Connect to an SQL Server Instance from a remote server

Don't miss the File System MP for SCOM

This not-so-known MP provides several script-based monitors for shares, files and folders, offering something for most any scenario.

The MP also includes custom object classes for discovered objects, and an impressive diagram view.

You can download the File System Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007 right here -

Hyper-V and Broadcom NICs

In case you are getting network errors with VMs created in Hyper-V, check out if you are using a Broadcom NIC (like in some Dell PowerEdge models).

If you are, change the Virtual Adapter to "Legacy Network" until an updated driver will be available.

At last - Exchange 2007 monitoring

Exchange Server 2007 MP for SC Ops Mgr 2007
This management pack includes scripts and rules to effectively monitor Exchange 2007 and report on performance, availability, and reliability of its server roles.

אספקה או הספקה - רגע של עברית.

בעודי עובר על הצעת מחיר לאחד הלקוחות נתקלתי במשפט הבא:

"אחריות על החומרה או הספקת החומרה הדרושה בשלבי הפרויקט"

המילה שתפסה לי את העין היתה "הספקת" ושאלתי את עצמי האם יש פה טעות כתיב?

האם אומרים הספקת או אספקת.

אספקה או הספקה

בניגוד לצמדים אחרים, שבהם התפתחה בעברית הבחנה בין שמות הפעולה המתחילים בה"א לבין אלה המתחילים באל"ף, ההבחנה בין המילים אספקה והספקה אינה חדה.

כאשר רוצים להתייחס למוצרים שמספקים אותם, מקובל יותר להשתמש במילה אספקה. אבל כשרוצים להתייחס לתהליך ההספקה, לא קיים כיום הבדל בין המילים אספקה והספקה ובשתיהן משתמשים באופן דומה.

לפי זה, אפשר למשל לכתוב "הספקת מערכות תקשורת" או "אספקת מערכות תקשורת" – שני הצירופים נכונים ובעלי אותה המשמעות."

*הפתרון נלקח מ-http://www.safa-ivrit.org/spelling/aspaka.php

Windows 2008 Monitoring with SCOM 2007

OpsMgr 2007 SP1 and SCE 2007 SP1 have recently announced support for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 in knowledge base article 953141.

Along with the release of this support statement, the first batch of management packs that provide monitoring for the Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Operating System have been released to the MP Catalog.

These MPs covers the following technologies:

1. Windows Server Operating System
2. Windows Terminal Services
3. Windows Server 2008 Application Server
4. Windows Key Management Service

Licensing SQL Server 2005 on virtual machines

I check the licensing of SQL server 2005 for one of our clients which going to consolidate 5 SQL server to one virtual machine running 5 different instances as part of a big DRP project that we design for him.

Licensing SQL server on a virtual machine

According to Microsoft, there is three different approaches:

1. For Standard, Workgroup, and Enterprise, if you decide to license on a per processor basis, you must buy a SQL Server license for each virtual processor.
2. For Enterprise Edition, you can also choose to license all physical processors in a box. This gives you rights to run SQL Server on unlimited number of virtual processors running on the same machine.
3. For Server/CAL mode, for Standard and Workgroup, you must obtain SQL Server licenses for each Virtual Operating System Environment on which you run instances of SQL Server. However, for Enterprise, if you have a Server license for the physical Server, you may run unlimited instances of SQL Server in any Virtual Operating System Environment that you run on that same machine.

For more detailed information please read: Microsoft Virtual Server Licensing Document

Licensing SQL server 2005 Instances

According to Microsoft You can run multiple instances of SQL Server 2005 on a single computer. Multiple instances are used by organizations that have several applications running on a server but want them to run in isolation so that any problem in one instance will not affect the other instances. In SQL Server 2005, you can now run multiple instances with the Workgroup, Standard, and Enterprise editions when they are licensed server/CAL or on a per-processor basis. (taken from: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/howtobuy/faq.mspx)

Were going to use this knowledge for optimizing the license for this customer and save him money along with giving him a more redundant environment. 

צירוף Windows 2008\Vista לדומיין דרך ISA

How to configure Remote Assistance to not prompt for user permission

Assuming this does not violate any of your internal security policies and procedures, and assuming you have control over the files contained on your XP workstations, you can make changes to 2 files to eliminate the end-user prompts asking for permission when using Remote Assistance to XP workstations.

If you wish, you could modify just 1 of the files. For example, retain the initial prompt asking for the access, but disable the Take Control prompt. Or vice versa.

Procedure: On the TARGET client computer, modify two files:

File #1

Change Helpeeaccept.htm to eliminates the initial "Would you like to give <user> access to your computer?"

%windir%\pchealth\HelpCtr\System\Remote Assistance\helpeeaccept.htm

at about lines 156-158
--------original---------
btnAccept.disabled = false;
btnDecline.disabled = false;
btnDecline.focus();
---------------------------

--------new------------
btnAccept.disabled = false;
btnDecline.disabled = false;
btnDecline.focus();
DoAccept();
-----------------------------

File #2

Change TakeControlMsgs.htm to eliminates the prompt after the expert clicks "Take Control", "Do you wish to let <user> share control of your computer?"

%windir%\pchealth\helpctr\System\Remote Assistance\Interaction\Server\TakeControlMsgs.htm

Lines 25-29, change from
---original------
alert( L_ERRACCESSDENIED_Text );
return;
}
return;
----------------

-----new--------
alert( L_ERRACCESSDENIED_Text );
return;
}
onClickHandler(0)
return;
----------------

SMS 2003 and workgroup clients or clients from untrusted forest

Computers in a workgroup require WINS because they cannot query Active Directory for SMS services (server locator point and management point).  While the management point is automatically added in WINS, the server locator point is not, so this record must be manually entered by a WINS Administrator. 

SMS 2003 provides limited support for computers in a workgroup, with the following conditions and exceptions:

1. Workgroup site servers are not supported.
2. Workgroup support is for Advanced Clients only.
3. Clients must use WINS to locate SMS services.
4. Administrative user rights on the computer are required for installing the SMS client software.
5. Active Directory discovery and user targeting is not supported.
6. Advertisements targeted to Active Directory objects, users, or user groups are not supported.
7. Global roaming is not supported.

Some interesting links:

1. Ports that Systems Management Server 2003 uses to communicate through a firewall or through a proxy server - http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=826852
2. SMS 2003 Standard Security, WINS, and Advanced Clients - http://myitforum.com/articles/8/view.asp?id=7323
3. Managing Workgroup Clients with SMS 2003 - http://myitforum.com/articles/8/view.asp?id=7747
4. SMS 2003 in a DMZ - http://www.myitforum.com/articles/8/view.asp?id=8283

Extending SMS 2003 Hardware Inventory

Resources for diagnosing TS Licensing Problems

Follow this link to a very good post about this important topic - http://blogs.msdn.com/ts/archive/2007/02/14/resources-for-diagnosing-ts-licensing-problems.aspx

Managing Virtual Server 2005\Hyper-V

If you are working with Virtual Server 2005 or Hyper-V, you should know about this tool - http://blogs.technet.com/matthts/

Download link - http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=80adc08c-bfc6-4c3a-b4f1-772f550ae791&DisplayLang=en

AD Replication Errors

If you have 2 Active Directory Servers that are not replicating, ServerA & ServerB, try the following:

First follow this link to check permissions - http://207.46.196.114/windowsserver2008/en/library/89bad964-55c9-4ce4-b216-d4e1f13df9491033.mspx?mfr=true

Then check if the secure channel has been corrupted -
From ServerA, go to Start -> Run and type:  \\ServerB
From ServerB, go to Start -> Run and type:  \\ServerA

If you get and error message indicating that the target name is incorrect, then the the secure channel has been corrupted.  You will also see error messages in replmon and "repadmin debug" indicating that the target is invalid as well.

Perform the following steps to fix the problem:

1. Stop the Kerberos Key Distribution Center (KDC) service, and then set it to Manual startup.
2. Run "netdom resetpwd /server:<replication_partner_name> /userd:<domain\admin_user> /passwordd:*"
3. Restart the computer, start the KDC, and then set it back to Automatic startup.

New & Interesting Solution Accelerators

Automate software updates for Virtual Machines with the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool

This new Solution Accelerator helps you keep offline virtual machines that are stored in Microsoft System Virtual Machine Manager with the latest operating system updates.

Learn more about the Offline Virtual Machine Servicing Tool

Monitor business application performance with the Service Level Dashboard

The Service Level Dashboard for System Center Operations Manager 2007 monitors line-of business application performance from the end-user's perspective by simulating user interaction. It then collects performance data and reports on the experience -- all in near real time.

Learn more about the Service Level Dashboard

Plan, deploy, and monitor a security baseline with the Security Compliance Management Toolkit

This toolkit makes monitoring security baselines for the computers in your environment easier. It also provides best practices from Microsoft for planning, deploying, and monitoring a security baseline. In addition, the toolkit provides information about how to correct security baseline issues, and offers a proven method you can use to effectively monitor the compliance state of the recommended security baselines for Windows Vista®, Windows® XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), and Windows Server® 2003 SP2.

Learn more about the Security Compliance Management Toolkit