Problem solve

Problem solve

Get help with specific problems with your technologies, process and projects.

• Try default values in PowerShell parameters for flexibility

  When you lock down your code to work in specific conditions, your automation efforts can fall flat. Try these techniques to add more versatility to your PowerShell scripts. Continue Reading

• Cut coding corners with return values in PowerShell functions

  In certain instances, a return keyword is a good option to exit the current scope of a function and to reduce the bloat from a PowerShell script. Continue Reading

• Microsoft Cloud App Security aims to expand your defenses

  Data center security tools have little control over the plethora of SaaS apps used in the enterprise. A Microsoft offering attempts to bridge that gap to ward off threats. Continue Reading

• Optimize Windows Server 2019 with file server best practices

  A file server deployment must satisfy the needs of both the end user and the IT staff. Tune up Windows Server for a secure and performant repository for your critical data. Continue Reading

• Boost Windows Server performance with these 10 tips

  A small investment in time to execute these Windows Server performance tuning tips and techniques can optimize server workloads for more satisfactory results. Continue Reading

• How to work with Azure DNS zones

  Microsoft's hosting service for DNS domains is an option for organizations with a heavy Azure investment that want the benefits associated with a cloud service.Continue Reading

• Securing Active Directory also involves good backup practices

  The 'Active Directory Administration Cookbook' covers what admins can do in advance to bring the identity and access management platform back online after an attack.Continue Reading

• Techniques to troubleshoot Active Directory issues

  Active Directory runs several key operational duties, such as validating access to resources. Keep the system from breaking down with help from these diagnostic methods.Continue Reading

• Active Directory replication troubleshooting tips and tools

  When replication between domain controllers breaks down, just about everything else will grind to a halt. These utilities can help pinpoint the Active Directory issues.Continue Reading

• Learn to configure Office 365 alerts and other security features

  More users are working from home, which makes them tempting targets for malicious actors. Take the time to fortify your environment by deploying Office 365 protections.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Defender ATP taps into cloud for added protection

  Enterprises that want to wrap up their systems in an extra layer of security have the option for more enhanced protection that integrates with other Microsoft products.Continue Reading

• How to take advantage of Teams-Exchange integration

  The apps in Office 365 sometimes need a few tweaks to interact in a more seamless fashion. Learn how to combine the functionality of Exchange and Microsoft Teams.Continue Reading

• Steer clear of trouble while following the Office 365 roadmap

  There are literally hundreds of changes coming to the collaboration platform that affect email and other services. Here's what IT can do to help ease the transition for end users.Continue Reading

• Consider Office 365 MFA to thwart attacks

  More remote users are working on their own equipment, which opens an organization to a hack attempt. Office 365 customers can use multifactor authentication to lower this risk.Continue Reading

• Avoid common pain points when migrating to Exchange Online

  Every Exchange Server configuration is unique, which makes a move to hosted email in Office 365 a complex undertaking, but some stumbling blocks are more frequent than others.Continue Reading

• Increase PowerShell security with help from AppLocker

  Learn how to curb the native abilities of the expansive scripting tool in the Windows OS to prevent your users from being unwitting participants in a cyberattack.Continue Reading

• Active Directory nesting groups strategy and implementation

  Does your current Active Directory permissions setup spark joy? If not, then it's time to unscramble that confusing design into something that's easier to use and maintain.Continue Reading

• Understanding Windows PowerShell function parameters

  Parameters in Windows PowerShell can help admins better customize their functions, leading to improved input testing and more extensible commands.Continue Reading

• How to upload and download files with PowerShell FTP script

  By using the .NET WebClient class and PowerShell, Windows admins can upload and download files to FTP.Continue Reading

• A closer look at new and updated Microsoft security features

  Microsoft augments the native protection features in its newer Windows Server releases with cloud-based security products to reduce the likelihood of a successful breach attempt.Continue Reading

• How does Microsoft BitLocker secure local, cloud resources?

  The BitLocker encryption technology continues to evolve from its roots as a Windows Vista feature to protect resources both in the local data center and in the Azure cloud platform.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008 end of life means it's time to move

  Your organization has a few options to migrate from unsupported Windows Server 2008/2008 R2 systems to avoid becoming another cyberattack statistic.Continue Reading

• Using Azure AD conditional access for tighter security

  The cloud-based identity and access management service does not come with certain defensive features turned on by default, which administrators should rectify.Continue Reading

• Build a PowerShell logging function for troubleshooting

  A basic administrative skill is checking over logs to find out why something broke. Learn how to build a proper logging mechanism to catch errors for diagnostic purposes.Continue Reading

• How to navigate a ransomware recovery process

  If you find your systems locked up from a ransomware attack, what should you prioritize? Before you start your recovery, follow this plan to avoid additional trouble.Continue Reading

• Get back on the mend with Active Directory recovery methods

  Administrators should have a few of these data protection techniques up their sleeves to keep Active Directory from a total breakdown.Continue Reading

• How to repair Windows Server using Windows SFC and DISM

  Administrators can diagnose and treat a buggy server operating system by using the Windows SFC and DISM utilities for image analysis and repairs.Continue Reading

• URL filtering brings additional Office 365 protection

  Ransomware attacks evolve to evade Office 365's integrated protection systems. A third-party security tool can help shore up your defenses.Continue Reading

• Tips for ransomware protection on Windows systems

  No one product can prevent every ransomware attack, but there are several defensive practices Windows administrators can take to stop an encryption infection from ruining their day.Continue Reading

• How to lock down rising Office 365 costs

  Avoid springing a money leak in your Office 365 tenant by keeping closer tabs on several areas and following more frugal practices.Continue Reading

• Top Office 365 MFA considerations for administrators

  A complex password only goes so far to stop a breach. Implementing multifactor authorization can help, but make sure the product you select fits your current and future needs.Continue Reading

• How to rebuild the SYSVOL tree using DFSR

  Active Directory is the key component in many organizations to keep tabs on access and identity. If the SYSVOL directory disappears, these steps can get the system fixed.Continue Reading

• Know your Office 365 backup options -- just in case

  A move to Exchange Online in the Office 365 platform removes some administrative obligations but does require more work to set up proper email protections.Continue Reading

• How to keep VM sprawl in check

  Virtualization improves hardware use, but the pendulum can swing the other way and result in an overallocation of resources. Here's how to maintain the balance.Continue Reading

• Exchange troubleshooting tools help unclog email issues

  When problems with email occur, they can stem from an improper configuration of the Exchange Server system. Here's how to unravel some common messaging platform problems.Continue Reading

• How to locate privileged accounts in Active Directory

  IT administrators must be able to identify privileged accounts in Active Directory for a more secure enterprise; two methods can make the task easier.Continue Reading

• How to keep an Office 365 outage from ruining your day

  Stay on top of any potential problems with your Office 365 deployment through the monitoring dashboard and a break glass account to avoid Azure authentication outages.Continue Reading

• How do I avoid Exchange disk space issues?

  Exchange Server log files tend to chew up a lot of space, particularly on the later versions. Here's how to keep the mail flowing when a hard drive fills up.Continue Reading

• How to export an Outlook calendar and contacts

  Transferring Outlook data such as calendar items to an Excel compatible file only takes a few clicks, but there are subtle differences between Windows and macOS platforms.Continue Reading

• Build a Hyper-V home lab in Windows Server 2019

  Production servers aren't the place to experiment with Microsoft's Hyper-V technology. This guide helps you build a lab tailored for a nested virtualization environment.Continue Reading

• Is Windows Server troubleshooting on the way out?

  When a Windows Server workload starts to falter, what's the best way to proceed before it keels over? Once upon a time, you would try to fix it, but times have changed.Continue Reading

• Got infrastructure needs? These PowerShell tutorials can help

  From streamlining remote sessions to setting up an SSL certificate, these PowerShell tutorials show IT admins how to get more done with the management tool.Continue Reading

• What are some potential Windows Server cluster set snags?

  Windows Server 2019 cluster sets bring some Azure-like capabilities into the data center, but new features also bring new challenges for administrators.Continue Reading

• What are some Microsoft SDDC integration challenges?

  Microsoft added a number of new software-defined features in Windows Server 2019, but deploying a fully virtualized data center remains a challenge for several reasons.Continue Reading

• Hone your PowerShell text manipulation skills

  Retrieving content from and modifying content in text files with PowerShell are skills many administrators need to cultivate to aid their automation efforts.Continue Reading

• Lessons learned during a migration to Exchange Online

  There are a number of perks for administrators who move to Exchange Online, but there are spots of frustration that will require a few workarounds to ease the transition process.Continue Reading

• Migrate Exchange to Office 365 with these tips

  Check this list of common issues that can occur during an Exchange migration to steer the organization away from potential mishaps during the messaging platform's relocation.Continue Reading

• How to avoid the double-hop problem with PowerShell

  IT pros who manage with PowerShell will run into the double-hop problem and use CredSSP to work around it. This tutorial offers a more streamlined way to avoid that roadblock.Continue Reading

• Ways administrators can avoid IT burnout

  The last thing an overextended admin needs is additional work, but there are certain practices that, once introduced, can curb tech burnout in the long run.Continue Reading

• Resolve an Outlook outage when using Office 365

  When administrators get reports about an Outlook outage, they must work quickly to identify the affected accounts, research the causes and know where to turn for support.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Unified Messaging change presents dilemma

  The arrival of Exchange 2019 also means the end of unified messaging in the on-premises offering. Admins who use voicemail in Outlook should explore their options.Continue Reading

• Tips to track down and neutralize PowerShell malware

  The benefit of PowerShell is its wide-ranging access to Windows systems, but industrious hackers can exploit its abilities to launch attacks from inside your data center.Continue Reading

• What are the steps for an Exchange certificate renewal?

  An expired Exchange 2010 certificate is one of those issues that catches everyone's attention. Check and replace certificates with these basic commands.Continue Reading

• Windows troubleshooting tools to improve VM performance

  Fine-tune virtualized workloads and diagnose performance issues with help from these Windows troubleshooting tools every server administrator should know.Continue Reading

• Plan your Exchange migration to Office 365 with confidence

  Make your move to Office 365 with help from our experts who explain how to prepare before the transition and provide checklists to make sure the migration goes as planned.Continue Reading

• How to tackle an email archive migration for Exchange Online

  A move from on-premises Exchange to Office 365 also entails determining the best way to transfer legacy archives. This tutorial can help ease migration complications.Continue Reading

• Exchange IRM helps enterprises lock down information

  Exchange Server's information rights management features put boundaries on messages and documents to avoid the mishandling of restricted content.Continue Reading

• How do you fix Outlook display issues?

  Outlook crashes and rendering issues might require an upgrade -- or a downgrade -- for administrators who want to avoid a Band-Aid approach and want a permanent solution.Continue Reading

• How to bring Azure costs down to earth

  Don't let Azure VMs rack up a huge monthly bill from Microsoft. Figure out your business needs, then adjust the options in Azure to minimize charges.Continue Reading

• Windows file server migration tool eases data transfer dread

  For a seemingly simple process, Windows file server migrations instill a lot of apprehension in IT admins. Next time, go into the fight with a free tool to manage the process.Continue Reading

• Migrate to Exchange 2016 with all the facts

  When the time comes for a business to update its messaging platform, an Exchange 2016 migration can make sense. These four expert tips can usher you past pitfalls.Continue Reading

• Lost and found: Use an Exchange recovery database to restore data

  PowerShell can come to the rescue to restore messages and other items from an Exchange 2016 recovery database when trouble strikes -- or when lawyers make requests.Continue Reading

• What tools troubleshoot Autodiscover in Exchange Online?

  An admin needs to ferret out an Autodiscover issue when the user's mailbox resides in the Exchange Online platform. What tools enable IT to correct the problem quickly?Continue Reading

• Arm yourself for battle against an email virus outbreak

  Did malware slip through the Exchange Server perimeter? Don't panic. Use these PowerShell commands to respond quickly and minimize the damage.Continue Reading

• Tricks to create Office 365 Groups from distribution groups

  Many businesses switch from distribution groups to Office 365 Groups to benefit from its advanced features. Converting from one service to another, however, is a tricky process.Continue Reading

• Span multiple services with Office 365 data loss prevention policies

  Microsoft bolstered the data loss prevention features in Office 365 to protect more than just email. Learn how to expand DLP protection to SharePoint and OneDrive.Continue Reading

• Stop an Outlook certificate error before serious trouble erupts

  Users often dismiss Outlook certificate errors, but admins should know better. Here are some steps to address the three common causes of certificate errors.Continue Reading

• Exchange 2007 end of life creates on-premises vs. cloud choice

  Support for Exchange 2007 ends in April, which means many organizations face an impending migration. Keep these guidelines handy during migration talks.Continue Reading

• Ransomware prevention strategies for Windows Server admins

  One ransomware infection can lock up critical data and disrupt the business, but these tips can help boost your data center's defenses.Continue Reading

• Managed service accounts tighten Windows Server security

  When a Windows Server application uses a service account, it can make an organization vulnerable. Admins can switch to managed service accounts to boost Windows Server security.Continue Reading

• Three reasons why extended Exchange outages occur

  When Exchange Server goes down for an extended period of time, these three problems are probably to blame.Continue Reading

• The top Windows Server tutorials and tips of 2016

  A new operating system sparked Windows administrator's interest in 2016, as did information about using PowerShell to manage Windows Server and ways to deflect ransomware attacks.Continue Reading

• Produce mailbox reports with Exchange Online PowerShell scripts

  Administrators who are familiar with PowerShell can use their skills to extract user mailbox information for Exchange Online reports.Continue Reading

• What kind of log analytics does Microsoft OMS perform?

  Microsoft OMS features 'solution packs' that track resource usage, which can help administrators plan for future capacity needs.Continue Reading

• Get the most out of Exchange logs to prevent issues

  There is no shortage of Exchange Server logs at the administrator's disposal. There are a number of tools available to analyze the data and help avoid future issues.Continue Reading

• PKI encryption in PowerShell coming in Windows Server 2016

  Administrators can use PowerShell to perform PKI encryption to protect sensitive data, but public or private key certificates need to be created first.Continue Reading

• Configuration caveats when enabling Outlook offline

  Exchange data is still available for users working in Outlook offline or Outlook on the web, but administrators may want to lock down certain settings.Continue Reading

• What is the easiest way to bring Microsoft OMS into my organization?

  My organization wants to use Microsoft Operations Management Suite. What's the best way to establish a connection to our existing environment?Continue Reading

• How do I troubleshoot Exchange mail flow problems?

  My users can send email messages from Exchange Server, but cannot receive messages from external senders. How can I resolve these inbound mail flow issues?Continue Reading

• Who's to blame when Microsoft security updates go bad?

  A bad Microsoft patch is not an uncommon event, but without the resources to test it adequately, what's an overworked IT staff supposed to do?Continue Reading

• Set Office 365 data loss prevention policies with PowerShell

  Exchange administrators can use PowerShell to manage Office 365 compliance, e-discovery and data loss prevention.Continue Reading

• Untangling the confusion in the Microsoft Azure portal

  Administrators must grapple with Azure management portal changes as Resource Manager displaces the classic Service Management portal.Continue Reading

• Several ways to resolve Exchange mail flow issues

  When a wayward message doesn't reach its intended mailbox, there are times it takes a combination of tools, log files and troubleshooting techniques to fix an email flow problem.Continue Reading

• Using Diskpart to create, extend or delete a disk partition

  Diskpart is a disk management tool designed to create, delete and resize hard drive partitions, and assign or reassign drive letters in Windows client and server operating systems.Continue Reading

• Exchange database maintenance requires oversight

  Don't assume Exchange 2010 database maintenance is happening; administrators should check the event log and performance counter to ensure an Exchange database repair or recovery isn't required.Continue Reading

• What's involved to fix a disconnected mailbox?

  Exchange administrators can disable or delete disconnected mailboxes using the EAC or Exchange Management Shell.Continue Reading

• Exchange mobile device management poses challenges to administrators

  While allowing end users to access Exchange from multiple devices usually won't affect the server, it can quickly drive up licensing costs and help desk calls.Continue Reading

• Newer Windows Server versions won't fix security issues

  While surrounding the data center with an assortment of hacker prevention tools can look impressive, it doesn't mean Windows Server security has been improved.Continue Reading

• How is Windows Nano Server managed?

  Microsoft Nano Server sheds the traditional Windows Server GUI which means some administrators will need to adapt to adopt this deployment model.Continue Reading

• Exchange 2016 upgrade considerations

  Organizations planning an upgrade to Exchange 2013 or Exchange 2016 should focus on five areas to avoid trouble.Continue Reading

• Best practices for authenticating PowerShell script permissions

  PowerShell scripts can only run when they have the proper permissions, but an administrator may need to authenticate the script so it has the right privileges.Continue Reading

• Exchange Server best practices for administrators

  Exchange Server errors are an unfortunate but often unavoidable reality for administrators. These tips will help Exchange admins maintain the security and health of their servers.Continue Reading

• Start using the PowerShell pipeline with this example

  An administrator can create functions to support the PowerShell pipeline, which improves upon text-based shells by allowing the scripter to pass objects across the pipe.Continue Reading

• How Windows administrators can manage print queues

  Printer management requires making sure the correct and most current drivers are installed and that any print queues associated with a device are cleared.Continue Reading

• How do database copies enable Exchange server redundancy?

  When email databases fail, important messages are lost and other issues arise. Database availability groups can help prevent these problems.Continue Reading

• Exchange 2016 CU1 overshadowed when mailbox anchor drops

  Microsoft released updates for all supported versions of Exchange Server. The updates cover issues with mailbox anchoring in Exchange 2013 and improvements to lagged database copies.Continue Reading

• The essential guide to Exchange Server backup and recovery

  An Exchange Server backup requires careful planning to protect data. This guide walks admins through the steps and challenges of an Exchange backup and what to know for Office 365.Continue Reading

• Don't forget Exchange 2010 database maintenance

  Exchange Server 2010 automatically performs background maintenance on your mailbox databases, but Exchange administrators can't shirk these important database maintenance and monitoring tasks.Continue Reading

• Define Outlook Web App mailbox policies in Exchange

  There are three main OWA mailbox policy categories in Exchange 2013: features, files and offline access. Make sure you know how to control them.Continue Reading

• The inevitable Office 365 outage and your recovery plan

  An IT outage is an unfortunate occurrence that can wreak havoc on an enterprise. Before an outage happens, take steps to minimize interruptions to daily operations.Continue Reading