Windows systems and network management

Gain valuable techniques and information on the latest PowerShell commands and Microsoft tools, such as System Center, in this Windows systems and network management topic center. Admins will also learn new ways to respond quickly to changing business needs.

July 14, 2021 14 Jul'21
3 Windows zero-days fixed on July Patch Tuesday

Microsoft addressed 116 unique CVEs, including several corrections for Exchange Server, in this month's batch of security updates.
June 09, 2021 09 Jun'21
Microsoft resolves 6 zero-days for June Patch Tuesday

The tech company confirmed there were signs of exploitation in the wild for the vulnerabilities that affect Windows desktop and server operating systems.
May 13, 2021 13 May'21
May Patch Tuesday brings more bad news for Exchange admins

Microsoft releases four fixes for the email server product, which remains firmly in the sights of threat actors seeking new ways to exploit the system.
April 14, 2021 14 Apr'21
Exchange Server bugs continue to bite on April Patch Tuesday

Microsoft resolves 110 vulnerabilities, including a zero-day and four public disclosures, but the company says admins should prioritize four critical bugs on Exchange Server.

Bring yourself up to speed with our introductory content

Working with PowerShell Secret Management and Secret Vault

The two new PowerShell modules put API keys, credentials and other secrets under lock and key to protect sensitive information in automation and remoting scenarios. Continue Reading
Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is a server role in Active Directory that allows admins to manage and store information about resources from a network, as well as application data, in a distributed database. Continue Reading
What admins need to know about CMG client authentication

A System Center cloud management gateway keeps your organization's devices in compliance and running as they should, but which authentication option would work best for you? Continue Reading

Weigh the pros and cons of technologies, products and projects you are considering.

SCCM peer caching matters more now than ever

The three peer-to-peer technologies in System Center Configuration Manager smooth out traffic over the network, but one might be a better fit for your organization than the others. Continue Reading
SCCM vs. Intune: A closer look at the capabilities of each

Microsoft Endpoint Manager packages the two well-known administration tools, which have grown closer in functionality but still have some unique capabilities. Continue Reading
Azure MFA NPS extension boosts authentication capabilities

With help from the Network Policy Server extension, organizations can expand their on-premises authentication features by tapping into Microsoft's cloud. Continue Reading

Learn to apply best practices and optimize your operations.

Use command-line options to edit registries with regedit.exe

Did you know this venerable Windows GUI tool has several switches for basic registry editing tasks? See what tweaks Microsoft inserted in regedit for administrative use. Continue Reading
Using Diskpart to create, delete, clean or extend disk partitions

The diskpart is one of the oldest tools in the Windows operating system that handles a wide range of disk management jobs, such as assigning drive letters and deleting partitions. Continue Reading
Avoid data overflows with PowerShell Remove-Item

The cmdlet helps delete misplaced files and outdated documents, but you should tune the code to optimize execution and avoid errors when the work entails many files and folders. Continue Reading

We’ve gathered up expert advice and tips from professionals like you so that the answers you need are always available.

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