Amit Pawar - Infrastructure blog : Windows Server

Some NTFS recommendations

apawar — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 14:50:10 GMT

Recommended disk cluster size for NTFS

During windows installation windows formats the partition based on the geometry of the disk, following table shows what is the recommended cluster size based on the size.

CLUSTER SIZE	MAX NTFS VOLUME SIZE (bytes RAW)
512	2,199,023,255,552 (2TB)
1024	4,398,046,511,104 (4TB)
2048	8,796,093,022,208 (8TB)
4096	17,592,186,044,416 (17TB)
8192	35,184,372,088,832 (35TB)
16384	70,368,744,177,664 (70TB)
32768	140,737,488,355,328 (140TB)
65536	281,474,976,710,656 (281TB)

Once a partition is formatted with a cluster size, the only way to change the cluster size is to format the disk again and specifying the cluster size using format command or from GUI.

NTFS Optimization

If you investigate your storage needs, you can tune some of global NTFS parameters to achieve significant increase of disk performance. Other techniques like disk defrag could help you either.

Define Cluster Size Properly

Cluster is an allocation unit. If you create file lets say 1 byte in size, at least one cluster should be allocated on FAT file system.

On NTFS if file is small enough, it can be stored in MFT record itself without using additional clusters. When file grows beyond the cluster boundary, another cluster is allocated. It means that the bigger the cluster size, the more disk space is wasted; however, the performance is better.

The following table shows the default values that Windows uses for NTFS formatting:

Drive size (logical volume)	Cluster size	Sectors
512 MB or less	512 bytes	1
513 MB - 1,024 MB (1 GB)	1,024 bytes (1 KB)	2
1,025 MB - 2,048 MB (2 GB)	2,048 bytes (2 KB)	4
2,049 MB and larger	4,096 bytes (4 KB)	8

However, when you format the partition manually, you can specify cluster size 512 bytes, 1 KB, 2 KB, 4 KB, 8 KB, 16 KB, 32 KB, 64 KB in the format dialog box or as a parameter to the command line FORMAT utility.

We know that if we format the partition manually, you can specify cluster size 512 bytes, 1 KB, 2 KB, 4 KB, 8 KB, 16 KB, 32 KB, 64 KB in the format dialog box or as a parameter to the command line FORMAT utility.

So to proceed with the best practices we must determine average file size and format the partition accordingly.

On Volumes, having cluster size more than 4 KB compression is not supported

Some Microsoft white papers on disk subsystem performance and SAN recommendations:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/storage/indextecharticle.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/overview/fileconsol.mspx

http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/b/5/5b5bec17-ea71-4653-9539-204a672f11cf/LocFileSys.doc”

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/subsys_perf.mspx

Windows Search 4.0

apawar — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:15:37 GMT

Windows Search 4.0 lets you perform an instant search of your computer. Windows Search 4.0 helps you find and preview documents, e-mail messages, music files, photos, and other items on the computer.
The search engine in Windows Search 4.0 is a Microsoft Windows service that is also used by programs such as Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 and Microsoft Office OneNote 2007. You can use this search engine to index a program's content and to obtain instant results when you search in a particular program.
Windows Search 4.0 includes the following improvements:

Support for the Encrypting File System (EFS)
Reduced affect on Microsoft Exchange when you index e-mail in online mode, and there is no local cache (.ost)
Support for indexing online delegate mailboxes
Support for client-to-client remote query to shared indexed locations
Improved indexing performance
Faster previewer updates for Windows XP
Per-user Group Policy settings
Windows software updates for Watson errors

Support for the following new enterprise Group Policy objects:

Computer policies

Prevent adding Universal Naming Convention (UNC) locations to index from Control Panel
Prevent customizing indexed locations in Control Panel
Prevent automatically adding shared folders to the index
Allow for indexing of encrypted files
Disable indexer back-off
Prevent clients from querying the index remotely
Allow for indexing of online delegate mailboxes
Prevent adding user
Specified locations to the All Locations menu
Enable throttling for online mail indexing

Per-user policies

Prevent adding UNC locations to the index from Control Panel
Prevent customizing indexed locations in Control Panel
Prevent indexing certain paths
Default indexed paths
Default excluded paths

To download Windows Search 4.0 Preview, click on the appropriate link for your version of Windows:

Technorati Tags: Search,Windows Server 2008,Windows Vista,Winodws XP,Windows Server 2003

System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 Guides now available

apawar — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 14:16:45 GMT

Getting Started

Technorati Tags: Data Protection,DPM,System Center

The Data Protection Manager (DPM) 2007 Getting Started Guide provides quick access to tasks required to protect and recover your data, and includes a Quick Start Guide that provides scaled down instructions for installing and configuring DPM 2007. Get this guide and some other important implementation guides below.

Get it @ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=293d933f-a54d-4bad-bbfd-7b424e1a2b73&DisplayLang=en.

Planning

This document explains the features of DPM 2007 and how DPM works. It also provides the information that you need to plan a DPM deployment, including protection group and DPM server configuration.

Get it @ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=50b54355-d497-4e8b-89bc-5c52cf0fb76a&DisplayLang=en.

Deployment

Deploying DPM 2007 provides step-by-step instructions for installing and configuring DPM 2007, and includes an introduction to the DPM user interface. Deploying DPM 2007 also provides information on troubleshooting your DPM installation and how to repair and uninstall DPM 2007.

Get it @ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2812640f-a4a7-4ff8-b4c9-0d73b828328d&DisplayLang=en.

Troubleshooting

Provides troubleshooting guidance for DPM 2007 issues such as performance, tape library management, and data recovery.

Get it @ http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1e2e2439-5ecc-422f-8965-238b7efca736&DisplayLang=en.

Upgrade paths available for Windows Server 2008

apawar — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 05:27:21 GMT

Technorati Tags: Windows,Server,2003,2008,R2,Upgrade,Server Core

If you are currently running:	You can upgrade to:
Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2)	Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2)	Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2)	Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition

There are a couple of important things to remember here.

With the exception of Windows Server 2008 for Itanium, the table above applies to both x86 and x64 versions. However, cross-platform upgrades (x86 to x64 or vice-versa) are not supported.
It is also not possible to upgrade from a previous version of Windows to Windows Server 2008 Server Core Edition.

Windows Server 2008 in the Enterprise an overview

apawar — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 23:28:59 GMT

Technorati Tags: Windows Server 2008,Overview,Web,Virtualization,Foundation,Infrastrcuture,Security

By now you have either heard or read something somewhere that Microsoft is about to release a new Serve operating System. The new server operating system is Windows Server 2008, slated for world wide release on February 27 2007. I have now been working with and presenting on Windows Server 2008 for the past one year and the first thing I talk to customers about is why this is a significant release of Window Server Platform, and the top reasons for why they should consider Windows Server 2008 as a important part of their IT Infrastructure platform.

The capabilities the new version of Windows Server brings to an IT infrastructure is a strategic asset and the critical foundation upon which software can deliver services and user applications that a business needs in order to operate effectively and succeed. Windows Server 2008 enables greater business success by providing a platform that supports mission critical solutions and applications, making them available to your organization when it needs them. Windows Server 2008 is the platform on which our customers can build their business on.

The Four Pillars of Windows Server 2008

Windows Server Platform – What’s New in Windows Server 2008

Windows Server Virtualization (Hyper-V): The Windows Server 2008 wave will include Windows Server Virtualization (Hyper-V), a powerful, performant, virtualization technology with strong management and security features. Windows Server virtualization will help businesses reduce costs, increase agility and system availability for production server consolidation, disaster recovery, test and development, and, when coupled with System Center Virtual Machine Manager, the end-to-end management of dynamic datacenters.
A World-Class Web and Applications Platform: Windows Server 2008 provides a secure, easy-to-manage platform for developing and reliably hosting applications and services that are delivered from the server or over the Web. New features include simplified management, increased security, and both performance and extensibility improvements which delivers a unified platform for Web publishing that integrates Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS7), ASP.NET, Windows Communication Foundation, and Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services.
Improved Networking Performance: Windows Server 2008 introduces the biggest change in the networking stack since Windows NT 4.0. Technologies like Receive Window Auto-tuning, Receive Side Scaling, and Quality of Service (QOS) allow organizations to take full advantage of today's multi-Gigabit networks. Integrated IPsec and the new Windows Firewall with Advanced Security allow organizations to completely secure and control the flow of network traffic.
Enhanced Security and Compliance: Windows Server 2008 has been developed from the ground up with the strictest security in mind. Always "shields up," Windows Server 2008 installs only the needed services for the roles the server is performing. Enhanced auditing, Drive Encryption, event forwarding, and Rights Management Services are just some of the technologies that help organization adhere to today's strict IT compliance standards.
Take Back Control Over Your Remote Infrastructure: Managing servers, services, and security at remote locations is an on-going challenge for IT Professionals. Windows Server 2008 simplifies administration of the servers in branch offices with enhancements to Active Directory, including Read-Only Domain Controllers and administrative role separation. Technologies like BitLocker and the Server Core installation option are specific features that increase security and address the unique needs of branch offices.
Server Management Made Easier: Simplifying the day-to-day complexities of server administration is a key theme in many of the enhancements included in Windows Server 2008. New management tools like the Server Manager Console provides a single, unified console for managing a server's configuration and system information, displaying server status, identifying problems with server role configuration, and managing all roles installed on the server.
Enhanced Scripting and Task Automation: New technologies like Windows PowerShell, a command-line shell and scripting language, helps IT Professionals automate common tasks. With a new admin-focused scripting language, more than 120 standard command-line tools, and consistent syntax and utilities, Windows PowerShell allows IT professionals to more easily control system administration and to accelerate automation.
Presentation Virtualization: With Windows Sever 2008, users will have secure access to internal applications through firewall-friendly ports. With Windows Server Terminal Services RemoteApp, only the application window, not the entire remote desktop, launches and runs in its own resizable, interactive window on the client computer's desktop.
Protect Unhealthy Computers from Entering the Network: Network Access Protection (NAP) addresses the industry-wide problem of unhealthy computers accessing and compromising an organization's network. NAP is used to ensure that any computer connecting to the network meets corporate policy for "healthy" requirements, to limit network access for computers not meeting the predefined policy, providing remediation services to get those computers back to a healthy state, and to provide ongoing compliance-checking.
Better Together with Windows Vista: Because Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are built as part of a single development project, they share a number of new technologies across networking, storage, security and management. Organizations will immediately see the benefits of running Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista as their client and server solution.