ESXi host that is disconnected or not responding in VMware vCenter Server

ESXi

ALT-F1 = Switches to the console
ALT-F2 = Switches to the DCUI

Restart the Management agents on an ESXi or ESX host

From the Local Console or SSH:

Log in to SSH or Local console as root.
Run these commands:

/etc/init.d/hostd restart
/etc/init.d/vpxa restart

Windows Server 2016 certification

Microsoft is pleased to announce the release of the new MCSA: Windows Server 2016 certification.

The new MCSA can be earned by taking and passing the following three exams:

  • 70-740 – Installation, Storage, and Compute with Windows Server 2016
  • 70-741 – Networking with Windows Server 2016
  • 70-742 – Identity with Windows Server 2016

Exam 740 is scheduled for beta release in early October 2016, with the other exams following soon after.

Individuals who currently hold either an MCSA: Windows Server 2012 or MCSA: Windows Server 2008 certification will be able to upgrade to the new 2016 certification through a single, upgrade exam:

  • 70-743 – Upgrade Your Skills to MCSA: Windows Server 2016

Exam 743 is scheduled for beta release in late July 2016. 

MOC courses corresponding to all four Windows Server 2016 exams are scheduled for release in September 2016, while practice tests will be available shortly after each exam beta period ends.

New options for specialization and continuing education through the MCSE program will be announced later this summer.

Cumulative Update 2 for Exchange Server 2016

.Net 4.6.1 Support

Support for .Net 4.6.1 is now available for Exchange Server 2016 and 2013 with these updates. We fully support customers upgrading servers running 4.5.2 to 4.6.1 without removing Exchange. We recommend that customers apply Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 2 or Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 13 before upgrading .Net FrameWork. Servers should be placed in maintenance mode during the upgrade as you would do when applying a Cumulative Update. Support for .Net 4.6.1 requires the following post release fixes for .Net as well.

Note: .Net 4.6.1 installation replaces the existing 4.5.2 installation. If you attempt to roll back the .Net 4.6.1 update, you will need to install .Net 4.5.2 again.

AutoReseed Support for BitLocker

Beginning with Exchange 2013 CU13 and Exchange 2016 CU2, the Disk Reclaimer function within AutoReseed supports BitLocker. By default, this feature is disabled. For more information on how to enable this functionality, please seeEnabling BitLocker on Exchange Servers.

SHA-2 Support for Self-Signed Certificates

The New-ExchangeCertificate cmdlet has been updated to produce a SHA-2 certificate for all self-signed certificates created by Exchange. Creating a SHA-2 certificate is the default behaviour for the cmdlet. Existing certificates will not automatically be regenerated but newly installed servers will receive SHA-2 certificates by default. Customers may opt to replace existing non-SHA2 certificates generated by previous releases as they see fit.

Migration to Modern Public Folder Resolved

The issue reported in KB3161916 has been resolved.

 

This cumulative update fixes the following issues:

This cumulative update also fixes the issues that are described in the KB 3160339 MS16-079: Security update for Microsoft Exchange: June 14, 2016 and KB 3134844 Cumulative Update 1 for Exchange Server 2016

Microsoft Knowledge Base articles.
This update also includes new daylight saving time (DST) updates for Exchange Server 2016. For more information about DST, go to Daylight Saving Time Help and Support Center.

Download: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=52968

The Windows Server Update Services console gives Unexpected Error after KB3159706

The Windows Server Update Services console gives Unexpected Error after KB3159706

Solution:
Manual steps required to complete the installation of this update

  1. Open an elevated Command Prompt window, and then run the following command (case sensitive, assume “C” as the system volume):
    "C:\Program Files\Update Services\Tools\wsusutil.exe" postinstall /servicing
  2. Select HTTP Activation under .NET Framework 4.5 Features in the Server Manager Add Roles and Features wizard.

    HTTP activation

  3. Restart the WSUS service.

If SSL is enabled on the WSUS server

  1. Assign ownership of the Web.Config file to the administrators group (run at an elevated command prompt):
    takeown /f web.config /a
    
    icacls "C:\Program Files\Update Services\WebServices\ClientWebService\Web.config" /grant administrators:f
  2. Locate the Web.Config file in the following path:
    C:\Program Files\Update Services\WebServices\ClientWebService\Web.Config
  3. Make the following changes in the file.

    Note This code sample represents a single text block. The line spacing is used only to emphasize the text changes, which are shown in bold.

    <services>
              <service
                    name="Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.Client"
                    behaviorConfiguration="ClientWebServiceBehaviour">
                   <!-- 
                      These 4 endpoint bindings are required for supporting both http and https
                    -->
                    <endpoint address=""
                            binding="basicHttpBinding"
                            bindingConfiguration="SSL"
                            contract="Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.IClientWebService" />
                    <endpoint address="secured"
                            binding="basicHttpBinding"
                            bindingConfiguration="SSL"
                            contract="Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.IClientWebService" />
                   <endpoint address=""
                            binding="basicHttpBinding"
                            bindingConfiguration="ClientWebServiceBinding"
                            contract="Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.IClientWebService" />
                    <endpoint address="secured"
                            binding="basicHttpBinding" 
                            bindingConfiguration="ClientWebServiceBinding"
                            contract="Microsoft.UpdateServices.Internal.IClientWebService" />
              </service>
        </services>
  4. Add the multipleSiteBindingsEnabled=”true” attribute to the bottom of the Web.Config file, as shown:
    </bindings>
    <serviceHostingEnvironment aspNetCompatibilityEnabled="true" multipleSiteBindingsEnabled="true" />
    </system.serviceModel>

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3159706

SSL3.0 Enabled after install Exchange 2013 Cumulative update

After installing a cumalitive update on Exchange 2013 SSL3.0 is weer enabled.

With the following script you can disable SSL3.0

DisableSSL3.0.ps1:
$keyPathRoot = “HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\Protocols”;
$keyPath = $keyPathRoot + “\SSL 3.0\Server”;
if (!(Test-Path $keyPath))
{
New-Item -path $keyPathRoot”\SSL 3.0″ -ItemType key -Name “Server” -Force;
}
Set-ItemProperty -path $keyPath -name “Enabled” -value 0x0 -Type DWORD -Force;

Thnx Andy David for the tip Smile

Configure your Exchange 2016 server with Configure-Echange2016.ps1

The Script is based on my Configure Exchange 2013 Script Download: https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Configure-Exchange-2013-e0ffb2a6

At this moment there is only v1.0 so now new features.

You can download this script here:
https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Configure-Exchange-2016-0e3c8288

Configure your Exchange 2013 server with Configure-Echange2013.ps1 Updated to V3.2

Updated to V3.2

Change List:

# V1.0 Begin
# V1.1 Added Some New Options 12-10-2014
# V1.2 Added Hyper-V Best Practise & NTFS Partition Offset
# V1.3 Added KB2995145 .NET Framework 4.5 garbage collector heap Fix
# V1.4 Added Set Minimum Disk Space Warning level (180GB Default CU6 200GB CU5)
# V1.5 Added Some new features
# V1.6 Changed the Layout & Add Move Arbitration Mailbox
# V1.7 Added PST Export & KB2990117
# V1.8 Added Full backup, Database in GB and Mailbox Size in GB Export CSV
# V1.9 Added Outlook AnyWhere & SafetyNetHoldTime
# V2.0 Added Check DatacenterActivationMode, Get-DatabaseAvailabilityGroupNetwork, Add Static Route, Disable Replation Network on DAG, Database Copies Per Volume (AutoReseed)
# V2.1 Added Edge Subscription
# V2.2 Added Check Transaction Log Growth
# V2.3 Changed the Menu to Submenu’s
# V2.4 Added Check Database White Space
# V2.5 Added MAPI HTTP External URL
# V2.6 Fixed OWA Virtual URL & HTTP URL
# V2.7 Added Fixes & Mountpoints & Changed Set Minimum Disk Space Warning Level from REG to GlobalOverride
# V2.8 Maintaince Added
# V2.9 Set Power to Highperformance
# V3.0 Check of Microsoft.Exchange.Management.PowerShell.SnapIn is loaded
# V3.1 Added Set-OutlookProvider -Identity EXPR -CertPrincipalName msstd:*.domain.com & Set-OutlookProvider -Identity EXCH -CertPrincipalName msstd:*.domain.com
# V3.2 VMware Best Practises & Fixed soms things

Download: https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/scriptcenter/Configure-Exchange-2013-e0ffb2a6

Setup MDT 2013 (Update 2) to encrypt Windows 10 devices (Laptops) automaticlly

This  will show you how to configure your environment for BitLocker, the disk volume encryption built into Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Pro, using MDT. BitLocker in Windows 10 has two requirements in regard to an operating system deployment:

  • A protector, which can either be stored in the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, or stored as a password.
  • To configure your environment for BitLocker, you will need to do the following:
  1. Configure Active Directory for BitLocker.
  2. Download the various BitLocker scripts and tools.
  3. Configure the rules (CustomSettings.ini) for BitLocker.

Configure Active Directory for BitLocker

To enable BitLocker to store the recovery key and TPM information in Active Directory, you need to create a Group Policy for it in Active Directory. For this section, we are running Windows Server 2012 R2, so you do not need to extend the Schema. You do, however, need to set the appropriate permissions in Active Directory.

Note
Depending on the Active Directory Schema version, you might need to update the Schema before you can store BitLocker information in Active Directory.

In Windows Server 2012 R2 (as well as in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012), you have access to the BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities features, which will help you manage BitLocker. When you install the features, the BitLocker Active Directory Recovery Password Viewer is included, and it extends Active Directory Users and Computers with BitLocker Recovery information.

figure 2

Figure 2. The BitLocker Recovery information on a computer object in the contoso.com domain.

Add the BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities

The BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities are added as features via Server Manager (or Windows PowerShell):

  1. On DC01, log on as CONTOSO\Administrator, and, using Server Manager, click Add roles and features.
  2. On the Before you begin page, click Next.
  3. On the Select installation type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation, and click Next.
  4. On the Select destination server page, select DC01.contoso.com and click Next.
  5. On the Select server roles page, click Next.
  6. On the Select features page, expand Remote Server Administration Tools, expand Feature Administration Tools, select the following features, and then click Next:
    1. BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities
    2. BitLocker Drive Encryption Tools
    3. BitLocker Recovery Password Viewer
  7. On the Confirm installation selections page, click Install and then click Close.

figure 3

Figure 3. Selecting the BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities.

Create the BitLocker Group Policy

Following these steps, you enable the backup of BitLocker and TPM recovery information to Active Directory. You also enable the policy for the TPM validation profile.

  1. On DC01, using Group Policy Management, right-click the Contoso organizational unit (OU), and select Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.
  2. Assign the name BitLocker Policy to the new Group Policy.
  3. Expand the Contoso OU, right-click the BitLocker Policy, and select Edit. Configure the following policy settings:

    Computer Configuration / Policies / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / BitLocker Drive Encryption / Operating System Drives

    1. Enable the Choose how BitLocker-protected operating system drives can be recovered policy, and configure the following settings:
      1. Allow data recovery agent (default)
      2. Save BitLocker recovery information to Active Directory Domain Services (default)
      3. Do not enable BitLocker until recovery information is stored in AD DS for operating system drives (Do Not Enable This Winking smile)
    2. Enable the Configure TPM platform validation profile for BIOS-based firmware configurations policy.
    3. Enable the Configure TPM platform validation profile for native UEFI firmware configurations policy.

      Computer Configuration / Policies / Administrative Templates / System / Trusted Platform Module Services

    4. Enable the Turn on TPM backup to Active Directory Domain Services policy.

(Don’t forget to disable Secure Boot & Enable the secure boot again after deployment is succes vol!!)

Set permissions in Active Directory for BitLocker

In addition to the Group Policy created previously, you need to configure permissions in Active Directory to be able to store the TPM recovery information. In these steps, we assume you have downloaded the Add-TPMSelfWriteACE.vbs script from Microsoft to C:\Setup\Scripts on DC01.

  1. On DC01, start an elevated PowerShell prompt (run as Administrator).
  2. Configure the permissions by running the following command:
    cscript C:\Setup\Scripts\Add-TPMSelfWriteACE.vbs
    

figure 4

Figure 4. Running the Add-TPMSelfWriteACE.vbs script on DC01.

Add BIOS configuration tools from Dell, HP, and Lenovo

If you want to automate enabling the TPM chip as part of the deployment process, you need to download the vendor tools and add them to your task sequences, either directly or in a script wrapper.

Add tools from Dell

The Dell tools are available via the Dell Client Configuration Toolkit (CCTK). The executable file from Dell is named cctk.exe. Here is a sample command to enable TPM and set a BIOS password using the cctk.exe tool:

cctk.exe --tpm=on --valsetuppwd=Password1234
Add tools from HP

The HP tools are part of HP System Software Manager. The executable file from HP is named BiosConfigUtility.exe. This utility uses a configuration file for the BIOS settings. Here is a sample command to enable TPM and set a BIOS password using the BiosConfigUtility.exe tool:

BIOSConfigUtility.EXE /SetConfig:TPMEnable.REPSET /NewAdminPassword:Password1234

And the sample content of the TPMEnable.REPSET file:

English
Activate Embedded Security On Next Boot
*Enable
Embedded Security Activation Policy
*No prompts
F1 to Boot
Allow user to reject
Embedded Security Device Availability
*Available
Add tools from Lenovo

The Lenovo tools are a set of VBScripts available as part of the Lenovo BIOS Setup using Windows Management Instrumentation Deployment Guide. Lenovo also provides a separate download of the scripts. Here is a sample command to enable TPM using the Lenovo tools:

cscript.exe SetConfig.vbs SecurityChip Active

CustomSettings.ini

[Default]
SkipBitLocker=YES

[LAPTOP]
TaskSequenceID=LAPTOP
MachineObjectOU=OU=Bitlocker,OU=LAPTOPS,OU=Clients,DC=wardvissers,DC=local
BDEKeyLocation=\\mdt01.wardvissers.local\Bitlocker$

Source

RVTools version 3.8 is now available

RVTools is a windows .NET 2.0 application which uses the VI SDK to display information about your virtual machines and ESX hosts. Interacting with VirtualCenter. RVTools is able to list information about VMs, CPU, Memory, Disks, Partitions, Network, Floppy drives, CD drives, Snapshots, VMware tools, Resource pools, Clusters, ESX hosts, HBAs, Nics, Switches, Ports, Distributed Switches, Distributed Ports, Service consoles, VM Kernels, Datastores, Multipath info and health checks. With RVTools you can disconnect the cd-rom or floppy drives from the virtual machines and RVTools is able to update the VMware Tools installed inside each virtual machine to the latest version.
rvtools_small.jpg
Version 3.8 (March, 2016)

  • VI SDK reference changed from 5.5 to 6.0
  • on vInfo tab page new field: ChangeVersion unique identifier for a given version of the configuration
  • on vInfo tab page new field: HA VM Monitoring status
  • on vInfo tab page new fields: Number of supported monitors and Video RAM in KB.
  • on vInfo tab page new field: Config status.
  • Config issues are visible on the vHealth tab page
  • on vInfo tab page new field: OS according to the VMware Tools
  • on vTools tab page new fields: App state, App heartbeat status and Kernel crash state
  • on vTools tab page new fields: Operations availability, State change support and
  • Interactive Guest Operations availability
  • on vHost tab page new field: NTPD running state.
  • NTP issues are visible on the vHealth tab page
  • on vHost tab page new field: Config status.
  • Config issues are visible on the vHealth tab page
  • on vCluster tab page new field: Config status.
  • Config issues are visible on the vHealth tab page
  • on vDatastore tab page new field: Config status.
  • Config issues are visible on the vHealth tab page
  • on vSC+VMK tab page new fields: IP 6 Address and IP 6 Gateway
  • all VM related tab pages now have a VM Object ID and VM UUID columnsall VM related tab pages now have powerstate and template columns
  • all tab pages. Now have a vCenter UUID column (= unique identifier for a vCenterServer)
  • all VM related tab pages. The Custom Attributes columns are now ordered alphabetically
  • all tab pages. A select is now a full row select so it is easier to follow the information across many columns
  • bug fix: Refresh data issue on vRP and vCluster tab pages solved
  • bug fix: Filter issue on vCluster tab page solved
  • bug fix: On vInfo tab page the HA information was not filled with cluster default values
  • bug fix: Content Libraries vmdk files are no longer reported as possible zombie files
  • bug fix: msi installer sometimes installs RVTools in root of c:\ drive. This is solved now.
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