How to backup your Google Apps for Education Account

by Hoo · May 26, 2016

Update January 25, 2017: Google sent me this:

Your domain now has access to a new tool which allows students to copy Drive and email files when they leave your domain.

Hi there,

We are writing to let you know that your domain now has access to Transfer your content, a new extension of Google Takeout. With this tool, your students can copy their Drive and email files from their G Suite for Education account to another Google account before they leave the domain. This will enable students to easily retain their email, essays, resumes, science projects and any other files stored on Google Drive if your school removes access to their old account. Learn more.

Sincerely,

The G Suite for Education Team

Your Google Apps Education account will come to a close. You might be graduating or leaving for a new school.

Our digital life is complex.

Best case scenario: you want to store things and find them fast and easy. Unfortunately, we’re not there yet.

Method 1: Backup Only The Important Things

This is where you backup specific files on your personal cloud. Use services like Google Drive, DropBox, or Evernote.

Pros:

Takes less space than a full backup
You know exactly what you are backing up

Cons:

Its time consuming to organize everything
You might forget something important

Method 2: Backup Everything

This is where you backup EVERYTHING. All the files your computer uses, programs, program preferences, and other miscellaneous files.

Pros:

Peace of mind that you backed everything up

Cons:

Takes a lot of space
Takes a long time to backup everything
Takes time to find what you want after you backup

You should already know how to do Method 1. If you need a refresher email me or stop by the IT office and I can show you how.

How to Backup Everything on Google Apps for Education

Log out of ALL your Google Accounts
Only log in to Google account you want to backup
Go to: https://takeout.google.com/settings/takeout
Note: Google TakeOut does not backup Gmail. Google “How to backup Gmail.“
Choose which Google Services you want to backup and click “Next”
For File Type choose “.zip”
If you are technical choose the other formats
For Delivery Method choose “Send download link via email.”
If you have space on your other cloud service providers use them.
Click “Create Archive”
Depending how big your archive file is- it will take hours or days.
Mine was 12 gigabytes and it took 3 hours to receive a link. Your results may vary.
After you receive the email download that large file somewhere. It will take hours if it is several gigabytes. My 12 gigabyte file is still downloading… it’s been 2 hours so far. I’ll update this if I remember to.
To access your backups. You need to extract that backup file on your computer some where. Then search for what file you need.

Conclusion

I haven’t figured it all out yet either, but this is what I do. I try to focus on Method 1, but in emergency and last minute situations I will do Method 2.

If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email.

PowerSchool Hosting Services Comparison

by Hoo · Apr 18, 2016

I was recently asked to do research on PowerSchool hosting solutions. Here’s the information I found and what I have gathered so far. Please feel free to add to the conversation below. Our international school has 1,100 students at elementary, middle, and high.

PowerSchool Recommended Specs

Combined Application Node and Database:

Processor: (2) Six-Core CPUs
RAM: 16 GB
Disk: 100 GB 15k Serial-Attach SCSI (SAS) (OS, Tomcat); 250 GB 15k Serial-Attach SCSI (SAS) (Oracle Database)
RAID: RAID 1 (OS, Tomcat) and RAID 10 (1 plus 0) (Oracle Database)

Comparison Table

	Self-Hosted (On-site)	Self-Hosted Cloud (GCP/Rockspace)	Self-Hosted Cloud (AWS/Rockspace)	PowerSchool Hosted (Rackspace)
Costs	Hardware Server Costs: $8,000 per 5 years	Hosting: $720/Monthly SSD Storage: $60/Monthly	Hosting: $1290/Monthly SSD: $45/Monthly EC2: $1240/Monthly	$3,850/year Hosting Fee: $3.50 /per student @ 1,100 students
Windows Server 2012 R2 License	440,000 KRW (Education price)	OS Licensing. $351/Monthly	N/A	N/A
SSL Price	$20/year	$20/year	$20/year	$400/year
Migration	N/A	Inhouse migration	Inhouse migration	Additional $1,000 one time for migration
Hardware Management	Managed Inhouse	Managed by Google/Rockspace	Managed by Amazon/Rockspace	Managed by PowerSchool
Hardware Location	Seoul International School	Cloud	Cloud (Seoul)	Cloud (USA)
Software Management	Managed Inhouse	Managed Inhouse	Managed Inhouse	Managed by PowerSchool
Network Speed	Onsite speed fast connection	Cloud – Unknown Speed	Cloud Korea – fast	Cloud – Slower Speed
Security	Purchase separate firewall/ Managed Inhouse	Builtin / Managed Inhouse	Builtin / Managed Inhouse	Managed by PowerSchool
Notes

Definitions:

GCP – Google Cloud Platform

AWS – Amazon Web Services

Inspired by Derek Sivers

by Hoo · Apr 18, 2016

I was inspired by “Do This” Derek Sivers to continue writing and posting my stuff on the internet for everyone to see.

I’ve been documenting a lot of my work and sharing it with my colleagues at school. I’m going to start sharing my IT work with the internet and public.

I hope it is useful to you.

How to get an FBI Background Check in Korea

by Hoo · Mar 3, 2016

I need a FBI Background Check (also known as a “rap sheet” or a criminal record history) for my next job.

Normally you go to a police station in the USA with the fingerprint card (FD-258). Fill out the rest of the paperwork and then send it in.

I’m in Korea and my next job will also happens to be in Korea, but I’m sure they will work for any job that requires a thorough background check.

You want to go to your local large police station. I live in Bokjeong which is a neighborhood with its own police station, but they referred me the to citizen center, which referred me to the district police station in Sujeong(성남수정경찰서). I was referred from the information desk to the Criminal Scene Investigation Unit (과학수서대) which happen to be on the second floor of this police station.

2016.3.3 | 지도 크게 보기

The detectives may or may not know what you are talking about so it would be helpful to either have a note written in Korean or a Korean friend to come along.

Korean note you can print off:

안녕하세요,
지문 날인을 하러 왔는데 과학수사대에 어떻게 찾아가나요?
도와 주셔서 감사 해요.

This note says “Hello, Where can I get fingerprints? Thank you for helping me.”

안녕하세요,
지문 날인을 필요합니다.
지문 날인을 해주세요?
도와 주셔서 감사 해요.

This note says “Hello, I need fingerprints. Can you fingerprint me? Thank you.”

Take your passport, Alien Registration Card (ARC), and two fingerprint cards just in case there are any mistakes. There’s a place for the police officer to sign and fill out his information.

It took about 20 minutes to get two sets. They didn’t charge me anything, but I wanted to show my gratitude so I went to the local store and brought them a drink set and some snacks.

Now I need to fill out the rest of my paperwork and I will send it to the USA. I’ll keep this post updated as I finish the process.

Photo: https://stocksnap.io/user/ksequeira7

Note: After a quick Google search there are several other people who have had their fingerprints in Korea: https://www.google.co.kr/search?q=fingerprints+in+Korea

Fear of Missing Out

by Hoo · Nov 9, 2015

I have this terrible addiction to Fear of Missing Out (FOMO).

I collect and organize things: music, free stock photos, creative assets, programs, books, email, bookmarks, and more.

FOMO plus the shiny object syndrome. I get little done of the goals and plans I set out for myself.

I’d like to add a little bit to the beginning of Gandhi’s quote.

“The content you consume become your ideas, your ideas become your beliefs.”

I used my chronic back pain to stay in bed and consumed poor quality content. Too much TV and video games.

Frankly I’m ashamed at where I am at. My life reflects my actions.

According to some researchers it takes 66 days to form a habit.

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’

When it arrives, it finds the house swept clean and put in order.

Then it goes and takes seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there.

And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.”

– Luke 11: 24-26

I’m going to unsubscribe from a bunch of email lists and change my environment. To help promote personal growth.

I’ve done something like this a few times before and forgot to replace my poor habits, thoughts, and beliefs with good ones.

Wish me luck and I hope this inspires you to make positive changes too.

Are you seeking first the kingdom?

by Hoo · Aug 19, 2014

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6: 25-34 NIV, emphasis mine

Consistency is challenging with two little kids and a 50 hour work week. Hence, the lack of updates. My pregnant wife- bless her – told me that I needed to spend some time with God.

This past weekend was the 2014 Christian Korean Jubilee with five other churches in Korea. The keynote lesson done by Kevin Mains from the Orange County Church of Christ and can be found here: http://youtu.be/fbAzTeXdVZ4. It’s half in Korean and half in English.

One point that resonated (I started tearing up) with me was the story of George Greganus (spelling?). George and his wife, Irene, volunteered to be a part of the Toyko, Japan mission team. George was already retired before joining the mission team. He also had Parkinson’s disease. In one of George’s last sermons he shared his dream, the life he was able to live, his love for God, and the love for his wife.

Kevin shared “That’s it. That’s the man I want to be. When I die and I’m on my death bed. I want to say to God. I have given you every second, every thought, every dollar, every decision, every moment, I’ve given to you- to accomplish your dream. Because that is what I saw in that faithful, wonderful man.”

I want to be that kind of man too. Love God, love family, and love people.

I’m very grateful God doesn’t smite people for sinning, but gives grace and time for me to repent.

I’m ashamed that I’ve been using my daughters, my lack of conviction, and lack of organization. I’ve lost sight of my priorities through busyness.

I should be seeking first his kingdom. Simple things like waking up earlier, praying, reading my Bible, reflecting, and writing it down.

I need to make it a habit again.

If I want to wake up at 6:00 AM and want eight hours of sleep I need to go to bed at least by 9:50pm. That’ll be my practical goal for this month.

Thanks for reading and have a blessed day.

Do your Due Diligence

by Hoo · Apr 28, 2014

I’ve been way too negative in my last several posts and I would like to change what I focus on. I already know that I’m not perfect and I’m the worst sinner that I know. Focusing on what’s wrong with my life and how depressed I am isn’t getting me where I want to be.

Let’s try something a little different.

Taking action in positive ways- even if its a small step.

25 Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. 27 And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

28 “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? 29 For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, 30 saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

31 “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 32 If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. 33 In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
Luke 14:25-33, NIV

What better way to reflect than review my bucket list. I want to do my due diligence in life and be called a good and faithful servant when I meet the Creator.

It was interesting to see that many of my priorities have changed after having children. At the time I thought I would never change these priorities. It’s funny how little I know about myself. The only thing I know for sure is that God and change are the only constant variables in my life.

Thanks to Time and Date Day Calculator:

From and including: Thursday, 30 December 1982 (I was born on a Thursday – learned something new)
To, but not including Monday, 28 April 2014

Result: 11,442 days
It is 11,442 days from the start date to the end date, but not including the end date
Or 31 years, 3 months, 29 days excluding the end date

God willing. Assuming I will live until my 80s I will die around 2060s. I have nearly another 10,000 days to make God happy with the gift of life He has given me.

What an incredible time to be alive.

There are so many things I want to change about me, but I need to slow down, plan, and make steady progress.

Like the turtle in the turtle and the hare.

God bless you and I hope you are inspired to make a bucket list of your own.

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