Tag: Server 2012

Active Directory Replication Status Tool

The Active Directory Replication Status Tool (ADREPLSTATUS) analyzes the replication status for domain controllers in an Active Directory domain or forest. ADREPLSTATUS displays data in a format that is similar to REPADMIN /SHOWREPL * /CSV imported into Excel but with significant enhancements.
Specific capabilities for this tool include:

    • Expose Active Directory replication errors occurring in a domain or forest
    • Prioritize errors that need to be resolved in order to avoid the creation of lingering objects in Active Directory forests
    • Help administrators and support professionals resolve replication errors by linking to Active Directory replication troubleshooting content on Microsoft TechNet
    • Allow replication data to be exported to source or destination domain administrators or support professionals for offline analysis

System Requirements

Supported Operating System

Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Vista, Windows XP

      • ADREPLSTATUS does not install on server core installs of Windows
      • Windows 2000 not supported due to lack of support for .NET Framework 4.0

    Domain membership requirements:

      • Must be joined to the Active Directory domain or forest you intend to monitor

    .NET Framework requirements:

      • .NET Framework 4.0 (you may be prompted to install .NET Framework 3.5.1 first on Windows Server 2008)

    Required User Credentials:

      • Target forest/domain user account

    Supported DC OS versions that can be monitored by ADREPLSTATUS:

      • Windows Server 2003
      • Windows Server 2003 R2
      • Windows Server 2008
      • Windows Server 2008 R2
      • Windows Server 2012

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Immidio releases new version of Flex+ with Support of Windows 8 & Server 2012 & APP-V 5.0

Today, Immidio releases an updated version of its flagship product Flex+. With the Immidio Flex+ workspace virtualization solution, end users get a personalized and dynamic Windows desktop that adapts to their specific situation based on aspects like role, device and location.

Modern workforces expect flexibility from their employers; users need to have the capability to work anywhere with multiple devices and a high degree of self-service. With Flex+ workspace virtualization, Immidio enables such a flexible workstyle in a simple, scalable, extensible and affordable manner, without introducing additional complexity. Immidio Flex+ uses the existing Windows infrastructure, ensuring a low total cost of ownership.

Next to many small improvements, the latest version of Immidio Flex+ contains new features that were mostly developed based on feedback from Immidio’s partners and customers. The focus of this release is to support the latest Windows versions and application virtualization technologies, providing users with an even more dynamic desktop experience and improving the administration of Flex+ in enterprise environments.

Flex+ multi-tenancy support for IT departments
Immidio Flex+ has always supported multi-tenant environments, and this release introduces much improved management of scenarios with multiple environments, such as different customers, DTAP, or separately managed organizational divisions, for instance.

Such setups can now be managed from within a single instance of the Flex+ management console, making it possible for the IT department to switch between these environments and also export configuration items from one environment to another.

An even more dynamic desktop experience
In the initial release of Flex+, Immidio introduced many capabilities for managing the user environment. Flex+ support for shortcuts, file type associations and printers is now even more powerful thanks to the new UEM Refresh feature, which during a Windows session reapplies these user environment settings, dynamically re-evaluating conditions.

Another new feature is Triggered Tasks which executes a custom or built-in task (like UEM Refresh) when a certain trigger occurs. The triggers that Flex+ supports are the lock/unlock of a workstation and disconnect/reconnect of a remote session in VDI and RDS environments.

To improve the dynamic adaption of the Windows user environment, based on role, device and location, this release extends the conditions available in Flex+. The new battery condition makes it easier to detect laptops and tablet devices. The new “Computer or User in Active Directory” condition helps determine the role of the user within the organization and the place of the currently used device within the IT infrastructure.

Support of latest technologies
Immidio Flex+ now supports personalization for Microsoft App-V 5.0, in addition to the existing App-V 4.x integration. Platform support has been extended with Windows 8 and Server 2012.

Other improvements
Many other improvements have been made to the Flex+ management console and client component. These are all documented in the Administrator’s Guide of this Flex+ release.

Convert VHD to VHDX

VHDX is the new and default format of virtual hard disk (VDH) that is provided by Windows 8 Client Hyper-V and Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V. There are many reasons to favor VHDX files over VHD files, including:

  • scalability to 64 TB instead of 2040GB
  • better performance by offering 4 K sector matching
  • protection against data corruption during power outages
Using PowerShell to Convert to VHDX

You can dispense with the time-consuming wizard by using PowerShell. This will be extremely useful if you need to use a script to automate lots of VHD conversions across many virtual machines. The following snippet will convert a VHD to a VHDX:

Convert-VHD –Path d:\VM01\Disk0.vhd –DestinationPath d:\VM01\Disk0.vhdx

When you create a new VHDX file (not converted) it has a physical sector size of 4 K. A converted VHDX file has a physical sector size of 512 Bytes. You can change the physical sector size of a converted VHDX by running this piece of PowerShell before you power up the virtual machine:

set-vhd d:\VM01\Disk0.vhdx -PhysicalSectorSizeBytes 4096

Now you have a virtual machine that is using the best kind of virtual machine storage, the VHDX format virtual hard disk

The above instructions do not finish the job. The next essential set of steps are:

  1. Open the settings of the virtual machine.
  2. Replace the VHD with the VHDX.
  3. Start and test the virtual machine.
  4. Delete the VHD file.

Add Extra Windows 2012 server to DirectAccess NLB Cluster

First you install Server 2012 and you add the Remote Access Server Role.

And Install

KB2788525: You cannot enable external load balancing on a Windows Server 2012-based DirectAccess server.

 

Add or Remove Server

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Server 2012 Dedub

Start Windows PowerShell. Right-click the Windows PowerShell icon on the taskbar, and then click Run as Administrator.

Run the following Windows PowerShell commands:

PS C:\> Import-Module ServerManager
PS C:\> Add-WindowsFeature -name FS-Data-Deduplication
PS C:\> Import-Module Deduplication
PS C:\> Enable-DedupVolume E: & Enable-DedupVolume D:

And wait….

dedub

Saving already 240GB on my home lab…. Dedub is great

Migrate a certificate authority from Windows 2008 R2 to Windows 2012

Today I was moving my testlab enterprise root CA from a Windows 2008 r2 server to a new Windows 2012 with a different server name. To accomplish this, I used this excellent Technet Post . I encountered no problems!

Windows 8 Features on Demand (.Net Framework 3.5)

Features on Demand

“Features on Demand (FoD)” is a new concept in Windows 8 that allows administrators and image builders to reduce the amount of space. .

When you install an application that’s ask for .Net Framework 3.5 that will be automatically installed. You don’t have to deploy it automatically with it…

 

In Windows 8, .Net Framework 3.5 is now a Feature on Demand. And to simplify the installation of common legacy versions of the .Net Framework, .Net 3.0 and 2.0 have been included in the same feature package as 3.5. That means if any of those three versions need to be installed, all the administrator needs to do is enable the single .Net Framework 3.5 feature in Windows 8.

Installation Sources

The .Net Framework 3.5 payload can be obtained from any of the following sources:

· Windows Update (WU)

· A Windows Image file (.wim) to which the payload has been added

· The \sources\sxs folder on the installation media

There are unique advantages to using each. The source can be specified for the environment using a new Group Policy setting. It can also be specified when installing .Net 3.5 manually on an individual machine or image.

The simplest scenario is one in which WU is accessible to both the machine and the user, and the machine is not configured to obtain updates from Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). In this case, when the feature is enabled, the user will be prompted for permission to download the update. If permitted, Windows will download the payload directly from Windows Update and install the feature. Done!

In more controlled environments, administrators might want to redirect such download requests to an alternate source such as a Windows Image file (.wim) to which the payload was added, or the\sources\sxs folder from the installation media. There might also be network , proxy, or security configurations that prevent users from directly accessing Windows Update. Additionally, WSUS does not currently support the payloads for Features on Demand, although it does support the subsequent patching of the features. So in environments where machines are configured to obtain updates from WSUS, administrators will need to configure the source for initial FoD installations.

To allow administrators to manage these scenarios, a new Group Policy setting was introduced in Windows 8 / Windows Server 2012: “Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair”, located under Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System:

featuresondemand

This policy allows the administrator to configure the installation of Features on Demand and feature store repair operations to use only authorized locations.

When this policy is enabled, a network location (for example, a file server) can be specified for both repair of the feature store, and enabling features whose payloads were not originally added. The Alternate source file path can point to a \sources\sxs folder or a Windows image (WIM) file using the WIM: prefix. The repair WIM can be different than the initial WIM file used for installation. You can specify multiple paths by using “;” between the paths. Valid syntax is “wim:<path to wim>:<index>”. Or “<path to sxs folder>”.

Examples:

\\server\Win8Media\sources\sxs

wim:\\server\sourcewim\install.wim:3

If you select Never attempt to download payload from Windows Update, WU is not contacted during an installation or repair operation.

If you select Contact Windows Update directly to download repair content instead of Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), attempts to add features (for example, .NET Framework 3.5) or repair the feature file store use Windows Update to download files. Target computers require Internet and WU access for this option. Normal servicing operations continue to use WSUS if it has been configured as a source.

Windows 2012 DirectAccess Quick & Dirty

Install Server 2012. Join Server to your Domain.

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Select Behind an Edge Device
Public name voor mij is dat is: thuis.wardvissers.nl

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Remote Access Review & Next
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View Remote Access Review

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Finish

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Overview

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Policy’s

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Windows 8 Client

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I have a Firewall/NAT router. So you need open some ports
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DirectAccess works great. Every where I work I have access to my docs & email.

Windows Server 2012: Convert server Core to server with a Gui

  1. Create a folder to mount a Windows Imaging File (WIM) in with the command mkdir c:\mountdir

  2. Determine the index number for a Server with a GUI image (for example, SERVERDATACENTER, not SERVERDATACENTERCORE) using this command at an elevated command prompt: Dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:<drive>:sources\install.wim

  3. Mount the WIM file using this command at an elevated command prompt: Dism /mount-wim /WimFile:<drive>:\sources\install.wim /Index:<#_from_step_2> /MountDir:c:\mountdir /readonly

  4. Start Windows PowerShell and run this cmdlet:

    Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Restart –Source c:\mountdir\windows\winsxs

  5. Alternatively, if you want to use Windows Update as the source instead of a WIM file, use this Windows PowerShell cmdlet:

    Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Restart

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