Tag: Powershell

MDT 2012 Update 1 Beta 1

The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit team is pleased to announce that Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 Update 1 Beta 1 is now available for download!

Download MDT 2012 Update 1 Beta 1 now!

Download the latest release to stay up-to-date on your deployment needs. New features and enhancements make large-scale desktop and server deployments smoother than ever!

This release expands your deployment capabilities with support for the latest software releases, including Windows 8 Release Preview, Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate, and System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 Community Technology Preview. Other notable new features include:

  • Support for using the DaRT 8 Beta with the Windows 8 Release Preview version of the Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK).
  • New "Build Your Own Pages" support for User-Driven Installation (UDI), enabling IT pros to create new wizard panes using simple drag-and-drop operations – no coding required.
  • Integration with System Center Orchestrator, enabling task sequences to invoke Orchestrator runbooks at any point in the deployment process.
  • Completely reworked "Roles and Features" logic, supporting both installation and removal, as well as providing a new Lite Touch wizard pane for selecting roles and features to install at deploy time.
  • Support for PowerShell 3.0 to make it easier to run PowerShell scripts inside task sequences on Windows 8, Windows Server 2012, and Windows PE 4.0.
  • Simple monitoring functionality for Configuration Manager task sequences, leveraging the monitoring capabilities provided initially in MDT 2012 for Lite Touch deployments.
  • Improved "boot from VHD" deployment capabilities, supporting both bare metal and refresh deployments.

Free e-book: Introducing Windows Server 2012

Microsoft has released a free e-book entitled “Introducing Windows Server 2012”.

The Introduction:
“…Windows Server 2012 is probably the most significant release of the Windows Server platform ever. With an innovative new user interface, powerful new management tools, enhanced Windows PowerShell support, and hundreds of new features in the areas of networking, storage, and virtualization, Windows Server 2012 can help IT deliver more while reducing costs. Windows Server 2012 also was designed for the cloud from the ground up and provides a foundation for building both public and private cloud solutions to enable businesses to take advantage of the many benefits of cloud computing.

This book represents a “first look” based on the public beta release of Windows
Server 2012 and is intended to help IT professionals familiarize themselves with
the capabilities of the new platform. Although certain features may change
between now and RTM, much of the basic functionality likely will remain as
described here, meaning that most of what you learn from reading this book will
continue to benefit you as you begin to evaluate and deploy Windows Server
2012 in your own environment…”

Just click the picture to download the book

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DPM Migrate your protection data to a new disk

There are some cases you might need to migrate your protection data to a new disk. DPM is shipped with a Powershell script (MigrateDatasourceDataFromDPM.ps1) that allows you to migrate your protection data to new storage.

First get a list of disks attached to your DPM server:

Start the DPM Management Shell

PS> get-dpmdisk –dpmservername WARD-DPM01

Name Status NtDiskIdty Total Capaci Unallocated Space Type
—- —— ——– ———— ———— —-
VMware Vir… Healthy 1 150 GB 28 GB Basic #0
VMware Vir… Healthy 2 250 GB 100 GB Basic #1

Read the disk order in to a variable ($disk)

PS > $disk = Get-DPMDisk -DPMServername ward-dpm01

Now you can use the script MigrateDatasourceDataFromDPM.ps1. First find the disk number of the source disk, these numbers are not displayed when you use the get-dpmdisk command. Do not get fooled by the NTdiskID, you do not need those. You just need to count the disks listed starting with 0 (see red numbers in example). Now find the number for the destination disk using the same trick.
In the example below we like to migrate the data from disk 2 to disk 1

PS > ./MigrateDatasourceDataFromDPM.ps1 -DPMServerName ward-dpm01 -Source $disk[2] -Destination $disk[1]

More options and examples can be found on Technet

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 – RTM

A couple of hours ago, Microsoft released MDT 2012

In contains numerous bug fixes as well as support for SCCM 2007 and SCCM 2012.

Improvements for All MDT Technologies

The MDT improvements that affect all MDT technologies, which are discussed in a subsequent section, are as follows:

  • Support for upgrading from previous versions of MDT
  • Integration with security and compliance templates generated by Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) version 2.0
  • Run Windows PowerShell™ scripts within an MDT task sequence
  • Create partitions to support best practice recommendations for deployment of BitLocker® Drive Encryption
  • Automatically configure participation in the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) and Windows Error Reporting (WER)
  • Guidance that describes how to use Microsoft SQL Server® 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) for all database needs within MDT
Improvements for LTI Deployments

MDT includes the following improvements for LTI deployments:

  • Support for Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows Server 8 Beta. Note: The deployment of Windows Server 8 Beta roles and features using the Install Roles and Features task sequence action is not supported.
  • Support for the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK). Note: Currently, the Windows ADK is only supported for deploying Windows 8 Consumer Preview or Windows 7 in lab environments, not in production environments.

Windows ADK requires the Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.0. If not already installed, the Windows ADK installation installs the Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.0. For more information, see Introduction to the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit.

  • Monitoring of LTI deployment process. MDT includes the new LTI monitoring feature that allows you to perform centralized monitoring of LTI deployments in the Monitoring node in the Deployment Workbench.
  • Deployment of Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE). Windows RE helps users troubleshoot and recover from startup-related problems on their computers.
  • Deployment of Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT).
  • Deployment to computers that use the Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI).
  • Deployment to computers that require the new globally unique identifier (GUID) Partition Table (GPT) format.
  • Deployment to virtual hard disks (VHDs) for native boot.
  • Support for Windows Thin PC.
  • Support for Windows Embedded POSReady 7.
  • Add local administrator accounts.
  • Deployment Wizard user experience improvements.
Improvements for Configuration Manager Deployments

MDT includes the following improvements for MDT deployments with Configuration Manager 2012 or Configuration Manager 2007 R3:

  • Support for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager. MDT includes support for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager for ZTI and UDI deployments
  • Support for new application model in Configuration Manager 2012.
  • Support for the user device affinity feature in Configuration Manager 2012.
  • Support for prestart command files.
  • Support for automatically starting a specific task sequence.
  • UDI Wizard user experience improvements.
  • The UDI Wizard has been completely revised to improve user experience.
  • UDI Wizard Designer user experience improvements.
  • The UDI Wizard Designer UI has been improved to make configuring the UDI Wizard even easier than previous versions.
  • Support for enabling BitLocker in UDI.
  • Support for MDT Replace Computer deployment scenario.
  • Localization of UDI Wizard.
  • Guidance for customizing UDI.
  • Upgrade tasks sequences created in Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012.
  • Guidance for Configuration Manager 2007 R3.

Read more and download it from here 

Special thanks to Mikael Nystrom

Set Exchange 2010 Virtual Directories

With the following following powershell commands you set al the Exchange 2010 virtual directories

Set-ClientAccessServer -Identity ward-ex2010 -AutoDiscoverServiceInternalUri https://casarray.hyperv.local/Autodiscover/Autodiscover.xml

Set-WebServicesVirtualDirectory -Identity "ward-ex2010\EWS (Default Web Site)"-ExternalUrl "https://webmail.wardvissers.nl/ews/exchange.asmx" -InternalUrl "https://casarray.hyperv.local/ews/exchange.asmx"

Set-OABVirtualDirectory -Identity "ward-ex2010\oab (Default Web Site)" -InternalUrl http://casarray.hyperv.local/oab -ExternalUrl https://webmail.wardvissers.nl/oab

Enable-OutlookAnywhere -Server ward-ex2010 -ExternalHostname "webmail.wardvissers.nl" -ClientAuthenticationMethod "Basic" -SSLOffloading:$False

Set-ActiveSyncVirtualDirectory -Identity "ward-ex2010\Microsoft-Server-ActiveSync (Default Web Site)" -InternalURL https://casarray.hyperv.local/Microsoft-Server-Activesync -ExternalURL https://webmail.wardvissers.nl/Microsoft-Server-Activesync

Set-ECPVirtualDirectory –Identity "ward-ex2010\ecp (default web site)" -InternalURL https://casarray.hyperv.local/ECP -ExternalURL https://webmail.wardvissers.nl/ECP

Set-AutodiscoverVirtualDirectory "ward-ex2010\Autodiscover (Default Web Site)" -InternalUrl http:/casarray.hyperv.local -ExternalUrl https://autodiscover.nifv.nl

Automatically Create Archive Mailbox when user is on specified Mailbox Database

With de following PowerShell command you create automatically archive mailbox for a user in a specified mailbox database

Get-Mailbox -Database MB1 | Enable-Mailbox -Archive  -ArchiveDatabase MB3

This is very when you want to create a lot of archive mailboxes in one time

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 RC1

The Solution Accelerators team released Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 RC1 is available for download on Connect now.

Download the MDT 2012 RC1 release now

New features and enhancements:

Support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2: This update provides support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2 releases. MDT 2012 fully leverages the capabilities provided by Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment. The latest version of MDT offers new User-Driven Installation components and extensibility for Configuration Manager 2007 and 2012. Users now also have the ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012.

Customize deployment questions: For System Center Configuration Manager customers, MDT 2012 provides an improved, extensible wizard and designer for customizing deployment questions.

Ease Lite Touch installation: The Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) is now integrated with Lite Touch Installation, providing remote control and diagnostics. New monitoring capabilities are available to check on the status of currently running deployments. LTI now has an improved deployment wizard user experience. Enhanced partitioning support ensures that deployments work regardless of the current structure.

Secure Deployments: MDT 2012 offers integration with the Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) tool to ensure a secure Windows deployment from the start.

Reliability and flexibility: Existing MDT users will find more reliability and flexibility with the many small enhancements and bug fixes and a smooth and simple upgrade process.

Support for Windows 8: The RC1 release of MDT 2012 provides support for deploying Windows 8 Consumer Preview in a lab environment.

Key Benefits:

  • Full use of the capabilities provided by System Center Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment.
  • Improved Lite Touch user experience and functionality.
  • A smooth and simple upgrade process for all existing MDT users.

New Features:

For System Center Configuration Manager customers:

  • Support for Configuration Manager 2012 (while still supporting Configuration Manager 2007)
  • New User-Driven Installation components for Configuration Manager 2007 and Configuration Manager 2012
    • Extensible wizard and designer, additional integration with Configuration Manager to deliver a more customized OS experience, support for more imaging scenarios, and an enhanced end-user deployment experience
  • Ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012

For Lite Touch Installation:

  • Integration with the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) for remote control and diagnostics
  • New monitoring capabilities to see the progress of currently running deployments
  • Support for deploying Windows to computers using UEFIAbility to deploy Windows 7 so that the computer will start from a new VHD file, "Deploy to VHD"
  • Improved deployment wizard user experience

For all customers:

  • Integration with configuration templates from the Security Compliance Manager Solution Accelerator, ensuring Windows is secure from the start
  • A simple mechanism for running Windows PowerShell scripts during a deployment, with task sequence environment and logging integration
  • Better partitioning support, creating the recommended partitioning structures on new computers and ensuring deployments work regardless of the current structure
  • A smooth and simple upgrade process for all existing MDT users
  • Many small enhancements and bug fixes

Exchange 2010 DAG Maintance

When you need to performing maintenance on DAG nodes here is the process you want to go through In my environment I have two nodes in a dag. For more nodes the same process
 
All the commands below are run in an administrative exchange powershell prompt.

Type add first: cd $exscripts and press enter.

Now you are in the Exchange Scripts folder.

Exchange Node 1: 
Process for running maintenance on exchange database servers
.\StartDagServerMaintenance.ps1 -ServerName <Dag Node 1>

Run maintenance on <Dag Node 1>

When you are finished on Node 1
.\StopDagServerMaintenance.ps1 -ServerName <Dag Node 1>

Exchange Node 2:
.\StartDagServerMaintenance.ps1 -ServerName <Dag Node 2>

run maintenance on <Dag Node 2>

When you are finished on Node 2
.\StopDagServerMaintenance.ps1 -ServerName <Dag Node 2>

When done performing maintenance on one or multiple servers (hopefully one at a time to maintain full database availability for end users!) you can end up with a sub-optimal active database layout, especially if you have a cross-site DAG. To resolve this you have to rebalance the databases based on the priorities set for them upon creation.
 
Rebalance databases across dag
.\RedistributeActiveDatabases.ps1 -DagName <Your DAG Name> -BalanceDbsByActivationPreference -ShowFinalDatabaseDistribution -Confirm:$false

If you get any errors you may have to re-index the search catalog for the passive database. Rather than hunting down which ones need to be fixed you can just fix them all with the custom script I wrote below (or for only the mail servers with issues). When finished running these commands then try to run the maintenance or rebalance scripts again.
 
Fix/Rebuild Search Catalogs
Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus -Server <Dag Node 1> | where {$_.Status -like "Healthy"} | Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy –catalogonly

Get-MailboxDatabaseCopyStatus -Server <Dag Node 2> | where {$_.Status -like "Healthy"} | Update-MailboxDatabaseCopy -catalogonly

Exchange 2010 SP2 RTM

Exchange Server 2010 Service Pack 2 (SP2) has been released, raising the Exchange version number to 14.2.247.5. You can download Exchange 2010 SP2 here.

For those still unaware, the 530Mb+ file (1,4 GB extracted) contains the full set of binaries; you can use it to upgrade existing RTM or SP1 installations or deploy new Exchange 2010 SP2 installations.

Besides the usual set of hotfixes, SP2 introduces the following features:

Address Book Policies
Address Book Policies, also known as GAL segmentation, ABPs are meant to segmentize the address book, giving users a certain view of the address book like Address List Segregation did for Exchange 2003/2007.

OWA mini
This will be a lightweight browser like OMA in the past, meant for simple browsers.

Hybrid Configuration
This wizard is to make the configuration of an on-premise Exchange and Office 365/Exchange Online more simple, reducing the steps required from 49 to 6.

OWA Cross-Site redirection
This will allow clients to be silently redirected to the proper site if they log on to a CAS server located in a site different than the site where their mailbox is hosted and externalURL has been specified there.

After preparing your forest for Exchange 2010 SP2, the schema version number will have changed. Check the Schema Versions page for information on the new ObjectVersion and RangeUpper values for Exchange 2010 SP2.

Note that SP2 introduces an additional requirement, which is the IIS 6 WMI Compatibility feature; you can add this feature using the GUI or by using the Powershell cmdlets Import-Module ServerManager followed by Add-WindowsFeature Web-WMI.

The proper method to upgrade mailbox servers that are a member of a Database Availability Group is described here.

The releases notes are not available at time of writing; we’ll update this post when they become available.

VMware View Bootcamp

VMware is organizing a nine-part VMware View Bootcamp: every day a new video is published for you to view. At the end of this bootcamp, you will have a good understanding of the VMware View solution, how to roll it out and how to optimize View in your environment. A free e-book of all the presentations is included in this bootcamp series. A hope I can download the free e-book Smile. Because I am going on Holiday next week.

VMware View Bootcamp Series

Design Considerations Guidelines for VMware View – Overview

  • Speaker – John Dodge, Sr. Manager PSO Services, VMware
  • Overview of the technical considerations to keep in mind while you’re designing a View environment

Watch the Video

Storage Deep Dive – Considerations and Best Practices

  • Speaker – Jim Yanik, Sr. Systems Engineer, VMware
  • How to design your storage infrastructure to fit your environment
  • Sizing and workload considerations

Watch the Video

Network Considerations and Best Practices

  • Speaker – Shannon McFarland; Consulting Engineer for Data Center technologies and Enterprise IPv6 design on Cisco’s Consulting Engineering team in the Office of the CTO, Cisco
  • Network requirements for LAN and WAN
  • Bandwidth requirements deep dive
  • Security considerations – Security Server, AV, Encryption, Authentication

Watch the Video

Optimizing the Base Image for VMware View

  • Speaker – Todd Dayton, Staff Product Manager, Desktop Product Management, VMware
  • How to build and tune your desktop image
  • User and workload considerations
  • OS specific tips (XP, Win7)

Watch the Video

Delivering Applications

  • Speaker – Heath Doer, Sr Systems Engineer, VMware
  • Packaging and updates (applink and appsync)
  • Best practices-storage, image management and application deployment
  • Application migration, application conflict and compatibility

Watch the Video

PCoIP Implementation Overview and PCoIP Tuning Best Practices

  • Speaker – Chuck Hirstius, PSO, WW Advanced Services, VMware
  • How to optimize PCoIP for different types of workloads
  • How to optimize for LAN, mobile and remote users
  • Bandwidth requirements

Watch the Video

Automating View 4.5 with Powershell

  • Speaker – Tom Elliot, Sr. MTS, Enterprise Desktop, VMware
  • Introduction to View PowerCLI
  • Setting up an environment and basic tasks
  • Creating your own scripts
  • Integrating with vSphere

Watch the Video

Leveraging Security Server for PCoIP

  • Speaker – Mark Benson, View Architect, Enterprise Desktop, VMware
  • Introduction to Security Server

Watch the Video

VMware View’s Reference Architecture

  • Speaker – Mac Binesh, Sr. Technical Marketing Manager, Enterprise Desktop, VMware
  • Review of RA for stateless desktops
  • Description of test environment, equipment and lab results

Watch the Video

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