Embedded Files
Tips for use in this course AND for your Network profession --- REFERENCE PAGE!!!
Author's notes:
This is a very interesting, up-and-coming, evolving page. Intentionally purposed to guide students, I will use this as a general go-to for others and post this content on my website.
The page will continue to be updated until the end of the course, after which further updates will continue on the website Naresh Seegobin (https://www.nareshseegobin.com/).
Table of Contents
1. Course Tips
2. Network Career Tips
1. Course Tips <-- get details in the course shell, and/or email me
1.2) Use text editors
A plain text editor keeps unformatted text and commands when you are making changes to your equipment configuration.
Allows you to modify a command, copy blocks of commands before you execute them.
Preferably notepad++, as it automatically saves new files in case of a system crash, AND it can perform text manipulation using regular expressions. Use this site RegExr: Learn, Build, & Test RegEx (https://regexr.com/) to test your regular expressions.
Cleverly done, you can literally copy and paste the commands from your text file to your terminal to be executed.
1.3) Putty Terminal Application
Install the putty terminal application on your computer. If you are a SysAdmin, or taking a career in IT, you will be using it a lot.
Some configuration parameters:
- Create a session in putty to each device and output the contents to a separate log file.
- Use the &Y, &M, &D, &T and &H variables to allow you to open multiple putty sessions to the same host, with each outputting to a different log file.
- Set the terminal scroll back to a large number, e.g. 20000000 lines
- create an identifiable name for the session. I typically use the IP address/hostname and the purpose of the device.
- Putty saves these in the registry at [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions]
From time to time, create a registry export of these sessions as a backup.
- Bonus Tip!!!: In the Putty app, click load default settings, and make all your optimizations for an SSH session, including the window size and log filename. Then, select the Default Settings profile and click Save. As this replaces your Default Settings, anytime you open Putty and go directly to an SSH session, it will be automatically logged to a file. If you use the correct date time variables in the log filename, you should be able to have a log of multiple concurrent default settings, each to a separate file. Perfect for those quick SSH connects that you wish you had a log for.
1.4) Use Word to document your entire project
For the course and for general use, use word to simply record the content (including screenshots) as you go.
1) Use headings to sectionise your pages - two clicks and you are done, make it a habit
2) From the headings, you can easily create table of contents for quick navigation.
3) Use screenshots to keep track of where you have reached.
4) Save it to your OneDrive for easy access.
- No OneDrive? Create an Outlook.com email account to get 5GB of OneDrive storage free.
5) Configure the Word document page size to A3.
- The A3 size allows screenshots to be pasted close to the original screen resolution size.
- You can always change the page size to letter or legal for printing purposes.
1.5) Have a forum or discord server to discuss ideas (use as your cohort alumni page)
So far, discord seems to be the best platform for discussing ideas.
Form an alumni group. Use a name like "UWI INFO Networkers group 2025" to easily identify your cohort. You can always add more people to the group.
If you want the group to flourish or perish, I leave it up to you.
2. Network Career Tips
2.1) Start organising your files across all technologies, file systems and cloud storage.
Windows/macOS/Cloud searching may be a quick way to access your files, but they haven't perfected it yet. So, in the meantime, you should organise your files for YOU to access easily.
Create a folder structure for your files. Some of you would have done this already.
In addition, you make the structure similar across all platforms,
e.g. OneDrive, GoogleDrive, OneNote, Notion, Evernote, Zotero (<-- I use this with a local WebDav server)
Sample folder structure below. Create your own to match your style.
Root ---
--- Personal
--- Work
--- Internship 2026
--- CompanyName
--- Projects
--- Study
--- UWI
--- BSc InfoTech
--- Certifications
You decide if you want to organise by year first or by category.
Take a records management course
How do you curate all those photos? How about your backups?
Can you find them easily?
One thing I am sure we have in common is that we do not index or manage our data efficiently. Take a course in records management to understand your metadata and how to better manage it.
Use Coursera or Udemy, et. al.
Short Read: What is Records Management: Process & Best Practices (https://www.formpl.us/blog/what-is-records-management-process-best-practices)
Longer Read: All About Records Management | (https://www.smartsheet.com/record-management)
2.2) Windows 260 character path depth limit - GNS3 Unsupported File Extension Error !!!
What caused this?
Windows has a 260 file path limitation, read more about it here,
Maximum Path Length Limitation - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/maximum-file-path-limitation?tabs=registry
This affects Windows Explorer and any application that uses the Win32 API.
Some Solutions (which don't work, well)
Make Windows accept File Paths over 260 characters (thewindowsclub.com)
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/how-to-enable-or-disable-win32-long-paths-in-windows-11-10
And still, it doesn't work
windows 10 - STILL no file paths longer than 260 characters in Win Explorer, in 2023? - Super User
So, workarounds?
-- (1) Shorten your folder names and file names
Instead of calling it "This is my assignment one", rename it to "A1"
-- (2) Create a folder in your drive root, e.g. c:\Data\MyFile and extract the GNS3 project folder there.
-- (3) Use drive substitutions to perform deep path mappings to a drive letter.
e.g. subst to map a path to a drive letter (subst | Microsoft Learn, https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/windows-commands/subst)
Check my GitHub page for a simple script: batch-scripts/Utilities/System/substFolder at master · NareshSeegobin/batch-scripts (github.com) (https://github.com/NareshSeegobin/batch-scripts/tree/master/Utilities/System/substFolder)
-- (4) Fed up with lots of drive letters??!!! (I have)
I used the mklink command to map a long path to a shorter path
e.g. mklink /D "C:\mnt\A1" "C:\Users\MyName\OneDrive\Docs\Courses\INFO3605\Assignment1"
Create a folder (in my case, I use C:\mnt) and place all mklink folders there.
Of course, I still use the drive substitution to get a quick folder to drive letter mapping.
How do I navigate deep paths then?
You can use different third-party file browser applications, e.g.
7-zip 7-Zip (https://www.7-zip.org/) <-- my Openource preference
FreeCommander Downloads (freecommander.com) (https://freecommander.com/en/downloads/) <-- what I use currently and recommend others to use.
How do I copy files from deep paths?
Use the robocopy command.
Or, deep path map, copy the files, then remove the map.
Use 7-zip, FreeCommander, etc
Good luck with long file names (lfn's)!!!
2.3) Screen record using OBS to your local disk or YouTube
Once your organisation permits and participants are okay with being recorded, use the OBS software to record your online sessions to a file. If you want quick access, you can stream the recording to YouTube as unlisted so you can easily share it.
At the moment, YouTube has unlimited storage.
Caveat: YouTube's terms of service may block your video even if it's unlisted or private.
Use a separate Gmail account from your personal account to record your meetings.
2.4) Keep Screenshots of your work
Some may ignore this, but keeping screenshots of your work can help you when in a jam, especially before and after screenshots.
I use Greenshot to take screen clippings of my screen to a file AND to the clipboard AT THE SAME TIME!!!
Greenshot can perform simple edits to your screenshot if you need to make annotations to better explain something. When you have completed making an edit, copy it to the clipboard again AND save it as a new copy.
2.4.1 Greenshot General Settings - Note the shortcut settings
2.4.2 Greenshot Destination Settings - Note I am sending to a file AND the clipboard.
2.4.2 Save your screenshots in a Cloud folder based on device
Use OneDrive, Google Drive or any other cloud solution which syncs folders from your computer.
Create one called Screenshots
Then, you will create a subfolder with the name of your PC. In this way, a screenshot is accessible on another device.
2.5) Does your phone have a screen record function? Use it!
Where to use?
-- Performing network speed tests or checks.
-- Demonstrating how to access a site or use an app
A screenshot alone does not give the context and you have to write documentation to make sense of it.
Some (if not all) phones with a screen record function can also record audio. Use this to self-describe the problem and what you are currently doing or going to do in the apps.
2.6) Create a blog to document problems that you cannot find on the forums, but YOU have to put together yourself!
Serverfault and related forums do have a wealth of information. Unfortunately, there are cases where no one forum can help with your problem. Sometimes, the OP solved it but never provided details on the solution. Frustrating!
Eventually, you would have solved it on your own. But create a blog to document your steps and solution. AND to help the community, post the solution on the forum (if you can post in the conversation) and link to your page with the solution.
some examples here, Kernel Panic: Launching Firefox (with a snapd installation) in Lubuntu to an xdisplay server using Putty, X11 forwarding and Xming (seegobin.org)
https://kernelpanic.seegobin.org/2023/06/launching-firefox-with-snapd.html
The person figured it out but didn't explain how. Most likely, they were frustrated with no help and just gave them the thanks; I figured it out and flipped them the bird.
Be a better netizen; post the solution, please!
If it doesn't benefit anyone else, it can benefit you.
2.7) Create a GitHub account and page
Once you are scripting or coding and the information is not copyrighted, post it on your GitHub page.
Apply whatever license you deem fit. MIT license seems to be the default in Guthub.
2.8) Use your blog or GitHub site as a reference page
If you want an easy, free, and publicly available way to access your scripts and links.
Create a GitHub page.
I have created a GitHub account for software links and some batch scripts.
NareshSeegobin (Naresh Seegobin) · GitHub
2.9) Do you have a website? No?!! Create one now!!!
Use one of the free website creation sites out there.
You are using this website as a guidepost for your online content.
Mine is not perfect, Naresh Seegobin (https://www.nareshseegobin.com/), but it does help if I need to get somewhere fast.
2.10) Do you have a LinkedIn Profile? No?!! Create one now!!!
Do this before you graduate. You will have a professional page for recruiters to look at. Add your classmates to your network and grow from there.
And as I said, do this before you graduate while you are one-on-one with your classmates.
Connect with me https://www.linkedin.com/in/naresh-seegobin
.... more items coming - sometime
2.11) Create a work toolkit!!!
Just like any tradesman has a toolkit, IT professionals (managers, senior manager, C[chief]-Level executives) should also have theirs.
The digital toolkit may contain apps (will create/link to an apps list), scripts, procedures, and documents to help you with your work and projects.
The physical toolkit may contain:
-- network cables, 3ft x 2, 6ft x 1, 15ft x 1
-- network keystone x 2
-- Laptop and/or modified Chromebook
-- USB 3.x/4.x nic x 2
-- USB 3/4.x hub - 4 port is good
-- USB card reader
-- Flashdrive, or better yet, a microSD flash drive with a card reader.
Works faster than most flashdrives. My pick is the Sandisk Extreme A2.
-- HDMI and VGA cables
-- HDMI to USB video capture adapter
-- console cables (rollup-cables)
-- network cable/drop testers,
-- screwdrivers,
-- precision kit with torx bits
-- computer power supply testers,
-- USB adapters, Type C to Type A, etc.
-- USB testers, etc.
-- notebook
-- a roll of clear or invisible tape.
-- small zip-lock bags
-- multibit screwdriver, Phillips, flat, torx, hex
-- pens, multicolored, with a capacitive tip
-- Neodymium rare earth magnet, 2" size with 1/4"-20 UNC male threaded (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JKWCVTX)
-- Laser measure tool (optional)
Keep these in a backpack or laptop bag.
2.12) Create a (or a few) Multiboot disk!!!
Create these using Flashdrives, SSD enclosures, and even MicroSD.
My preference is an SSD M2 (SATA, or preferably NVME) drive in an enclosure.
1 TB is ideal, but a 512 GB will work well enough.
I currently use Ventoy (https://www.ventoy.net/en/index.html) for this.
Check this video I created https://youtube.com/live/4BTcdDM4-ug to get you up and running with Ventory with some cool features :)
I used to use YUMI Pendrive Linux YUMI Multiboot USB Software ✅ Boot Windows or Linux Easy (pendrivelinux.com) (https://pendrivelinux.com/yumi-multiboot-usb-creator/)
But Ventoy made it so much easier.
Ventoy must have tools once you create a multiboot drive. Other configurations can be done based on your preference.
Ventoy Ignore - search path . Ventoy (https://www.ventoy.net/en/doc_search_path.html)
I use the .ventoyignore file in the folder where there are a lot of files that slow down the Ventoy boot process.
Add some relevant information to the .ventoyignore text file, such as the website, procedures, notes, and comments, to make it a non-zero file size.
VHDX Boot - Plugin.WinVhdBoot . Ventoy (https://www.ventoy.net/en/plugin_vhdboot.html)
In most cases, you can boot your Windows OS directly from the VHD/VHDX file. Perfect for when you did a backup but want to get access to the environment.
You can have multiple VHDX files.
One main caveat, if you are using a thin VHDX file, and you boot from a Ventoy drive, make sure your boot drive has enough free space for the entire disk size.
A better way is to use VirtualBox, create a VM with a VHDX disk of a small size, say 80GB, thin-provisioned, install your OS, copy the file to the Ventoy drive, and boot it.
I havent' tried it with Ubuntu as the isntalled OS on a VHDX disk, so something to try.
2.13) Build your home lab!!
It can be anything from a Raspberry Pi to a fully automated NOC; it all depends on your budget and time.The more you build, the more you learn and develop skills.
You get and develop skills by doing.
One tip I can give: if you want to learn a technology, pick a service it needs to provide, then go through the process of implementing it.
e.g. you want to set up an FTP server; set it up on Linux on a RPi.
Next tip: once you get your service running, find a way to automate it, automatic provisioning, make it a cluster, make it cloud-capable.
End of Tips
If you find this useful, please take a moment to complete the feedback form below.
https://forms.office.com/r/3RZ4bjEE0J?origin=lprLink
Naresh Seegobin
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse