2.5 Admins

The hosts dive into a critical vulnerability in sudo, sparking a debate about security practices and alternatives like doas. They discuss VMware's audits on customers, emphasizing the challenges of software license compliance. Navigating firewall configurations becomes essential as they explore optimizing outbound port settings for improved security. There's a call to avoid software monocultures, reflecting on the Unix philosophy and balancing simplicity with functionality. Plus, practical insights on disaster recovery with ZFS are shared!

The discussion kicks off with concerns about the future of next-gen filesystems, particularly the dominance of ZFS. They question whether we might hit a cognitive limit in managing increasingly complex systems. A deep dive into Bcachefs improvements highlights the ongoing challenges in filesystem development. The conversation also weighs the pros and cons of switching to third-party firmware for home routers, examining performance trade-offs and personal experiences with options like Fresh Tomato. Innovation and diversity in storage technology hang in the balance!

Nintendo's recent crackdown on Switch users runs deep, with bans for those daring to back up their games. The conversation shifts to Microsoft, revealing a shocking zero-click vulnerability in their AI software, raising serious security concerns. Tips are shared on preventing NAS hard drive wear and tear by avoiding frequent spin-downs. Finally, insights into securing self-hosted applications highlight the importance of restricted access and sandboxing. Tune in for a blend of gaming controversy and tech-savvy advice!

The podcast dives deep into the potential misuse of Microsoft's Copilot AI in SharePoint, raising major data security concerns. A new metric from NIST aims to help prioritize exploited vulnerabilities effectively. Listeners are introduced to impressive SBCs, including the Odroid H4 Plus and the versatile Banana Pi BPI-R4 Pro router, showcasing powerful features. Additionally, the complexities of setting up a NAS with four disks are discussed, clarifying misconceptions about RAID configurations and emphasizing the importance of data backup strategies.

The hosts discuss Google's bold move to distrust certain certificate authorities, raising eyebrows about security and transparency. Meta faces backlash for its mobile tracking practices, revealing deep privacy concerns. They introduce the innovative ZFS AnyRaid feature, designed for better disk management. The episode also compares TP-Link and UniFi networking solutions, sharing personal experiences on performance and reliability. It's a tech-heavy conversation filled with insights into firmware security and modern storage strategies.

Locating people with just a phone call, Google forces a change to Let’s Encrypt certificates, yet another example of a “lifetime” subscription being cut short, connecting drives to a small form factor machine, and managing ssh keys with LDAP.   Plugs Support us on patreon and get an ad-free RSS feed with early episodes sometimes What We’ve Learned Supporting FreeBSD in Production (So You Don’t Have To)   News O2 VoLTE: locating any customer with a phone call Ending TLS Client Authentication Certificate Support in 2026 – Let’s Encrypt VPN firm says it didn’t know customers had lifetime subscriptions, cancels them   Free consulting We were asked about connecting drives to a small form factor machine, and managing ssh keys with LDAP. SAS Expanders, Build Your Own JBOD DAS Enclosure and Save – Iteration 1           See our contact page for ways to get in touch.  

TrueNAS drops FreeBSD but there’s a community fork, the elusive ZFS send bug that affected encrypted datasets is finally identified and fixed, why the Raspberry Pi doesn’t make a great NAS, and when to use the zpool checkpoint feature.   Plugs Support us on patreon and get an ad-free RSS feed with early episodes sometimes Maintaining FreeBSD in a Commercial Product – Why Upstream Contributions Matter   News/discussion TrueNAS 25.04 drops FreeBSD: “Fangtooth” only with GNU/Linux base FreeBSD fans rally round zVault upstart ZFS raw-send corruption bug fixed 5 things I regret about using my Raspberry Pi as a NAS   Free consulting We were asked about the zpool checkpoint feature.             See our contact page for ways to get in touch.  

Dive into the unsolvable problems in computer science that continue to puzzle experts. Discover why trusting AI for tuning ZFS can lead to dangerous pitfalls. Learn about real-life anecdotes illustrating the challenges in systems administration, especially with cache invalidation. Explore creative and innovative check-in systems for friends that respect privacy and security. The discussion emphasizes the need for human expertise in navigating complex tech situations, cautioning against over-reliance on AI.

Old passwords can still access Windows RDP, raising security concerns despite password revocation. Broadcom's cease-and-desist letters against VMware users reveal the truth behind perpetual software licenses. Microsoft is pushing a subscription model for Windows Server 2025, questioning the concept of software ownership. Strategies for safeguarding archived files involve ZFS's read-only datasets and immutable flags, offering a balance between data accessibility and protection.

The vulnerabilities of public infrastructure take center stage, with a humorous take on hacked crosswalks. Insight into Google’s struggles with data storage reveals the tensions between speed and cost. The dangers of third-party services proxying personal IPs raise ethical concerns, while listeners get advice on creating a ZFS mirror. The conversation dives into the risks of software downloads from unreliable sources, emphasizing malware threats and critiquing misleading ads in the tech space.