFS and Windows Servers
● Exchange Alternatives
○ Mail, iCal Server, Address Book Server
○ Communigate Pro
○ Kerio
○ Zimbra
● Exchange Support: Outlook and Apple Mail
○ Take note of which version of Exchange Server is in place
● Authenticating with Active Directory: Why is this useful?
● SMB: What do you use it for?
● Dealing with Viruses, malware, and updating Windows OS
○ Must install protection. It’s not like the Mac.
– AVG (free), Kaspersky, and others.
○ Security
○ Updating the OS
○ OS Market share drives whether there’s viruses on a platform.
– Mac viruses coming as the market share grows
○ Educate your customers
● Integrating a complete PC and Mac Security plan
○ Protecting your Mac from your virtual machine
● Best Practices
○ Make an image of your Boot Camp partition.
– WinClone is no longer supported. New options?
○ Make a snapshot of your VM
○ Store your working data on a non-Windows partition
○ Apply
● Troubleshooting common problems in Parallels and VMware
○ OEM Windows Licences will often not work long term in a VM
○ Windows doesn’t optimize install until 3 days after install
Scripting, Storage and Protecting Oneself: Backing up, Archiving and Restoring Data
Time: 45 minutes including Q&A
Well, you’ve learned your lesson, the hard way. Before making a major change to a system, get a clean backup. But what about backups? There are so many options, some free, some very expensive, and some require you to roll your own. We expose you to the software available to perform backups, and we give you best practices for backup strategies related to backup rotation, media types, online, offline and nearline storage solutions, as well as over-the-net solutions. We talk about the pro’s and con’s so you can make an informed decision that is right for your specific customers needs. There is no “one size fits all” solution, so we prepare you to make an informed decision.
One of the things that is the most fun about computers is making them do things for you automatically, so you can focus your time and effort on more important things in your life. We will show you how to use tools like Automator, and AppleScript, and even shell scripting to help you to make your computer or your customers computers, do the types of things people expect computers to do. Learn how to setup “Hot Folders” to translate media files. Learn how to make your computer read your mail for you, then move the audio file to your phone so you can listen to your mail as you’re driving to your next customer. The sky is not the limit here, but you’ll be amazed what you can do with a little effort up front setting up some basic scripting.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Centralizing data storage: Pros and Cons for each
● Direct Attached Storage
● Network Attached Storage
● Storage Area Network
● What you need to tell your customers about backup and restores
○ “Don’t back up what you can afford to lose.” makes people think
○ Clients that don’t backup will come back to bite you, and jeopardize your relationship
● Common Customer Complaints about Backups
○ Cost
○ Issue with backup scheduling because “it affects speed”
○ Doesn’t want personal files stored in backups (e.g., privacy issues)
○ Potential for theft of offsite backup, or theft of local backup drive
○ “I’ve never had a hard drive crash. I don’t need a backup.”
○ “Macs are better than PCs, so we don’t need a backup.”
● Making the case for backups.
○ Avoid the customer stone walling the conversation
○ Many inexpensive or free software solutions (Time Machine, or others)
○ Create a “hold harmless” agreement for your clients that don’t do backups to sign that tells them how important it is, and that you won’t be held responsible
– Useful as point to make, as well as protection for consultants
● What you need to know about backup and restores
○ It’s not about a backup. It’s about the restore.
○ Without proof of restore, you just don’t know that it’s working
○ Test restores on monthly basis should be part of your standard procedures
● Developing a backup strategy
○ Interview the customer
○ Full bootable backups vs. incremental or data backup
○ How much space for Time Machine: 1.5-2x the volume being backed up
○ Do you back up everthing? (e.g., stuff they are trying to hide: Limewire, etc…)
○ Plan for hourly, daily, and weekly backups
○ Plan for offsite rotation if backups are done locally
○ Plan a backup schedule
○ Submit a proposal to the customer, but think it through
● Some Options
○ Time Machine: Eye candy, Easy, cheap, built-in, no offsite-in
○ CCC or SuperDuper: Easy, cheap, effective, no offsite built-in
○ Crashplan: Effective, offsite, less easy, less cheap, no bare metal restore
○ Retrospect: Excels at multiple types of media (e.g., tape)
○ rsync, cp, ditto and custom rolled scripts: Not recommended, not easy to use, not easily teachable (are you really going to teach a customer command line?)
○ MySQL Backups: How to deal with them
○ Wide variety of Internet Services: who appropriate for? what issues?
● Developing a maintenance strategy for restores
○ Teach the client how to restore
○ Do it for them
○ Show them the results
○ Keep reports of successes
○ Immediately deal with failures, don’t run and hide
● Where you can learn more?
○ Mac In The Shell: MacTech Magazine
○ Lynda.com, Training Centers
● Scripting
○ Example script for utility: Explained line by line.
#!/bin/bash
#cp-backup.sh
#Created by Sean Colins on 1-25-2011.
#Copyright 2010 CoreQuick LLC. All rights reserved.
# Here we are copying the documents folder to the backup volume.
cp -Rp “/Users/sean/Documents” “/Volumes/backup/Users/sean/Documents/”
● Good Uses of Automator and AppleScript
○ What is the difference?
○ Hot Folders
○ Workflow examples
How to Make Remote Consulting Work for You
Time: 30 minutes including Q&A
You have setup the perfect small office for your customer. Every best practice followed, no expense spared, everything is right. Still, customers love to call with questions, and when they do, you need to deal with their needs in a way that meets their expectations, is fair to you and the loved ones who have to deal with you answering your phone at all hours of the day and night. We will give you solid guidance on how to handle support calls from your customers so you can keep them happy, and keep your sanity all at the same time. If you can’t fix it over the phone, you’ll probably have to actually work on the customers’ computers to fix the problem. But how wonderful would it be to do so without driving across town? If you plan ahead, and setup the proper systems like ARD, VNC, VPN and a host of other possible technologies, you can solve many support problems for your customers without ever stepping out of your pajamas. We show you the currently available options, talk about proper configuration, and costs to you and the customer, and ways you can track your remote support to be sure you make money for your efforts.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Engaging with both customers and other consultants
○ Positioning as expert in an area
○ Trustworthy service partner
● Where does remote consulting fit into your business plan?
○ What services lend themselves to remote consulting
○ What are you trying to accomplish?
○ How will you measure success?
○ Will remote consulting help you achieve success?
○ In what ways might it actually hinder success?
● Remote Consulting Pros
○ Able to deliver service from practically anywhere
○ Able to assist mobile clients, regardless of their locale
○ Low cost of service delivery
○ Recurring revenue stream
● Remote Consulting Cons
○ Risk of being forgotten; Out of sight, out of mind
○ Clients develop expectations regarding your availability
○ Risk of over-committing, with respect to the “perfect storm”
○ Risk of being displaced, if a relationship doesn’t take root
● Can be a great addition to your business, but make sure you plan and manage the delivery and experience.
○ What services actually lend themselves to remote consulting?
○ When will calls get booked, and clients get invoiced?
○ How will you establish and maintain client relationships?
● What kind of situations and services lend themselves to remote delivery?
○ Pre-configured and stable hardware
○ Installing, configuring or demonstrating software
○ Providing support, or gathering statistics / metrics
○ Delivering a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution
● What kind of situations do NOT lend themselves to remote service
○ Tasks that require ‘hands to leave the keyboard’
○ Bare metal rebuilds, unless part of a proper plan
○ Plug/unplug, hardware-dependent configurations
○ “Well, just have a quick look. Do what you can.”
○ A 2nd call for a repeat issue; certainly the 3rd…
● What tools can you use to help deliver your consulting services remotely?
○ Introductions; fact gathering; estimation & quoting
○ Signing on: consensus about ‘definition of success’
○ Planning, arranging and executing your plan/recipe
○ Confirmation of achievements; documentation
○ Signing off: you’ve come this far – make it formal!
● Remote Admin Choices: Apple Remote Desktop, Timbuktu, VNC, SSH
○ Gotomypc, Gotoassist, Logmein, Teamviewer
○ iChat Screen Sharing as a solution? Pros and Cons
● Services that are useful
○ Grasshopper: Virtual system, Telephone presence
○ Evernote: How to remember things
○ EchoSign: Any PDF, upload it for where people should sign, Secure signing
○ Tungle.me: Ways to make schedules where not everyone is on same calendaring
○ Daylite
○ Freshbooks: Invoicing
○ Pages or Word
○ OmniFocus or Teamly: Prioritization and Task Setting
○ JAMF, Absolute Software
○ WebHelpDesk
○ MacHelpMate
○ Mac OS X Server Wiki
○ Apple Remote Desktop
○ Zendesk.com
● Using remote notification to drive repeat business
● There are very real and non-trivial costs to performing work in person and onsite all the time; providing your skills remotely makes good sense – when its qualified and planned. Failure to plan, is planning to fail.
● Plan for and budget an occasional break to the mold, and deliver service (or simply visit) onsite even when you could have done what you needed to remotely – just to invest in the personal and intangible relationship. People value more than just their goals & objectives being met, and you should always remember: 100% of your customers are people.
● Assemble and leverage a network of trusted peers to provide ad-hoc coverage and assistance when you need a break, a hand, or just an ear.
You Can’t Know Everything: Getting the Support You Need
Time: 35 minutes plus Q&A
Your job is off to a fantastic start. You are fantastically prepared, yet as so frequently happens, you run into a snag right in the middle of the job. Something you’ve never seen before and have no idea how to solve. You feel that knot in your throat that sinking sensation in the pit of your stomach. Where do you turn for help? Where can you find answers to those last minute, on site, make or break questions that can be the difference between success or failure? We show you our favorite places to find those answers, and how to express your searches in the most search engine efficient language.
Items to make sure to cover:
● Building a support structure
○ Organizations to join for community and support
○ Publications and online resources
○ Where and why to teach
○ Where to go to learn
● Plan your support structure
○ What supports what your focus is?
○ Save yourself pain through planning
○ Think. Plan. Execute.
● Foundations: Business Planning:
○ The E-Myth By Gerber; One Page Business Plan by Horan; Getting Things Done by Allen; 7 Habits of Highly Successful People by Covey
● Organizations to join for community and support
○ ACN, ADC, MUGs, Vendor Partner Programs, Local Chambers, Microsoft Partner Program
● For Apple technical topics
○ Advanced Google operators (+, -, “”)
○ Specialized searching like MacTech’s Community Search
○ Books (Peachpit, and others)
○ Colleagues and competitors
○ Mailing lists
– macenterprise.org
– mac-mgrs.org
– ACN Lists (can often be real time even when you are on-site at client)
○ Magazines: Anyone heard of MacTech?
● Teaching – Why?
○ Credibility
○ Fun
○ Leads and opportunity
○ You’ll likely learn something preparing for it, and interacting with students
● Teaching – Where?
○ Local Colleges
○ Apple Stores
○ Senior Centers
○ Local schools (ROP programs and others)
○ Conferences
○ Your own office or local library
○ Write articles for online publications, but especially print if you have the opportunity (increases credibility)
● Online Resources
○ MacTech Magazine and mactech.com
○ Krypted.com
○ MacWindows.com
○ Experts Exchange (but it’s for pay)
○ Slashdot discussion (noise level high)
○ AFP548.com
○ MacFixIt
○ ars technica
○ Apple Discussions
○ OSXFAQ.com has a 40 hour tutorial on command line (in Learning Center)
○ Mac OS X Hints
○ Petri IT Knowledgebase
● Useful Online Tools
○ www.dslreports.com/tools
○ www.mxtoolbox.com
○ www.mydnstools.info
○ www.ipchicken.com
○ www.ifixit.com
○ www.yougetsignal.com