SysAdmin Weekly #13: Former Best Practices, New Headaches
Vendors keep moving the goalposts! From VMware licensing chaos to Entra ID shifts, here’s how SysAdmins adapt (and stay sane).
⏩ TL;DR — This Week in SysAdmin Land
· Broadcom + VMware = SysAdmin headaches (and maybe a few choice swear words).
· Revisiting Hyper-V management drama. Which tool should you use, when, and why it matters.
· Next episode of the podcast: redefining “Compromise” in security (spoiler: it’s not just “the attacker owns everything on your network”).
· Stress testing Linux makes a comeback, because benchmarks matter.
· Core Fundamentals: Getting started with Entra ID (because it underpins literally everything in Microsoft’s cloud).
· Community gold: break glass accounts with TAP/FIDO2, AI thought leader lists, open source LLMs in enterprises, and benchmarking GPUs on Linux.
· Vendor news: Ubuntu Pro patches now surface in Azure Update Manager.
· Security news regarding RDP and Malicious Android Apps
· Tool of the Week: yabai, the MacOS tiling window manager you didn’t know you needed.
· Quick win + retro fact to close us out with a grin.
This Week’s Insight(s) from Andy
If there’s a theme this week, it’s “control slipping away”.
Broadcom’s VMware changes are forcing IT teams to rethink strategies they thought were stable. Microsoft is shifting how we handle identity and access in Entra ID (hello, break glass MFA requirements). Even Linux SysAdmins are talking benchmarking and stress testing, because performance drivers can make or break certain deployments.
The pattern? SysAdmins are being asked to manage less certainty with more responsibility. Vendors keep moving the goalposts, and we’ve got to adapt… with the right tools, smarter fundamentals, and a good dose of community wisdom to keep us sane.
I think a core theme throughout my (now) 23 year career in tech is the fact that long-standing “best practices” have a habit of changing, whether we want them to or not. An example….
I remember the days of centralized end-user computing. There was a time that Citrix was the “top dog” in this area. I remember deploying Metaframe XP and presentation server 4 and having a high degree of success across multiple environments. From there, Citrix starting becoming cost prohibitive (not unlike VMware now!), and many organizations moved to RDS (Remote Desktop Services) in Windows Server. After many of those deployments and ongoing support, admins learned very quickly that multiple users leveraging the same OS instance created some…. Challenges.
As a result the industry then shifted to VMware View…. Which then rebranded to “Horizon View”….. and….. and…. and…. you see what the theme is here. SysAdmins have LONG had to roll with changes in the industry and within specific technology areas (centralized end-user computing in this example). Adaptation, questioning the status-quo, patience (to resist changing too quickly), and staying up to date on best practices are all skills that will prepare SysAdmins for this sad-reality of the tech space. Remember, best practices are less ‘rules carved in stone’ and more like ‘guidelines’ scribbled on a whiteboard that vendors keep erasing when you turn your back.
And now…. Back to our regularly scheduled programming
Latest on the SysAdmin Weekly Podcast
🎙️ WHAT THE HELL DID BROADCOM DO TO VMWARE?! (Yes… all-caps are warranted)
Broadcom’s VMware acquisition fallout is in full swing. Licensing changes, customer pushback, and SysAdmins left holding the bag. Andy and Eric break down what’s changing, why it matters, and how to plan your next move if VMware is in your stack.
In Case You Missed It on SysAdmin Weekly
Missed this one thanks to last week’s special Thursday edition (life prevented Andy from our usual FULL newsletter publication)? In this episode, Andy and Eric dive into the messy world of Hyper-V management. Mainly, what tools exist, when you should use them, and how to keep from losing your mind when Microsoft gives you four overlapping options.
Sneak Peek of the Next Episode
Next up later this week: “What is the definition of the word Compromise?”
We’ll be unpacking what compromise really means in a cybersecurity context. Spoiler: it’s way more nuanced than “someone got popped.” Expect a mix of philosophy, practical detection strategies, and a reality check for anyone tossing the term around without thinking.
From AndyOnTech and Project Runspace
We covered this one before, but worth a revisit with the benchmarking discussions going around the community this week. If you’re deploying workloads and want to test your Linux box under pressure, here’s a step-by-step breakdown on how to do it.
Core Fundamentals
📖 Getting Started with Microsoft Entra ID
Entra ID isn’t just “Azure AD with a new name”, it’s the backbone of Microsoft’s entire cloud identity stack. This Microsoft Learn documentation gives you the fundamentals you need to start strong.
Helpful Community Content
🛡️ Break Glass Accounts and Azure AD Security Defaults — Jan Bakker explains how to align Microsoft’s required MFA for critical management portals stance with the real-world need for bypassed break glass accounts. Solution: Temporary Access Passes + FIDO2 keys. Essential read if you’re setting these up (like Andy was recently).
🧠 Expert Circle – AI Thought Leaders — Sai Turlapati has done the community a solid with this list of AI experts, bloggers, and Microsoft tech leaders to follow. Great for curating your feed without doomscrolling LinkedIn randomness.
💡 What Open Source Models Mean for Enterprises — Barry Briggs breaks down the business implications of open source LLMs and how they’ll change enterprise strategy.
🖥️ Benchmarking 3D Graphics Cards and Drivers on Linux — Emmanuel Kasprzyk gets nerdy on how to properly benchmark GPU performance under Linux. Pair this with AndyOnTech’s stress test guide (above) for full effect.
Other SysAdmin Content from Vendors and Official Publications
🐧 Ubuntu on Azure: Pro Patches Now Surface in Update Manager — If you’re running Ubuntu on Azure, Update Manager will now surface missing Ubuntu Pro patches. One less place to miss something important.
Security Headlines for SysAdmins
Surge in Coordinated Scans Target Microsoft RDP Auth Servers
Nearly 2,000 IPs were caught hammering Microsoft RDP Web Access portals in a coordinated campaign. This is way above the usual background noise. Attackers are probing for timing flaws that leak valid usernames, with most traffic flagged as malicious and coming from Brazil.
👉 Lock down RDP: enforce MFA, restrict exposure, and hide it behind VPNs or conditional access. (please?)
Malicious Android Apps with 19M Installs Removed
Google yanked 77 malicious Android apps (19M+ installs) from Play, loaded with adware and banking trojans like Joker and Anatsa. Anatsa now targets 800+ financial apps, using sneaky payload delivery and Accessibility abuse.
👉 SysAdmins: remind users to enable Play Protect, avoid shady publishers, and scrutinize app permissions.
Tool of the Week
🪟 yabai – Tiling Window Manager for macOS
This one’s just… chef’s kiss. A tiling window manager for macOS that finally gives you power-user control over your desktop. If you’ve ever envied i3 on Linux, but were stuck on a Mac, this tool’s for you.
Quick Win of the Week
Set up a break glass account checklist in your documentation.
It takes 5 minutes to write down:
- Account names
- Stored credentials location
- Authentication method (TAP/FIDO2)
- When they were last tested
Future you (and your boss) will thank you when chaos strikes.
Fun Retro SysAdmin Fact
The first ever “patch Tuesday”… wasn’t on a Tuesday.
Microsoft’s original move toward scheduled patching in 2003 dropped on a Wednesday (gasp!) The “Patch Tuesday” brand didn’t get locked in until later, once sysadmins around the world begged for a predictable cadence.
☕ Wrap-Up
Another week, another reminder that sysadmins live in constant flux. Whether it’s Broadcom throwing curveballs, Microsoft rebranding identity yet again, or Linux folks benchmarking their way to glory.
Drink your coffee, give your dog (or cat?) a good pat on the head for stress-relief, and remember: control may slip, but your SysAdmin skills are the anchor.