AIX 6.1 Information Center

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Top 10 new features in windows server 2008

More Details Clich Here

Adding Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain Controllers to Existing Domains

Upgrade Domain Controllers: Microsoft Support Quick Start for Adding Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 Domain Controllers to Existing Domains

This topic explains the process for upgrading domain controllers to Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2. This information is based on the experience of the Microsoft Customer Service and Support (CSS) team. This topic includes links to related information about the upgrade process. For more details Refer to MS TechNet.

Known Issues for Installing and Removing AD DS

Adprep.exe issues


The location for Adprep.exe is different in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. You must run Adprep.exe before you can add a domain controller that runs Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 to an existing Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 Active Directory environment. In Windows Server 2008, Adprep.exe is located in the /Sources/adprep folder of the operating system installation disk. In Windows Server 2008 R2, Adprep.exe is located in the /Support/adprep folder. Windows Server 2008 R2 includes a 32-bit and 64-bit version of Adprep.exe. The 64-bit version runs by default. If you want to run one of the Adprep.exe commands on a 32-bit computer, you must use the 32-bit version of Adprep.exe. More Details Refer to Microsoft TechNet.

How to Decommission a Domain Controller

Once the additional domain controller is installed and configured, before decommissioning a dc, it requires all domain services that are currently reside on a existing dc need to be moved to another dc’s.

In order to move any fsmo roles from one DC to another DC, follow the MS How to view and transfer FSMO roles in the graphical user interface.

• To learn where the roles reside run the command netdom query fsmo
• If the PDC holds the fsmo role on this DC then you need to reconfigure the new holder of fsmo role PDC to either use the internal hardware clock or an external source. In my environment I always recommend using an external source MS KB816042.

There needs to be at least one Global Catalog (GC) in each domain and it is recommended that there is one in each site, refe to MS KB313994 for more details.

Move DNS services to other DC’s if this DC is a DNS provider. Also point all clients that use this server for DNS to the new DNS server

• If AD integrated simply installing DNS on a member server prior to promotion will bring up a new DNS server.
• If not AD integrated and this is a primary server then a new primary server will need to be brought online. From DNS server manager the server needs to be promoted to primary.
• If a secondary server then make the new dc a new secondary server.

For more details refer to MS technet and MS KB323417:

• Active Directory Domain Services and DNS Server Migration Guide 
• How To Integrate Windows Server 2003 DNS with an Existing DNS Infrastructure in Windows Server 2003.

If a dhcp server then the dhcp servers database needs to be backed up and copied to the new dhcp server. The old dhcp server deauthorized and the new dhcp server authorized. MS Support:

• How to move a DHCP database from a computer that is running Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000, or Windows Server 2003 to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003.

If you have Encryption File System (EFS) enabled you will need to move the private key if it resides on this dc. Refer to MS Support:

• How to back up the recovery agent Encrypting File System (EFS) private key in Windows Server 2003, in Windows 2000, and in Windows XP. You use the recovery agent's private key to recover data in situations when the copy of the EFS private key that is located on the local computer is lost

If this server manages Terminal Server Licensing (TSL) then it will have to be moved to a new DC. From Add/Remove programs you will need to add a new TSL. You can then restore the licenses by using the TS License Manager tool with the Telephone activation mechanism. You can switch to the Telephone mechanism by right clicking on the server in TS License Manager, and then selecting properties from the menu.

• Refer to How Terminal Services Works.

Finally, once this is all accomplished go ahead and demote the DC to a member server.
For more details refer to MS Support:

• How to promote and demote domain controllers in Windows

How to view and transfer FSMO roles in the graphical user interface

There are five Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) roles in a Windows 2000 forest. There are two ways to transfer a FSMO role in Windows 2000.

This article describes how to transfer all five FSMO roles by using Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins. For more Details Refer to MS Support

How To Install and Configure DNS Server in Windows Server 2003

This step-by-step article describes how to install and configure DNS on your Windows Server 2003 computer. MS KB814591

Best practices for DNS client settings in Windows 2000 Server and in Windows Server 2003

This article describes best practices for the configuration of Domain Name System (DNS) client settings in Windows 2000 Server and in Windows Server 2003. The recommendations in this article are for the installation of Windows 2000 Server or Windows Server 2003 environments where there is no previously defined DNS infrastructure. MS KB825036

Microsoft Procedure References

Microsoft Appendix B - Procedures Reference


This appendix lists all procedures in alphabetical order. You can build tear sheets for your operations staff by cutting and pasting the task and its procedures into a separate document. Click Here

Description of Disk Groups in Windows Disk Management

Windows uses a new feature called Dynamic Disks, which introduces the concept of Disk Groups.

Disk Groups help you organize Dynamic Disks and help to prevent data loss. Windows allows only one Disk Group per computer (this may change). Disk Groups can organize storage when you use Veritas LDM-Pro.
 
For more details refer to MS KB 222189.
 
A dynamic disk's status is Foreign.


Cause: The Foreign status occurs when you move a dynamic disk to the local computer from another computer running Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional, Windows XP 64-bit Edition (Itanium), or the Windows Server 2003 family of operating systems. A warning icon appears on disks that display the Foreign status.
In some cases, a disk that was previously connected to the system can display the Foreign status. Configuration data for dynamic disks is stored on all dynamic disks, so the information about which disks are owned by the system is lost when all dynamic disks fail.Solution: Add the disk to your computer's system configuration so that you can access data on the disk. To add a disk to your computer's system configuration, import the foreign disk (right-click the disk and then click Import Foreign Disks). Any existing volumes on the foreign disk become visible and accessible when you import the disk.

A session to this device already exists. Do you want to send a sharing request to the owner

This morning I was trying to DRAC into one of our servers with DRAC5. I was getting the message of " A session to this device already exists. Do you want to send a sharing request to the owner" If I select Ok, It just sits at establishing session.

Going through various DRAC commands and using racadm, the command of racadm racreset soft did the trick and it cleared out the old session.

Exporting Disabled Users Account from AD

Run the following command from the CLI:


dsquery user -disabled -limit 0 -o rdn > c:\ FileName.txt


 Note: use limit option when the default limit of 100 is reached
Use -o rdn for format type

To find all user accounts that have been inactive for at least the last week or longer, you'd use the command:

dsquery user -inactive 1 -o rdn

Report on all VMs with snapshots using Vsphere PowerCLI

The first step is to connect to your VC from vSphere PowerCLI with the following command:

Connect-ViServer VCServerName

The second command lists all of the VMs, finding the shapshots, looking up what host currently houses the VM and then creating the actual table:

Get-VM | Get-Snapshot | Select-Object VM, Name, Description, PowerState, Created, @{Name="Host"; Expression = {(Get-VM $_.VM).Host.Name}} | ft -auto

The Output Screen looks like following:

VM                               Name                                                 Description
----                                --------                                               --------------
Test1Server                 Before upgrade                                 Pre software version 2 upgrade
Test2Server                 Pre SP2 install                                  Pre Windows 2003 SP2 Install

Intel Processor Comparison

Use this tool to compare detailed specifications for up to five processor numbers. Click Here

Saving and restoring existing Windows shares

Refer to Microsoft KB