Try Out: Windows 7 God Mode

Create a folder in Windows 7 and rename it to

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

Then check out its contents. 

Exchange 2007 Mail Submission service stops automatically

Recently I was involved in an issue where Microsoft Exchange Mail submission used to stop silently in day or two on the passive node of the CCR cluster. This used to happen only on one of the Node of the CCR Cluster. There will be no event generated in the logs. This service is responsible for submitting mails from the Mailbox Server to the HUB Server. So in case if the resource fails over to this node then the users will face mail issues. In this case, if the user tries to send a mail, it will stay on their outbox until we manually go and start the service or failback the resources to the other node. While starting the service it used to start without any issue.

I was sure that there is nothing wrong with the server hardware or Operating system or Exchange configuration on this node as there was not a single error getting generated for this issue. I checked the service setting under Service Manager and cross checked with the other node. It was same. I did some goggling but unfortunately couldn't get any answer for this issue. It made me wonder "why am I the only one to face this issue".

After sleeping on this issue for 2 day, I thought of digging in the registry of this node. I went to registry value of HKLM\system\CurrentControlSet\Services\MSExchangeMailSubmission. I starting checking the settings of each registry of this node with the other node. There I found a difference in the values of "FailureActions". On the passive the values were as per the screen Shot in fig 1. While on the passive node it was as per fig 2.

I immediately took the backup of the registry and made the changes on the passive node same as that of the active node. I did some testing by stopping and starting services as well as by doing failover of resources from the active node to the passive node and checking the mailflow. After the testing I failed the resources back to the other node. The services which used to stop earlier in a day or two is now running for over two weeks now.

Note: Please make sure to have a restorable backup of Exchange and registry before performing any changes.

Upgrading to Exchange 2007 SP2

Exchange 2007 SP2 Overview

Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 SP2 helps meet the challenges and business needs of any Organization with the stake in messaging system. Exchange 2007 SP2 is a mission-critical communications tool that enables employees to be more productive and access their information anytime from anywhere. For the Administrators, Exchange Server 2007 SP2 provides advanced protection options against email security threats, such as spam and antivirus as well as tools to help manage internal compliance and high availability needs.


Whats New in Exchange 2007 SP2

• Enhanced Backup Functionality
  Exchange 2007 SP2 includes VSS plug-in for Windows Server backup to support Exchange backups. Once Sp2 is installed, Windows Server backup can be used for backup and restore of Exchange Server 2007 SP2 databases. The new plugin is delivered in the form of a single executable called wsbexchange.exe.
  


• Deploying Exchange Server 2010
  Before deploying Exchange 2010 in the coexistence mode of Exchange 2007, all the CAS Server must be upgraded to Exchange 2007 SP2. In addition, all Exchange 2007 Server in Active Directory site, regardless to role must be upgraded to Exchange 2007 SP2.
  


• Enhanced Auditing
  New Exchange auditing events and audit log repository enable Exchange Administrators to more easily audit the activities occurring on Exchange Servers. It allows the right balance of granularity, performance and easy access to audited events via a dedicated audit log repository. This simplifies the auditing process and reviewing of audited events in a dedicated location.
  


• Dynamic AD Schema Validation
  The dynamic AD Schema update and validation feature allows for future Schema updates to be dynamically deployed as well as proactively preventing conflicts whenever a new property is added to the AD Schema. Once this capability is deployed it will enable easier management of schema updates and will support issues when adding properties that don't exist in the AD Schema
  


• Public Folder Quota Management
  Exchange 2007 SP2 provides more efficient way to manage Public Folder Quotas by improving the cmdlets and removing the dependency authoring and visioning Administration to perform management tasks.
  


• Centralized Organization Settings
  There are several new cmdlets parameters that have been added that enable centralized management of many of the Exchange Organization settings.

Step by step process for Upgrading Exchange 2007 SP1 to SP2

If you are upgrading Exchange 2007 Server in production, then make sure to have a restorable backup of Exchange Configuration and its databases. Although the upgradation is straight forward and come clean bu it is advisable to have the backups in place. During the upgradation process the Exchange services will be stopped and disabled. The downtime may vary from one server to another. You may plan for a downtime of 30 - 45 mins. See screenshots below









Once you are readyfor upgradation, download Exchange 2007 SP2 from the link. Extract SP2 and run setup.exe. You will get the screenshot as below








Click on install Exchange 2007 Service Pack 2

On the introduction screen click on next.

On the license page click on I accept and click on next.

Readiness check will be performed. Once completed Click on Upgrade to start the upgradation.

It will then start upgrading Exchange Server to SP2. During this process Exchange services will stopped.

On successful completion page click on Finish. Your Exchnage Server is now upgraded to Service Pack 2.

Please let me know if the above article was able to provide you with the information you needed.

Deploying Exchange 2007 SP1

Exchange 2007 Server Roles

• Mailbox Role: The Mailbox role provides email storage and advanced scheduling services for Microsoft Office Outlook users. The Mailbox Server role also includes public folders
  
• Client Access Role: The Client Access Role (CAS) enables clients to connect to their Exchange mailbox through Outlook Web Access, POP, IMAP or through mobile device using activesync. this role also provides free buy lookup and offline address books.


• HUB Transport Role: The HUB Transport role (HUB) provides routing within a AD Site. HUB Server can be used for applying messaging policies, security polices, antispam and antivirus policies to email messages in Transport.
  
• Unified Messaging role: The Unified Messaging role (UM) role provides connectivity between a corporate telephony system and Exchange Server. Clients can access their mailboxes from any telephony or mobile device using Outlook Mobile Access (OMA) and perform almost the same functionality as OWA.
  
• Edge Transport Role: The Edge Transport role performs antispam amd antivirus filterin and applies messaging and security policies to the inbound and outbound external messages in the transport. This role is deployed in the perimeter network.

Prerequisites for Deploying Exchange 2007

• Domain Name System (DNS)


• Windows 2003 based Active Directory.


• The Forest and Domain functional level should be Windows 2003


• The server on which Exchange needs to be deployed should be member of Active Directory Domain.


• AD DS and IIS roles is required to be installed from Server Manager


• .Net and Windows Powershell features is required to be installed.

By taking care of the above we are now ready for implementing Exchange 2007 SP1. Given below are the step by step process for implementing Exchange 2007 SP1. Pop in Exchange 2007 installable DVD and double click on Setup

You will be presented with the above screen. Step 1, 2 and 3 will be highlighted if the required prerequisites are missing. For installing Exchange 2007 SP1 click on Step4. You will be presented with the below screen.

This screen provides brief introduction about Exchange 2007 SP1. Click on next

The next screen is for license agreement. Accept on the license agreement and click on next.

The above screen is for how you want to report errors to Microsoft. For this deployment sake I have selected No. Click on next to get the below screen.

The above window gives you the option to choose the role that needs to be deployed on the Exchange Server. Click on Custom to select the roles that needs to be deployed.

I have selected all the roles that can be deployed on a single server. Edge server can only be deployed in the DMZ. Click next.

Type the name of the Exchange Organization. For this deployment I have put as NMAIL. Click on next.

On the above select Yes if any of your users are using clients older than Outlook 2003. For this deployment I have selected No. Click on Next.

On this screen the setup does a readiness check before starting the installation. Once done click on Install

The installation process starts for the roles selected. Click on Next.

The screen above gives you the status of the deployment. You get completed for all the roles selected for deployment that indicates you are done with the deployment.

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Configuring permissions with SCCM

Object	Rights to create	Rights to modify	Rights to delete	Rights to distribute
Boot Images	Create\Boot image package, Read\Boot image package	Modify\Boot image package, Read\Boot image package	Delete\Boot image package, Read\Boot image package	Read\Boot image package, Modify\Boot image package, Distribute\Boot image package, Read\Site
Computer Association	Create\Computer association, Read\Computer association, Read\Collection	Modify\Computer association, Read\Computer association	Delete\Computer association, Read\Computer association	Not applicable
Operating System Images	Create\OS image, Read\OS image	Modify\OS image, Read\OS image	Delete\OS image, Read\OS image	Modify\OS image, Read\OS image, Distribute\OS image, Read\Site
Operating System Install Pacakges	Create\OS install package, Read\OS install package	Modify\OS install package, Read\OS install package	Delete\OS install package, Read\OS install package	Modify\OS install package, Read\OS install package, Distribute\OS install package, Read\Site
Task Sequences	Create\Task sequence package, Read\Task sequence package, Modify\Task sequence package	Modify\Task sequence package, Read\Task sequence package	Delete\Task sequence package, Read\Task sequence package	Modify\Task sequence package, Read\Task sequence package, Distribute\Task sequence package, Read\Site
Advertisement (for task sequence)	Read\Task sequence package, Read\Collection, Advertise\Collection, Read\Package, Create\Advertisement	Modify\Advertisement, Read\Advertisement	Delete\Advertisement, Read\Advertisement	Not applicable
Task sequence bootable media	Read\Task sequence package, Create Task sequence media\Task sequence package, Read\Site, Manage OSD and ISV Proxy Certificates\Site, Read\Boot image	Modify\Task sequence package, Read\Task sequence package	Delete\Task sequence package, Read\Task sequence package	Not applicable
Drivers	Create\Device driver, Read\Device driver	Modify\Device driver, Read\Device driver	Delete\Device driver, Read\Device driver	Not applicable
Driver package	Create\Driver package, Read\Device driver	Modify\Driver package, Read\Driver package, Distribute\Driver packages	Delete\Driver package, Read\Driver package	Not applicable

Please let me know if the above article was able to provide you with the information you needed.

VMC to Hyper V

VMC to Hyper-V Import Tool

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.03.utilityspotlight.aspx?pr=blog

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Exchange 2010 Overview

Exchange 2010 has some carried over features from Exchange 2007 as well as some improved and new features broadly falling under the below categories

• Protection and Collaboration
  
• Anywhere Access
  
• Flexibility and Reliability
  

Listed below are the features that have carried over from Exchange 2007 as well as improved and new features falling under each of these categories

Protection and Collaboration

The goal of protection and collaboration is to achieve increased IT governance compliance with advanced tools to protect communication and manage the Messaging infrastructure.

Some of the features that have been carried over from Exchange 2007 are:

• On premise and hosted protection from virus and spam
  
• Compliance to corporate and government regulation
  
• Mobile device security and management policies
  

While some of the features that have been enhanced and new with Exchange 2010 are

• Email archiving and more powerful retention policies
  
• Automated rights management and protection of email
  
• Powerful multi mailbox search UI for eDiscovery or Legal reasons
  

Anywhere Access

The goal of the Anywhere Access is to help and manage communication load by offering an easy to navigate, Universal inbox with advanced messaging feature.

Some of the features carried over from Exchange 2007 are

• Outlook experience on Web, Phone and mobile device
  
• Single inbox for voice mail, email and fax
  
• Increased productivity with improved calendar experience
  

While some of the features that have been enhanced and new with Exchange 2010 are

• Easier inbox navigation with updated conversation view
  
• Enhanced voice mail with text preview
  
• Share free busy calendar information with external partners
  

Flexibility and Reliability

The goal is to provide flexibility needed to operate a scalable high performing and easy to administer messaging infrastructure.

Some of the features carried over by Exchange 2007 are

• Improved installation and deployment scenarios
  
• High Availability through Continuous Replication
  
• Simplified management console and command line shell
  

While some of the features that have been enhanced and new with Exchange 2010 are

• Choice of solution delivery with addition of hosted service
  
• Single platform for High Availability and Disaster Recovery
  
• Role based Administration and User self service

Please let me know if the above article was able to provide you with the information you needed.

Terminal Services Overview

Terminal Services can provide access to Windows based applications from almost any location to almost any computing device. Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008 includes Terminal Services RemoteApp (TS RemoteApp). Please note that the Terminal Services role cannot be installed on Domain Controller.

Terminal Services Terminology

• TS Remote App: Allows users to run a program located on a remote server from desktop as if it is running from the desktop.
  TS Web Access: It provides Web interface for accessing applications published on the Terminal Server
• TS Gateway: It provides authorized users to access to the remote application published behind the Firewall without needing VPN connectivity.
• TS Licensing: It manages the Terminal Services Client access licenses (TS CALs) that are required to connect to a Terminal Server. You can use TS Licensing to install, issue and monitor the availability of TS CALs.
• TS Session Broker: It helps in load balancing the sessions between the Terminal Servers in the Farm.

What are RemoteApp programs?

RemoteApp programs are programs that are accessed remotely through Terminal Services and appear as if they are running on the end user's local computer. Instead of being presented to the user in the desktop of the remote terminal server, the RemoteApp program is integrated with the client's desktop, running in its own resizable window with its own entry in the taskbar. Users can run RemoteApp programs side-by-side with their local programs. If a user is running more than one RemoteApp program on the same terminal server, the RemoteApp programs will share the same Terminal Services session.

In Windows Server 2008, users can access RemoteApp programs in the following ways:

• Access a link to the program on a Web site by using TS Web Access.
• Double-click a Remote Desktop Protocol (.rdp) file that has been created and distributed by their administrator.
• Double-click a program icon on their desktop or Start menu that has been created and distributed by their administrator with a Windows Installer (.msi) package.
• Double-click a file where the file name extension is associated with a RemoteApp program. This can be configured by their administrator with a Windows Installer package.

The .rdp files and Windows Installer packages contain the settings that are needed to run RemoteApp programs. After opening a RemoteApp program on their local computer, the user can interact with the program that is running on the terminal server as if it were running locally. The applications to be published on TS RemoteApp must be installed only after the Terminal services role is installed.

Distributing RemoteApp programs

RemoteApp program can be distributed in the following deployment methods:

• You can make RemoteApp programs available on a Web site by distributing the RemoteApp programs through TS Web Access.
• You can distribute RemoteApp programs as .rdp files or Windows Installer packages as .msi through a file share, or through other distribution mechanisms such as Microsoft Systems Management Server or Active Directory software distribution.

Scenarios where TS RemoteApp can be used

TS RemoteApp is especially useful in scenarios such as the following:

• Remote users: Users often need to access programs from remote locations, such as while working from home or while traveling. If you want users to access RemoteApp programs over an Internet connection, you can allow access through a Virtual Private Network (VPN), or you can deploy TS RemoteApp together with Terminal Services Gateway (TS Gateway) to help secure remote access to the programs.
• Branch offices: In a branch office environment, there may be limited local IT support and limited network bandwidth. By using TS RemoteApp, you can centralize the management of your applications and improve remote program performance in limited bandwidth scenarios.
• Line-of-business (LOB) applications deployment: Companies often need to run consistent LOB applications on computers that are running different Windows versions and configurations. Instead of deploying the LOB applications to all the computers in the company, which can be expensive in terms of time and cost, you can install the LOB applications on a terminal server and make them available through TS RemoteApp.
• Application deployment: With TS RemoteApp you do not have to deploy and maintain different versions of the same program for individual computers. If employees need to use multiple versions of a program, you can install those versions on one or more terminal servers, and users can access them through TS RemoteApp.
• Roaming users: In a company with a flexible desk policy, users can work from different computers. In some cases, the computer where a user is working may not have the necessary programs installed locally. By using TS RemoteApp, you can install the programs on a terminal server and make them available to users as if those programs were installed locally.
  

Please let me know if the above article was able to provide you with the information you needed.

Basic Concepts of Citrix XenApp

Citrix Licensing: A Citrix License Server is a required component for all XenApp deployments. Install the license server on either a shared or standalone server, depending on your farm’s size. After you install the license server, download the appropriate license files and add these to the license server.

Data Store: The data store is the database where servers store farm static information, such as configuration information about published applications, users, printers, and servers. Each server farm has a single data store.

Data Collector: A data collector is a server that hosts an in-memory database that maintains dynamic information about the servers in the zone, such as server loads, session status, published applications, users connected, and license usage. Data collectors receive incremental data updates and queries from servers within the zone. Data collectors relay information to all other data collectors in the farm. By default, the first server in the farm functions as the data collector. By default, the data collector is configured on the first farm server during the Create Farm Setup and all other servers are configured so they have equal rights to become the data collector if the data collector fails. When the zone’s data collector fails, a data collector election occurs and another server takes over the data collector functionality. Farms determine the data collector based on the election preferences set for a server. The data collector is an infrastructure server and applications are not typically published on it.

Zone: A zone is a grouping of XenApp servers that communicate with a common data collector. In large farms with multiple zones, each zone has a server designated as its data collector. Data collectors in farms with more than one zone, function as communication gateways with the other zone data collectors. The data collector maintains all load and session information for the servers in its zone. All farms have at least one zone, even small ones. The fewest number of zones should be implemented, with one being optimal. Multiple zones are necessary only in large farms that span WANs.

Streaming File or Web Server: Applications can be delivered to users by either streaming or hosting the applications on the server. If you are streaming applications, either to client or server, you must install a streaming file server in your environment. When streaming applications, you create profiles of the application and then store the profile on a file or Web server. The profile consists of the manifest file (.profile), which is an XML file that defines the profile, as well as the target CAB files, a hash key file, the icons repository (Icondata.bin), and a scripts folder for pre-launch and post-exit scripts.

Web Interface: The Web Interface is a required component in any environment where users access their applications using either the XenApp plugin or a Web browser. Install the Web Interface on a stand-alone computer; however, where resources are limited, the Web Interface is sometimes collocated with other functions. For instructions, see the Web Interface Administrator’s Guide.

XenApp Web and XenApp Services Sites: XenApp Web and XenApp Services sites (formerly known as Access Platform and Program Neighborhood Agent Services sites, respectively) provide an interface to

the server farm from the client device. When a user authenticates to a XenApp Web or XenApp Services site, either directly or through the XenApp plugin or the Access Gateway, the site:

• Forwards the user’s credentials to the Citrix XML Service
• Receives the set of applications available to that user by means of the XML Service
• Displays the available applications to the user either through a Web page or by placing shortcuts directly on the user’s computer.

Citrix XML Service and the Citrix XML Broker: The Citrix XML Broker functions as an intermediary between the other servers in the farm and the Web Interface. When a user authenticates to the Web Interface, the XML Broker:

• Receives the user’s credentials from the Web Interface and queries the server farm for a list of published applications that the user has permission to access. The XML Broker retrieves this application set from the Independent Management Architecture (IMA) system and returns it to the Web Interface.
• Upon receiving the user’s request to launch an application, the broker locates the servers in the farm that host this application and identifies which of these is the optimal server to service this connection based on several factors. The XML Broker returns the address of this server to the Web Interface.

The XML Broker is a function of the Citrix XML Service. By default, the XML Service is installed on every server during XenApp Setup. However, only the XML Service on the server specified in the Web Interface functions as the broker. (The XML Service on other farm servers is still running but is not used for servicing end-user connections.) In a small farm, the XML Broker is typically designated on a server dedicated to several infrastructure functions. In a large farm, the XML Broker might be configured on one or more dedicated dedicated servers.

The XML Broker is sometimes referred to as a Citrix XML Server or the Citrix XML Service. For clarity, the term XML Broker is used to refer to when the XML Service functions as the intermediary between the Web Interface and the IMA service, regardless of whether it is hosted on a dedicated server or collocated with other infrastructure functions.

Please let me know if the above article was able to provide you with the information you needed.

Changed names with Citrix XenApp 5.0

With Citrix XenApp 5.0 some of the terminologies are changed as were in Citrix Presentation Server. Below is the list of the terminologies that are changed

- Citrix XenApp is the new name for Citrix Presentation Server

- Citrix XenApp Advanced Configuration is the new name for Presentation Server Console.

- Citrix XenApp Pugin for Hosted Application is the new name for plugin for server side virtualization formerly known as Citrix Presentation Client

- Citrix XenApp Agent is the new name for Citrix Program Agent

- Citrix XenApp Provider is the new name for WMI Provider.

- Citrix XenApp Management Pack is the new name for SCOM Management Packs.

- Citrix XenApp Web is the new name for Citrix Web Interface.

- Citrix XenApp Plugin for Streamed Application is the new name for Citrix Streaming Client.

- Branch Optimization is the new name for WAN Optimization.

- Secure Application Access is the new name for Smart Access.

- Easy Call Voice Services is the new name for Easy Call

- Load Testing Service is the new name for Load Testing

- Provisioning Services is the new name for Provisioning Server for Datacenter.

- Profile Management is the new name for Portable Profile Manager

- Workflow Studio Orchestration is the new name for Workflow Studio

Please let me know if the above article was able to provide you with the information you needed.