• SCOM - We are getting Disk transfer (reads and writes) latency is too high alerts.


    Symptom
    ========
    We are getting Disk transfer (reads and writes) latency is too high alerts.

    The Avg. Disk sec/Transfer (LogicalDisk\Avg. Disk sec/Transfer) for the logical disk has exceeded the threshold. The logical disk and possibly even overall system performance may significantly diminish which will result in poor operating system and application performance.

    Causes
    =======
    A high Avg. Disk sec/Transfer performance counter value may occur due to a burst of disk transfer requests by either an operating system or application.

    Resolutions
    ===========
    Apply Hotfix 2495300 on Server 2008 and Apply Hotfix 2470949 on Server 2008 R2.

    Invalid "Avg. Disk sec/Transfer" value returned by the RegQueryValueEx function in Windows Server 2008 or in Windows Vista
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2495300/en-us

    The RegQueryValueEx function returns a very large incorrect value for the "Avg. Disk sec/Transfer" performance counter in Windows Server 2008 R2 or in Windows 7
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2470949

  • Windows Svr 2008 R2 - iSCSI Initiator getting "Target Error" message when attempting to connect to iSCSI Target on localhost


    SYMPTOM

    ===================

    Hyper-V Host (PC1) 上安裝 iSCSI Target 然後接著在 PC1 上執行 iSCSI Initiator 連接本機的 Target

    這個做法在我的環境 (如下圖) 跟客戶的環境都會遇到 Target Error 錯誤

    clip_image002[4]

     

    CAUSE

    ===================

    Loop Back 連線模式在 Windows Server 2008 R2 上是被支援的

    但是預設的情況下 Loop Back 連線是關閉的。

     

    RESOLUTION

    ===================

    您需要新增以下機碼並重新開機來允許Loop Back 連線

     

    HKLM\Software\Microsoft\iSCSI Target

    Value Name: AllowLoopBack

    Type: REG_DWORD

    Value: 1 (Default is 0)

  • iSCSI and Windows Svr 2008/R2 Failover Clusters


    iSCSI 目前是 Cluster 架構裡常被應用的一個 Shared Storage Solution,以下是兩個您應該要知道的事項。(Getting things right in the beginning will make everything else down the line easier!!)

    1. Use Microsoft MultiPath IO (MPIO) to manage multiple paths to iSCSI storage. Microsoft does not support teaming on network adapters that are used to connect to iSCSI-based storage devices.

    Microsoft iSCSI Initiator best practices
    ==========================
    The following best practices are recommended for your Microsoft iSCSI Initiator configuration:
    - Deploy on a fast network (a GigE or faster network).
    - Ensure physical security.
    - Use strong passwords for all accounts.
    - Use CHAP authentication because it ensures that each host has its own password. Mutual CHAP authentication is also recommended.
    - Use iSNS to discover and manage access to iSCSI targets.

    Installing and Configuring Microsoft iSCSI Initiator
    http://technet.microsoft.com/pl-pl/library/ee338480(WS.10).aspx

    2. Try the following methods to troubleshoot iSCSI connectivity issue, if all fails, engage Microsoft Technical Support to help you identify the cause.

    Method 1: Increase the receiving buffer
    Method 2: Disable Delay ACK
    Method 3: Disable AutoTuningLevel to fix the window size
    and Method 4: (per my own experience, may not be applicable for you) Disable TCP Chimney Offload

    Information about the TCP Chimney Offload, Receive Side Scaling, and Network Direct Memory Access features in Windows Server 2008
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951037

    In Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 environment, if the network environment is set to enable Delay ACK and storage is connected with iSCSI, an iScsiPrt error is output to the System Event Log when a general operation is executed
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/981482

  • 如何讓Windows 2003 file server在原機升級至Windows 2008後,上面的EFS加密檔仍可以存取?

     

    問題說明:

    假設您有一台Windows 2003 File Server透過委派的方式讓用戶端可以將EFS加密檔案上傳至File Server,並且仍保留EFS加密的屬性,您將要將這台Windows 2003原機升級至Windows 2008,並且確保用戶端仍可以遠端正常開啟這些加密文件,該如何作?

    您可以參考 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948690/en-us文件說明,透過實作過程解釋如下:

     

    我的LAB環境總共三台機器,分別為:

    • Machine 1:Windows 2003 DC x1
    • Machine 2:Windows 2003 File Server x 1
    • Machine 3:Windows XP Client XP  x 1

    1. Machine 1對Machine 2做委派 ,讓Machine 3 的Client可以將檔案copy至Machine 2,並且仍保留EFS加密的屬性。

    2. 升級Machine 2至Windows 2008 SP2。(備註)

    3. 測試從XP連到Machine 2,確認仍可以開啟文件。

    =============

    備註

    在升級完至Windows 2008後,您一定要用文件 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948690 上的工具做一次掃描,用戶端才能正常使用原來的金鑰去解密,原因是:

    1. 您的Client是透過遠端的方式將EFS加密文件上傳至File Server,這個時後,您在 File Server上會產生該帳戶的User profile以存放新的金鑰,但這個Profile並非完整的。您可以去比較曾經在File Server上實際登入過帳戶的Profile,以及未登入過但透過 EFS加密委派產生的Profile裏的結構。如下圖:

    有本機登入過帳戶的profile結構:

    clip_image002

    沒有本機登入過帳戶的profile結構:

    clip_image004

    2. 檢查HKLM\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList機碼,比較有登入過的帳戶及沒有登入過帳戶的機碼,則會如下:

    該帳戶有登入過的機碼會是

    clip_image006

    沒實際登入過,但是透過上傳加密檔案而產生的Profile,機碼是

    clip_image008

    透過以上檔案結構及機碼的比較,您會發現有登入過該電腦的帳戶及沒有登入過的帳戶Profile很明顯的有所不同。

    3. 在原機升級至Windows 2008 SP2後,再來比較一下 User Profile的結構:

    有本機登入過帳戶的profile結構:

    clip_image010

    沒有本機登入過帳戶的profile結構:

    clip_image012

    4. 再去看HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList機碼,您會發現只剩下曾經本機登入過帳戶的機碼,透過上傳EFS加密文件自動產生Profile對應的機碼都因為升級Windows 2008而刪除了。

    clip_image014

    5. 因此,我們就必需使用http://support.microsoft.com/kb/948690下載的工具再去掃描系統,然後重建這些連結,解決問題。

    指令就是EfsUpgRecoverAccts /R

    clip_image016

    6. 在執行完後,它將所有沒有登入過的profile轉換成以下的格式 (這些Profile會在後面多了.000)

    clip_image018

    7. 機碼也會再建立一次,對應的路徑也是會多了.000

    clip_image020

    8. 從Client去遠端存取file server,可以開啟加密檔案了

    clip_image022

  • 為何進行遠端桌面 or 檔案傳輸時常常出現瞬斷

    問題情境
    =============
    1. 當嘗試使用遠端桌面連接Server 2003時 , 有時後會出現斷線狀況但是過一下子會重新連線

    2. 當使用網路芳鄰方式從Server 2003傳送下載檔案時 , 會跳出視窗請您重試 , 按下後會再繼續傳送 , 但試過一陣子可能會在出現

     

    問題原因
    =============
    此問題透過網路封包可以發現在斷線的當下 , Server 2003會傳送TCP Reset封包給Client所以導致連線中斷

    這種狀況會在下面幾種條件成立時發生

    1. 若系統可用的Non-Paged Pool小於8MB時 , 系統會隨機將現有的Connection進行丟棄來釋放資源 (發出Reset封包)

    2. 此行為會持續到Non-Paged Pool的可用量大於20MB時才會停止

     

    參考資訊
    =============
    Description of the new Memory Pressure Protection feature for TCP stack
    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/974288/en-us