Kevin Remde's IT Pro Weblog
And by "cool", I mean "laughing-so-hard-I-can't-breathe FUNNY"...
(DISCLAIMER: This is a spoof! Some people at Microsoft DO have a sense of humor!)
Hi all,
Yes, I’ve been away from blogging for a little bit. Sure, I add my webcast notes and Q&A, but other than that I’ve been swamped preparing for up-coming events and webcasts, so I’m in serious learning mode right now.
“What are you learning?”
Well.. the team is really excited about what we have for you this quarter in our Live Events, as well as the work we’ll be doing for the next 9–12 months around sessions on the new products coming out this year. This quarter our team is talking all about Security. In fact, we will have some truly jaw-dropping demos and information that I’m really excited to deliver in Des Moines, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Grand Rapids, and Detroit.
Along with that, of course, I get the chance to play with Windows Vista builds, and 2007 Office. Our team is delivering “Microsoft Campus Connection” events, and I get to do one at my alma mater (Go Gophers!) on April 24th where I’ll do a talk and demonstration of Windows Vista and 2007 Office, and we’ll also talk about the IT job market and hopefully dispel some myths.
I will also be delivering three webcasts in the next few weeks:
“Hey… does the TechEd 2006 link on the left really mean that you’ve found a way to attend this year?”
Yes indeed! Harold Wong (team mate and good friend) needed one more person to accompany him to TechEd to help with some Exchange 12 session proctoring, and I happened to be in the room when he asked. <grin> So, yes, I’ll be attending, blogging, and video-casting TechEd again this year. See you there!
“Wow… you’re busy!”
Yep. And I’m lovin’ it.
Here it is!
Here’s this week’s “best of” Q&A log from the webcast. Sincere thanks again to my teammates for doing such a great job helping to answer questions! I give them the credit for the information in this document. I couldn’t do this without’cha!
Also I want to make sure also have the link to the Session Resources I posted for Part 11, and the homework assignment also.
And I’ve also posted a “blogcast” recording of some demos from this session that I didn’t have a chance to get to today. Here it is.
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Part 11 Questions and Answers:
“FYI: The last few times I have had serious problems joining these webcasts. I suspect it was because of MS AntiSpyware and/or PrevX Home. This time I powered up fresh and turned both of those app's off. And I connected successfully. You might want to pass this info on to the appropriate people.”
Thanks for the info! That’s worth passing along.
“KEVIN is @wsome!”
Th@nks! Back @tcha!
“Backup Status Operation: Backup Active backup destination: File Media name: "HOA-WS03-AD-01-041905.bkf created 4/19/2005 at 9:32 AM" Error returned while creating the volume shadow copy:800423f0 Reverting to non-shadow copy backup mode. Backup of "System State" Backup set #1 on media #1 Backup description: "Set created 4/19/2005 at 9:32 AM" Media name: "HOA-WS03-AD-01-041905.bkf created 4/19/2005 at 9:32 AM" Backup Type: Copy Backup started on 4/19/2005 at 9:33 AM. Warning: Unable to open "c:\windows\SYSVOL\domain\DO_NOT_REMOVE_NtFrs_PreInstall_Directory" - skipped. Reason: The process cannot access the file because it is being used by another process. Any idea?”
Ah yes.. the old “Backup Status Operation: Backup Active backup destination: File Media name… “ Well, you get the idea. We’ve seen this one before. And here’s a KB article that describes it, too. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/822132.
“?”
?
“oops”
No problem.
“Hello, we're using SBS 2003 and we have SQL, Exchange and RAS... Isn't this dagerous because if the server goes down, Everything will go with it?? What do you recommend?”
The benefit of SBS is the cost structure for having all the applications. The downside is that they all must reside on the one server. If you want to configure your environment so that you avoid points of failure due to one server going down, you will need to implement multiple servers. To do this, you will also need to purchase the products separately and therefore the costs do go up.
“is the demo 2003 server has sp1? does sp1 change things in routing usage?”
I have not yet applied SP1 to the images. (Shame on me!) But either way, SP1 does not change the routing behavior of Server 2003. The only differences might be how it now uses the Windows Firewall (when enabled) as opposed to the older ICF (Internet Connection Firewall).
“Why is the broadcast address 192.168.16.255 and not 192.168.21.255 for this /20 network?”
Good question. I don’t know. Now that I think about it, you’re right. It should have been. I’ll have to investigate further.
“Any word on when is the SP1 for SBS 2003 coming out?”
I cannot give you an exact date. How about “Soon. Very soon.”
“Does SBS provide for the same routing capability as the full version?”
Yes, absolutely the same capabilities as the "full" version of Windows Server 2003.
“I think this should be 10.0.0.0/8 and 172.16-31.0.0/16”
Thanks. I’ll make that correction.
“Hi, is it possible for Windows 2003 router to send packets to one network (interface) with TCP ttl=1 and to others networks (interfaces) with standard ttl?”
I do not believe this is possible. The TTL setting is "shared" for all interfaces and there is no way to specify a different TTL for different interfaces.
“What is TechNet URL to view the Windows Server 2003 Administration Series from the beginning?”
http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/windowsserver2003admin.mspx
“I'm new... can I see who is on?”
Welcome! No.
“Can a windows 2k3 server be a NAT server? If so, how to configure it, any white paper?”
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/TechRef/bd8a2548-25a8-4a4c-ad5c-c2719add9fd2.mspx
Even better – check out my blog, where I’ve posted a recording of a demo that I didn’t have time to get to today.
“When would you choose OSPF or RIP?”
OSPF:http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/ServerHelp/5e40738f-7c26-4b25-aa4b-35f9605c44ea.mspx
and RIP:http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/Windows/2000/server/reskit/en-us/intwork/inae_ips_nxtl.asp
“i know that 172.16.0.0-172.26.255.255 is private but what about 172.0.0.0-172.15.255.255. Is the second range private or public?”
172.16.0.0/12. The 172.16.0.0/12 private network can be interpreted either as a block of 16 Class B network IDs or as a 20-bit assignable address space (20 host bits) that can be used for any subnetting scheme within the private organization. The 172.16.0.0/12 private network supports the following range of valid IP addresses: 172.16.0.1 through 172.31.255.254. 172.0.0.0-172.15.255.255 is public.
“Just getting into ISA...would ISA handle most of this?”
ISA 2004 enhances some of the control over the routing between interfaces, but still depends on the underlying RRAS component of Windows Server 2003.
“Thanks Kevin!”
You're quite welcome!
And for those of you who liked the humor, here are the photos I used in the slides….
Have a great day!
Kevin
Beta 3 is now available
You may be thinking to yourself..
“So what? A few bug fixes…”
or
“Beta 2 is good enough for me. I’ll just wait until the final release.”
Well.. that was my initial reaction, too. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: IE 7 ROCKS. But after hearing about this new beta being available, I checked the IE Team’s blog to find the real story. It looks like they’ve made a few nice cosmetic changes, as well as some functional changes. I won’t go into the details here (you can read their blog for more details and pictures), but things such as easy re-ordering of tabs (drag-n-drop!) have been added, as well as fixing the support for authenticated FTP sites. They also announce the return of the “Read Mail” button (apparently its disappearance caused a few anxious support calls.)
And a link from the IE team blog lead me to the Team RSS Blog, where details on how they’ve improved RSS support are described.
“I sure hope they allow me to easily refresh all of my feeds under a specific folder.”
Your wish is granted! I wanted that one, too.
“What about letting me NOT automatically mark a feed as read, if I don’t have time to read all of it?”
Yep. That too! Details on how these new features work are in this post on the Team RSS blog.
Convinced?
“Yes! But do I need to un-install my previous beta installs first?”
Yes, you do. Here’s a post on the IE 7 Team Blog on how to do that.
And that’s what I’m going to do right now. Here is the IE home page.
Jeff asked me for this at a recent TechNet Event…
That’s a fair question, Jeff. For several years, I have been promoting TechNet Subscriptions in pretty much every way available to me. It is a great resource that, even if I weren’t a Microsoft Employee, I would yearly purchase for myself.
The answer to your question, unfortunately, is: I don’t know. I can speculate that perhaps this year** they wanted to take a break from always providing a discount. (I mean, if it’s always on sale, then why not just make that the ordinary sale price?) And I do think that so many people have already subscribed that there aren’t that many left who aren’t already taking advantage of the yearly renewal price; which is and has always been cheaper than our new-subscription promotion price.
Plus, really.. for what you get, it’s definitely worth the price. (My opinion again, I know. But it’s my blog. I am allowed.)
**Microsoft’s Fiscal Year runs from July 1st to June 30th.
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Are you a TechNet Subscriber? Are you not one yet? DO YOU KNOW OF A DISCOUNT CODE THAT I AM NOT AWARE OF THAT EXPIRES JUNE 30TH AND SHOULD BE SHARED HERE? Give us your reasons/complaints/loves/hates/fears/hopes/dreams in the comments.
I’ve been asked by a couple people where I got that “The Blog” shirt.
Here's a link to that very shirt at the place I bought it from:
http://www.t-shirthumor.com/Merchant2/products/blog.html?Category_Code=tops
I also own this “You have the right to remain silent” one on a black T-shirt:http://www.t-shirthumor.com/Merchant2/products/rtrs.html?Category_Code=tops
Microsoft announced the new suite of products now falling under a new name – System Center – as the suite of products surrounding the area of system management.
“System Center is the Microsoft family of systems management products and solutions, focused on providing IT professionals with the tools and knowledge to help manage their IT infrastructure. It embodies the Microsoft vision for integrating systems management tools and technologies to help you ease operations, reduce troubleshooting time, and improve your planning capabilities.”
Click the graphic above for the main page, or click HERE for the overview.
“But what is it really, Kevin?”
That didn’t explain it well enough for you? Okay… basically, “System Center” encompasses anything and everything your IT administrators use that can be followed by the word “management”:
(Okay.. so I snuck that last one in there. But you get the idea.)
“So, like MOM and SMS and DPM?”
Right. Data Protection Manager 2006 is a System Center product. Current versions of SMS and MOM also fall into this category. In fact, the next major release of SMS, currently known as "SMSv4", and MOM, currently known as "MOMv3", will take on the System Center family name. "SMSv4" will become System Center Configuration Manager 2007 while "MOMv3" will be named System Center Operations Manager 2007.
So… where you had SMS and MOM, you’ll now have SSCM and SCOM.
I need to let you know some GREAT news I’ve heard. As many of you I’m sure experienced, the demand for the public Windows 7 beta was enormous. So much so that it overwhelmed the servers for many of our external sites. Of course, with such great demand, there’s a good chance we’ll quickly reach the 2.5 million download limit. In fact, it was probably the public knowledge of that limit that caused such a great rush of activity for trying to get the bits before it they were no longer available.
Good news: They’ve temporarily removed the limit. You can read about it here on the Windows Blog. Basically what we’re doing is allowing as many downloads as can happen between now and through the 24th of January, 2009. Then at that point, if we haven’t reached 2.5 million, we’ll continue to allow downloads until the limit is reached. However, the more likely scenario is that we will surpass 2.5 million downloads, and so the beta downloads will be stopped after the 24th.
“So what do you recommend, Kevin?”
It’s nice that I don’t have to tell you to hurry to get it, because you have two weeks to get it. But I do recommend you get it, try it out (on a machine that isn’t critical to your productivity), and give us feedback. (Hey.. if you’re running an edition of Vista that has the “Complete PC Backup” tool, you should USE IT. Get a big-enough USB drive and do the backup before you do the upgrade or install…,so you can restore the system if you need to. That’s what I’ve been doing. Fortunately I haven’t had to restore anything yet.)
“Should I wait for Windows 7 instead of deploying Vista?”
That’s the billion dollar question these days, isn’t it.
My opinion on that: Absolutely do not wait for Windows 7. Deploy Vista. (with Software Assurance) Sure, I’m loving Windows 7 and some of the new UI features, but the overwhelming step-up between XP and Vista is still such a huge advantage in productivity, reliability, performance, security, manageability, etc. If you really learn these benefits and how they save you time and frustration (and that means MONEY), you shouldn’t have much trouble cost-justifying the rollout. I sincerely believe** that.
So.. sure Windows 7 has some nice new navigation and a few less times UAC pops up.. but it’s just not the same big change. Windows Vista is the way to go, even if you only consider it the stepping stone to Windows 7. You are very unlikely to have any compatibility or hardware driver issues moving from Windows Vista to Windows 7.
“Are you going to install it on your day-to-day production laptop?”
My Lenovo T61p? I’m very tempted. Very very tempted. So far it’s working great on both my VPC hosting machine (as I blogged earlier) as well as my family’s main shared kitchen-table laptop. I may be installing it tonight on my Media Center computer; provided nobody in my family has any important TV recordings they don’t want me to interrupt, of course. And the next logical installation will indeed be my work machine here.
“What’s your hesitation?”
Same as anyone else’s when it comes to the slightest potential for lost productivity. It’s beta, after-all. I’m more willing to jump into the latest-and-greatest than most people, because I know I have the ability to jump back if I need to.. and also because it’s un-written duty as a Microsoft employee to “eat the dogfood”. And primarily because then I can speak and blog more intelligently about what I’ve experienced first-hand.
Soon. Very soon.
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**If you don’t believe me, then put a comment on this blog post. Seriously, I’ll answer your questions or give you suggestions on how to look at making the justifications to your boss (or to yourself).
I love this webcast!
Below I’ve pasted an edited and cleaned up copy of most of the Q&A from today’s webcast on Exchange Server 2003: Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts.
SUPER BIG thank you to Michael J. Murphy and Harold Wong for handling the Q&A on the back-end, and who’s work this really represents.
-Kevin
“[This webcast] was advertised as Level 300...”
Hmm… Sorry about that. Some of the items will be 300 level since it involves registry entries. However, the majority is probably more in the line of 200 level.
“Does the Best Practice Analyzer tool have any special features to fix ‘Cannot connect to port 25 of routing group master’?”
The Best Practice Analyzer does not "fix" anything. It will give recommendations based on our "Best Practices" and your current configuration.
“What do I do if my Server reports ‘Cannot connect to the routing group master over port 25?’”
See http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/exchange/Analyzer/6fa17f7e-2cce-4b87-8903-cbcce84fe9b9.mspx?mfr=true
“The most recent version is 2.6 and not 2.5”
You are correct, 2.6 was just posted April 5th. This session was created and approved last October. I missed that.
“How can I test connectivity to port 25?”
How about telnet? see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q153119/
“What should I try if after restoring a mailbox store from backup it is not mounting it through the Recovery Storage Group created.”
First, make sure you were successful in restoring the store to the RSG. Was the database in RSG set to allow overwriting? Did the restore complete successfully? Also, make sure you don't restore the log files, only the database.
“How do I enable OWAADMIN ? ( OWA is currently working though )”
You need to download the tool and install it - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4bbe7065-a04e-43ca-8220-859212411e10&displaylang=en.
“Is OWA Admin installed by default?”
No, you need to download the tool from the MS website: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4bbe7065-a04e-43ca-8220-859212411e10&displaylang=en.
Sorry – I thought I mentioned that when I started demonstrating it, but I guess I wasn’t clear on that.
“How can I change the default route for the outgoing emails to my internet provider´s outgoing mail server in Exchange 2003 Server? Thanks.”
In Exchange 200x, that would require an SMTP Connector to be configured see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/265293. You’re welcome.
“Do you have to have Ex 2003 sp2 installed to enable PW change?”
No, this was available in the original release as well.
“How can I find out how to enable password change in OWA?”
See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297121
“Do you need to be using SSL Certificates to allow Domain password changes using OWA?”
Yes. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297121
“If using a Dynamic IP address with your ISP, you cannot obtain a SSL Certificate for this purpose correct?”
You should be able to. The SSL Certificate is associated with a name, not an IP.
“What is full-text indexes?”
A full text index creates indices on all text, that includes message bodies and attachments, which makes searching the store very fast, but has overhead associated with it
“Is there a way to defrag/compress your Exchange DB w/o taking it off line?”
Exchange will perform an online defrag as part of its normal maintenance. However, this only defrags within the database device. If you want the actual file on the hard drive to be defragmented, then you will have to take it offline.
“Is ‘last Build time’ in the Full text indexing section in the ESM supposed to tell you the last time when the index got created or updated? Otherwise how can I confirm that my index is being updated every night?”
It should be the last time it was rebuilt / updated.
“Is it Best Practices to Take if Offline and Defrag it? If so what are the tools available to do this?”
I wouldn't say it is ‘Best Practices’ to do this. If you want to, then you would use ESEUTIL to degrag and remove the empty space. You could then use a tool like Diskeeper (or just the native defrag tool in Server) to defrag the drive. Or the Contig tool from Sysinternals to defragment just the store files. Please keep in mind that this may take a considerable amount of time depending on the IO subsystem you have and the size of the database.
“Where is the step by step guide for configuring Full Text indexing?”
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.support.microsoft.com%2fkb%2f822932%2f
“Concerning catch-all - is this possible to have a catch all email addresses located on another container/mail server in the same organization?”
Yes
“Would adding disclaimer create an issue with digital certs ? ( is that what Kevin mentioned about S/MIME?)”
Yes. Because the email is being modified after the signature is "applied", so signing would get confused.
“I haven't installed SP2 to my Exchange 2003 Servers. I have 8 servers. Is there a preferred "Order" to install the SP? i.e. Front End, Bridge Head, other servers...”
See the step by step guide http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/mobile/deploy/msfp_overview.mspx
“I get a lot of ‘5.5.0 smtp;554 Relay access denied’ errors on outgoing email. Any thoughts”
Take a look at http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=895853&SD=tech
“How can you check if Exchange is running a particular service pack?”
spcheck tool http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;279631
“What is the defualt time for TarpitTime?”
There isn't one. The default is that the error messages is returned IMMEDIATELY. You need to add the registry key and define a value. See http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842851
“Are there any issues with OWA form based authentication enabled and Mobile ActiveSync?”
“Will all Exchange tools work also on SBS 2003?”
Everything shown today will, yes.
“Excellent Presentation and offline answers!”
Thanks!
Here is my blog resource page for this session again: http://blogs.technet.com/kevinremde/archive/2006/04/26/425799.aspx
Canadian IT Pro Advisor and Blogger Rick Claus has written a write-up (?!) on some resources available for helping with the Novell-Netware-to-Microsoft-Active-Directory migration process.
You’ll find his article here.
Greetings!
Below I’ve pasted an edited and cleaned up copy of the Q&A from the webcast I delivered on March 20th: Best Practices for Designing the Active Directory Structure.
BIG thank you to Chris Henley for handling the Q&A on the backend, and who’s work this really represents.
“Will this webcast be available for download at a later time?”
Yes it will, you can go to www.microsoft.com/webcasts
“Is there a good definitive resource for Active Directory Deployments?”
Good Question! I like the Active Directory Deployment Guide located here http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/technologies/directory/activedirectory/default.mspx
“What about Desktop Deployments?”
I always use the info located on the followign link. http://www.microsoft.com/technet/desktopdeployment/inframan/inframanad.mspx
“Are there any other webcasts that focus on Active Directory?”
There are tons. I would Recommend Michael Murphy's Active Directory Series as a great resource or Chris Henley's Migrating to Active Directory and of course Kevin Remde's Administration series. Links to these can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/events/AdvSearch.mspx?EventsAndWebcastsControlName=As1%3AAdvSrc&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AAudienceID=0&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AProductID=2e759425-9c39-421a-b53c-3f78ca563707&As1%3AAdvSrc%3AEventType=OnDemandWebcast&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ACountryRegionID=en%7CUS%7CUnited+States&StateProvinceID=0&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ATimeframeID=-1&As1%3AAdvSrc%3ASearchFilter=%C2%A0+Go+%C2%A0
“If application requires different schema, would it be better to use ADAM and provision using something like IIFP?”
That is a good possibility. You could also of course run separate Forests. It really depends on network requirements. It is certainly nice that we have the ADAM option.
“Most of the AD designing concepts applies to ADAM as well?
In theory yes. However, ADAM generally is used to provide AD access to applications and not to build network hierarchy. See the following http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/05c4f979-41c0-40d7-8687-2549d214643e1033.mspx
“I'm looking for standard policies to apply on kiosk machines, do we have set of policies can be downloaded from web?”
Start with this interactive GPMC training which illustrates the use of policy on a KIOSK. Then you can begin making your own choices for configuration. http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/techinfo/training/gpmctraining.mspx
“Will we be able to download this webcast for viewing?”
“Yes, you will be able to access this webcast on demand and have the ability to download in 24 hours at www.microsoft.com/webcasts.
“What Program are you using to get this nice graphics - Sorry for the off the wall question ;)”
It is actually just a PowerPoint presentation.
“Application( Outlook 11) is looking for GC or PDC to open??”
I believe it is looking for a simple domain controller only.
“What if all DCs are also GCs?”
It really depends on the size and the structure of the organization.
“We want to use DFS at all branch locations. Would you recommend a DC at those locations to limit traffic across the WAN link?”
Interesting question. If you think about it, putting a DC at a branch office would actually increase the total traffic because it would add replication traffic. The traffic reductions would come from authentication traffic. Unfortunately there is no right or wrong answer. Yo need to look at the traffic on your network and then make the decision.
“Always in my segment, a user always have to press retry to open Outlook (DC2 is a in the segment)what U think is wrong??”
It sounds like a rpc issue try the information here. http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;325930
“Hey Kevin - Where are you getting your Circles and Domain graphics?”
We have a content development team that does all of the initial creation for us, so I really don't know how they perform that graphical magic.
Here, as promised, are the “Best of” Q&A from the Webcast I delivered on August 17, 2005 – “Windows Server 2003 System Administration, Part 1 of 2”.
If you didn’t see this webcast and would like to view it ON DEMAND, click here.
Don’t forget to take advantage of the Additional Resources I’ve posted. Also, be sure to sign up for (or view), PART 2, being delivered on August 24, 2005.
HUGE thanks to my teammates Chris Avis, Shawn Travers, and Harold Wong, for helping out with Q&A. These answers are their marvelous contribution to the webcast experience.
Hope you find these useful!
“What are knowledge levels 100/200/300? Is there a definition?”
100 is basic feature/benefit information, 200 is configuration/settings information, 300 is registry/service level configuration, and 400 level is bits/byte level understanding, network packet analysis, etc...
“IF I WANT TO SETUPAN AD? SHOULD I HAVE DNS CONFIGURED ON THE SAME MACHINE?”
When you run through the DCPROMO process to install an AD Domain Controller, you will be asked if you have DNS installed or wish to install a new DNS. In General you will have DNS installed to the DC itself. but it is supported when DNS is installed on another physical box.
“Thanks. what OI ment is should I Have DNS with AD, does AD can work witout DNS”
No. DNS is required for Active Directory to install and to operate.
“Can we add custom roles [in the Configure Server Roles / Manager Server Roles Wizards]?”
Sure. All it requires is ability to export/import configuration settings, or you can build a template from scratch, but you'd need to know a bit of scripting to do this.
“Why is it I can add "everyone" and " system" to folder permissions, however, If I try to search for these two accounts in AD, I can not see them”
These are default local machine accounts, every machine has them regardless of their domain membership.
“the audio is ahead of the screens...”
Fascinating. I was concerned that there was a significant audio DELAY over this webcast. If it really bothers you, try closing out of LM, clear your Internet Cache, and re-enter the meeting.
“Is it true that Windows Server 2003 R2 will offer more granular control over quotas?”
That is the current thinking, yes.
“I am in the process of setting up a new forest and will have a trust to my old NT domain (not a candidate for directly upgrading) Users in the 2k3 domain will have access to the NT resources but the opposite is not true. My printers are currently in the NT domain. Can I also set them up as resources in the new domain?”
Yes. Just make sure the correct trust direction is in place and then add users to groups and the groups to shares as normal
“I have a small network and my router plays the role of DHCP as well as my Internetb access for all my machines. If I install AD with a DNS, is there or can poibt me how to configure this AD/DNS”
You'll probably need to review the Windows Server 2003 Deployment Guide. 7Pay particular attention to the AD, DNS, and DHCP sections. For your convenience, here is a link to the DNS deployment information: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/7f6df44c-06c3-4b92-ba32-63d895a7924b.mspx
“Using dsadd, can I do a copy from an existing account?”
No, I don't believe this is possible. Check out http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/ServerHelp/8d37ecb0-ac28-4e05-aa05-da82dc36b54b.mspx for more information.
“Is there a script that allows adding further UPN's or modifying upns?”
I don't know of a specific script off hand, but you can search for scripts at the Technet Scripting Center -- http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx
“I am hearing significant audio delay during this webcast. How can I fix?”
Live Meeting support recommends disconnecting and then re-enter the Live Meeting session. If that doesn't help, turn your seat color to red and I will give you the back up phone info.
“Can we do a trust with a win2003 server standalone (not included in the ad) to a domain controlled by (one way or 2 way)?”
No, trusts are configured between domains only. The standalone server would need to be configured as a DC.
“Are there significant differences between using RIS for Server 2003 and XP?”
No, not anymore. Prior to W2K3, there were restrictions on servers, but now they are identical.
“any updates for the RIS Boot disk available (with more adapters inside)?”
Hmm...not really. It is really up to the hardware vendors to build adapters that work with the boot disk.
“Is it necessary to install the DHCP services? Will a router suffice?”
You can use any DHCP service. If your router is also handing out addresses to your internal network using DHCP, then it will work.
“Is that RIS Unique Computer name customizable?”
Absolutely. 100%. You can configure the names by static list, by prestaging MAC addresses to names in AD, or by allowing randomization of computer names. It's up to you and fully configurable. This is one of the big improvements over standalone image install using sysprep and 3rd party utilities.
“What do you do from a policy standpoint to allow a user install software on their own computer but not other computers and servers?”
In general a user must be a local administrator to install software on their own machine. Ensuring you are not allowing them to be administrators on other machines in the network is the primary step.
“What’s the proper way to backup a DC?”
This is a Windows 2000 article but it applies to Windows 2003 as well -- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240363/
“When creating a trust for migration, is it necessary to disable SID filtering on both the target and source domains or just the target?”
It's okay to disable SID filtering on both the source and target, but only target is necessary.
“Can we use GPMC to manage XP workstation policies also?”
You can install the GPMC to an XP Machine, but it only manages Group Policy, not local policy. - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/gpmc/gpmcfaq.mspx
“How to change the default menu within the RIS-Client-Installation-Wizard ? Some years ago there was a 3Com-Tool available, but unfortunately it disappeared “
That's a good question. I'm actually not aware of any new products that allow customization of the menu.
“Is it possible to automatically deploy different images to different computers, based on which part of the network they were plugged in at, or certain group membership, or any other criteria?”
No, the administrator who logs onto the machine picks the appropriate image after booting to the network card. The list of images that the administrator sees can be limited using permissioning to the administrator account.
“Which one would have a higher priority on GPO >> User Configuration or Computer Configuration?”
Computer Configuration trumps User Configuration for conflicts only. All settings that do not directly conflict will apply.
“Are you really sure, that ANY DHCP-Service (e.g. DHCP based upon a cheap Linksys-Router) will support the BootP-Protocol and provide the RIS-Installation-Wizard-Code over TFTP ? Can´t believe that ...”
If you are booting with a RIS disk, you can use ANY DHCP server to get an IP address. If your adapter is PXE enabled then you will have to make sure the DHCP provider is compatible - see the following for PXE interaction infromation -- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;244036
“With Folder redirection, in an environment with multiple servers in multiple locations, is there a way for people who travel to different locations to retrieve their documents in a timely manor?”
Well, sure, you could use FRS (File Replication Service) to replicate the users "My Documents" folders to multiple locations. The user would then retrieve from the nearest copy.
“Can DSAdd create the exchange account too?”
DSADD cannot create the Exchange Mailbox within the Exchange enviroment.
“Related to RIS it´s not the problem to get an IP address from a non-Windows-DHCP-Server - the problem is to get Code over TFTP from that DHCP-Server ...”
I'm not sure I understand your question exactly. TFTP runs on the RIS server and is used to transfer the images to the RIS client. A separate DHCP server can be used for obtaining IP address, but it would not be able to run TFTP for the purposes of RIS.
“Can a GPO be applied to laptops that will turn on offline folders so that after redirection of My Documents they will have their docs availiable offline?”
Yes, there are two separate settings in your GPO....one setting redirects mydocs, and the other makes mydocs available offline.
“Is there a policy for setting the password for the local computer administrator to a given value for a group of machines?”
Unfortunately, there is no GPO setting that can do this. You can take advantage of scripts to peform this task.
“Can you describe "distinguished name"?”
Here is the technical description - http://www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc1779.html -- it is essentially a name used in LDAP to identify a unique object
“Can a GPO be utilized to lockdown USB ports?”
No, hardware configuration should be done with WMI scripts, or you can buy a large stick of caulk to plug up those ports. :)
“;) thanks, that works too...(writes "caulk" on the shopping list)”
“Is there a GP Setting to restrict who can 'shutdown or restart a server?' ?”
Yes -- \computer settings\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Local Policies\User Rights Assignments\Shut Down the System
“When a computer is booted there is a noticeable amount of time where the applying policies message is displayed how can you determine if the delay is normal or if something is wrong. I have a small 6 user single server 100M network.”
You should only see an extensive delay after a significant change to a GPO. If you continue to see extensive delays, even after the policies have been allowed to run and apply, you have an issue. First place to check would be to make sure DNS is configured properly.
“Can u give me link regarding automating of adding/deleting objects in AD using VB scripts?”
The TechNet Script Center is a GREAT resource for this: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/default.mspx.
“I’m not sure this is the proper discussion to ask this, but is there a method to allow 'users' to access the Terminal Services? ie. Not just domain admins. <we already bought proper licenses>”
Once the licenses are applied, you can use the Terminal Server Manager to determine the number of connections and who can connect.
“I see that that GPO user configuration settings will be worked on XP clients, but will work on W95/W98 clients?”
No, GPO settings will have NO effect on Win95/Win98 clients.
“Is it possible to give users group access through TS to a win 2003 sever without being in an admin group”
Absolutely. If you just want the user to be able to log on through Terminal Services, they do not have to be in the admin group. You just need to grant TS and local log on privileges to their account.
“What is the tool i can use to move exchange 5.5 mailboxes across different organization/site?”
This is built into the Exchange System Manager with Exchange 2003 SP1.
“For exchange 5.5 ?”
If you don't have Exchange 2003 SP1 installed in your environment, then you would need to use ExMerge.
“Will that support moving exch 5.5 mailbox?”
Yes.
“Where can I find this Webcast recorded, So I can watch it again since it took me 1 hour to get connected???”
http://www.microsoft.com/webcasts/ondemand
“Can Win2003 allow a non-administrator to run taskmgr, see any process and kill any process (admin like access without admin)? Win2k wouldn't show the "Show processes from all users" unless the user was in the administrator group.”
Should be the same for Windows 2003.
“I didn't listening a Webcast from a beggining - what need to be installed on client machine to run terminal server?”
If you have a WinXP client, you use the Remote Desktop Connection tool under Start --> Programs --> Communications, otherwise, there are terminal Server clients that are added to the Terminal Server upon installation that can be distributed to Non XP Clients -- http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;816590
Regarding Terminal Services....Which configuration will take precedence regarding sessiion (1)ADUC User Properties (2)GPO Machine Config (3)GPO Computer Config (4) Terminal Services Configuration
LSDOu - Local machine policies are lowest priority, Site settings next higher priority, Domain GPO's next highest priority, and OU GPO's are highest priority. ADUC User Properties don't really conflict with GPO's, but they would have a higher priority than GPO's, I suppose. TS configuration also doesn't conflict with GPO settings.
Here, is this week’s “best of” Q&A log from the webcast. Sincere thanks again to my teammates for doing such a great job helping to answer questions! I give them the credit for the information in this document. You guys rock!
Also I want to make sure also have the link to the Session Resources I posted for Part 12, and the homework assignment also.
Part 12 Questions and Answers:
“Will the earlier sessions in this series be made available for download? I notice that only the last 4 or so had the option to download and watch later.”
We will be making all of these available for download; they should be available within the next few weeks. Thx!
“Hi! How long will the recorded web cast be available?”
It should be available for at least a year if not two. And of course I’ll have a copy of it forever if you want it after it’s gone from the events sites. J
“Will WSUS work with W2003 SBS?”
Yes. Although in general it is not recommended to install WSUS to a DC. If you have the option you would want it install it to a separate Server.
“Can WSUS run without Active Directory? If so, how?”
Yes. You simply install it to a server based machine. You then use Registry settings or Local Policy to allow clients to connect. The full instructions are of course a part of the setup docs included with WSUS.
“Is WSUS the merging of SUS and WUS??”
WSUS is the next version/evolution of SUS. SUS was going to named SUS 2.0, then Windows Update Services (WUS), and now the final and forevermore name is Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).
“Is BITS 2.0 installed by default on 2003 server standard, or do you have to download it?”
It is a separate download. See the following -- http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842773
“Should the SUS server be a standalone server, or can it be run from a server performing other functions. If so, what is the load requirements for determining which of my servers I should run it from?”
SUS / WSUS should ideally run on a server separate from other network services. System requirements are posted here -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“Is WSUS still in RC? If so, when is it expected to be released?”
Yes it is - See the following for release dates as they get posted -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“When is the anticipated release date for WSUS? I understand it's still a release candidate.”
You will have to monitor the site for the information -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“Is this the final version or is it still in BETA?”
It is in Release Candidate Status -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“Is WSUS available now, or is it still in beta?”
RC Status - http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“If you already have an SUS server, do you have to make any changes to the group policy if you deploy WSUS?”
No, however, the final product may have additional options you CAN configure.
“I just started getting this error on my WSUS server. There was an error adding updates to the database. Please try to synchronize again, or check your database configuration. 4/27/2005 The metadata for the update was invalid and could not be processed successfully by the database.”
You will need to check the WSUS site for support options since it is still not a released product. There is also information on the WSUS site for posting Bug Information -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“If you select automatic updates on a SBS2003 what happens if an update needs to reboot?”
You should NOT set the Server itself to automatically update. However, if you do, it will perform as any other client does.
“Can the update files reside on a share pointed to by DFS taking advantage of site awareness of Windows XP to find the file share to pull the updates from? Or, do the updates have to come from a WSUS server?”
What we support is having them come from the WSUS Server at this time. This may change when the product releases.
“Does WSUS work with remote computers connecting for a small amount of time, or do you need to be connected for extended period to ensure updates are pushed to the client?”
1) Clients PULL the updates. 2) They have to stay connected long enough to PULL the file. How long this is depends upon the size of the files. 3) The benefit of BITS technology (Background Intelligent Transfer Services) is that an interrupted download will pick up where it left off the next time the computer starts up.
“When will WSUS be out for general availability?”
Please refer to the Main WSUS site for release dates -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“Can these WSUS updates be deployed to Windows 2000 desktops, or only Windows XP?”
Windows 2000 is a supported Client also.
“Can the WSUS policy be used in a W2K environment?”
Yes. You can import the wuau.adm policy template file into the Group Policy object in the GP Editor.
“Can you use the SUS repository for getting the updates for WUS?”
If you are referring to chaining, you can set up a hub and spoke distribution method for deploying multiple update servers. Only one needs access to Windows Update where other WSUS server can point to another local update server for updates.
“Is there a way to use WSUS without policy and AD?”
Yes. Go to the WSUS Site and review the docs there. We have a deployment guide available that explains this. -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/default.mspx
“Is WSUS a chargeable product?”
No. It is a free download now as a Release Candidate and will be a free download once finished.
“Is WSUS site aware? I.E. can updates be deployed based on what site a computer is in?”
No..or rather, somewhat. WSUS doesn’t natively detect or work with site boundaries. But it is Active Directory aware in that you can use Group Policy to define what group a computer is in. And that being the case, you could apply that group policy object at the site level.
“Does WSUS work with SQL Server 2005 Beta 3 Express?”
I don’t think it has been tested, so I can’t really speculate.
“With WSUS installed and configured what does a user see if they open IE and go to the internet update site? Can a laptop user get critical updates while traveling?”
A user can ALWAYS go directly to the Windows Update Site on the web to get updates. if you use Group Policy to configure clients to point to a WSUS server for Automatic Updates they will also check on the schedule you define with the WSUS Server.
“I missed it earlier... does WSUS come with its own SQL server, or do you have to supply that? If you have to supply it, can it run as a separate instance on another SQL server?”
It does install the MSDE for you if you want it to, or you can use your own instance of SQL on the local or another server.
“If others use port 80 - you need to change the port for WSUS?”
Correct
“I am referring to the fact that now we are using SUS for patching. Can I integrate WUS
Please refer to the Deployment guide for these types of configurations -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/techinfo/deployment.mspx
“How does this affect update that require re-boot? Esp. In a Server patch.”
It depends on your Automatic Update settings. You can force a reboot or you can have it wait.
“Is there or will there be a MOM knowledge pack for WSUS & auto update clients?”
Hmmmm....good question...I am not sure. There isn’t one currently, but that doesn’t mean that there won’t be one.
“If I fill out will I win the drawing?? Can you make me win??.:o)”
Uh.....no. J If I can’t make ME win, why would I be able to make YOU win? (and why would I want to? <heh>)
“Will WSUS work without Active Directory? If so, how?”
Yes! And so does SUS, actually. You can configure the registry in SUS, but in WSUS you can set computer groups by NETBIOS name or IP
“Any documentation that I can refer to regarding WSUS work without AD?”
There is a deployment guide on the site now that discusses all deployment options -- http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/updateservices/techinfo/deployment.mspx
When will the full version of WSUS be available?
VERY soon, I believe. It’s already a release candidate.
“LM system is still very buggy (joining, PDF) - effectively missed this webcast also and wasted my time :-( Sorry!!!”
I hope you put that in the evaluation, too. I’m sorry this week was difficult for you. Heck.. even I had connection issues – but they were hotel-related. L
“I've been using WSUS for a few weeks, and it is a great tool. I highly recommend it.”
“Are there any white papers on the difference between SUS and WSUS?”
Not yet. But in a nutshell… Reporting, Bandwidth-savings, product updates, targeting, approval options (“detect only”, “install”, etc)… oh man… the list gets longer and longer!
“If you update office patches from an AIP installation, is it okay to use the SMS SUS until you patch the AIP?”
“If the only server in our network is SBS2003 are there anything we need to watch out for?”
If you decide to load WSUS to the SBS Server you need to understand it will increase the lode further on that single server. And you want to make sure to use the OTHER port option when you install it (so it’s not stomping on your Port 80 web apps). It’s doable, but it is recommended to install WSUS to a member server if possible.
“Can WSUS be installed on a win2000 server and service XP clients?”
Yes. You must have Windows 2000 SP4 to install WSUS to the server and we would still support the same clients.
“Can it be installed on a XP Pro Workstation?
The WSUS product must be installed on a server. However, you can administer WSUS from your workstations.
“When is Part 7 available?”
Ah yes.. Part 7 is the one that they weren’t able to use the original recording on. It should be soon, though, if not already. I re-recorded it last Thursday, so it should be. Try re-registering for the on-demand one again.
“Thanks for all the great info!!!”
You are welcome!
“Thanks, Kevin! Really enjoyed the webcasts!”
You betcha!
“What is Kevin's next TechNet Series?”
Keep watching this space. J Seriously, I don’t have one scheduled yet, but I hope to do one again someday. In the meantime, I’m still doing the one-off webcasts and the live events. And you’ll find me at TechEd again this year, too! And if I get the nod to do another series, I’ll be sure to post it here.
Once again – thank you for making this series so enjoyable! I hope you learned some cool stuff!
Below I’ve pasted an edited and cleaned up copy of most of the Q&A from today’s webcast on Tools and Techniques for Managing a Windows Vista Desktop Deployment (Level 200)
HUGE thank you to John Baker, Kai Axford, and John Weston for handling the Q&A on the back-end, and who’s work this really represents.
“Can event-triggered tasks such as defrag be enforced to an enterprise via Group Policy?”
There are about another 1700 policies available for Vista, I'm not sure that that is one of the additional settings. Check this link for more info http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/gpol/a8366c42-6373-48cd-9d11-2510580e4817.mspx?mfr=true
“What is the size of the Virtual Store? Does it change in size dynamically?”
It is dynamic.
“Had to answer my phone, can you recap the process if a document is left open, and the system tries to patch?”
The system will get patched and the application will be reopened to the document it was on when the patch was installed.
“Does the application save and restore work with vista aware applications or all apps?”
As long as the apps use a common an documented response to commands for closing and saving un-saved work, then the app will be supported by this.
“Does imaging similar to norton ghost? or is it different?”
It is file based rather than sector based.
“They said that the users credentials were not stored on the system but rather on the Active Drectory domain... which is great until a laptop user needs to travel with their system. At that point would the credentials need to be transfered to the laptop?”
My understanding is that they are stored in both locations, so that you can easily recover them...sorta like EFS keys
“If I delete an AD account accidently, what's the best way to recovery it in Vista or in W2K3?”
The easiest way would be to be darned sure you WANT to delete before you do...other than that you're looking at doing a authoritative restore, since the change will be replicated to all the DCs.
“Does this mean that you don't need a third party tool for file images? Vista does it all?”
Ximage and the .wim file format should be all you need. You’ll download, install, and use the WAIK (Windows Automated Installation Kit) tools, which includes ImageX and the Windows Image System Manager (replaces Setup Manager). See http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/expert/ximage.mspx
“Can the image based installation be used for all processes, including lite touch, no touch, etc.?”
Check http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/expert/ximage.mspx You have several options, e.g. the WIM image format also lets you store multiple images within one actual file.
“Will this system be able to be used with RIS or will RIS images? Or will I have to reimage my older machines with this new system?”
Windows Deployment Services (WDS). WDS is the next version of Microsoft Remote Installation Services (RIS). WDS provides for the storage, management, and deployment of images. It uses the PXE boot process to install the operating system, including bare-metal installations.
“Is it already clear if the tool will be called ImageX or XImage?”
I don't think that has been finialized yet. Notice Kevin's slides have been updated to imagex, but the build he is using 5326, still calls the command ximage.
(Note: I also actually just copied the ximage.exe file and renamed it imagex.exe, just to be in-line with what the more current builds and information about the name have said. –Kevin)
“May be a stupid question, but will Vista still run on NTFS?”
Yes it will. More info here: http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/LocFileSys.mspx great whitepaper
“Where/how can I get WDS?”
Check http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/deploy/depenhnc.mspx
“Ok that link is info, which is good but is WDS currently avaiable or is it something that will be available in the future?”
I thought there was a link in there... this one has the info http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/88f80cb7-d44f-47f7-a10d-e23dd53bc3fa.mspx#BKMK_3
“Will SMS OSD and Vista be able to use the same WIM files in the near future?”
SMS 4.0 (now named “System Center Configuration Manager”) OSD will be able to use the .wim format.
“Sorry, I must have missed something, but how was install.win created?”
You didn't miss anything, for speed of demo, we have used a pre-created install.wim It was captured from a running copy of Vista with the ximage /capture command.
“Can you use the technology being discussed to deploy Windows XP SP2 or Server 2003?”
You certainly can capture and restore images, but I don’t know if you’ll be able to use System Image Manager to further tweak the installation using the unattend.xml file. I haven’t heard anything about that yet.
“When will the Windows System Image Manager be ready for downloading. Will it ready for download when Visat Beta is ready.”
I don't know if it will be out at the same time as the next Beta. I certainly hope so.
“Do I need to pay anything to become a beta tester of vista?”
Current TechNet Plus or MSDN subscribers get the current beta, but you can sign up for future beta's here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/beta/preregister.mspx
“Will the SID change automatically or does it need to be scripted to change in a deployment?”
You'll still need to do SysPrep to remove SIDs prior to taking an image.
“Is there a document yet that lists all the steps for deployment in some detail that were covered in this webcast? I'm looking for a sort of roadmap to plan create and deploy a Vista image from scratch and then transfer users settings?”
Best place I know to send you is: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/deploy/default.mspx
“If files with different names but the same hash value exist, will it conserve space and not copy duplicates of those as well? Instead rename them appropriately when deploying?”
No.. I don't think it is THAT smart. I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's based on the name AND a hash. I'll double-check though.
“Ok a simple question regarding deployment. Is WDS downloadable? What do I need to do to get a copy of the software to use?”
I don't know when it's going to be available. I know you'll be able to run it from Windows Server 2003 as well as Longhorn Server, but when it will be available I just don't know. You can, however, count on it being a free tool.
“The last couple of CTP releases have required a 14G boot disk. The is over 7 time the requirement of Windows XP. Is there a repartitioning tool provided for deployment to repartition a disk to be large enough to upgrade from xp to Vista?”
Not that I'm aware of, no.
“Is it possible to encrypt the local admin password in the unattend.xml”
No, it's not. You're best bet is to use Group Policy to apply a new password for that account so that it will be applied after it's first come up. That password is protected.
Here is my blog resource page for this session again: http://blogs.technet.com/kevinremde/archive/2006/05/03/426928.aspx
Stephen Rose posted details about the expiration of the Windows 7 Beta in order to correct some confusing information out there.
Building Community One Brick At A Time : Windows 7 Beta Expiration Correction
“So..what are the dates?”
Here are the details from the Windows 7 FAQ:
“To avoid interruption, you’ll need to rebuild your test machine using a valid version of Windows before the software expires. Windows will notify you that the expiration process is beginning and two weeks later your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. The Beta expires on August 1, 2009, and bi-hourly shutdowns will begin July 1, 2009. The RC will expire June 1, 2010, and the bi-hourly shutdowns will begin on March 1, 2010. In both cases, you’ll need to rebuild your test PC to replace the OS and reinstall all your programs and data.”
So if you’re running the Windows 7 Beta, you will start seeing expiration notifications in Mid June. For the Windows 7 RC (build 7100) you will start seeing notifications about the expiration in February. The beta will cease to function on August 1, 2009, and the RC will die on June 1, 2010.
We IT Pro Evangelists are often asked, “Hey.. Where can I find the download to try out such-and-such software?”
And after I find out what they actually meant by “such-and-such”, I usually just tell them essentially to “google it on Bing”.
But that’s not sufficient.
So what I am doing instead, on this page, is to give you a list of the most important, most commonly requested downloads and evaluations. And here they are:
If you're interested in evaluating the newly released System Center 2012 (now with SP1) management product, and all of the components therein, you can get them here:
Do you want to try Windows Azure for FREE for 90 days?
"Yes! Yes I do!"
Here you go:
How about some free online training? We've got literally hundreds of hours of up-to-date training at the Microsoft Virtual Academy:
Try them all!
And if this is not exactly what you need, you can also go to the TechNet Evaluation Download Center and find everything an IT Pro could ever want to try out.
Microsoft Windows 7 on USB: Two Reasons Why
Good article.. and I do hope Microsoft decides to package and sell Windows 7 on USB sticks.. because on hardware that supports it, booting to USB and installing the OS from that is pretty cool.. and pretty fast.
But I’m not sure what all the fuss is about. It’s very easy to create your own bootable USB stick and copy the contents of the Windows 7 (or Windows Server 2008 R2) installation to it, and then boot into it.
“Oh yeah?”
Yeah. In fact, I’ve attached a document to this blog post that I created for a user group “Load Fest” I helped with several weeks ago. It gives you a step-by-step on how to prepare the USB stick prior to copying the DVD (or a mounted .ISO) onto it.
Hope you find it useful!
Indianapolis!
Here are the questions (with answers) I jotted down at our TechNet Briefing in Indianpolis.
Also, for your convenience, here is the link to my blog post containing the link to that resource document I handed out.
Q: Will there be or is there currently a 64–bit version of Small Business Server 2003?
A: Here’s the answer that comes straight out of the SBS 2003 FAQ page –
“Windows Small Business Server 2003 and Windows Small Business Server 2003 with SP1 run well on 64-bit capable CPUs today. Customers today will see performance benefits running 32-bit Windows Small Business Server 2003 on 64-bit chips. To build a 64-bit version of Small Business Server, we need all the Small Business Server components, such as Windows Server 2003 and Exchange Server, to be 64-bit. Once these products reach 64-bit capability, we will evaluate a version of 64-bit Small Business Server based on customer need.”
Q: Does or can the new SQL Management Studio use Visual Source Safe?
A: Yes! MSDN Presenter and Developer Evangelist Jacob Cynamon gave me this snapshot that shows what you will see when it’s available from within the SQL Management Studio.
<— Click to see full image.
Q: You showed how I can run SQLCMD from within a Query Editor window as well as the command line. Can I also launch it from within a stored procedure?
A: If there is a way to make a T-SQL stored procedure execute in “SQLCMD” mode, then yes, I’m betting that you can. I’ve emailed this question to some folks who will know for sure, and I’ll update this answer as I get a better one. (Or if you know, feel free to add a comment below.)
Q: With Database Mail – Does the SMTP and POP3 support have to be installed on the Database Mail Server?
A: No. During the configuration of the Database Mail, you first configure accounts, and then add those accounts to profiles. Accounts simply refer to an email name and address and a server to send to. It doesn’t have to be the local machine (in fact, most likely it won’t be). My example used a POP3 mailbox on my local server, but it could just as easily have been an Exchange mailbox. Here’s what the Account setup looks like:
Then you can add your configured accounts into a profile. Here’s what that page looks like:
Q: Is there a way to diagram the database tables as there is in SQL 2000?
A: Yes. In the beta I was using for the demos, that function wasn’t there. In the latest CTP (Community Technology Preview) build, database diagrams can be built in the Database Diagrams container under the database you’re working on in the Object Explorer.
Q: Is MAPI support gone, or will my SQL Mail configurations still work after an upgrade to SQL 2005?
A: SQL Mail is still supported for backward compatibility, and managed under the Management container in the Object Explorer. NOTE: there is a hint in the current documentation that suggests that it will be removed in future versions of SQL Server.
Q: Is there a web interface for SQL Server management?
A: No, not for SQL administration. There is for SQL Reporting Services, however.
Q: Are there any improvements on how SQL Server works in a clustered configuration?
A: Yes! Much of the improvement comes from improved clustering in the foundation of Windows Server 2003. SQL Server 2005 can now be implemented on clusters of up to eight nodes on Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition, four-node clustering on Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition and Windows 2000 Datacenter Server, and a max of 2–node clustering on Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
SQL Server 2005 specific improvements include support for an unattended cluster setup. Also – all of the different services within SQL 2005 are cluster-aware, including:
Also, all of the major management tools (Management Studio, Profiler, etc) are also cluster aware.
If you have a followup question or comment, feel free to enter it by clicking the comment link below.
Windows Server 2012 is available. It offers businesses and service providers a scalable, dynamic, and multitenant-aware cloud-optimized infrastructure. Windows Server 2012 helps organizations connect securely across premises and helps IT Professionals to respond to business needs faster and more efficiently.
Need more information? See the product details page.
Access technical product resources—forums, solution accelerators, white papers and webcasts—at the Windows Server 2012 Resource Page.
Review Windows Server 2012 system requirements
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I had an e-mailed follow-up question from the Exchange Security Part 2 webcast I got done delivering a few minutes ago.. and it’s a question I’m sure many people have.
I’m sure of that because I didn’t know the answer right away. That’s the true test of a “good” question.
Q: Is Exchange Server 2003 SP2 supported on Windows Small Business Server 2003?
A: Yes!
The best answer is an easy answer.
Oh.. if you don’t believe me.. I found the answer on the SBS Frequently Asked Questions page.
In today’s episode, I welcome Microsoft MVP, Mitch Garvis to the show. We discuss how Windows 8 Enterprise and Windows 8 Professional now include Microsoft Hyper-V as an optional feature. Tune in as we discuss WHY you would want to use the power of Hyper-V virtualization on your desktop, laptop or tablet running Windows 8.
Download the Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation today and test your applications, hardware and deployment strategies with Windows 8.
Resources:
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Here are some resources relating to the webcast I presented on December 20, 2006, entitled “Best Practices for designing the Active Directory Structure"
I hope you find them useful.
Planning and Implementing Federated Forests in Windows Server2003http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/technologies/activedirectory/fedffin2.mspx
Autonomy vs. Isolationhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/e638db7d-ae87-45b2-beba-ec5815876ca2.mspx
Determining the Number of Forests Requiredhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/0c1cfacb-ff12-466f-81c6-9d29c7c2c427.mspx
Forest Design Modelshttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/0e40afb5-4504-4990-b579-052abe6bc599.mspx
Reviewing the Domain Modelshttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/7928a6f2-3a50-4a4a-a349-ef8523798061.mspx
Windows 2000 Domain Architecture: Design Alternativeshttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/technologies/activedirectory/plan/w2kdomar.mspx
Single Domain Modelhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/0d2a5ac5-1b41-4b2f-8c02-ea9d2ee8e29f.mspx
Regional Domain Modelhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/2b92c3d9-e89a-43c0-a10d-f5f134c9db03.mspx
Using the Organizational Domain Forest Modelhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/782d4351-ba53-4576-9f8c-3d2b576816a3.mspx
Determining the Number of Domains Requiredhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/d390f147-22bc-4ce3-8967-e65d969bc40b.mspx
Overview of Designing a Site Topologyhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/786fa311-b6ea-40c0-ad8d-8f09a441622e.mspx
Planning Forest Root Domain Controller Placementhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/beb34f73-cf1a-4146-9497-2e54ec59e614.mspx
Planning Regional Domain Controller Placementhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/05db0f72-0e18-453b-b294-49cfc8f9d6d2.mspx
Planning Global Catalog Server Placementhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/0e4d2466-68e8-40d8-8c72-099f8bc259ff.mspx
Planning Global Catalog Server Placementhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/edeba401-7f51-4717-91bd-ddb1dca8a327.mspx
Connecting Sites with Site Linkshttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/2048f9f3-f272-4fba-afbf-63bde19e1837.mspx
Creating a Site Link Bridge Design to Control Active Directory Replication Flowhttp://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/DepKit/d82e1b2f-d167-409b-a8c7-04364964e5e5.mspx
This session’s resource page:http://www.microsoft.com/technet/ADD-03
Microsoft TechNethttp://www.microsoft.com/technet
Live TechNet Eventshttp://www.technetevents.com
Microsoft Events page:http://www.microsoft.com/events
Kevin’s Webcast Resources:
Tools and Techniques for Managing a Windows Vista Desktop Deployment (Level 200)
Here are some resources relating to the webcast topic presented. I hope you find them useful.
Saved and Edited Q&A from the live webcast
http://blogs.technet.com/kevinremde/archive/2006/05/03/427195.aspx
Microsoft Windows Vista Web Site
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista
Windows Vista Resources for IT Professionals
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/default.mspx
Desktop Deployment
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/desktopdeployment
Deploying Windows Vista
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/deploy/default.mspx
Windows Vista Deployment Enhancements
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/deploy/depenhnc.mspx
Windows Vista Deployment Features and Improvements
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/evaluate/feat/deplovw.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/deploy/winpe.mspx
Windows Vista Beta 2 Deployment Step by Step Guide (preview release)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/88f80cb7-d44f-47f7-a10d-e23dd53bc3fa.mspx
Windows Vista Beta 2 Migration Step by Step Guide (preview release)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/1a3fbe72-9de8-4b94-b254-586a61843a04.mspx
Planning & Designing Windows Vista Deployments
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/library/plan/6cd750d4-5f68-4e77-8153-9dbd31c10ca2.mspx?mfr=true
Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) User’s Guide for Windows Vista
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=993c567d-f12c-4676-917f-05d9de73ada4&displaylang=en
Live TechNet Events
http://www.technetevents.com
Microsoft Events page:
http://www.microsoft.com/events
IMPORTANT UPDATE: This promotion and promotion code have expired.Please CLICK HERE for the most current promotion.
Whenever I present a live TechNet Event, I ask my audience to raise their hands if they are a TechNet subscriber. Usually about 1/3 of the audience raises their hand. Considering that this is typically a Microsoft-friendly audience, I'm a little shocked that there aren't more hands going up. The TechNet Subscription is such a great resource for IT Pros, for these reasons:
For all of those reasons (Heck, for any ONE of those reasons), a TechNet Plus subscription is worth the yearly investment.
"Cool, Kevin. But how do I save $100?"
For new subscriptions, until May 31st June 30th!, 2008, you can save $100 on any version of a TechNet Plus subscription.
Write down or copy this promotion code to your clipboard: TMSAM08 (That's zero-eight. Not the letter O. Think of 2008.)
Then GOTO the TechNet Subscription Center (CLICK HERE), and use the code to get your savings.
"New subscriptions only?"
Yes, unfortunately for right now it's only for new subscriptions, and only for people in the United States. The folks running this program are working on a way to include other areas, and perhaps do this for renewals as well, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen anytime soon, I'm afraid. But hey.. a new subscription might still be worth the savings if you only have a few months left on your existing subscription.
...and that $100 will go a long way towards that Zune you've always wanted.
(RTW=Released to Web)
This is huge! Now finally you can administer your Active Directory.. your DHCP, DNS, NPS... Group Policy (again) .. all from a Windows Vista workstation.
The RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) are already a part of Windows Server 2008. They're the set of administration tools that you can install under "features" in the Server Manager. So.. if you want to administer Active Directory from a member server, you install the Active Directory Administration feature. And now, finally, we can install the tools we need to do the very same remote administration from our a workstation.
It works a little differently in Vista. You install the update, and then the features are available for you to install. Just running the update won't give you the tools.
From the download page:
"Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) enables IT administrators to remotely manage roles and features in Windows Server 2008 from a computer running Windows Vista SP1. It includes support for remote management of computers running either a Server Core or full installation option of Windows Server 2008. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer."
There are two downloads:
Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista SP1 for x86-based Systems
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9ff6e897-23ce-4a36-b7fc-d52065de9960&DisplayLang=en
Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista SP1 for x64-based Systems
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=d647a60b-63fd-4ac5-9243-bd3c497d2bc5&DisplayLang=en
And here is some more about it.
Check out my screen capture of the Windows Features I can now install on my Vista workstation (Click to see the whole picture)
"Hey Kevin.. I noticed that Hyper-V wasn't listed. Can't I manage Hyper-V installations using RSAT?"
Well... no. But.. GOOD NEWS! We also announced today a downloadable MMC that will do just that!
You can find the Hyper-V Manager MMC here:
Vista x64 Edition: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=450931F5-EBEC-4C0B-95BD-E3BA19D296B1&displaylang=en
Vista x86 Edition: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=BC3D09CC-3752-4934-B84C-905E78BE50A1&displaylang=en
Check out the Virtualization Team's blog post about it.