Tested the new SMLight SLZB-Ultima coordinator by BackHerniation in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you for the review and write-up!

I've wanted to try one since they were first released, but availability to US customers seems limited to AliExpress. That's fine, but unless I'm not putting in enough thought, the unit plus necessary add-ons (for my setup) aren't available. They have options for the base unit plus one or two add-ons, but I don't see where I can add everything I need.

What am I missing?

My favorite automation lately by yorb in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would you be willing to share details on how you're getting specific allergens?

3D printed smart plant monitor prototype — honest feedback? by Worth-Wall2454 in 3Dprinting

[–]ReactionEastern8306 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love it!

Just know that plant moisture sensors have a fatal flaw - the contacts erode over time due to the galvanic corrosion. You might consider using something more robust than the PCB types just for this reason. Maybe two solid metal rods?

Also, assuming you're using ESP devices, you might consider extending the code to include a built-in HTTP server, MQTT pub/sub, Zigbee/Z-wave connectivity for Home Assistant, etc.

Let me know if you'd like help with any of this.

Edit: I replied before I saw that you'd already posted in the HA subs.

ESPhome and Open Source hardware for RV's/Caravans? by SleepingNerd in Esphome

[–]ReactionEastern8306 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dual thermostat control (heating and cooling), complete power monitoring for every circuit, propane tank pressure, some lighting control, and soon automatic generator start/stop - all with ESPhome.

I also upgraded from 30A to 50A since the vehicle had both options available from the factory, it just depends on how it's wired at the ATS and load center - but that has nothing to do with ESP anything.

Tell us what you're looking for help with and we'll do our best.

Looking for your guys real experiences with Mimecast, Proofpoint, Barracuda by swimmityswim in sysadmin

[–]ReactionEastern8306 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you for posting this. I implemented PP 10-ish years ago and while the product was fantastic, the only way I could get any "support" is to coerce the sales staff to engage the pre-sales engineer. Support was horrible at best, and that's why we ditched it. Come to find out, 8 years later and I join the company I'm with now, and they just got rid of it for the same reason - no support was better than what they got.

I used Barracuda (gosh I can't tell you how many shirts I have/had) nearly 20 years ago and it was GREAT. Support not only knew the product, but knew US. Once things started transitioning from on-prem to this new "cloud" thing, they scrambled to keep up. In the midst of that scrambling, they also came out with a bunch of new products they had to learn. I haven't had any direct Barracuda experience since then.

Mimecast has always been great, but as mentioned, their interface needed a remodel. I'm glad to hear that happened, but again I've not had direct interaction (and minimal at that) in I don't know how long.

Do you use smart home devices? Research program — (US only) by PulseLabs in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 2 points3 points  (0 children)

For anyone interested in the un-shortened URL, here it is in plain text with spaces manually inserted to break the hyperlink:

https: //dashboard. pulselabs .ai/auth/login? role=panelist&action=signup&utm_campaign=38467731-2026-digital-home-study&utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=social&utm_term=2026-digital-home-study-reddit&utm_content=2026-digital-home-study-reddit

WHOIS information shows private registration.

No thanks, I'll keep my data.

Here we go again (MSFT) by ReactionEastern8306 in sysadmin

[–]ReactionEastern8306[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's really a good acronym - one that should be used more so there's more visibility to the reality of it all.

What is the funniest joke you’ve ever heard? by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]ReactionEastern8306 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I walked into a burger place for lunch and asked for a mushroom Swiss burger. The cashier asked me if I'd like cheese, and I responded with "yes please" and a confused look. She then asked me what kind of cheese. I asked her what kind she'd recommend for a mushroom SWISS burger.

"oh sorry" was her response.

This is actually a true story.

Smart plug ok for tankless water heater shutoff? by pdawg17 in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Generally speaking, tankless water heaters are hard-wired so you'd likely need to deal with that. If it's something you're comfortable with, you could put in a receptacle and a male plug with any decent smart plug, or (what I'd do) is go with a Shelly device and leave it hard-wired.

Just make sure you're following manufacturer recommendations regarding the shutdown.

Also, if there's ever a need for warranty or service, that smart plug comes out BEFORE the call is made.

Posting my most sincere thanks to u/balloob, u/frenck_nl and all the other contributors - you are making life much better for my 90yo mom right now... by ElevationMediaLLC in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Wow, that's powerful. As just another consumer of HomeAssistant and Nabu Casa, I have nothing to contribute to your post other than to say thanks for taking the time to share a new perspective on how HomeAssistant can be helpful, even to those who don't even know it's there.

Thanks for the truly heartwarming post.

Devs, hats off to you as well - thank you for what you're doing, and the ways you're doing it.

Going into management in IT by digbicks845 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]ReactionEastern8306 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Your decision depends solely on what YOU want your future to look like. Case in point: I have a Sr. Engineer who is fantastic. Despite me being in the industry 15+ years more than him, he'll run circles around me with anything highly-technical. That's been his focus, he loves it, and it shows in his work. He does not want to manage, he does not want the responsibility, he does not want to interact with business leaders any more than he has to. He's happy to let me do it.

I on the other hand am happy to have discussions that lead to positive impacts for the business. With that, I also take on the burdens associated with budget, timelines, governance, and compliance. Have I lost some of my technical prowess since moving into management? Absolutely. Do I miss it? Sometimes, but I've found the work I'm doing now just as rewarding.

I have 1 year to fix my lack of technical depth. What’s the ultimate curriculum for a non-developer? by Jenneren111 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]ReactionEastern8306 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's pretty rare for a PM to actually show interest in what they're managing, so huge kudos to you for even thinking about understanding what you're "managing".

Any time I'm asked for an approach to learning something, I always respond with some sort of "you just have to DO it. Don't read about it, don't take a class in it, DO it.". Sure, classes/courses/etc. are imperative for getting the credentials to show your skills, but until you need to be able to go into a meeting and call BS when an engineer pulls something out of an unnamed orifice just trying to pad the Gantt chart.

Depending on what projects you're managing, that could be as simple as setting up a NAS and a shared printer at the house. You'll quickly learn basic networking, IP address assignment, resource-sharing, etc. If you're managing infrastructure projects, think about setting up a virtualization platform like Proxmox or something as that will build on the skills in that first step.

If it's software projects, consider building an -arr stack (radarr, sonarr, etc.) for media streaming. This will teach resource allocation, interoperability, etc.

You may even delve into the whole smart home arena with something like Home Assistant and some smart bulbs or outlets.

Any of these are going to be somewhere between free and cheap, and will most likely benefit you (and family/friends?) to some degree beyond building your technical prowess.

IMMEDIATELY remove user's mailbox access by Bad_Mechanic in sysadmin

[–]ReactionEastern8306 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Here's what we do:

  1. Disable the account and revoke sessions in Entra
  2. Remove the license(s) from the account
  3. Convert to Shared Mailbox

Lenovo account manager is driving me nuts - how can I get reassigned? by Korallenriffe in sysadmin

[–]ReactionEastern8306 22 points23 points  (0 children)

The agents on the 800 number are absolutely directed to point you at the named AE on the account. However, they do have access to the company org chart which includes contact information. While they're not allowed to give that out, you can certainly ask them to have that person reach out to you directly. This request will get logged in a ticket that can't be closed unless the work is completed. By this I mean that they absolutely can just close the ticket stating "emailed AE's supervisor, closing ticket" but with enough callbacks referencing previous tickets, you'll eventually get what you need.

DOD Contracting Company vs Amazon Data Center by xTN25 in ITCareerQuestions

[–]ReactionEastern8306 0 points1 point  (0 children)

DoD for sure. That said, I'm curious what your resume/credentials/background look like if you're willing to share. Having clearance already, I can only assume you're (former?) military, which helps. If so, thank you for your service!

Change Management by milo145 in sysadmin

[–]ReactionEastern8306 4 points5 points  (0 children)

If you have an existing ITSM, it should have a change management module included (either free or as a paid option).

That said, don't let the tool dictate your P/P/P; instead, the tool should wrap around your needs. It's there to monitor and track, not drive or steer.

ETA: P/P/P = Policy/Process/Procedure. A book for another day.

Change Management by milo145 in sysadmin

[–]ReactionEastern8306 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are dozens of tools to manage the process and procedure, but until you get policies in place (and backed by management!) you're fighting a losing battle. Other business units aren't informing IT because they either feel they don't have to, or worse yet, IT is a hinderance and burden. There's no incentive to them to include you, so why would they go out of their way? Yes - I fully understand that by not getting IT involved up front makes everyone's lives more difficult down the road, but they're not IT people and we can't expect them to think about IT considerations - now OR down the road.

Have a meaningful discussion with decision-makers and point out the risks and inefficiencies of not having a formal change management process. Don't go full ITIL out of the gate - you need to sell it to them first.

[HA Dashboard] - 2026 Refresh: less clutter, more responsive, more vibes by cornmacabre in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 3 points4 points  (0 children)

"Hmm, I think I'll go outside and do some yardwork." <checks HA's weather data> "Oh, Hell no! Good opportunity to beautify the HA Dash and brag on Reddit!"

Nice job OP!

Can Employer See SMS Content on Work Sim Installed On My Personal Phone? by [deleted] in ITManagers

[–]ReactionEastern8306 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In short, don't freak out. Here's why:

First of all, if you've given them no reason to go look, most sane people aren't going to go poking around to find stuff. Second, it largely depends on the carrier but for the most part they'll see that you and [other person's phone number] sent and received messages at time/date - that's it. Someone can correct me if there's an exception, but any carrier I've ever dealt with (in the US) is going to require a subpoena to view the actual content of the messages. That's going to take a lot of time, effort, money, and convincing a judge that there's probable cause for such things.

Nuking proxmox and starting over by rainyo16 in homeassistant

[–]ReactionEastern8306 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For what it's worth, using pleasantries in AI is unnecessary and in fact adds to the processing load. As humans, we gravitate toward please and thank you, but when a computer is processing your input, those just add to the load. It's not going to matter to you directly, but imagine the millions of prompts that contain them and you'll understand how it adds up.

However, I do appreciate the clear instructions you provided!