Nov 8 2007 10:44PM GMT
Posted by: Michael Khanin
Microsoft Windows
I’ve asked by one of companies, where i provide an IT consulting services, how to install directx on client’s computers unattended?
Equally, on internet existed a lot of articles about how to do this. Who use an old dxsetup.exe file, who try to edit an exe file in HEX-Editor and then use switch OPK . Also, admins use other tricks, likes an AutomatIT or similar products. Just one consider i can’t understand :), why nobody tries to read a HELP?
By going to the http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb219742.aspx you can find, black on white, how to install directx in unattended mode. All you have to do, is to add the switch “/silent“!
Admins, I’m also VERY lazy admin, but reading a HELP save your time 
Nov 5 2007 2:06PM GMT
Posted by: Michael Khanin
Microsoft Windows,
Networking
Server Message Block (SMB), also known as CIFS (Common Internet File System) is the file sharing protocol used by default on Windows based computers. Windows includes an SMB client component (Client for Microsoft Windows) and an SMB server component (File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Windows).
SMB in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista support the new SMB version 2.0 that has been redesigned for today’s networking environments (wireless, possible high loss, timeouts, high latency, …) and for the needs of the next generation of file servers (EFS over the wire, Offline Files and Folders enhancements, …).
Machines running Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista support both SMB v1.0 and SMB v2.0. However SMB 2.0 can only be used if both client and server support it!! So, the SMB protocol revision to be used for file operations is decided during the negotiation phase.
A Vista client advertises to the server that it can understand the new SMB 2.0 protocol. If the server (Windows Server 2008 or otherwise) understands SMB 2.0, then SMB 2.0 is chosen for subsequent communication, otherwise they fall back to SMB 1.0.
This preserves “downwards” compatibility so that deploying Vista clients or Windows Server 2008 servers should be simple and straightforward. The following list below describes what protocol will be used when communicating between different types of client and servers.
- Vista client <> Vista client or Windows Server 2008 – SMB 2.0
- Non-Vista client <> Vista client or Windows Server 2008 – SMB 1.0
- Vista client <> Non-Vista client or Non-Windows Server 2008 – SMB 1.0
- Non-Vista client <> Non-Vista client or Non-Windows Server 2008 – SMB 1.0
For an overview of the impact on network throughput, have to look at the white paper of a third-party benchmark study done by The Tolly Group which compares network throughput and time-to-completion of several tasks when using Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008 .
Source: http://trycatch.be/blogs/roggenk
Nov 3 2007 7:03AM GMT
Posted by: Michael Khanin
Microsoft Windows,
Virtualization
MS-DOS is no longer officially supported under Virtual PC 2007, as such the DOS Virtual Machine Additions are not included with Virtual PC 2007. However - if, like me, you want to run DOS on Virtual PC 2007 - you can get the DOS Additions by following this easy process:
- Download Virtual PC 2004 SP1: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=6d58729d-dfa8-40bf-afaf-20bcb7f01cd1&displaylang=en
- Extract the contents of the installer per this blog post: http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy/archive/2007/01/08/extracting-files-from-the-virtual-pc-installer.aspx
- Grab the DOS Additions .VFD file and insert it into the floppy drive of your virtual machine under Virtual PC 2007.
- Run the install program from the floppy under the virtual machine.
As I have already mentioned - this is not supported - but should work fine.
Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy
Nov 3 2007 7:02AM GMT
Posted by: Michael Khanin
Microsoft Windows,
Virtualization
When you install the Virtual Machine Additions under Virtual PC you get a lot of benefits. You get faster performance, integrated mouse cursor support, folder sharing, clipboard integration, drag and drop integration and dynamic desktop resizing. There are times - however - when all this integration can be a problem. For instance, you may be working in an environment where you do not want to be able to easily transfer data between the host and the guest (for security or confidentiality reasons). It is possible, thought non-intuitive, to disable folder sharing,clipboard integration, drag and drop integration and dynamic desktop resizing while still having improved performance and mouse cursor integration.
To do this under Virtual PC 2007 (note - this will not work on earlier releases), you need to go into the guest OS and delete the following registry key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run]
“VMUserServices”=”C:\\Program Files\\Virtual Machine Additions\\vmusrvc.exe”
When you restart the virtual machine these services will now no longer be present (you may want to delete ‘vmusrvc.exe’ if you are worried about users starting it themselves).
Source: http://blogs.msdn.com/virtual_pc_guy
Nov 3 2007 6:56AM GMT
Posted by: Michael Khanin
Microsoft Windows
Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) is a new form of (SSL-based) VPN tunnel with features that allow traffic to pass through firewalls that block PPTP and L2TP/IPsec traffic.
SSTP provides a mechanism to encapsulate PPP traffic over the SSL channel of the HTTPS protocol. The use of PPP allows support for strong authentication methods such as EAP-TLS. The use of HTTPS means traffic will flow through TCP port 443. Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) provides transport-level security with enhanced key negotiation, encryption, and integrity checking.
SSTP supports multiple authentication methods such as passwords, smart cards, certificate-based and “One Time Password” authentication.
SSTP has integrated NAP support for client health check, by using the NPS (Network Policy Server - ex-IAS) for authentication and authorization.
Client/Server Requirements
SSTP is available through the Windows Server 2008 Routing and Remote Access VPN Server. IIS is not required for running SSTP, since RRAS listens to HTTPS connections directly over HTTP.SYS.
Only clients running Windows Vista SP1 are able to create SSTP-based VPN tunnels.
Additional reading:
Source:http://trycatch.be/blogs/roggenk
Nov 1 2007 10:54AM GMT
Posted by: Michael Khanin
Exchange
Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 introduces many new features for each server role. Lets
- New deployment options: You can now install Exchange 2007 SP1 on a server that is running Windows Server 2008
- Client Access Server Role Improvements: We’ve added an UI to manage POP3 / IMAP4, OWA improvements, Active sync improvements with the addition of for example remote wipe information and much more
- Transport: Enhancements to message processing and routing functionality on the Hub Transport role.
- Mailbox Server Role Improvements: Public folder management in the Exchange Management console, mailbox management improvements, etc…
- High Availability: In SP1 we will introduce the Standby Continuous Replication in addition to LCR and CCR, further more we support the WS2008 Failover clustering and we improved the Exchange management console.
- Unified Messaging Server Role: Unified Messaging has been improved and has added new features in Exchange 2007 SP1. To use some of these features, you must correctly deploy Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 in your environment.
As you can see we have made a lot of improvements onto Exchange Server 2007 with this Service Pack and especially for the Unified Communication Role.
Exchange Server 2007 Unified Messaging combines voice messaging, fax, and e-mail into one Inbox, which can be accessed from the telephone and the computer. Unified Messaging integrates Exchange Server 2007 with the telephony network in your organization and brings the features found in Unified Messaging to the core of the Exchange Server product line.
