I was in a Windows Deployment Services (WDS) session the other day at TechEd 2009 and someone in the audience asked a question “Can you use Distributed File System (DFS) to store WDS Images?” Great question, the answer is yes and no. YES – You can install...

UPDATE: February 9th, 2010 I am still getting emails asking how to get keys. Folks, this promotion expired June 2009, the keys are NO LONGER available. There is no way to get a key anymore. Many of you have emailed me about being unable to get a...

Along with the two series I blogged about in the previous entries, it would be remiss of me if I didn’t include links to the Active Directory Series too!!   Although this is also Windows Server 2003 based, it’s still great series with...

Question 1: What are some of the differences between System Center Operations Manager, System Management Server, and System Center Essentials? Answer 1: Microsoft System Center Operations Manager is a software solution to meet the need for end-to-end...

I had some interesting discussion at my event in Elizabeth, NJ regarding how applications would work after the SQL2000 Server was upgraded to SQL Server 2005. I had explained that applications would still work, based on the fact that the object owner...

Question: Is Active Directory is required for installation? Answer: Yes, Operations Manager 2007 now has tight integration with AD for functions such as user authentication and agent discovery. Operations Manager custom user roles link to AD groups...

I had been asked last week if you could rename the SA account. I replied "No you can not, it's protected." Oh how wrong can I be? Apparently very wrong. My illustrious colleague Matt Hester pointed me to a blog that has the exact procedure you need to...

In this session I’ll review the benefits and limitations of the USMT 4.0. I’ll look at what versions of the Windows are supported for migration as well as what different options for user state migration are available for small, medium and large businesses...

Good News!   We are continuing our discount promotion on NEW TechNet Plus Direct subscriptions! For the next 3 months, you can get 25% off a NEW TechNet Direct Plus subscriptions. That is 25% off the regular price of $349 !!   That...

I was unable to answer this question at my Providence, RI event this week regarding changing the backup dataretention period. Here's the answer I got from where else but the SQL2005 Online Books: To set the backup retention duration In...

During one of my presentations the other day I had mentioned a tool that can migrate physical and VMWare machines to virtual machines for Virtual Server and HyperV (once SCVMM supports HyperV). An attendee had emailed me to get more details, so here are...

I often get asked at my live events about the utility I use to display machine information in the Desktop Background.  If you’ve been to one of my live events or watched any of my webcasts or screencasts, you’ve seen this as I use it on almost all...

Several attendees to our live TechNet events these past few weeks have asked if there is a list of ports for the different components of Operations Manager 2007 that need to be opened if going through a Firewall. Although there is a slide in Session 1...

The other day at a TechNet event someone asked me about the various parameters that can be used when doing an application install with MSIEXEC.EXE. I found the info below at http://bit.ly/agBMUI . **************************************************...

Yes there is..... just click on the link below for information. http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/312b10cb-73ec-40c7-a4df-63dd7248d93d1033.mspx Administration Tools Packs To make the remote management of your...

I was asked this question a several months back when I gave a webcast of MOM 2005 deployment. At the time you could not use SQL 2005 with a MOM 2005 deployment. Just last month this changed and now you can. See http://support.microsoft.com/?id=917615...

Question: Is there any connection between ADFS and MIIS? I was surprised MIIS didn't come up in you presentation. Answer: ADFS is provides single-signon to web applications whereas MIIS is for more complex, non-web, identity management...

UPDATE: February 9th, 2010 I am still getting emails asking how to get keys. Folks, this promotion expired June 2009, the keys are NO LONGER available. There is no way to get a key anymore. Many of you have emailed me about being unable to get...

Microsoft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager, a management solution for the virtualized data center, lets a system administrator manage virtualization hosts, networking, and storage resources. With Virtual Machine Manager 2012, you can optimize...

If you're doing any kind of Active Directory® directory service or Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) upgrade, you might want to look at restructuring your environment. And if you do, the tool you need is the Active Directory Migration Tool v3.1...

NEW! Get a first look at the next version of Microsoft™s SQL Server product. From security enhancements to service availability and replication of data, this TechNet Briefing is a must see for IT Professionals managing company data. In addition to...

Get the latest Windows Application Compatibility Toolkit 4.0 located at: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=D7D08414-0136-492F-9AD9-CE8AEB7500C7&displaylang=en The first questions that many customers ask once they decide to deploy...

For those of you that installed Windows 7 Beta, thanks for your time and effort!! This post is just a quick reminder to let you know it’s time to move to Windows 7 RC….. and fast !!! Why? What’s The Rush? Because starting July 1st, 2009 , systems...

I have heard that many of you have been having problems either with the download or the product key. The Office 2007 Professional download is at the Launch 2007 site located at http://www.launchtour2007.com/download/ . You must download the software from...

Microsoft System Center Essentials 2007 is a new management solution in the System Center family of IT systems management products specifically designed for midsize businesses (up to 500 PCs and 30 servers). Essentials provides: monitoring and alert resolution...

On the road this week in Reston, VA (suburban Washington DC) and Richmond, VA.  I'm in Richmond tonight and wanted Indian for dinner.  I did a quick Live search to find something close to my hotel.  Found a few within a couple of miles...

Many of you have attended our live TechNet events around the country and received the Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 Promotional Kit, which came with 32-bit media. You may recall I posted some information earlier this month talking about the Expired Pin Problems...

Wednesday, May 09, 2007 9:30 AM Pacific Time (US & Canada) Event Overview In this session, we explore the new reporting features and benefits in Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007. We describe the new functionality for...

You're probably wondering why I have so many BitLocker related postings this month.  Well it just so happens we are doing a BitLocker session at all of our live TechNet events in the US this quarter and I’ve received a lot of questions from attendees...

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I have listed below the Group Policy webcast series my team did a while back.  The information is as valid now as it was then for Windows Server 2003 environment and earlier.  We expect to put out a new Windows Server 2008 Group Policy series...

During my live event yesterday in Charleston, SC (thanks for the nice weather) I mentioned a book on Windows Server 2003 hacking. Here is the information on that book for those of you interested in getting a copy: Hacking Exposed: Windows Server 2003...

Question1 : Does SQL have to be on the same server as MOM, or can it run from a DB on another server? Answer1 : No, SQL can be on another server. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Question2 : If you install an evaluation...

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I am doing two webcasts this month on Microsoft Operations Manager. if you're interested in attending click on the links below: TechNet Webcast: Active Directory Management Pack for Microsoft Operations Manager 2005 In this webcast, we focus on...