My Background and bla.. bla .. blaa..

Hi everybody . I will share about my experience in IT . I am an IT officer working with Malaysia Government . I use to deal with IT everyday . As i can say from 8 am till 6 pm is all about IT .
This blog is not to condemn any products or technology . But i just want to share my experience migrating my environtment from Windows to Open Source . I start working at year 2000 . I deal with windows user and technology . I am technician during that time . I need to install Windows 98 , Windows Me , Windows XP and Windows 2000 (Server and Desktop). I am die hard fan of Windows ... hehehe
One day I read about security in internet . During that time it was a famous tool such as Winnuke , POD , Boink , Papa smurf and so on . I am so interested to learn about it . But the more deep i learn to more interesting to Linux . Because most of the article told about vulnerabilities of windows and attacking using linux . Sounds good is it .
It looks like a war in cyber . I also start playing with MIRC and join some channel . People in MIRC also always test their skills take others as their guenea pig .sometimes work sometime not. hehehe . including me . I start playing with hacking tools for windows but seems not so interesting . I met some friend that good in Linux and they teach me some linux basic . I start using BitchX after learning Linux.
I learn more about linux from my friend from Penang . His nickname is KANE . Thanks a lot man .. he told me to learn more about TCPIP if you really want to be good in networking and security . But i'm so stubborn . I just want to nuke people :) . hahahaha . so my knowledge about linux just around that . After some time I get bored with mirc and i stop learning linux .
Year 2003 i've been hired by Malaysia government to be IT person . That was a great opputunity . I've a lot of chance to enhance my skill .During that time , my skill is just like a technician . As earlier , i told that i always deal with desktop but just some basic server technology . I realize that i love network so much .In my new office i learn many technologies about server .
But as a new person , nobody will trust you . My first job is to backup the server . And I believe the job that all people hates . Because we have to wait until 5.30 pm to start backup . Since that time we only use windows backup . so need to turn off all the service such as SQL and exchange before fully backup . Most of the time , I do it during weekend and differential mode during daily . I need to backup all the MSSQL database and Microsoft Exchange .
My boss starting to trust on me and give me more chalenging task . I have to maintain ministry email system .. It is Microsoft Exchange 2000 . That was a tough job for me during that time . since i dont have any experience about how email works and so on . I learn from internet and friends . After 3 month working , i have a chance to attend Microsoft training (MCSE module) . Oh mannn .. believe me . I'm so blurrr!!! what the hack is Active directory ?? Mail transport agent ? mx record . I'm so stressed to catch up all this thing . Luckily we have a maintenance contract for the server . I feel a little bit release since i can rely to this vendor . I learn as much as i can from the vendor and get familiar about active directory and Microsoft Exchange . I hunt all the seminar and product launching for Microsoft product . I was so obsessed about Microsft technology .
Sept 2003 , I get a tech ed voucher . Wowwwww.. this is great . I went to the Tech-Ed and learn more about security and messaging . I'm so adore to Steve Riley .. he talks about security just like a peanut .. hehehe . I get excited with new Microsoft product . Microsoft ISA server 2000 for Proxy and firewall .
More and more products of microsoft .. Active directory , exchange , ISA , IIS , microsoft SQL . Since in my agency , there is only 2 person and we need to manage more than 20 server , so I have a lot of chance to explore and study the Microsoft product in my agency .
Unfortunately , blaster blast us!!! all the server get attacked by the blaster worm including ISA server get hanged!! before we use ISA firewall , we use freebsd server as a gateway to internet . even though it is a pentium III pc , but all the while internet access is good and no problem . so during blaster attack , we switch back internet gateway using freebsd and block ping . It is amazed that the server can stay alive eventhough being attack by blaster badly . I use tcpdump to identify which pc get infected by the blaster . After all the pc been patched , we switch back to use microsoft ISA for content filtering purpose . We implement Microsoft ISA and combine with active directory authentication . Since that incident , I believe Open Source is better in security (i mean BSD product)
Basically during that time 95% of my IT environtment rely on Microsoft technology ....