Tag: VM

Hyper-V Reporting Script

Serhat AKINCI, a Hyper-V MVP, has just posted this very useful script:

https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Hyper-V-Reporting-Script-4adaf5d0

In his own words:

It can be difficult to monitor and assess resources in large Hyper-V environments. This PowerShell based script helps you to understand virtualization inventory, capacity and general resource availability in your Standalone or Clustered Hyper-V Environment.

Highlights
  • More than 2600+ lines of PowerShell, HTML and CSS code examples.
  • Creates a plain but detailed and user-friendly HTML report which is compatible with all modern browsers.
  • Provides more detailed information via tooltips in the HTML report. (cells with asterisks and highlights)
  • Checks and installs required runtime environment prerequisites like Hyper-V and Clustering PowerShell.
  • Collects information by using standard Hyper-V and Clustering PowerShell cmdlets and custom WMI queries.
  • Shows alerts in the report for certain situations (utilizations, VM checkpoints, replication status, etc.)
  • Can be used directly from command-line or as a scheduled Windows task.
  • Supports report delivery via e-mail with advanced options. (authentication, TLS/SSL, multiple recipients)
  • Includes a mode that reports only alerts in the Hyper-V environment. (aka Highlights Only mode)
  • Advanced error handling and logging. (Console messages and log file)

You can see an full example report here: http://www.serhatakinci.com/files/get-hypervreport-v1-0-demo-output.html
Open-mouthed smile

Moving to Office 365/Exchange Online? A good idea?

Reducing IT costs: Especially in challenging economic times, organizations need to cut costs wherever possible—but without reducing capabilities.

Increasing predictability of IT costs: Replacing or upgrading on-premises IT systems can require significant one-time capital expenditures.

Increasing user productivity: Users face growing volumes of email, and need tools to help them manage it more efficiently.
Enhancing collaboration: Increasingly mobile and distributed workers need technology that helps them work together wherever they are.

Reducing IT administration: IT can be stretched thin and spend too much time managing hardware, updates, and upgrades.
Increasing reliability and availability of email: Email is a business-critical application, and many organizations face challenges keeping it running—especially with shrinking IT budgets.

Staying up-to-date with the latest technology: To stay competitive and recruit the next generation of talent, businesses need to have the latest functionality. But, upgrading on-premises software can be a significant undertaking.

1 Simplified Administration

Managing corporate email can be complex. With Exchange Online, many of the most time-consuming tasks are taken care of by Microsoft, including the management of hardware, updates, and upgrades. Additionally, Exchange Online delivers a streamlined administration experience, making it easier for IT administrators to configure and manage email services in ways that benefit the business.

2 Conclusion

The benefits of moving email to the cloud are clear; including lower costs, increased agility, simpler management, and higher-quality services. Exchange Online meets these expectations by delivering a wide-range of features and capabilities that support anywhere access, protection and compliance, and simplified administration.

But now the real world experience with Exchange Online

If your organization is using google DNS servers. You will be redirected to the Exchange Online servers in America not Dublin if you live in The Netherlands.

Exchange Online works the best if you use cached mode.

The Question is do you want is you using Microsoft Remote Desktop Services or Citrix XenDesktop or VMware Horizon (View)

Cached Exchange Mode in a Remote Desktop Session Host environment: planning considerations
Limits to using personal folders (.pst) files over LAN and WAN links.

My Conclusion:
Exchange Online is great for most organizations. Lower costs, increased agility, simpler management, and higher-quality services.

But is your organization using Microsoft Remote Desktop Services or Citrix XenDesktop or VMware Horizon (View). You need think twice for you migrate.

As IT admin you don’t want ost files locally on Remote Desktop or XenDesktop or VMware View Servers & Desktops or on your file server.

Saving money can mean angry & complaining customers….

Installing Windows 10 & Server vNext Technical Preview via PXE on Gen 2 VM

If you try to PXE boot a Windows 10 or Server vNext Technical Preview VM running on Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 R2, you are greeted by a nice error message: Boot Failed. EFI Network. Failed Secure Boot Verification.

The simple fix

Until there is an update available turn off secure boot for the Gen 2 VM.

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