The IT Guy Show

I've got a Dell PowerEdge R720 in colocation that sounds like a jet engine, it's six to eight years old, and I refuse to pay Dell a thousand dollars just to unlock its IPMI port. So instead of guessing my way into a replacement, I brought in someone who builds this hardware for a living. Zack Perry is a Solution Specialist at 45Drives and the face of 45HomeLab, the homelab side of a company that's been building open, repairable, enterprise-grade storage since it was making servers for Backblaze. We walk the whole lineup, from the Home Client and Workstation up through the HL8, HL15, HL15 Beast, and the new Unraid X15, and Zack lays out which one actually fits what I'm running. Then he does the thing I needed: he takes my real numbers, 16 virtual machines and about 124 gigs of RAM with room to double, and points me at a specific box, right down to the CPU, the HBA, and how loud it is from three feet away. We also get into what we both refuse to self-host, a good networking rabbit hole, and moving a whole lab onto an infrastructure-as-code workflow. If you're weighing colocation against bringing it home, this one's for you. Chapters 00:00 Stream Start 00:38 Meet Zack Perry 04:09 From 45Drives to 45HomeLab 08:05 Why My R720 Has to Go 10:32 The 45HomeLab Lineup 18:33 What People Actually Run on These 21:22 Speccing My Next Box 30:43 The Noise Question 32:22 Networking Rabbit Hole 41:25 What We Refuse to Self-Host 43:28 Staff Picks and Wrap-Up Links Linktree: https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Zack on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachary-perry-45drives/ 45HomeLab: https://45homelab.com/ Homelab #45HomeLab #SelfHosting #OpenSource #LinuxSpecial Guest: Zack Perry.

Most password managers ask you to trust them blindly. Bitwarden opens the hood and shows you the code instead. I sat down with Kasey Babcock, a Senior Product Marketing Manager at Bitwarden, to get into why that openness matters when a tool is holding every credential you own. We start with the trust argument for open source, then walk through what is new at Bitwarden lately, from the archive feature and fill assist to encrypted file sharing and Access Intelligence reporting. Then we go where most password manager conversations never do, which is your infrastructure. We talk Secrets Manager, the Terraform integration, pulling secrets into automated workflows, and the mistakes teams make when they move secrets out of plaintext. We close on passkeys, passwordless, and where the whole industry is heading. Whether you are a security nerd, an admin wrangling secrets across environments, or just tired of reusing the same password everywhere, this one has something for you. Chapters 00:00 Stream Start 02:01 Meet Kasey Babcock 03:57 Why Open Source Matters 09:19 What's New at Bitwarden 19:52 Access Intelligence for Teams 24:02 Secrets Manager and Infrastructure as Code 30:31 Passkeys and Passwordless 36:41 Wrap-Up 45:30 Closing Links Linktree: https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Kasey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kasey-babcock/ Bitwarden #OpenSource #SecretsManager #DevOps #PasswordlessSpecial Guest: Kasey Babcock.

Most of us treat our homelabs like a junk drawer. Something breaks, we shrug, we fix it whenever we get around to it. Mathias Palmersheim does not operate that way. He's a Solutions Engineer at VictoriaMetrics, where he spends his days helping companies monitor infrastructure at serious scale, and he's brought that same discipline home. He runs his personal homelab against an actual SLA, the kind of uptime commitment most of us only deal with at work. Mathias joins me to talk about VictoriaMetrics itself, the time series database built for high cardinality metrics and logs at scale, and why open source observability tooling matters even outside the enterprise. But the real fun is in how he applies that professional rigor to his own gear at home. We get into what it actually takes to hold yourself to an SLA when there's no boss checking in, what breaks the plan, and whether this level of intensity is something the rest of us should aspire to or just admire from a distance. If you've ever wondered what happens when a monitoring expert points all that expertise at his own home network, this one's for you. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Connect with Mathias: https://links.shiftsystems.net VictoriaMetrics: https://victoriametrics.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:41 Introductions 04:05 VictoriaMetrics 12:35 ShiftMon 16:09 Mathias' Homelab 37:48 Closing thoughts 39:29 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive AgencySpecial Guest: Mathias Palmersheim.

At SouthEast Linux Fest, I did something I've never attempted before: a live, hands-on intro to tabletop role playing games for a packed room of Linux nerds. No idea how many people were showing up. No idea how many had ever touched a d6. Somewhere between 10 and 100, they said. Cool. Cool cool cool. We covered the basics of TTRPGs, walked through systems like D&D, Savage Worlds, and Dungeon World, and then built a one-shot together live with the audience. The room gave me a 97 year old Elf Wizard named Ethan on a desperate mission to save his favorite tiki bar from burning down. The villain was named Bob. He stole all the turtles. The tacos were at stake. It went exactly as chaotic as you'd expect. This is the full recording including the slide deck, the worldbuilding exercise, and the one-shot itself. If you've ever been curious about TTRPGs but didn't know where to start, this is the episode for you. What we cover: What a TTRPG actually is and why it's worth your time D&D, Savage Worlds, and Powered by the Apocalypse compared Why I used Dungeon World for a room of total beginners How the 2d6 mechanic works and why it generates better stories than a pass/fail system Live worldbuilding with a room full of Linux people (results may vary) A real one-shot, improvised on the spot, with a 97 year old elf wizard and a villain motivated by tacos Links and resources mentioned: Dungeon World SRD: dungeon-world.com Critical Role: youtube.com/criticalrole Dimension 20: dropout.tv Foundry Virtual Tabletop: foundryvtt.com Roll20: roll20.net The Lazy Dungeon Master by Sly Flourish r/rpg on Reddit Chapters 00:00 Stream start 01:40 Welcome 06:39 What is a TTRPG? 09:40 TTRPG Options 17:56 How to Play 22:36 Building our world 38:58 Live play 59:18 Additional resources

Home labs have evolved from hobbyist experiments to essential infrastructure for tech professionals, but knowing when to build one…and how…isn't always clear. Josh from Keep It Techie joins Eric to discuss the practical realities of home lab ownership: the cost-benefit calculations, the apartment constraints, and the decisions that actually matter when you're running real workloads. From colocation trade-offs to gigabit fiber potential, we break down Eric's current setup and explore whether it's time to bring the lab home. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Website: https://keepittechie.com 45 Home Lab: https://45homelab.com/ Cloud Flare: https://www.cloudflare.com/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:35 Introduction 06:26 Home lab philosophy 18:24 Eric’s homelab 35:25 Getting started 45:06 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive AgencySpecial Guest: Joshua Lacy.

AI is everywhere, and so is the fear that it's coming for your job. But what if the real story is more interesting than that? Eric sits down with returning guest Karl Abbott, tech leader and podcaster, for a conversation sparked by his recent article "AI Didn't Replace My Work. It Changed How I Work." Karl shares how leaning into AI tools didn't make him feel replaced. It made him feel more focused. The mechanics got faster. The judgment, taste, and narrative instinct? Still 100% human. They dig into what AI actually removes from knowledge work, why being widely read and broadly educated matters more in an AI-saturated world, what "vibe coding" means for engineers, and what higher education needs to do to prepare students for a world where fluency can be generated but wisdom still can't. If you've ever felt uneasy about where AI fits in your work, this one's for you. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Article: AI Didn’t Replace My Work. It Changed How I Work https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/ai-didnt-replace-my-work-changed-how-i-karl-abbott-eqbbc/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 01:14 Karl Abbott 02:41 AI Didn’t Replace My Work 16:59 AI Replaced SOME Work 30:27 What is Vibe Coding? 41:33 AI in Higher Education 54:20 Closing Thoughts 01:05:59 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Luke Jones on Unsplash Special Guest: Karl Abbott.

Teaching a Linux course will humble you fast, especially when your students ask about apt and you realize the last time you logged into an Ubuntu server was when you were still a sysadmin. That embarrassing moment is what sent Eric looking for someone who lives and breathes Ubuntu every single day, and it led him to Nathan, a two-decade Ubuntu community volunteer who has been running booths, moderating Reddit, and serving on the Ubuntu Community Council since the early days of the distro. This episode is less a technical deep dive and more a conversation about what makes Ubuntu different at a human level. Nathan walks through the early days of the community, the real relationship between Debian and Ubuntu, what it looked like to set up a booth with plastic tablecloths from Party City at SCaLe 6x, and why the "distro wars" online are mostly theater compared to the genuine camaraderie between open source contributors behind the scenes. If you have ever wondered whether Ubuntu is still the right distro for someone just getting started or coming back after years on other platforms, this episode will give you the honest answer from someone who has watched the community evolve for more than twenty years. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyericSpecial Guest: Nathan Haines.

In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric sits down with Damen Knight, CIQ Sr. Principal Automation Engineer, to talk about something every AI team knows but nobody budgets for: the hidden cost of configuring Linux for GPU workloads. Together they dig into why general-purpose Linux distributions were never really built for AI, what actually happens when you spend 30 to 60 minutes per node doing manual CUDA setup, and why a "pre-installed" stack and a "validated" stack are two very different things. From driver conflicts and framework dependency failures to the CIQ Linux Kernel (CLK) and NVIDIA authorization, this episode covers the infrastructure decisions that determine whether your AI program ships fast or gets stuck in configuration hell. Whether you're an ML engineer tired of fighting CUDA every time a kernel update drops, a sysadmin managing a growing GPU fleet, or a tech leader wondering why production AI is harder than it should be, this one is for you. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric CIQ Press Release: https://ciq.com/blog/rlc-pro-ai-is-here/ RLC Pro AI: https://ciq.com/products/rocky-linux/pro/ai/ NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit: https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-toolkit Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:50 Introduction 02:43 Sponsor: CIQ 04:08 AI at CIQ 06:02 State of AI 19:20 General-purpose limitations 31:37 RLC Pro AI 43:53 What's next in AI? 52:47 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

We’re starting 2026 with a reality check: subscriptions are eating our wallets. From streaming services to password managers, cloud storage to to-do apps — the "monthly drip" is everywhere. In this solo episode, Eric breaks down why recurring subscription models have become the default, how they impact both consumers and creators, and what it looks like to take back control through self-hosting and open source alternatives. This episode kicks off a new arc focused on building a personal homelab, reducing reliance on cloud services, and reclaiming your tech stack one app at a time. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:33 What’s the Problem 06:38 Eric’s Setup 14:13 Self Hosting Stack 23:08 Planning 24:15 Upcoming and Closing Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Christina Radevich on Unsplash

In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric is joined by Linux content creator Brodie Robertson to dive into the display server drama of the decade: the end of X11 and the rise of Wayland. Together they explore the history of X11, its weird quirks, and why it stuck around so long, before unpacking what makes Wayland different, better, and sometimes frustrating. From screen tearing and window managers to PipeWire, gaming, and remote desktops, this episode covers the past, present, and future of the Linux desktop experience. Whether you’re a veteran sysadmin who lived through the xhost + days or a curious distro-hopper wondering why Wayland keeps breaking your screen sharing, this episode has something for you. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Connect with Brodie: https://brodierobertson.xyz/link_tree X Window System: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Window_System Wayland Homepage: https://wayland.freedesktop.org/ Wayland Protocols Table: https://absurdlysuspicious.github.io/wayland-protocols-table Awesome Wayland: https://github.com/rcalixte/awesome-wayland Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:13 Introduction 01:21 Brodie Robertson 04:45 What is X11? 11:56 What did X11 solve? 19:42 What is Wayland? 36:18 Full Wayland mode 44:52 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Steve Johnson on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Brodie Robertson.

Applying online and hearing nothing back? You’re not alone—and it’s not your fault. In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric sits down with Jeffry Ullman, job search coach and creator of the LinkedIn Job Search Masterclass, to break down what really works when trying to land your next role. Drawing on experience, strategy, and a wealth of practical tips from his two-part presentation series, Jeffry shares how to escape the resume “black hole,” optimize your LinkedIn profile, and build a personal brand that attracts recruiters and hiring managers. Whether you’ve been laid off, are actively seeking a change, or want to future-proof your online presence, this is the guide you’ve been waiting for. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Jeffry Ullman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffryullman Jeffry’s LinkedIn Strategy: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/avoid-black-hole-how-leverage-linkedin-find-new-role-ullman-mba Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:13 Introduction 01:15 Meet Jeffry 03:54 Truth of Job Hunting 10:01 Job Hunting on LinkedIn 15:37 Getting Started with LinkedIn 23:45 LinkedIn Job Alerts 31:21 Fake Job Postings 38:54 Application Review 46:26 Jeffry’s Methodology 54:03 Closing thoughts 59:17 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Scott Graham on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Jeffry Ullman.

Getting laid off is hard. It can shake your confidence, your routines, and your sense of direction. But it doesn’t have to define you. In this solo episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric shares his own experience with being laid off including: what helped, what didn’t, and what he wishes he’d known earlier. He also rounds up the most practical, compassionate advice from others who’ve been through it: from job hunting strategies to mental health tools to rebuilding momentum in your career and personal life. If you’re currently navigating a layoff, or want to be ready in case you ever have to, this episode is for you. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 01:47 Introduction 06:25 My Layoff Story 21:22 Successes and Growth 27:24 Top Layoff Tips 35:09 Closing thoughts Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash

What happens when two nerds who love the community side of tech get together? A whole lot of stories, laughs, and insights. In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric sits down with his coworker Chris DeMars to talk about Developer Relations, technical advocacy, and what it really takes to support and empower devs in today’s fast-moving ecosystem. From browser wars to burnout, open source to on-stage nerves, it’s a real look at what fuels a career in DevRel, and how to avoid fizzling out. Oh, and maybe a few hot takes along the way. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Chris DeMars: https://chrisdemars.net/ DevRel: https://devrel.co/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:13 Introduction 01:32 Meet Chris DeMars 05:59 What is DevRel? 13:23 What makes a great DA? 24:04 Empathy in Tech 40:04 Closing thoughts Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Marah Bashir on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Chris DeMars.

The role of the system administrator has changed a lot in the last couple decades, but some of us are still proudly flying the flag. Eric sits down with longtime friend Nate Lager to talk about his career journey, lessons learned from the trenches, and what still excites him about tech today. We’ll cover everything from burnout to bash scripts, automation to authenticity. Whether you’re a new sysadmin, a grizzled graybeard, or someone who just loves nerding out about Linux and infrastructure—you’ll feel right at home. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Connect with Nate: https://social.undrground.org/@gangrif https://www.linkedin.com/in/ironsysadmin/ Iron SysAdmin Podcast https://www.ironsysadmin.com https://www.youtube.com/@ironsysadmin SWB Crawler https://www.swbcrawler.com https://www.youtube.com/swbcrawler Hetzner Hosting https://www.hetzner.com/ BootC: Getting Started with Bootable Containers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf1xqjLeA9M Security: Configuring Sudo Access | Into the Terminal 62 https://www.youtube.com/live/rEdBkgKs4NA?si=UV43zA_Kss86hoia Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:14 Introduction 01:36 Nate Lager 06:38 Starting in Technology 18:04 Technology Career 31:38 Moving to Red Hat 44:55 Jeep Guy 50:03 Lightning Round 55:53 Nate’s Advice 01:08:32 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Thomas Jensen on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Nate Lager.

Before DevOps, SRE, and the cloud were all the rage, there were sysadmins—tech generalists who kept the lights on, often with duct tape, bash scripts, and caffine. In this solo episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric shares how he broke into the world of system administration, from his earliest tech gigs to becoming the go-to Linux guy. Along the way, he reflects on the lessons learned, tools loved (and hated), and how the role of a sysadmin has evolved. Whether you're new to IT or just nostalgic for the days of cron, this one’s for you. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:13 Introduction 01:26 The Early Days 10:55 Learning the Ropes 18:29 Shifting Roles 27:25 My Advice 32:41 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by David Schultz on Unsplash

From AI to compliance, modernization to mission-critical infrastructure, working in the public sector versus government tech can look similar on the surface… but the reality is often worlds apart. In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric welcomes Joel Krooswyk, a former colleague at GitLab and a seasoned technical leader navigating a major life shift. Together, they unpack the differences between public sector and government work, from regulations and red tape to values, velocity, and what “transformation” really means when the stakes are national. Whether you’re a tech pro curious about working with the government or just someone watching the blurred lines between public, private, and hybrid tech work—this episode offers clarity, stories, and inspiration for navigating the spaces in between. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Joel Krooswyk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joelrkrooswyk/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:13 Welcome 01:33 Joel Krooswyk 02:57 What is Public Sector 13:08 IT in PubSec 16:49 AI’s Evolving Role 33:40 Changing Technology Landscape 39:35 Career Shifts 50:09 Closing Thoughts 54:00 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Elijah Mears on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Joel Krooswyk.

For many Linux users, configuration means dotfiles, bash scripts, and duct tape. But what if your entire system, from packages to users to services could be described, versioned, and rolled back like code? In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric is joined by Aaron Honeycutt to demystify NixOS, the declarative, reproducible Linux distribution that’s changing how people think about system configuration. We’ll cover what makes NixOS different, how to get started without pulling your hair out, and how this distro fits into modern DevOps, home lab, and desktop workflows. If you’ve ever heard the term “declarative infrastructure” and wondered what it actually looks like in practice, this is your chance to find out. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Connect with Aaron: https://aaron.honeycutt.family Inside a NixOS Homelab: Real-World Walkthrough with Aaron Honeycutt https://youtu.be/pQTiucyjIjc NixOS: https://nixos.org NixOS Discord: https://discord.com/invite/RbvHtGa Medium - What is Nix / NixOS: https://medium.com/@Erik_Krieg/what-is-nix-nixos-aab5610f0d7f Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:15 Welcome 01:05 Aaron Honeycutt 02:23 What is NixOS 04:14 How is it different? 06:20 What’s the learning curve? 12:20 Contributing to NixOS 16:59 The Future 23:38 Outro Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Malachi Brooks on Unsplash

GitOps can feel like buzzword soup, especially for seasoned Linux admins who’ve spent years mastering bash, cron, and config files. But what if it’s not as scary—or as different—as it sounds? In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric is joined by Christian Hernandez, a longtime Linux administrator who “accidentally” became a Kubernetes and GitOps expert. Together, they break down what GitOps really is, how it compares to traditional sysadmin practices, and how Linux professionals can embrace this powerful approach to infrastructure automation without throwing away their shell scripts. Whether you're Git-curious or deep in YAML fatigue, this conversation will give you practical context, real talk, and tips for making GitOps part of your day-to-day toolkit. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me: https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Connect with Christian: https://chernand.io/ Akuiti: https://akuity.io Buy Christian’s book! https://www.oreilly.com/library/view/argo-cd-up/9781098141998 OpenGitOps: https://opengitops.dev/ Kubernetes Kind: https://github.com/kubernetes-sigs/kind Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:13 Welcome 01:31 Christian Hernandez 04:14 What is GitOps? 12:29 GitOps Journey 18:40 Mindset Shifts 24:30 Why the hesitation? 30:02 Tools to Learn 40:04 Lightning Round 44:40 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by GuerrillaBuzz on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Christian Hernandez.

What if your desktop, tablet, and phone all spoke the same open-source language? Meet Lomiri — a fast, lightweight, and flexible user interface originally developed for Ubuntu Touch, and now maintained by the UBports community. In this episode of The IT Guy Show, Eric is joined by Erik Mols from the Lomiri project to unpack what Lomiri is, where it came from, and how it’s carving out a unique niche in the Linux ecosystem. Whether you’re into convergence, lightweight desktops, or just love a good underdog story in tech, you’ll want to tune in. We’ll cover the project’s history, current state, and future plans, as well as why developers and users alike should be paying more attention to alternative shells like Lomiri in a GNOME/KDE-dominated world. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org Erik Mols: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erik-mols-63b3285 OpenSource Science: https://os-sci.com/ Lomiri: https://lomiri.com Pine64: https://pine64.org/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:15 Welcome 02:40 Erik and Erics 04:42 Erik Mols 06:21 What is Lomiri? 11:16 The Convergence Dream 23:30 Under the Hood 25:14 Open Source Education 38:10 Lomiri Bug Bounty 47:06 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Clint Patterson on UnsplashSpecial Guest: Erik Mols.

After a few months away from the mic, I’m back—and rebooting Eric the IT Guy not just as a brand, but as a mission. In this short update, I share what I’ve been up to since leaving Red Hat, why I’m launching into a new season of my career, and what I’m hoping for next. Whether you’ve followed my journey through Linux, open source, or DevOps content creation—this is a personal, honest reset point. 📺 Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/3rtKr-pW-7Q 📬 Connect or hire me: https://itguyeric.com Join our: Discord: https://itguyeric.com/discord Matrix: https://matrix.to/#/#podcast-itguyeric:matrix.org

We all seem to have this vision of “arriving” at some tech paradise where everything “just works”. After 17 years in IT, I’d say it's safe to say that will never happen. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for better. Teams that embrace the chaos can make huge strides towards improving their environment. Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Nathen Harvey: https://linktr.ee/nathenharvey Dora: https://dora.dev/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:48 Welcome 01:27 Meet Nathen 04:56 What is DORA? 09:03 What is Continuous Learning? 15:27 Organizational Continuous Learning 19:21 Improving via Automation 25:40 Starting your journey 41:11 Learning Resources 46:47 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Mason Wildfang on Unsplash MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.Special Guest: Nathen Harvey.

Stress and burnout come for all of us at one time or another. You may not even realize that is what is going on. Join Eric as he sits down with Jennifer and Bryan Horton, owners of Dull Made Daring, and learn the warning signs, recovery methods, and how to slash your anxiety away, with a sword, yeah, a literal sword! Welcome to The IT Guy Show, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Dull Made Daring https://www.dullmadedaring.com/eric Gaming…unintentional professional development goldmine https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jennifer-horton-lcsw-97068647_gaming-thats-my-unintentional-professional-activity-7229531726102847489-7K18?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:48 Welcome 01:26 Introductions 04:10 Relational dynamics 09:38 Need for change 21:26 Gaming and personality 30:33 Dull Made Daring 45:29 Signs of burnout 01:00:16 Closing thoughts 01:05:51 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Dingzeyu Li on Unsplash MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.Special Guests: Bryan Horton and Jennifer Horton.

In my days as a Systems Administrator, there weren’t any “non-production” environments. It was all about keeping all the systems running, all the time, even Dev for the developers. Here comes Ephemeral Environments, a concept to quickly build and test disposable systems to make building and testing easier for the entire enterprise. Welcome to The IT Guy Podcast, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Natalie Lunbeck: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-lunbeck-477b45114/ DevOpsDays KC 2024 - Natalie Lunbeck - Unblocking Your CI/CD With Ephemeral Environments https://youtu.be/HWcQ_qUDAH4?si=akoMp3iNhvtjdPdF DevOps Days https://devopsdays.org/ Shipyard https://shipyard.build/ Ephemeral Environments.io https://ephemeralenvironments.io/ http://github.com/ephemeralenvironments/ephemeralenvironments Minimum Viable CD https://minimumcd.org Dora.Dev https://dora.dev Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:57 Welcome 02:16 DevOps Days 04:47 Meet Natalie 08:44 Ephemeral Environments Defined 14:49 What are the benefits? 19:30 DORA Metrics 26:04 Uber SLATE 30:43 EphemeralEnvironments.io 33:26 Minimal Viable CD 40:31 Learn more 45:19 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Joey Kyber on Unsplash MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.

Eric the IT Guy Hendricks interviews Laura Santamaria, a Developer Advocate at Dell Technologies, about her experience with DevOps and how to effectively implement it within organizations. She emphasizes the importance of prioritizing people over processes and tools, and shares insights on how to drive cultural change as an individual contributor. Welcome to The IT Guy Podcast, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Laura Santamaria: https://linktr.ee/nimbinatus DevOps Days: https://devopsdays.org/ DevOpsDays KC 2024 - Laura Santamaria - Understanding DevOps in Todays World https://youtu.be/cUodBMlVbJ4?si=CV5q3tPCF1BFLQRp The Phoenix Project: A Novel about IT, DevOps, and Helping Your Business Win https://a.co/d/30J5nzM Chapters: 00:00 Stream Start 00:50 Welcome 01:49 Introduction 03:29 Meet Laura 06:48 Safe Failure? 11:47 Affecting Change 18:12 Next Step 22:35 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/person-holding-pencil-near-laptop-computer-5fNmWej4tAA MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.Special Guest: Laura Santamaria.

In this interview, Eric the IT Guy Hendricks explores the world of APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) with Budha, a Developer Advocate at Tyk, an API management platform. The discussion covers the fundamentals of APIs, their growing importance in modern applications, the role of API gateways in managing and securing APIs, and considerations for building production-ready APIs. Welcome to The IT Guy Podcast, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric Budhaditya Bhattacharya: https://www.linkedin.com/in/budha-b/ Tyk: https://tyk.io/ Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:50 Welcome 02:34 Budhaditya Bhattacharya 03:04 Application Programming Interface (APIs) 05:51 Learning more about APIs 08:21 Eric's use of APIs 14:36 API Gateways 18:34 Closing thoughts 20:13 Wrap up Photo by Walkator on Unsplash https://unsplash.com/photos/text-klMii3cR9iISpecial Guest: Budha Bhattacharya.

In this interview, the host Eric provides a detailed introduction to his guest JJ Asgar from IBM, who is deeply involved with the open-source AI project called InstructLab. JJ passionately discusses the importance of open and transparent AI development for societal benefit. He explains the distinction between true AI and the current language models, and emphasizes the need for open data and models to counteract biases and ensure ethical AI advancement for the greater good. Welcome to The IT Guy Podcast, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric JJ Asghar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjasghar Hugging Face - https://huggingface.co/ Instruct Lab on Hugging Face https://huggingface.co/instructlab IBM’s Granite Model https://huggingface.co/ibm-granite What is InstructLab? https://www.redhat.com/en/topics/ai/what-is-instructlab Chapters 00:00 Stream start 00:50 Welcome 01:40 Introduction 03:51 Meet JJ 04:47 What is AI? 08:09 What is an LLM? 09:42 Open Source AI 15:50 Instruct Lab 23:26 The Real Reality 28:05 The IT Community 31:15 Wrap up Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency Photo by @steve_j on Unsplash MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.Special Guest: JJ Asghar.

Are you an individual contributor looking to convince your boss its time to buy a product or pursue a new project? How do you structure your proposal? How do you calculate ROI? In this episode, I’ll discuss these concepts and more with JT Perry from VMware! Welcome to The IT Guy Podcast, your go-to destination for all things tech with Eric, your friendly neighborhood IT guy! Join Eric as he shares his wealth of knowledge, insights, and experiences gained from years of working in the IT industry. From troubleshooting common tech issues to exploring the latest trends and innovations, each episode is packed with practical tips, skilled advice, and engaging discussions. Connect with me! https://linktr.ee/itguyeric JT Perry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jtperry/ DevOpsDays KC 2024 - JT Perry - Platform ROI: Why should your company invest? https://youtu.be/0IQp5xNidvo?si=50YIWshTqDGEo8c9 Chapters: 00:00 Stream start 00:50 Welcome 04:28 Meet JT Perry 08:15 Identifying a Need 13:45 Building the request 22:05 Return on Investment (ROI) 30:55 CapEx vs OpEx 34:36 Prove Your Assumptions 40:15 Applying ROI to Careers 44:08 Closing thoughts Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.Special Guest: JT Perry.

In this interview, Eric the IT Guy Hendricks kicks off his new show, "The IT Guy Show," by inviting Karl Abbot, a product manager at Element, to discuss the Matrix protocol, its open-source nature, and its decentralized communications platform. The Office of the IT Guy is a show published to celebrate the people and talk about the technology that is changing our world! Our mission is to share our love for open source and build a stronger community. Eric's Website https://itguyeric.com YouTube Channel https://itguyeric.com/youtube Sponsor the IT Guy https://patreon.com/itguyeric Free Hive Agency: https://freehive.com Element: https://element.io Matrix: https://matrix.org Karl Abbott (LinkedIn): https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-abbott/ Karl on Matrix: @kabbott:matrix.org XKCD on Standards: https://xkcd.com/927 Get Started with Element: https://itguyeric.com/beginners-guide-how-to-get-started-with-element-matrix/ Finally Time to Ditch Email: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/finally-time-ditch-e-mail-karl-abbott/ Are We Peer2Peer Yet? https://arewep2pyet.com/ Chapters 00:00 Countdown 00:50 Welcome to the Office 03:24 Meet Karl Abbott 17:42 What's different about Matrix 24:44 Matrix Bridges 32:34 Element client 44:22 Location sharing, video, and more 01:00:19 Closing Thoughts Graphics and bumpers by Free Hive Agency MoodMode. “Beautiful Acoustic Country Track.” Story Blocks, Songtrust, https://www.storyblocks.com/audio/stock/beautiful-acoustic-country-trailer-bboydaqyvkhf01l87.html. Accessed 28 Jan. 2022.Special Guest: Karl Abbott.

The Office of the IT Guy is a show published to celebrate the people and talk about the technology that is changing our world! Our mission is to share our love for open source and build a stronger community. Eric's Website - https://itguyeric.com