August 2009 - Posts

• Windows Azure Platform Training Kit - August Update

  The latest Windows "Azure" Training Kit The Windows® Azure™ Platform (Azure) is an internet-scale cloud services platform hosted in Microsoft data centers, which provides an operating system and a set of developer services that can be used individually or together. Azure’s flexible and interoperable platform can be used to build new applications to run from the cloud or enhance existing applications with cloud-based capabilities. Its open architecture gives developers the choice to build web applications, applications running on connected devices, PCs, servers, or hybrid solutions offering the best of online and on-premises. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=413E88F8-5966-4A83-B309-53B7B77EDF78&displaylang=en Posted Aug 18 2009, 06:39 AM by Parris with no comments Filed under: Active Directory, [ADUG], Azure, AD-FS, Cloud, AD-DS

• Eileen Brown's Leaving Drinks - 3rd September

  In Eileen's words. After almost 8 years at Microsoft, gaining some wonderful friends and some amazing memories, my last day at Microsoft will be September 1st 2009.  I’m having a leaving party – in London, so that the far flung amongst you can arrive by train. I’d like you to join me for a leaving drink or two before I depart off into my other world of making jam and living the river cottage lifestyle J   The venue is the Slug and Lettuce, 5 Chicheley Street, SE1 7PJ close to Waterloo station http://www.london-se1.co.uk/restaurants/info/102/the-slug-and-lettuce.  I’ll be there from 6pm  It would be great to see you there and say goodbye...   Hope to see you on 3rd September Eileen. Posted Aug 14 2009, 08:57 AM by Parris with no comments Filed under: [ADUG], Eileenb, Social Event

• Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 7- Now Available

  Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7 enables IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on remote computers that are running Windows Server 2008 R2 (and, for some roles and features, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003) from a remote computer that is running Windows 7. It includes support for remote management of computers that are running either the Server Core or full installation options of Windows Server 2008 R2, and for some roles and features, Windows Server 2008. Some roles and features on Windows Server 2003 can be managed remotely by using Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7, although the Server Core installation option is not available with the Windows Server 2003 operating system. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=7d2f6ad7-656b-4313-a005-4e344e43997d   Posted Aug 12 2009, 04:37 AM by Parris with no comments Filed under: Active Directory, Windows 7, Administration, [ADUG], Windows Server 2008 R2

• The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7

  The latest version of the The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7 is now available on the Microsoft Downloads Website. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=696dd665-9f76-4177-a811-39c26d3b3b34 "The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is a set of tools and documentation that support the configuration and deployment of Windows® operating systems. By using Windows AIK, you can automate Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, configure and modify images using Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM), create Windows PE images, and migrate user profiles and data with the User State Migration Tool (USMT). Windows AIK also includes the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), which enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the volume activation process using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK)."       Posted Aug 07 2009, 07:15 AM by Parris with no comments Filed under: Windows 7, Client OS, Administration, [ADUG], Migration, WAIK

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Distributed Scan Management Active Directory Schema update

  I saw this DistributedScanManagement.ldf file this morning on the Microsoft Downloads website so - it's for use with Windows 7 and scanned documents (I won't be using this feature just yet). http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=d89ac7c0-2dad-49cc-9ccd-5f7884e4dbdf MSDN Extract: Web Services for Devices Distributed Scan Management Web Services for Devices (WSD) Distributed Scan Management enables IT administrators to manage scanning services for organizations with many users. WSD Distributed Scan Management is implemented in Windows Server 2008 R2. A device that supports WSD Distributed Scan Management can be a network-connected image scanner, or it can be a scanner function in a network-connected copier or multifunction printer. A WSD scan device works in conjunction with a WSD distributed scan server. A scan server is a computer that runs the Windows Distributed Scan Server, which is a feature of Windows Server 2008 R2. During a scanning job, the scan device acquires images from the documents that it scans, and it sends the images to the scan server. The scan server processes and stores the images. A user initiates a scanning job from the user interface of a WSD scan device instead of from the user interface of an application running on a desktop computer. To configure the device for the scanning job, the user selects a scan process—a set of instructions for acquiring and processing images—that was previously created by an administrator. The scan process contains the following information: A scan ticket that contains the image-acquisition settings for the WSD scan device. A set of scan processing instructions to specify how the images acquired by the device are to be processed and stored by the WSD distributed scan server. Typically, the user can override certain parameter values in the scan ticket. For example, the user might select a different color space or change the image resolution. http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd434706.aspx Posted Aug 07 2009, 07:10 AM by Parris with no comments Filed under: Active Directory, Windows 7, Administration, [ADUG], Windows Server 2008 R2, Schema Update

• Microsoft IT Environment Health Scanner - assess the overall health your Active Directory and network infrastructure.

  Microsoft appear to have released a rather interesting tool! The Microsoft IT Environment Health Scanner is designed for administrators who want to assess the overall health of their Active Directory and network infrastructure. The tool identifies common problems that can prevent your network environment from functioning properly. Overview The Microsoft IT Environment Health Scanner is a diagnostic tool that is designed for administrators of small or medium-sized networks (recommended up to 20 servers and up to 500 client computers) who want to assess the overall health of their network infrastructure. The tool identifies common problems that can prevent your network environment from functioning properly as well as problems that can interfere with infrastructure upgrades, deployments, and migration. When run from a computer with the proper network access, the tool takes a few minutes to scan your IT environment, perform more than 100 separate checks, and collect and analyze information about the following: Configuration of sites and subnets in Active Directory Replication of Active Directory, the file system, and SYSVOL shared folders Name resolution by the Domain Name System (DNS) Configuration of the network adapters of all domain controllers, DNS servers, and e-mail servers running Microsoft Exchange Server Health of the domain controllers Configuration of the Network Time Protocol (NTP) for all domain controllers If a problem is found, the tool describes the problem, indicates the severity, and links you to guidance at the Microsoft Web site (such as a Knowledge Base article) to help you resolve the problem. You can save or print a report for later review. The tool does not change anything on your computer or your network. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=dd7a00df-1a5b-4fb6-a8a6-657a7968bd11&displaylang=en I will let you know how I get on. Update - This appears to be a Windows Essentials Server 2008 based product.       Posted Aug 03 2009, 12:44 PM by Parris with 1 comment(s) Filed under: Best Practice, Windows Server, Active Directory, Administration, [ADUG], Troubleshooting

• Active Directory Talent Pool

  The [ADUG] has been running for a little while now and the [ADUG] is fully embedded into the internet search engines. As a result of this I am often asked for about Active Directory talent and resources, rather than providing a blanket "NO" if anyone would like me to pass on their contact details for Active Directory related work, please contact me via email. info@adug.co.uk  I am not looking to make any money out of this; I am just acting as a conduit. Posted Aug 02 2009, 04:02 PM by Parris with no comments Filed under: Windows Server 2008, Windows Server, Active Directory, [ADUG], Windows Server 2008 R2, Consultancy, Employment, Jobs, Careers

• [ADUG] September meeting – Wednesday 16th September.

  The first meeting after the summer recess has been finalised, I hope to see you there and perhaps have a drink afterwards. Richard Siddaway presents an "Introduction to Powershell" Windows 2008 R2 brings PowerShell v2 installed by default. It also brings a raft of PowerShell functionality including a provider and cmdlets for Active Directory. This session will introduce PowerShell for those new to it and show you how to use PowerShell v2 and the Microsoft cmdlets to adminsiter your AD. We will also compare and contrast with AD tools currently available in PowerShell. This session will be demo heavy show you how to use the functionality in practice to make the administration of your AD quicker and easier. Jane Lewis presents "MDOP: Managing GPOs with Advanced Group Policy Management 3.0" "In this session we will look at the AGPM version 3.0 and investigate and discuss some of its key features and how it can help customers manage and control and secure their Group Policy environment and lifecycle now and moving forward" This event is 18:15 BST, but the website does not support British Summer Time. http://adug0909.eventbrite.com Posted Aug 02 2009, 03:58 PM by Parris with no comments Filed under: Windows Server 2008, London, Meeting, Active Directory, Group Policy, [ADUG], Windows Server 2008 R2, Powershell