Pro Services With A little Aloha

06/26/2026

This may be out in left field, but if you have an older sprinkler timer system with just a dial and an LED screen, it’s time for an upgrade. There are rebates available that can cover all or most of the cost of a new “smart water” sprinkler controller systems. You manage everything from an app - set the zones, run days, start and duration times, and then watch your lawn get watered without having to think about it. You can also program the system to not water on days that it rains. This will save you time and money. Read the below article to learn more. Reach out to your local sprinkler expert for other great tips.

💡 Your sprinkler timer doesn't know if it rained last night. A smart controller does.

WaterSense-labeled smart irrigation controllers automatically adjust watering schedules based on local weather, soil type, and plant needs.

They can significantly reduce outdoor water waste without any extra effort on your end. Salt Lake County residents may qualify for rebates on qualifying controllers.

Check available rebates at utahwatersavers.com

06/18/2026

Automation without tests is risky.

Technical suggestion: add unit tests for scripts, dry‑run mode, and a simple acceptance test that verifies service reachability after changes.

Business impact: tests cut rollback frequency and increase confidence to push changes during business hours.

Example: a basic CI/CD pipeline that validates configs can reduce failed changes by over 50%. I plan, document, and build the tests and operational runbook.

Simple solutions to complex technical problems. With a Little Aloha.

https://alittlealoha.pro/

06/18/2026

Automation without tests is risky.

Technical suggestion: add unit tests for scripts, dry‑run mode, and a simple acceptance test that verifies service reachability after changes.

Business impact: tests cut rollback frequency and increase confidence to push changes during business hours.

Example: a basic CI/CD pipeline that validates configs can reduce failed changes by over 50%.

Watching the USA beat Australia this Friday in Seattle? Automate monitoring alerts so you don’t miss the final minute. I plan, document, and build the tests and operational runbook.

Simple solutions to complex technical problems. With a Little Aloha.

https://alittlealoha.pro/

IT consulting, design, and calligraphy services.

06/17/2026

Your website and social channels are your 24/7 sales and trust engines.

Technical tip: use a fast static site (HTML/CSS + CDN) for service pages and add structured data (schema.org) so search engines show your case studies.

Three specific wins: clear services page, visible contact CTA (call to action) one short case study with measurable results. Business stat: consistent web + social increases lead recall by ~3×. I plan, document, and build — plus write the short case study or post for you.

Simple solutions to complex technical problems. With a Little Aloha.

https://alittlealoha.pro/

IT consulting, design, and calligraphy services.

06/08/2026

Good morning Facebook fans

Ever wonder why your office printer suddenly decides to play hard-to-get? Or why a new laptop can't see the server that's been running fine for years?

Before you start blaming your internet provider or suspecting a ghost in the machine, take a quick look at the basics. Nine times out of ten, it's just a case of two devices trying to claim the same address, or a DNS record that forgot to update its passport stamp. It's rarely a catastrophe; it's usually just a tiny coordination error in your DDI (DNS, DHCP, IPAM) setup.

Here's a simple trick to keep things humming along: give your permanent gear—printers, servers, smart TVs—static IP addresses that live outside your router's automatic range. If your router doles out numbers from .1 to .100, set your fixed devices up in the .200s. That little separation acts like a traffic cop, making sure nothing tries to park in someone else's spot.

It's amazing how much smoother a day goes when the invisible foundation isn't tripping over its own shoelaces. At Pro Services With A Little Aloha, I love taking the guesswork out of these details so you can stop worrying about your tech and get back to doing what you do best.

Follow along if you want network wisdom without the corporate jargon or the sales pitch. Just real talk on keeping your business online, stable, and a little less frustrating.

06/01/2026

DNS outages are not just network problems. They are data problems. A record was added manually. A subnet overlapped. A lease expired and nobody noticed. An engineer ran the wrong script against the wrong zone. The matrix of IP addresses, hostnames, and DNS records that runs every network is fragile when managed by hand — and the tools built to manage it properly cost upwards of $50,000 per year.

Follow along — no jargon, no sales pitch, just the stuff your IT person should have explained years ago.

05/26/2026

Pro Services With A little Aloha exists to deliver enterprise-grade technical services to small businesses and individuals who deserve skilled work done right — without the enterprise prices or runaround.

Founded and operated by Kent Schaeffer in West Valley City, Utah, the practice draws on 25+ years of hands-on infrastructure experience across financial services, telecommunications, and the nonprofit sector — including Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and Fidelity Investments. That background informs every engagement, regardless of scope.

The core focus is DDI: DNS, DHCP, and IP Address Management. Most organizations running on ad-hoc network configurations don't know what they're missing until something breaks. Pro Services With A little Aloha builds the foundation that prevents that — documented, maintainable, and sized for your organization, not a Fortune 500.

In addition, the practice covers Linux/Unix system administration, network security, web development, and technical writing. Whether the job is migrating DNS infrastructure, standing up a static site, hardening a server, or writing documentation your team will actually use — the same standard applies: show up prepared, communicate clearly, do excellent work, and leave the client better off than before.

This practice is built for organizations that have been underserved by vendors who don't prioritize small accounts, or oversold by platforms that profit from dependency. Open-source tools, published standards, and client ownership over vendor lock-in are the defaults here — not the exceptions.

Simple solutions to complex problems. With A Little Aloha.