Category Archives: Microsoft

Exchange 2010 SP1 Rollup 3 Released: Fixes Bug since SP1 in EMC & Brings Back UDP Support

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UPDATE March 9th 2011: I have installed Exchange 2010 SP1 Rollup 3 at one site and this did indeed fix this issue finally.

The Microsoft Exchange Team Blog just announced the release here Released: Update Rollup 3 for Exchange 2010 SP1 and Exchange 2007 SP3. This is good news for all the folks out there that got bitten by the Exchange 2010 SP1 bug that causes the Exchange Management Shell (EMC) not to show all database copies after upgrading to exchange 2010 SP1. I’ve blogged about this in EMC Does Not Show All Database Copies After Upgrade To Exchange 2010 SP1 and chimed in to the discussion at Database copies are not all showing up in EMC after SP1 upgrade on the Exchange forums. So apart from cheers for the UDP notifications returning in support of Outlook 2003 let’s hear it for a the EMC case sensitivity bug getting fixed Smile

After while Microsoft also blogged about this Database copies fail to display after upgrading to Exchange 2010 Service Pack 1

We got notified around October 13th that they would included the fix in Exchange 2010 SP1 Roll Up 3 but that they where working on an interim update. They dropped the ball there because communication died about the latter and we were left to conclude we would have to wait for Rollup 3. Well that took it’s time. It’s now march 2011. One of the reasons I think it took so long for Rollup 3 to arrive is the decision for to re-add UDP support for Exchange 2010 for use with Outlook 2003 as blogged about in Microsoft Listens To Customers & Adds UDP Notification Support Back to Exchange 2010

In the ends we will have silly and long unaddressed bug fixed and a welcome aid in migrating customers to Exchange 2010 that are running Outlook 2003. I do wonder however if the bug had been with  PowerShell in the EMS and not in the EMC if Microsoft would have fixed this sooner.  Sure it wasn’t an issue as you could manage everything perfectly using PowerShell and it was only a GUI bug but for some users/customers this is not as obvious  and it made ‘m feel a bit like 2nd class citizens so we had to do some extra “damage” control on that front as well.

Malta or the Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) Beta.

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You have to hand it to Microsoft. At the moment a customer is contemplating buying MDOP they announce  a sweet added benefit with that package, code named “Malta” or the Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM) Beta. You can sign up for this via the connect page and the Béta is expected in March 2011, yes this month. Would be nice to see how it holds up in use.

According to the Connect site Malta is a BitLocker management solution that will enable IT to more easily deploy and manage BitLocker volume encryption technology across the enterprise. Using Malta:

  • IT can automate the process of encrypting volumes on client machines across the enterprise
  • Helpdesk can reduce the time required for BitLocker PIN and Recovery Key information
  • Security officers can quickly produce reliable evidence that indicates the compliance state of individual computers or even the enterprise itself.
  • Security Officers can easily audit access to Recover Key information.
  • Windows Enterprise users are empowered to continue working anywhere knowing their corporate data is protected.

Look people even if you just a low profile outfit, don’t become road kill because some bad guys got to your data and published or sold it. Protect your assets and reputation. The technology to do this is available and it’s getting better and better. You do have to use it to be protected, so to paraphrase Nike, just do it. When your CFO forgets his laptop on the commute train he’ll thank you for it. More info on the Microsoft TechNet page Microsoft BitLocker Administration and Monitoring (MBAM)

New Functionality in Virtual Machine Manager Self Service Portal 2.0 SP1 Béta

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It’s playtime! Via the Microsoft Connect site (you can get an invite to join the Connect site from TechNet page What’s New in System Center Virtual Machine Manager Self Service Portal 2.0 SP1 Beta, it below under “Join the Beta”) you can get your hands on the Virtual Machine Manager Self Service Portal 2.0 SP1 Béta. Some new features to highlight are the ability to import virtual machines (VMs that were removed from the self-service portal or VMs that are managed by SCVMM but are not created & available in the self-service portal). There are notifications available now for events using SQL mail so you can keep an eye on what is happening. Virtual Machine Templates can now be added to infrastructures (fast, no need for the entire request/provision process). You also get the option to move infrastructure between business units while in maintenance mode and even delete business units when they don’t own infrastructure. But the one I like best is the fact that we can expire virtual machines.

No, the last one doesn’t mean I want to be the bastard operator from hell that hates everyone and is so out of touch with the reality of “enabled” or “empowered” users or customers that he wants to seek & destroy them all. But when you’ve been in infrastructure for a while you’ve probably come across situations where the orphaned, abandoned, forgotten, virtual & yes even physical servers are working very hard on becoming a majority instead of an exception. This puts an enormous burden on the infrastructure, workload and it drives up costs very fast while it’s isn’t providing any ROI or other benefits to the business. Unless you’re getting paid to maintain infrastructure by the VM  (congrats!) and you just smile when you find 50% superfluous guests as this means the sound of your cash register ringing in your ears.

The thing is “Horror Vacui” comes into play and the inevitable desire of the universe for maximum entropy. So any environment will need some managing and it will be a welcome tool to help automate that management & enforce some decisions. You can even delegate this all via roles, so people can be empowered to set or change expiration dates. That way you can try to go for self-regulation. This can work.

Hyper-V Dynamic Memory does not work on a Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition or Windows Web Server 2008 virtual machine (VM)

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Here’s a pointer to a Microsoft Knowledge base article on Hyper-v Dynamic Memory not working on Windows 2008 Standard & Web edition Hotfix: Hyper-V Dynamic Memory does not work on a Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition or Windows Web Server 2008 virtual machine (VM) As you probably already know you have a similar issue with Window 2008 R2 Standard and Web edition virtual machines which is fixed by installing SP1 in the guest. For the predecessor of R2 you need to install this hotfix.

The cause is that on these versions of the operating systems the the required memory enlightenment is supported. After installing the hotfix (or SP1 in the case of Windows 2008 R2) memory addition enlightenment is available on these SKU and your good to go.