Just another day in paradise

Just testing via Windows Live Writer!

I’ve had a couple of bumps when trying to P2V a physical machine which has more memory than my Virtual Server host has. This problem is only encountered when using the GUI, you can get around this if you use some powershell. Here is the command I used to do this….

 $Credential = Get-Credential
Get-VMMServer -ComputerName “vmmhost.testlab.local”
$VMHost = Get-VMHost -ComputerName “vmhost.testlab.local”
New-P2V -SourceComputerName “P2VCandidate.testlab.local” -VMHost $VMHost -Name “GuestName” -Path “e:\VMs” -MemoryMB 768 -Credential $Credential -RunAsynchronously

get-credential will prompt for a username and password, make sure it’s a domain username and password that has access to the server you are trying to P2V.

Happy P2Ving!

Targeting 10x faster than USB 2.0 check out the press release from Intel

http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20070918comp.htm

If you’re still using Office 2003 then definately grab this!

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923618

Last week, Microsoft released product updates for Internet Security & Acceleration (ISA) Server 2006 and Intelligent Application Gateway (IAG) 2007.  This is the first time Microsoft have synchronized updates for their edge security solutions as they move toward better integration across Forefront edge security and access product line.  The updates include:IAG 2007IAG 2007 Service Pack 1 adds Windows Vista client support, improved performance, stability and security, and enables new solutions with select feature enhancements. Key updates delivered with SP1 include:·         Broader client support with Windows Vista and Windows Mobile 5.0 (for Exchange ActiveSync push e-mail).·         Better enterprise integration through ADFS deployment scenarios and support, as well as KCD support for SmartCard-only authentication.·         A Stronger platform with up to a 6X performance increase in certain scenarios (HTTP) and upgrade support on Whale 4700 2U hardware (software version 3.6 only).ISA 2006ISA Server 2006 SU provides new troubleshooting options and tools available directly from the ISA Server Management console, including new diagnostic logging functionality, and enhanced log viewer and log filter options for ISA Server 2006 Standard and Enterprise Editions. Key updates delivered with the SU include:·         Enhanced troubleshootingo    Improvements to the ISA Server Management console with the addition of a new Troubleshooting node o    Integration with the Microsoft ISA Server Best Practices Analyzer tool·         Improved logging and analysis           o    Enhanced log viewing and filtering functionalityo    Updated diagnostic logging, including over 200 new diagnostic logging events http://www.microsoft.com/forefront/edgesecurity

Check out these recently released cookbooks…

Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 and Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager The goal of this cookbook is to provide the steps and guidance necessary for you to successfully install and configure Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1 and System Center Virtual Machine Manager. You may then create and manage virtual machines, and perform P2V migration. http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.SCVMM_FINAL.doc Backup and Recovery using Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 and Acronis® True Image 9.1 Enterprise Edition The goal of this cookbook is to guide you through installing Acronis server imaging solutions for workgroups and installing Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1. The cookbook covers creating a virtual machine (to serve as a standby for recovery) and restoring the contents of a server representing your production workload to the waiting virtual machine. http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.VS_Acronis_FINAL.doc Microsoft® System Center Data Protection Manager 2007, Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1, and Microsoft® System Center Virtual Machine Manager The scenario presented in this cookbook will take you through the steps necessary to install Virtual Server and SCVMM, and then convert a workload to a virtual machine. This cookbook also includes the steps necessary to install DPM and to back up a running virtual machine, as well as information about monitoring and reporting using DPM. http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.SCVMM_DPM_FINAL.doc Quick Migration with Virtual Server Host Clustering Windows Server® 2003 Enterprise Edition & Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 This cookbook describes a simple configuration in which you use Virtual Server 2005 R2 to configure one guest operating system, and configure a server cluster that has two servers (nodes). With this configuration, you can migrate workloads easily from one node to the other http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.Quick_Migration_FINAL.doc Mobile User Access of Applications. Terminal Server running on virtual machines using Microsoft® Virtual Server 2005 R2 Service Pack 1 In this cookbook we will install Terminal Server on a virtual machine and access the terminal server remotely. We will also show how to install Remote Desktop Web Connection and how to configure Windows® Firewall to allow remote clients to access the terminal server. http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/b/9/2b99fd0d-5437-40d7-a430-23e31cac7ece/Deployment_Cookbook.Terminal Services Presentation Virtualization_Final.doc Hosted Backup and Recovery Solutions for Service Providers using DPM and VS This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience providing data backup and recovery to customers as a hosted solution using Virtual Server and System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/0/4/5049f4b0-7ad1-4f34-8018-ef96af052a2c/Deployment_Cookbook.DPM_hosted_solution_FINAL.docx Simple Offsite Backup and Recovery of virtual machines using DPM and VS This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for backing up and restoring virtual machines running in an offsite location using Virtual Server and System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/4/0/240c1b94-d2ed-45b6-b821-9d8cd792c22b/Deployment_Cookbook.DPM_offsite_backup_FINAL.doc Simple Onsite Backup and Recovery of virtual machines using DPM and VS This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for backing up and restoring running virtual machines using Virtual Server and System Center Data Protection Manager 2007 http://download.microsoft.com/download/f/b/d/fbd28458-c41c-4414-b530-869af4e49014/Deployment_Cookbook.DPM_onsite_backup_FINAL.doc High Availability with VS and WS03R2 Enterprise Server Clustering This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for implementing high availability of server workloads using Windows Server 2003 Server Clustering and Virtual Server using Intel-based hardware. http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/9/e/49e943a6-060b-4a1b-89eb-3962b748d200/Deployment_Cookbook.Host_Clustering_FINAL.doc Application Isolation and Operation in BO Using VS This cookbook will provide procedural, step-by-step guidance to an IT Generalist audience for isolating and operating applications on separate virtual machines in branch offices using Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 SP1, in an Intel-based hardware environment for regulatory compliance and improved legacy workload performance. http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/d/b/4db13d05-f000-46c9-9767-5d07b3ad8609/Deployment_Cookbook.VS_branch_office_FINAL.doc

Deployment 4 is the code name for the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 and unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. For the thousands of IT professionals already trained on BDD 2007, Deployment 4 requires minimal extra training to perform large-scale Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2003 deployments, while offering a further enhanced desktop deployment experience. Deployment 4 adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and deployment, including:

• System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment
• Windows Automated Installation Kit
• Windows Deployment Services with new multicast technology
• Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
• User State Migration Tool 3.0.1
• Windows Server 2008 Server Manager for automated server role definition (coming soon)

Deployment 4 Beta 3 combines the guidance and toolset from previous releases of Business Desktop Deployment and Beta releases of Windows Server Deployment. This release continues to support Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) of desktop operating systems using Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack and adds new deployment and task sequencing capabilities for desktops and servers using System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Deployment 4 also continues to provide Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support without infrastructure requirements and adds capabilities for Windows Server 2003 and pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008. New features in Deployment 4 Beta 3

• Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 support, with the following features:
  • Full support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 deployments with Deployment 4 and Configuration Manager 2007.
  • Complete integration into the Configuration Manager 2007 admin console and task sequencing capabilities.
    • Quick start Configuration Manager 2007 operating system deployments using one wizard to create needed task sequences and packages.
    • Extends the Configuration Manager 2007 task sequencing capabilities with new actions.
  • Feature parity with BDD 2007 and SMS 2003, including dynamic package installation, automatic determination of state store location, computer backup, database settings.
• Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support for Windows Server 2008:
  • Support for deploying Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 and potentially RC0 (to be verified after RC0 release), including support for Server Core installation options. (Windows Server 2008 TAP customers only.)
• Lite Touch Installation (LTI) enhancements:
  • Enhanced disk and network interface cards (NICs) configuration options, including support for static TCP/IP configuration.
  • Design changes to ease the migration from LTI to Configuration Manager 2007.
  • Support for multiple task sequence templates. New sample templates include:
    • Client template: Windows Vista, Windows XP
    • Server template: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
    • Replace scenario template
  • Ability to invoke web service calls Support for web service calls from rules
    • Web services can be invoked as part of the rules processing performed by Deployment 4, using new rules that can be defined in CustomSettings.ini.
  • Support for side-by-side installation with Deployment 4 and BDD 2007 installed on the same machine.
• Lite Touch Installation (LTI) multicast support:

Deployment Workbench supports multicast transmission of operating system images when performing LTI deployments from Windows Server 2008 servers that are running Windows Deployment Services.

This is available for download on the Connect site - http://connect.microsoft.com

Yes that’s right, SCVMM has now been finalised and is offically released. Find out more here - http://www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/scvmm/default.mspx

Ok well not too naughty but I haven’t blogged in ages Life has been pretty crazy with a new addition to the family and I’m not a scumbag contractor. Currently working at Bankwest as an Infrastructure Architect so I’m hoping I’ll be able to share some interesting information and war stories with you all.

Microsoft Technology Advisor Frank Koch has done a great job on this ebook, go and check it out http://blogs.technet.com/mfugatt/archive/2007/06/11/free-windows-powershell-book.aspx