• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Delta Discovery

    Posted over 4 years ago
    by Maged Ezzat}

    In the past discovering new objects from Active Directory and to start managing any new object was taking long time, System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 introduce a new good feature called Delta Discovery.

    In this post I will go through a new System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 feature which is Delta Discovery that enhances the discovery capabilities of Configuration Manager by discovering only new or changed resources in Active Directory instead of performing a full discovery cycle. The interval by which delta discovery searches for new resources can be configured by the user to a short interval as only discovering new resources does not affect the performance of the site server as much as a full cycle. Delta discovery can detect the following new resource types:

    · Computer objects

    · User objects

    · Security group objects

    · System group objects

    Delta discovery only reads Active Directory attribute changes which are replicated. Non-replicated attributes, which are changed, such as the memberof attribute, are not collected by delta discovery unless a change to a replicated attribute is made at the same time. For example, adding a user or machine account to a particular group or Organizational Unit (OU) does not force the object to be replicated at the next delta discovery cycle. The value that we look at in Active Directory is the USNChanged value.

    USNChanged value is an incrementing value that is specific to a particular Domain Controller (DC). This is how the DC does sequencing of changes. Every time an object is updated, that object is tagged with the current USNChanged value for that DC, then the DC increments its USNChanged value. When we do a Delta Discovery, we write to the database the current USNChanged value for that DC. Therefore, the next time we kick off a Delta Discovery we check all objects that have a USNChanged value greater than the value that we stored from the last Delta Discovery. Since this value is unique to a particular DC, we will always try to go back to that DC to complete the Delta Discovery process so that we pull only changed values. If for some reason, that DC is offline or inaccessible, then we will fall over to another DC. However, this will force a full Discovery as the USNChanged value will be different on this device and we cannot accurately tell what objects are changed.

    Delta discovery is not enabled by default in Configuration Manager 2007 R3. When enabled, it will run, by default every 5 minutes.

    To Configure Delta Discovery

    1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Site Management / <site code> – <site name> / Site Settings / Discovery Methods.

    2. Right-click one of the following discovery methods and then click Properties:

    · Active Directory System Group Discovery

    · Active Directory Security Group Discovery

    · Active Directory System Discovery

    · Active Directory User Discovery

    3. In the Polling Schedule tab for the selected discovery method, enable the option Enable delta discovery.

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    4. In the Delta discovery interval (minutes) field, specify the interval in minutes at which delta discovery will run.

    5. Click OK to close the Discovery Method dialog box.

    It is really good feature that will make different with System Center IT Administrators.

     

    Related Posts:

    System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Dynamic Collection: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/23/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-dynamic-collection.aspx 

    "Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management Overview" Part 1 can found here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/09/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-power-management-part1-overview.aspx

    "Update Client for Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management" Part 2 can be found here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/11/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-power-management-part-2-update-clients-for-power-management.aspx 

    Step-by-Step how to Audit Configuration Manager 2007 Activities:  http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/17/step-by-step-how-to-audit-configuration-manager-2007-activities.aspx

  • System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management – Part 2 “Update Clients for Power Management”

    Posted over 4 years ago
    by Maged Ezzat}

    In this post series I will go through System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management showing general overview and prerequisites for the new SCCM 2007 R3 Power Management feature and then deeply go through the step by step to enable and configure SCCM 2007 R3 Power Management feature,

    In the Part 1 here I started with an overview about the new System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management Feature, and in this post I will go through the required step by step to Update Configuration Manager Clients for Power Management, and how to enable or disable the Power Management Client Agent,

    Before you can use power management in Configuration Manager 2007 R3, you must distribute the hotfix (KB 977384) to upgrade client computers in your site hierarchy. This hotfix is downloaded as part of the Configuration Manager 2007 R3 installation but client computers in your site are not automatically upgraded. During the client hotfix installation, you can configure a Configuration Manager 2007 package and program to install the client hotfix on computers using Configuration Manager 2007 software distribution. If you do not configure a package and program during installation, you must manually create these before you can deploy the patch using Configuration Manager.

    Use the following procedure to create a Configuration Manager 2007 package and program for the hotfix installer (if you did not so this automatically during setup) and to distribute this package to computers in your site hierarchy.

    How to Create and Distribute a Package and Program for the Hotfix Installer

    1. In the Configuration Manager console, open the New Package Wizard and specify the following values:

    · Name: Enter KB 977384 - Advanced Client Hotfix.

    · Comment: Enter a descriptive comment for this package such as KB 977384 - Software Update for ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 (KB 977384).

    · On the Data Source page of the New Package Wizard, enable 'This package contains source files.'

    · Set the source directory for the package to <\\Siteserver name>\sms_<Site_Code>\Client\i386\hotfix\KB977384.

    2. Specify any further properties you require to complete the New Package Wizard.

    3. Create a new program for this package and specify the following values:

    · Name: Enter KB 977384 - Advanced Client Patch Install.

    · Comment: Enter a descriptive comment for this program such as Advanced Client Patch (MSP) Application KB 977384.

    · Command Line: Enter msiexec.exe /p sccm2007ac-sp2-kb977384-x86-enu.msp /L*v %TEMP%\sccm2007ac-sp2-kb977384-x86-enu.msp.LOG /m /q REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=mous.

    · After running: From the drop-down list, select Program restarts computer.

    4. Specify any further properties you require to complete the New Program Wizard.

    5. Copy the package to any required distribution point before advertising the package to computers that you want to upgrade.

    How to Enable or Disable the Power Management Client Agent

    Enabling the Power Management Client Agent in Configuration Manager 2007 R3 makes it possible for client computers in this site to apply power management plans configured in the Configuration Manager console.

    The Power Management Client Agent is not enabled by default when you install Configuration Manager 2007 R3.

    To enable the power management client agent

    1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Site Management / <site code> – <site name> / Site Settings / Client Agents.

    2. Right-click Power Management Client Agent and then click Properties.
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    On the General tab of the Power Management Client Agent Properties dialog box, enable the option Enable power management on clients.

    3. Click OK to close the Power Management Client Agent Properties dialog box.

    In the coming post I will go through the step by step to configure reports for Power Management.

     

    Part 1 "Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management Overview" can found here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/09/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-power-management-part1-overview.aspx

    Part 2 "Update Client for Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Power Management" can be found here: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/11/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-power-management-part-2-update-clients-for-power-management.aspx 

     

    Related Posts:

    System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Delta Discovery http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/23/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-delta-discovery.aspx

    System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3 Dynamic Collection: http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/23/system-center-configuration-manager-2007-r3-dynamic-collection.aspx 

    Step-by-Step how to Audit Configuration Manager 2007 Activities:  http://blogs.technet.com/b/meamcs/archive/2011/01/17/step-by-step-how-to-audit-configuration-manager-2007-activities.aspx

  • Operations Manager 2007 R2 Installation and Configuration (step by step) – Part 2 “Installing Operations Manager Database”

    Posted over 4 years ago
    by Maged Ezzat}

    In this post series I will go through detailed step by step (with screenshots) related to System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Installation and Configuration that IT Administrator or technical consultant will need to build Operations Manager 2007 R2,

    In 1st part here I started with Pre-Build part Pre-Build Operations Manager 2007 R2,

    And in this post I will continue with Installing Operations Manager Database,

    Table below include step by step showing you how to install System Center Operations manager 2007 R2 Operations Manager Database:

    Step

    Description

    Screenshot

    1.

    Login on Operations Manager 2007 R2 Database Server with Local Administrator account.

    		  

    2.

    On the Operations Manager 2007 R2 installation media, double-click the SetupOM.exe file

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    3.

    Under Prepare click Check Prerequisites

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    4.

    Select Operational Database and Data Warehouse components.

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    5.

    When the test result shows Pass then continue as follows, otherwise fix the error and try again

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    6.

    On the Start page, select Install Operations Manager 2007 R2

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    7.

    On the Welcome page, click Next.

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    8.

    On the End-User License Agreement page, accept the agreement and then click Next

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    9.

    On the Product Registration page, type the information in the text boxes and then click Next

    1) Enter User Name as Administrator

    2) Under Organization enter “Company Name”.

    3) Enter Product Key under CD Key (if required)

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    10.

    On the Custom Setup page, set all components except the Database to This component will not be available and then click Next

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    11.

    On the Management Group Configuration page, do the following::

    · Type the name you want for the management group in the Management Group text box "CompanyMG". The name you type for a management group cannot be changed.

    · Click Browse and select the universal or global security group you want added to the management group's administrators role "OpsMgrAdmins", and then click OK.

    · Click Next.

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    12.

    On the SQL Server Database Instance page, in the SQL Server Database Instance list, select the instance of SQL Server on which you want to install the Operations Manager 2007 R2 database and then click Next.

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    13.

    On the Database and Log File Options page, in the Database size text box, type the initial size of the Operations Manager database or leave the default of 25,000 MB (this based on your design), and then click Next

    Note: To change the default database name or installation location of either the data file or the log file, click Advanced, make the changes, click OK, and then click Next

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    14.

    On the Operations Manager Error Reports page, either leave Do you want to send error reports to Microsoft cleared and click Next, to not send Operations Manager 2007 R2 error reports to Microsoft, or select Do you want to send error reports to Microsoft and then do the following:

    · Select automatically send error reports about this product to Microsoft without prompting the user, or leave the default option, Prompt the user for approval before sending error reports to Microsoft, selected.

    Click Next

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    15.

    On the Ready to Install the Program page, click Install. The Installing System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 page displays and provides installation progress.

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    16.

    When the Completing the System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2 Setup Wizard page displays, click Finish.

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    In the coming post I will continue step by step for Operations Manager 2007 R2 Installation with screenshots.

     

    Related Posts:

  • Unstable connectivity behaviour on Hyper-V guests

    Posted over 4 years ago
    by zarafeh}

    Environment:

    Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V Role

    Symptopms:

     VMs on a certain Hyper-V host were having bizzare connectivity patterns, when I tried to ping other machines, I would get three types of ICMP reponses for the same ICMP request. below is a snapshot

     

    The network configuration is shown below, with the stable and the unstable communication paths

     

     

    Resolution:

    1- disable netDMA on the Host NIC (check this article http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951037)

    2- Disable Large Send Offload on the Host NIC (in the advanced properties of the NIC)

     

  • The Ongoing Debate: Should internet-facing TMG/ISA be a domain member or a workgroup member?

    Posted over 4 years ago
    by zarafeh}

    I have recently delivered a presentation on whether to join a TMG/ISA server to the domain or make it a Workgroup member.

    I have shared it on SkyDrive, Download it here