Tips

Tips

Enterprise infrastructure management

• Remote possibilities: Out-of-band management admin options

  COVID-19 puts added strain on administrators who need to compensate for lack of personnel in data centers, which leads to the need for a remote access strategy.  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

• What admins should know about Microsoft Windows Terminal

  There's a new terminal that puts a different spin on the traditional command-line tools used by Windows administrators with extensive functionality and customization options.  Continue Reading

• WVD vs. RDS vs. VDI: Which should you choose?

  Application and desktop virtualization delivered by Windows Server continues to do the job, but is it time to give Microsoft's new cloud-based desktop service a look?  Continue Reading

• Is SCCM in Azure right for your organization?

  System Center Configuration Manager still has a long life, which was further underscored by Microsoft supporting deployments of the endpoint management tool to Azure.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2019 RDS updates a boon for remote work needs

  Enhanced security, improved end-user experience and cloud integration are just a few of the perks for organizations that move to Windows Server 2019 RDS.  Continue Reading

• Getting a handle on certificate management in Windows shops

  A certificate that isn't renewed by its expiration date will cause dire consequences for administrators who will need to find a fast remedy when systems can't communicate.  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

• What's new with PowerShell error handling?

  PowerShell 7 introduces a new cmdlet to assist administrators who wanted a better way to find out what broke in the scripts they wrote to manage their systems.  Continue Reading

• Why move to PowerShell 7 from Windows PowerShell?

  The next major release of this venerable automation tool features performance improvements and a bevy of new features that could sway many administrators to switch.  Continue Reading

• PowerShell 7 features admins should examine

  The next version of the administrative tool introduces several features, including a new cmdlet to assist with troubleshooting errors.  Continue Reading

• Cloud adoption a catalyst for IT modernization in many orgs

  Sloppy and insecure IT procedures that had been overlooked before the cloud arrived must evolve with the times to prevent data exposure and system breaches.  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 handle service downtime in the cloud age

  You know what happens when you assume. Don't set and forget those critical IT infrastructure services in the cloud without putting together a contingency plan.  Continue Reading

• How to manage Windows with Puppet

  Administrators can modernize their organization's management model for both Linux and Windows operating systems with Puppet, a code-based tool, and available community support.  Continue Reading

• Does an Azure cloud migration make sense for your workloads?

  While you can't move all of your Windows Server workloads into the Azure cloud and turn off your local server closet, you can get much closer than ever.  Continue Reading

• Linux on Windows helps systems administrators gain new skills

  The line between Windows and Linux is starting to blur in most organizations. Here's what systems administrators need to know about working with Linux and Windows.  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

• How to successfully migrate Exchange Servers

  Admins have a few options to upgrade their servers, but whether they choose cloud or on premises, the update process involves the same steps to transition old servers and avoid issues.  Continue Reading

• How to upgrade Windows Server 2008 before support ends

  With the end of Windows Server 2008 support drawing closer, administrators must navigate multiple obstacles, from locating old software to ensuring hardware compatibility.  Continue Reading

• Explore the Cubic congestion control provider for Windows

  Microsoft made Cubic the default congestion control provider for Windows 10 and plans to do the same for Windows Server 2019. Learn what this means for your organization.  Continue Reading

• Snag a better software service contract with these tactics

  Negotiating a cheaper service and support agreement for software requires some ingenuity, but there are typically savings to be had if you follow these strategies.  Continue Reading

• SCORCH integration packs plug in more functionality

  Integration packs enhance the automation abilities of System Center Orchestrator to help administrators manage a wide array of products and systems.  Continue Reading

• Build bridges between domain and Microsoft accounts with Group Policy

  BYOD disrupted how the IT department managed resources. Now, administrators face a management challenge presented by a new interloper -- Microsoft accounts.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server Migration Tools make file share moves less taxing

  Administrators can hit a few snags when migrating a Windows file server, but a free Microsoft utility and some PowerShell know-how make the changeover a painless procedure.  Continue Reading

• Tailor a WSUS server setup to any Windows environment

  Administrators can configure a Windows Server Update Services server -- or several -- to manage and distribute updates from Microsoft.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft SCORCH lights an automated path to more efficiency

  System Center Orchestrator tackles tedious tasks and can even make autonomous decisions based on conditions set by the Windows administrator.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2016 networking features bolster control, security

  Windows Server 2016 boasts improved load balancing and new ways to protect the data center from DoS attacks.  Continue Reading

• These Windows configuration management tools can prevent mishaps

  It's a challenge to limit downtime and speed up deployments in the data center. Configuration management tools can help IT maintain control.  Continue Reading

• Tighten security with regimen of scanning, Windows Server patching

  Regular vulnerability scans can close holes in the IT security perimeter when paired with a regimented Windows Server patching process.  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

• Operations Management Suite brings order to Azure cloud

  Microsoft Operations Management Suite tackles Azure and AWS clouds, and multiple hypervisors, all from one console.  Continue Reading

• Evaluate Windows Server Technical Preview with Boot to VHD

  The forthcoming version of Windows Server can be evaluated using the Boot to VHD, here's how it's set up.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server networking improvements and changes

  The next version of Windows Server will see the end of network access protection, but more networking enhancements can be found within.  Continue Reading

• A look at Windows MultiPoint Services role

  A Windows MultiPoint Server allows users to have their own sessions while connected to one machine. Here's where it helps, and how it's changing.  Continue Reading

• Previewing Windows Server storage replication

  The preview of Windows Server contains new storage replication features, but it's not enabled by default. Here's how to get started.  Continue Reading

• Perform a remote desktop update in stages

  Taking a staged approach to a Windows Server 2012 R2 RDS migration offers the best results and can minimize downtime for end users.  Continue Reading

• Staging a Remote Desktop Services upgrade

  Documenting configuration data and performing a complete backup of the RDS source server is crucial for avoiding issues. Do you know the requirements?  Continue Reading

• Preparing for a Windows Server RDS migration

  As Windows RDS becomes more important for troubleshooting remote systems, admins need to get a handle on prerequisites before an upgrade.  Continue Reading

• Monitoring devices for free with OpManager

  Windows administrators can get their hands on ManageEngine's OpManager, a program that manages 10 devices.  Continue Reading

• Ensuring hardware compatibility with a Windows Server 2012 upgrade

  With Windows Server 2012 available, admins have a lot to consider when it comes to hardware. Here's what you need to know before you make the move.  Continue Reading

• Step-by-step guide: Remote Desktop Gateway configuration

  The Remote Desktop Gateway role service extends the reach of Remote Desktop Services. Here's how to set it up, step by step.  Continue Reading

• Examining blade server options for Windows Server 2008 R2

  It's a question asked with relative frequency: should I implement blade or rackmount hardware for Windows Server 2008 R2? The truth is there's no simple answer.  Continue Reading

• Secure Windows Server in the cloud via Active Directory Group Policy

  When cloud technology invades, Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 admins must ensure their environments remain secure. Group Policy to the rescue?  Continue Reading

• Deciding between blade and rack-mount gear for Windows Server 2008

  Are you looking for scalability or performance? It's important to understand your needs before choosing a Windows Server hardware solution.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2008 R2 hardware selection tips

  Getting Windows Server 2008 R2 to run efficiently takes a little bit of luck and a lot of hardware knowledge.  Continue Reading

• What to do when DNS records disappear

  When working with DNS records in Active Directory, a small mistake can quickly become a big problem. Follow these steps to speed your recovery.  Continue Reading

• Not as crazy as it sounds: How to run Server 2008 on a notebook

  Whether it's for fun or a necessity of the job, here's how to get Windows Server running on a notebook.  Continue Reading

• Top three Windows server crashes (and how to avoid them)

  Why wait until a server crashes to start the troubleshooting process? Admins can squash potential outages ahead of time by zeroing on the most likely culprits.  Continue Reading

• Adding risk management analysis to a disaster recovery plan

  Incorporating risk management techniques within your disaster recovery plan will help identify critical business needs as well as other DR solutions.  Continue Reading

• HWiNFO utility provides free Windows hardware scans and reports

  Administrators can find in-depth server hardware information and generate reports with HWiNFO, an updated freeware utility for Windows systems.  Continue Reading

• A seven-step disaster recovery planning checklist for Windows

  This disaster recovery planning checklist will help Windows shops build a solid DRP to avoid data loss and comply with a wide range of laws and industry standards.  Continue Reading

• Defining system stability helps improve change management processes

  Keeping track of changes made to Windows can be difficult, especially if there's no way to determine the system's stability. Fortunately, there are guidelines IT managers can use to define policies, practices and procedures to proactively ensure ...  Continue Reading

• Implementing change management in the Windows server environment

  Creating a baseline server configuration and documenting all updates thereafter are two techniques admins can use to implement change management in their Windows server environment. Learn the steps involved in creating a standard server ...  Continue Reading

• How Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0 enhances IT service management

  The push to combine Microsoft Operations Framework 4.0 with a set of integrated tools that adhere to the IT service management lifecycle is just what the doctor ordered.  Continue Reading

• Cost Management Analysis Guide

  When creating a cost management analysis, the first thing IT managers should do is create a common desktop environment to keep costs down in a well managed Windows environment.  Continue Reading

• How to reduce the risk from Windows automatic updates

  Every change to a system represents a risk. To minimize crashes after a Windows update, administrators should standardize and test computers.  Continue Reading

• Managing user profile properties on SharePoint Server 2007

  My Site functionality in SharePoint Server 2007 has added more clarity to the portal definition as a personalized and individually controlled way of managing content.  Continue Reading

• Managing assets with Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager

  The Asset Intelligence component of Microsoft's System Center Configuration Manager 2007 has tools to keep track of software and hardware as well as the ability to develop executive reports.  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery planning for Active Directory

  In part one of this tutorial, learn how creating an Active Directory replication lag site minimizes the chances of an Active Directory disaster.  Continue Reading

• How a cost management analysis affects Windows Server 2008 migration

  When creating a cost management analysis, IT managers should pay attention to the technologies they use now and plan to use, like Windows Server 2008.  Continue Reading

• How to create a user access management process for Windows

  An effective user access management process makes it possible to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of IT services for Windows users.  Continue Reading

• How to use RACI charts to define service desk roles and responsibilities

  Using a management tool called RACI charting can help IT managers simplify the daunting task of clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the service desk.  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery for Windows: Four critical success factors

  Improve your confidence in the entire disaster recovery process, from planning to implementation, by following these valuable Windows tips.  Continue Reading

• Avoid DC restoration problems with authoritative restore

  Restoring a domain controller can be tricky business, but by performing an authoritative restore, administrators can sidestep most problems.  Continue Reading

• Use SLAs to assign help desk incident priorities

  Service-level agreements help service desks categorize and prioritize IT incidents according to an organization's strategic plan.  Continue Reading

• Why detective controls are important in change management

  Change is a way of life in Windows IT shops. By using detective controls, Windows managers can minimize the risks associated with changes to production services.  Continue Reading

• Tracking help desk tickets: Policies and procedures

  Your help desk gets a lot of requests, so how should you keep track of what's coming in and what gets the highest priority? Learn how to analyze data to create and implement a finely tuned help desk policy.  Continue Reading

• Multi-core systems vs. multi-CPU systems

  Can you get better performance from a dual-core system or a dual-processor system? This article evaluates the two configurations and determines that multi-core chips tend to be more efficient than multi-CPU systems.  Continue Reading

• Incident management made easier with Microsoft Service Desk

  Expert Stuart Galup gives the skinny on Microsoft's help desk software, called Service Desk, and explains why help desk software and automated incident management can make your life a lot easier.  Continue Reading

• SLAs and service-level management: What does it mean for Windows managers?

  Windows service-level management is a business process for managing Windows user service requirements in an IT environment. A key component of a Windows service-level management plan is a service-level agreement (SLA). Expert Harris Kern explains ...  Continue Reading

• How to terminate SCSI devices

  Termination is the practice of placing a terminator at the end of a chain of SCSI devices. The terminator prevents an echo, which disrupts communications along the SCSI bus.  Continue Reading

• Crimping RJ-45 connectors onto CAT6 cable

  Crimping RJ-45 connectors onto CAT-6 cable can be particularly frustrating, because CAT-6 is quite a bit thicker than CAT-5 cable. Here are some techniques to make the process of installing RJ-45 connectors easier.  Continue Reading

• Daisy-chaining SCSI devices

  With SCSI, you can daisy-chain (physically wire) multiple devices together. However, if you're considering daisy-chaining multiple SCSI devices together, you should know the SCSI bus will only support a certain number of devices.  Continue Reading

• You can run Windows XP from an external USB hard drive

  Although Microsoft says it's not possible to run Windows XP from an external (USB) hard drive, Ngine Software has created a guide to building an installation of Windows XP that can be booted from an external USB hard drive.  Continue Reading

• Create and manage hardware profiles

  Hardware profiles, which are set by a systems administrator, describe which pieces of hardware are enabled or disabled when a system is booted under a given profile. They eliminate the process of Windows having to redetect hardware. This tip will ...  Continue Reading

• A disciplined approach to the Windows change management process

  Change management is a simple concept, but the process can be complex. Expert Harris Kern highlights the IT staff's roles in the Windows change management process.  Continue Reading

• Disaster recovery planning: The execution methodology

  There are certain methods to creating a solid disaster recovery plan that every IT manager should follow. Expert Russell Olsen breaks down the key steps to proper disaster recovery planning.  Continue Reading

• Multi-core processors: Their implication for Windows

  A Windows OS is totally unprepared to handle large numbers of processor cores. So what if Intel does indeed succeed with its plan to mass-produce a tetraflop processor by 2012?  Continue Reading

• Disable checksum offloading to resolve network slowdown caused by Windows Firewall

  Windows Firewall has an issue with some network adapters that support a hardware feature called checksum offloading. While there's no complete fix, there is a workaround.  Continue Reading

• Running 32-bit apps in x64 Windows: Registry redirection

  When a 32-bit application is run on top of an x64 version of Windows, the WOW64 emulator redirects the Program Files folder and calls to DLL files. But this emulator also redirects certain portions of the Windows registry. This article will show you...  Continue Reading

• Run 32-bit applications on x64 Windows servers

  Because most applications are 32-bit, the x64 version of Windows makes use of an emulator known as WOW64 to allow 32-bit applications to run.  Continue Reading

• A guide to server system interconnects

  Interconnects (often referred to as buses) move data (or program instructions) from one place to another on a server. Interconnects are characterized by three key properties: bandwidth, latency and connectivity.  Continue Reading

• Server power consumption: How not to overload a circuit

  How many servers and peripherals does it take to overload a circuit? Some simple calculations will save you a lot of trouble.  Continue Reading

• Use Microsoft's Windows Memory Diagnostic to test for bad computer memory

  Bad memory is one of the main reasons for random system failures. Microsoft now offers its own tool to test for memory problems.  Continue Reading

• Open the command prompt from right-click menu

  Save time and add an option to your right-click context menu that will open a command prompt at your current folder.  Continue Reading

• Leave spread spectrum clocking disabled

  Many PC devices, most notably motherboards, hard drives and controllers, have spread spectrum clocking (SSC) functions to control how much electromagnetic interference (EMI) they put out. It's best to leave this feature disabled. Turning on SSC may ...  Continue Reading

• Does XP support multiple processor cores?

  Does Windows XP Home support multiple processor cores in a single physical processor? A look at Intel's Hyper-Threading technology and AMD's X2 dual core series may resolve the question.  Continue Reading

• Recovering files from a corrupted cache for offline files

  With the number of users who are using offline file synchronization to take work on the road with them, the offline files cache often becomes corrupted.  Continue Reading

• Weak passwords can make your company vulnerable

  Passwords can make your company vulnerable to hackers. By using passphrases, instead of passwords, you can tighten up the security of your infrastructure. Expert Derek Melber tells you how to do it.  Continue Reading

• Start Windows Explorer as administrator in a user account

  Start Windows Explorer as administrator in a user account.  Continue Reading

• Choose SCSI over SATA for enterprise servers

  SATA's lower cost and new features make it attractive, but SCSI remains a standard for enterprise server hardware.  Continue Reading

• Registry's troubles hunting source files solved

  Sometimes the Registry setting in Windows 2000, XP and 2003 can't find the installation files it needs for a few different reasons. This tip explains what to do.  Continue Reading

• Easily add printers without using the Add Printer Wizard

  Users often add printers using the Add Printer Wizard. While Microsoft has done a good job with this tool, there are other options.  Continue Reading

• Start Windows Explorer with admin privileges in a non-admin account

  Start Windows Explorer with admin privileges while using a non-admin account.  Continue Reading

• Keyboard switch to USB kills PS/2 support

  How to fix keyboard issues when switching to and from PS/2 and USB keyboards.  Continue Reading

• Ping -t command

  Ping -t command  Continue Reading

• How to use non-Microsoft DNS for AD

  You don't have to use Microsoft's DNS to deploy an Active Directory domain. Expert James Michael Stewart explains how.  Continue Reading

• Sam Spade: Your network's detective agency

  David Strom takes a closer look at Sam Spade 1.14 from Steve Atkins.  Continue Reading

• Dos & don'ts: How to convince management to approve your project

  Windows administrators can be dull as dirt when explaining their projects to management. Here's how to hone your pitch.  Continue Reading