Technology Tales

Cloudinary provides a platform for managing and delivering image and video assets through scalable APIs, widgets and user interfaces, enabling businesses to store, transform and optimise media. The service integrates with a wide range of tools and platforms, offering features such as fast image delivery, high-definition streaming and accessibility compliance. It supports diverse use cases from e-commerce to media production, backed by industry recognition and a range of resources to help users implement and scale visual solutions.

Use Webmin for Linux Administration

Webmin: One big drawback to using this data centre management tool

Webmin has long served as a graphical interface for managing Linux systems, offering a range of tools for tasks such as backups, user management, firewall configuration and server monitoring. Its ease of installation and user-friendly web-based interface make it a popular choice for administrators overseeing small to mid-sised data centres. However, its limitations become apparent when scaling to enterprise-level operations. While Webmin provides a comprehensive set of modules and third-party extensions, it lacks the automation and centralised management capabilities required for large-scale deployments. Alternatives such as Usermin, Virtualmin and Cloudmin address specific needs, including user-centric controls, web hosting management and virtual machine orchestration. For environments requiring robust, scalable solutions, tools like Puppet, Chef, or Ansible are often preferred. Webmin remains a viable option for those managing limited numbers of servers, where its simplicity and accessibility outweigh the need for advanced automation.

How to enable AMD Virtualization on the Aorus X570 Motherboard

This guide explains how to enable virtualisation on an AMD processor using the Aorus X570 Elite motherboard BIOS. After upgrading from an Intel Core i7 7700k to an AMD Ryzen 9 3950x, the author needed to configure virtualisation settings, which are disabled by default on both AMD and Intel systems. The process involves accessing the BIOS by pressing DEL or F9 during boot, switching to advanced mode with F2, navigating to the Tweaker tab, selecting Advanced CPU Settings, and then enabling SVM Mode, which stands for Secure Virtual Machine Mode and is AMD's virtualisation technology. Once this setting is enabled and the changes are saved, the system will support virtualisation features.

UUP Dump

Microsoft's Unified Update Platform is a modern system designed to deliver Windows updates more efficiently by replacing the traditional method of distributing large cumulative packages with a component-based approach. Instead of requiring devices to download entire update bundles, the system identifies and transmits only the specific components that are missing or updated on a given machine, significantly reducing download sizes and bandwidth consumption. This method is applied across various update channels, including Windows Update and enterprise management tools, and supports both major feature updates and smaller quality patches. The process involves comparing a device's current state with available updates to determine necessary changes, which are then assembled locally for installation. This approach enhances update speed, minimises network load and is particularly beneficial in large-scale environments. Outside of Microsoft, third-party tools exist that utilise UUP files to generate standalone ISO images for installation, offering users alternative ways to access and deploy updates without relying on official distribution methods.

Use mail flow rules to automatically add meetings to calendars in Exchange Online

Administrators in Exchange Online can use mail flow rules to automatically add meetings to recipients' calendars without requiring user action or generating inbox messages. This process involves two rules: the first modifies meeting invitations by setting a specific header to ensure automatic calendar updates, while the second prevents these invitations from appearing in recipients' inboxes by directing them to the deleted items folder. Both rules are configured using conditions based on designated senders and specific header parametres, with the first rule being essential and the second optional. Implementation can be done through the Exchange admin centre or PowerShell and verification involves testing with sample invitations to confirm calendar updates and inbox behavior. The designated senders' mailboxes may receive acceptance responses, which can be managed through Outlook settings to reduce inbox clutter.

H5P is an open-source platform that enables users to create, share and reuse interactive HTML5 content directly within web browsers. The technology integrates with various content management systems and learning management systems including WordPress, Drupal, Moodle, Canvas, Brightspace and Blackboard through plugins or LTI standards. Users can develop diverse interactive materials such as videos, presentations, games and advertisements without requiring specialised technical knowledge. All content created through H5P is responsive and functions consistently across computers, smartphones and tablets. The platform operates under an MIT licence, making it freely available to anyone with a web browser and compatible site. Content can be imported, exported and modified at any time, whilst the H5P community provides documentation, tutorials and support forums for both content creators and developers looking to build custom content types.

diagrams.net

Formerly known as draw.io, this diagramming and visual design tool enables users to create technical diagrams, flowcharts and system visualisations through a browser-based editor that requires no installation or account registration. The software runs primarily in web browsers but also offers desktop versions for Linux, macOS and Windows, supporting both online and offline diagram creation. Users can produce a wide range of outputs including flowcharts, UML diagrams, network infrastructure maps, entity relationship diagrams, organisation charts, floor plans and mind maps through a drag-and-drop interface with extensive shape libraries and templates.

Files can be saved locally or directly to cloud storage services such as Google Drive, OneDrive, GitHub, GitLab and Dropbox without passing through intermediary servers, and diagrams can be exported in multiple formats including PNG, JPEG, SVG, PDF and HTML. The editor integrates with collaboration platforms like Atlassian Confluence, Jira, Nextcloud, MediaWiki and Notion, allowing diagrams to be edited within documentation systems.

Released under the Apache 2.0 licence, the tool is free to use and particularly popular among developers and engineers who appreciate its ability to store diagrams as simple XML files that can be version-controlled in Git repositories alongside code. The project evolved from early graph visualisation work beginning in 2000, launching as Diagramly in 2011 before being renamed draw.io in 2012 and moving to diagrams.net in 2020, with development maintained by JGraph Ltd operating from the United Kingdom and Switzerland.

JFrog provides a software supply chain management platform that serves as a centralised system for managing, securing and governing software and AI assets throughout the development lifecycle. The platform includes various products such as Artifactory for artifact management, Xray, Curation, Distribution, Container Registry, Connect and JFrog ML, all designed to help organisations accelerate software delivery whilst reducing complexity for development teams. The company positions itself as offering ecosystem freedom through automated and integrated tools that support various roles including developers, DevOps teams, security professionals and AI/MLOps practitioners. With a customer base that includes over eighty per cent of Fortune 100 companies across multiple industries, the platform aims to break down silos in software delivery by providing one unified record for the entire software supply chain. JFrog offers free trials, demonstrations and self-guided tours for organisations interested in evaluating the platform, alongside resources such as documentation, community forums, security research and educational materials about software supply chain topics.

drive

Server Backups to Google Drive Using the Drive CLI Tool

Setting up a backup system using the Drive CLI tool involves several straightforward steps. First, the Drive application must be downloaded and configured on the local machine, ensuring it is executable and accessible via the command line. Authorisation follows, requiring a user to visit a specific URL provided by the tool and input a code obtained from Google's authentication process. This step generates a credentials file that must be securely stored. Once authorised, the user can begin transferring data to Google Drive by specifying a destination folder and the local files to be uploaded. The push command checks for existing files on the remote server and only uploads new or modified content, ensuring efficiency. To automate this process, a script can be created that archives data locally, uploads it to Google Drive and removes older backups to manage storage space. This script is then scheduled to run at regular intervals using cron, allowing for consistent and unattended backups. The approach minimises manual intervention while ensuring data is regularly secured in the cloud.

dbxcli: A command line tool for Dropbox users and team admins

This is a third-party command-line interface tool for interacting with Dropbox, offering functionalities such as file management, search and team administration through the Dropbox API. It is not officially supported by Dropbox and users should be aware that features may be incomplete or unstable. The tool can be installed via pre-compiled binaries or by building from source, requiring development keys obtained through Dropbox's API dashboard. It supports a range of commands for file operations and team management, with documentation available for users seeking to contribute or troubleshoot.