a Single Point of Contact

Update 9/23/2008: Please click here for the latest version.

The MS Exchange team released an update to their ever popular storage calculator.

Get the update here…

Matt :: Dec.23.2007 :: Exchange, Microsoft :: No Comments »

Chris Fox has posted his pre-released document on clustering the RMS role in SCOM 2007.

“Hi all – I am nearly complete with updating the How To Cluster the RMS for SP1 procedures as they will appear in the Deployment Guide.  Here they are, minus a screen shot.  These procedures will work for the RTM version as well, although you will need to skip some SP1 specific steps (like the Encryption KeyBackup or Restore Wizard launching automatically at the end of RMS setup, SP1 has this, RTM does not).  This procedure is from the Mutliple Server, Single Management Group scenario and assumes the prerequisites stated therein. Also, this procedure does not include the steps necessary to add a cluster node to the RMS cluster (AddRMSNode) that was not present when the ManagmentServerConfigTool.exe InstallCluster action was run. That will be added when the Deployment Guide is published with the SP1 update. “

Read his post here to download the document…

Matt :: Dec.23.2007 :: Microsoft, SCOM :: No Comments »

Originally posted by the TS Team Blog.

Excerpt:

“In Windows Server 2003, you can start the RDC client (mstsc.exe) with the /console switch to remotely connect to the physical console session on the server (also known as session 0). In Windows Server 2008, the /console switch has been deprecated. (For more information, see the “Why the /console switch is no longer needed” section of this article.) In Windows Server 2008, session 0 is a non-interactive session that is reserved for services.

You can use the new /admin switch to remotely connect to a Windows Server 2008-based server for administrative purposes. The /admin switch is introduced with RDC 6.1. RDC 6.1 is included with the following operating systems:

• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta and RC
• Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Beta and RC

Note   RDC 6.1 (6.0.6001) supports Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 6.1.

RDC 6.1 does not support the /console switch. However, for backward compatibility, you can use the /admin switch to connect to the physical console session on a Windows Server 2003-based server. For example, to connect from a Windows Vista SP1 RC-based client to the physical console session of a Windows Server 2003-based server, you can run the command mstsc.exe /admin.”

Read the rest of the post here…

Matt :: Dec.18.2007 :: Microsoft, Server, TS :: No Comments »

Get the documentation here…

Overview

Forefront Security for Exchange Server SP1 integrates multiple scan engines from industry-leading security firms into a comprehensive, layered solution, helping protect your Microsoft Exchange Server messaging environments from viruses, worms, spam, and inappropriate content.

This new release provides support for Exchange Server 2007 SP1 and Windows Server 2008, as well as content filtering and manageability enhancements. These enhancements include:

• Seamless support for organizations running IPv6.
• Improved content filtering with installable keyword lists that can be used to eliminate email containing profanity in eleven supported languages.
• Improved integration with Microsoft System Center Operations Manager through new management packs that allow administrators to proactively monitor the state of their Exchange 2007 protection.
• Increased flexibility for scanning or blocking high compression zip files and RAR archives.

Note: Forefront Security for Exchange users who are running Exchange 2007 RTM and wish to upgrade to Exchange 2007 SP1 must first upgrade to Forefront Security for Exchange SP1.

Matt :: Dec.18.2007 :: Exchange, Forefront, Microsoft :: No Comments »

The Microsoft Mom Team posted a nice article on the computer discovery process in System Center Operations Manager 2007.

Read their post here…

Matt :: Dec.11.2007 :: Microsoft, SCOM :: No Comments »

As posted on OfficeRocker!, Office 2007 SP1 is ready for download today.

Read the original post here…

SP1 focuses on the issues that matter most to our customers based on direct customer feedback and error reporting tools. You can expect:

• Stability. Using data from the Dr. Watson bug-reporting system, we’ve fixed the top software issues for each application in the 2007 Office system. The 2007 Office system SP1 also improves the stability of server components in the 2007 Office system and delivers compatibility with Windows Server® 2008, so you can confidently plan for future upgrades.
• Performance. The 2007 Office system SP1 improves performance in applications and servers. Performance improvements can be found in Microsoft Office Excel® 2007, Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007, Microsoft Office PowerPoint® 2007, and Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007.
• Security. By incorporating incremental advances in security and results from application testing, the 2007 Office system SP1 offers home and office users better protection against malicious software and potential threats to privacy.

For a full list of improvements in SP1, download the Service Pack 1 whitepaper.

Get the free download from OfficeOnline.

Matt :: Dec.11.2007 :: Microsoft, Office :: No Comments »

What is the Intersite Replication Latency Threshold?

“The Intersite replication latency threshold is the maximum amount of time that can be required for a change to replicate across the entire forest. This value is typically monitored to ensure that basic help desk procedures, such as resetting passwords or performing replication from corporate headquarters to a branch office, are completed within a reasonable amount of time.”

Consult the ADMP Guide for more details…

Issue:

You’ve installed System Center Operations Manager 2007 and successfully deployed the Active Directory Management Pack to all Domain Controllers in your organization.  Now you are getting a ton of alerts stating that AD replication is occurring slowly.  The default threshold value for this monitor is set to 15 minutes.  Your alerts are stating that your DC’s are updating their objects at 30 minute intervals, which is twice the defined default threshold value.  Microsoft recommends setting this value to one-third the number of minutes defined by your SLA.  The ADMP Guide explains how to modify this monitor on page 13.  You execute the steps to adjust the Intersite Expected Max Latency (min) property to 1/3 your defined SLA value.   However, you still have alerts coming in stating that the DCs are replicating above the default 15 minute defined threshold.

Problem:

The guide tells you to adjust the Intersite Expected Max Latency (min) property in the AD Replication Monitor.  The monitor works by executing a script (Ad_replication_monitoring_helper1.vbs) at timed intervals to check replication.  What is not explained is that four other rules also use this exact same script to collect performance information and are inadvertently kicking off the alerts. They can be found under the Authoring/Rules section.

• AD Replication Performance Collection – Metric Replication Latency (ALL)

Resolution:

Follow the same steps as outlined on page 13 of the ADMP Guide to set overrides for the four performance collection rules.

Applies to:

System Center Operations Manager 2007 RTM, SP1 RC

Active Directory Management Pack 6.0.5000.0

Matt :: Dec.10.2007 :: Microsoft, SCOM :: No Comments »

Update 11/20/2008: WinSxS, Disk Space and Windows 7.  I encourage everyone to read this post first before you consider moving your WinSxS directory.  You may just change your mind.

What is the WinSXS directory?

I stumbled upon a post in a forum the other day and as I began to read I suddenly realized that the author has solved a long standing issue I had with Vista, the HUGE WinSxS directory.  According to Microsoft literature this directory can not be moved or deleted.  Sounds like a challenge to me.

The following process outlines how to move this directory to another location.  This process is not for the faint of heart but if followed carefully will get the job done.  A certain degree of computer knowledge is assumed.  I’ve include a link to the original post to give credit where credit is due…and cleaned up the language a bit to make it easier to read.

Thanks Paul for your hard work…

WARNING: Proceed at your own risk.  Incorrectly performing the following procedure may cause irreversible damage to your OS.  It is highly recommended to backup your system before proceeding.  This is an unsupported mod.  Microsoft will not support you (and I cannot) should you choose to move the WinSxS directory.

Prerequisites:

1. You will need two utilities: PendMoves and MoveFile.  Place them in \Windows\System32 directory for easy access.

Procedure:

1. In Windows Explorer navigate to the \Windows\WinSXS directory.  Right click the directory to bring up the quick menu and select Properties.  Click the Security tab to view the security properties. You will need to assign the Administrator user account ownership of the directory and then grant the Administrators group Full Access.
2. Open an administrator command prompt, and create a dummy directory.   Execute “mkdir c:\windows\winsxs.moved“
3. Next, create a junction (like a Symbolic link for Vista).  Execute “mklink /J c:\windows\winsxs.link winsxs.moved“
4. Now delete the winsxs.moved directory. Execute “rmdir c:\windows\winsxs.moved“
5. Now we will use MoveFile to schedule renaming of the WinSXS directory at reboot. This is the magic that will give us control over the directory.
6. From the administrator command prompt, execute “movefile c:\windows\winsxs c:\windows\winsxs.moved“. As you can see, this is renaming the WinSxS directory before Vista can get a lock.
7. From the command prompt, run “movefile c:\windows\winsxs.link c:\windows\winsxs“. This puts a winsxs directory back (as far as Vista is concerned), so everything doesn’t collapse in a heap.
8. From the command prompt, run “pendmoves“. It will show the two pending moves you’ve entered above, with NO ERRORS. If it all looks good, REBOOT!
9. On reboot the critical renames/moves will execute, and the WinSxS directory will be unlocked and able to be moved in the next steps.
10. Open an administrator command prompt, and execute “dir c:\windows\winsxs*“. If you performed the previous steps correctly, you’ll see a WinSxS.moved directory and the WinSxS junction.  If it did not work, repeat the above steps.  Our next step is to relocate the WinSXS directory and amend the junction.
11. Using Windows Explorer, COPY the entire WinSxS.moved directory to a \Windows directory on another partition or drive.
12. When the copy is finished, rename the new directory from WinSxS.moved to WinSxS.
13. Go to an administrator command prompt and execute “rmdir c:\windows\winsxs“.
14. Then, execute “mklink /J c:\windows\winsxs d:\windows\winsxs“.
15. To be sure everything is happy, in Windows Explorer browse to c:\windows\winsxs. You will see all of the files.  (Even though they are actually on your other partition or drive)
16. Reboot
17. After reboot, you should be able to delete c:\windows\winsxs.moved and FINALLY liberate all that disk space.  Whew!  Now take a bow.

This process can also be applied to the Windows Updates directory.  When you download Windows Updates etc., the files get placed into C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution, and this will quickly become huge. It is easier though… stop the Automatic Update service, move directory, create junction, restart service, DONE!

Matt :: Dec.05.2007 :: Microsoft, Vista :: 19 Comments »

Windows Server 2008 RC1 was just released for testing.  Get the software here…

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/audsel.mspx

You can read the post from the Windows Server blog to get some more information on what’s new.

Excerpt:

“What’s new in RC1 you ask?  Microsoft is enhancing Group Policy with Group Policy Preferences, formerly known as  PolicyMaker Standard Edition and Policy Share Manager.  Group Policy Preferences will be available to Microsoft customers in two ways:

1.       Integrated into the Group Policy management tools in Windows Server 2008

2.       Integrated into the forthcoming Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows Vista, which will be available as a separate download in the Windows Server 2008 timeframe and will work in a Windows Server 2003 environment. 

 The Client-Side Extensions for GP Preferences are included in Windows Server 2008, and down level versions will be available as a separate download for:

1.       Windows XP Service Pack 2 and above

2.       Windows Vista RTM and above

3.       Windows Server 2003 SP1 and above”

Matt :: Dec.05.2007 :: Microsoft, Server :: 1 Comment »

In case you weren’t paying attention to the Windows Vista Blog…

“Today we’re making available the release candidate (RC) of Windows Vista SP1 via Microsoft Connect, and tomorrow subscribers to TechNet and MDSN will have access to those RC bits too.  In addition, the RC will be available to the public next week via Microsoft’s Download Center. The release candidate phase of beta software is typically the final phase before the RTM (release-to-manufacturing) of a product and indicates that the code has attained a significant level of performance and stability.”

Read the rest of the post here…

Matt :: Dec.05.2007 :: Microsoft, Vista :: No Comments »