SysAdmin Weekly

Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron
  • 5.0 (2)
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the SysAdmin Weekly Podcast, your go-to source for IT-related content tailored to busy system administrators in the trenches. Hosted by longtime sysadmins and Microsoft MVPs Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron, this show dives deep into the challenges and solutions that matter most to sysadmins on any given day. From technical know-how to real-world insights, SysAdmin Weekly is dedicated to those tireless professionals who keep our digital world running. Tune in for relevant topics, expert advice, and engaging discussions to make your busy schedule a little bit easier.

  1. 1D AGO

    019 - What Counts as a Security Breach (and What Doesn't)

    "Compromised." We throw the word around like everyone agrees what it means, but do we? This week, Andy and Eric dig into the many faces of compromise in a security context and why it’s not a simple definition In this episode: - What actually counts as a security compromise (and why the answer is “it depends”) - Full breach vs. partial breach: Does it even matter? - Why lateral movement should keep you up at night - Session token hijacking in M365 and why MFA isn’t a silver bullet - The Myth of the Green Matrix Terminal Hacker (aka Hollywood hacking nonsense) - How risk profiling and layered defenses can contain the blast radius - Real-world detection failures and the “10,000 alert problem” - Practical steps to tune logs, outsource monitoring, and avoid burnout 📬 Reminder! - You can subscribe to the SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter (link below) or email your own security horror story to contact@sysadminweekly.com! Episode Resources: - SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter - AndyOnTech - Project Runspace - SysAdmin Weekly 012 - Identity is the New Firewall - Evilginx (Reverse Proxy Phishing Toolkit) - Debian 13 “Trixie” Release Notes - Ghost CMS Overview

    54 min

  2. AUG 20

    018 - What Broadcom Did to VMware (and Why SysAdmins are Furious)

    Broadcom’s acquisition of VMware has left the sysadmin community reeling. From gutting VMware’s workforce to skyrocketing license costs (1000+ percent increases in some cases), cease-and-desist letters for perpetual licenses (really?), and a collapse in customer support, the VMware we once knew is gone. In this episode of SysAdmin Weekly, Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron dig into: - How Broadcom’s handling of VMware triggered massive customer backlash - Why small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) are being pushed away - The licensing and pricing nightmare (including lawsuits from giants like AT&T and UnitedHealthcare) - Declining customer experience and security patch transparency - Alternatives on the rise: Hyper-V, Proxmox, Nutanix - And even a spicy debate: will SysAdmins return to physical servers? If you’ve ever managed a VMware environment, are considering your virtualization options, OR you just need to share in VMware Grief, this one’s for you. Episode Resources: SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter AndyOnTech Project Runspace Jen Easterly Joins Huntress Advisory Board

    58 min

  3. AUG 14

    017 - Hyper-V Management Drama, What Tool to Use, and When

    In this episode of SysAdmin Weekly, Andy and Eric wade through the sometimes mess that is managing Hyper-V. From MMC snap-ins to Azure Arc and everything in between, we’re talking about the confusing pile of tools Microsoft throws at you when you just want to manage some virtual machines. Topics include: - The evolution (and stagnation) of Hyper‑V Manager - Why Failover Cluster Manager feels like an insider secret - SCVMM: A tool that should be great… but isn’t - Windows Admin Center and its 80-inch monitor problem - Azure Arc: Is it helpful or just cloud cosplay? - PowerShell, Live Migration, CSVs, and sysadmin war stories If you've ever screamed at a clustered VM that just *won’t* move, this episode’s for you. --- EPISODE RESOURCES - AndyOnTech - Project Runspace - Create a Failover Cluster - System Center Virtual Machine Manager Overview - Manage Hyper‑V Integration Services - Cluster Shared Volumes - Microsoft 365 Direct Send Abuse --- Subscribe to the companion newsletter: https://newsletter.sysadminweekly.com Got a Hyper‑V horror story? Share it with us in the comments!

    1h 3m

  4. AUG 6

    016 - AI Agents for IT Admins

    In this episode of SysAdmin Weekly, Andy sits down with Mike Nelson to talk about how SysAdmins can harness the power of Generative AI to make their day-to-day lives easier. From writing PowerShell scripts to reducing cognitive load during incidents, Andy and Mike break down real-world use cases that go beyond hype. They dive into what AI agents really are, how large language models (LLMs) fit in, and introduce the concept of Model Context Protocol (MCP), a game-changer for future infrastructure automation. Mike shares his home automation experiments, Andy nerds out about running open-source models locally with Ollama, and together they discuss where tools like Microsoft Copilot and Azure MCP might take SysAdmins next. If you’ve ever wondered how AI can move from buzzword to genuine productivity tool in IT operations, this episode is for you! ---Episode Resources--- - SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter - AndyOnTech - Project Runspace - ProPublica article on Microsoft support risk - Ollama GitHub Repository - Open WebUI for Ollama - Azure Model Context Protocol (MCP) Overview - GitHub MCP Servers Repository (Awesome MCP)

    57 min

  5. JUL 30

    015 - The Art of Troubleshooting in Tech

    If you've ever stared at a blinking cursor at 2 a.m. whispering, "please just work…", this episode’s for you. Andy Syrewicze and Paul Schnackenburg roll up their sleeves and wade into the messy, glorious world of troubleshooting. From stopping junior techs from “chaotic clicking” themselves into a production outage, to real-world stories of SQL process murder and Comcast cables zapped by neighborly air conditioners, this one’s packed with hard-earned wisdom. You’ll learn how to scope problems without panicking, why you should onlychange one thing at a time (seriously, ONE), and how to use logs, diagrams, and even your own voice (rubber-duck style) to untangle gnarly IT messes. We talk when to escalate, how to survive vendor support roulette, and why sometimes the best fix is simply tossing the old PC in the bin and giving the user a shiny new one. Plus, in news this week, the guys discuss: - SK Telecom’s “3-year breach” - CitrixBleed 2 makes NetScaler owners sweat - Push Security drops a free MFA-verification tool for help desks - Notepad finally speaks Markdown (YAY!) - And Andy debates whether Hugo or a “Swiss-cheese WordPress” should power his next project This is SysAdmin troubleshooting in its purest, funniest, most caffeinated form. Bring your ticket queue and a strong coffee. -------- Episode Resources - SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter - AndyOnTech - Project Runspace - SK Telecom breach - CitrixBleed 2 (CVE‑2025‑5777) - Push Security browser extension - Notepad Markdown support - Hugo static site generator

    1 hr

  6. JUL 23

    014 - How SysAdmins Can Prove Their Value (Before the Next Layoff)

    Let’s be real, the better you are at your job in IT, the less anyone notices. Welcome to the Visibility Paradox, where success means silence, and failure? Oh, that gets EVERYONES attention! In this week’s episode, we break down how SysAdmins can fight back against being invisible by quantifying wins, showcasing strategic value, and learning to speak fluent exec (without falling asleep doing it). We talk dashboards, automation ROI, watercooler politics, and the underrated power move of asking: “Who’s in the room?” before every meeting. Because if you want to survive the next round of budget cuts....or better yet, get that promotion, you're going to need more than technical skills. You're going to need career armor. --- Topics Covered Include: - The Visibility Paradox: Why good IT flies under the radar (and why that’s a problem) - Making leadership *see* your impact....and care - Turning boring automation into juicy ROI metrics - Getting a seat at the table (without being *that* guy) - Translating Geek Speak into Exec Speak™ - Real-world sysadmin stories from the trenches --- Don’t forget to check out the companion newsletter at https://newsletter.sysadminweekly.com ! Every week we include commentary, curated tools, security headlines, and all the sysadmin goodness that didn’t fit in the mic..... which is kind of a lot it turns out! A reminder! The show is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and soon… Substack Podcasts (hopefully)! --- Episode Resources Project Runspace AndyOnTech Iranian-Linked PLC Breach: CISA Advisory (AA23-335A) CISA Fact Sheet PDF Minecraft Modpack Setup (For those interested!): CurseForge Install Guide

    48 min

  7. JUL 17

    013 - Hyper-V Hosts in the Domain? Yea or Nay?

    This week on SysAdmin Weekly, Andy and Eric finally settle one of the most persistent questions in the Hyper-V world: Should your Hyper-V hosts be domain joined or live outside the domain? Spoiler: we have strong feelings. Before the main event, we hit a few hot headlines: - Microsoft is booting AV vendors out of the kernel (finally) - CrowdStrike’s recent disaster knocked out 8.5 million devices - Notepad++ had a nasty privilege escalation flaw in its installer - And no, China did NOT break RSA encryption (at least, not the kind that matters) Then, in Nerd Hour, Andy talks Debian 13 upgrade best practices, and Eric explores scripting virtual TPM keys in Hyper-V without going full-HGS. In the main segment, we compare the tradeoffs of domain-joined vs workgroup-mode Hyper-V hosts, from security implications (Kerberos, pass-the-hash, curb roasting) to the operational challenges of backups, automation, and monitoring. Got a spicy opinion? Want to challenge our take? Email us at contact@sysadminweekly.com Episode Resources: - Newsletter signup - Project Runspace - AndyOnTech - Kerberoasting (MITRE ATT&CK technique T1558.003) - Workgroup vs Domain - Active Directory Security Best Practices - Microsoft is moving antivirus providers out of the Windows kernel - CrowdStrike’s faulty update crashed 8.5 million Windows devices - CVE‑2025‑49144 – DLL planting privilege escalation in Notepad++ installer - Chinese researchers break RSA encryption with a quantum computer (22‑bit only) - Debian 13 (Trixie) release notes

    50 min

  8. JUL 9

    012 - Is Identity the New Firewall? The SaaS Cyber Kill Chain Examined

    This week on SysAdmin Weekly, Andy is joined by returning guest Paul Schnackenburg to dive headfirst into one of the most important (and overlooked) topics in modern IT: SaaS Security. From token theft and malicious OAuth apps to adversary-in-the-middle attacks and the harsh truth about identity becoming the new firewall, we unpack how attackers are adapting to the cloud-first world, and why most orgs are woefully unprepared. We explore: - The SaaS cyber kill chain from recon to persistence - Other real-world security incidents like CitrixBleed2 and the Fortinet hardcoded credentials fiasco - The dark art of malicious OAuth apps and shadow IT exploitation - Why EDR and XDR fall short in a SaaS world - What you can do *right now* to harden your defenses (Hint: MFA is not enough) This one’s loaded with insights and practical tips, don’t miss it! ## Episode Resources ## - SysAdmin Weekly Companion Newsletter - AndyOnTech - Project Runspace - CitrixBleed 2 - X Post re: Fortinet Hard-Coded Credentials - Paul's SaaS Cyber Kill Chain Article

    57 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to the SysAdmin Weekly Podcast, your go-to source for IT-related content tailored to busy system administrators in the trenches. Hosted by longtime sysadmins and Microsoft MVPs Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron, this show dives deep into the challenges and solutions that matter most to sysadmins on any given day. From technical know-how to real-world insights, SysAdmin Weekly is dedicated to those tireless professionals who keep our digital world running. Tune in for relevant topics, expert advice, and engaging discussions to make your busy schedule a little bit easier.

Information

  • Creator
    Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    20
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Andy Syrewicze and Eric Siron
  • Show Website
    SysAdmin Weekly

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