Posts Tagged ‘Server 2008’

Support Files of Active Directory

Posted: July 5, 2011 in Active Directory, Server, Server 2003, Server 2008
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The Active Directory support files are listed below. These are the files that you specify a location for when you promote a server to a domain controller:

  • Ntds.dit (NT Directory Services): Ntds.dit is the core Active Directory database. This file on a domain controller lists the naming contexts hosted by that particular domain controller.
  • Edb.log: The Edb.log file is a transaction log. When changes occur to Active Directory objects, the changes are initially saved to the transaction log before they are written to the Active Directory database.
  • Edbxxxxx.log: This is auxiliary transaction logs that can be used in cases where the primary Edb.log file fills up prior to it being written to the Ntds.dit Active Directory database.
  • Edb.chk: Edb.chk is a checkpoint file that is used by the transaction logging process.
  • Res log files: These are reserve log files whose space is used if insufficient space exists to create the Edbxxxxx.log file.
  • Temp.edb: Temp.edb contains information on the transactions that are being processed.

Schema.ini: The Schema.ini file is used to initialize the Ntds.dit Active Directory database when a domain controller is promoted.

Supported Upgrade Paths for Server 2008

Posted: June 30, 2011 in Server, Server 2008, System Information
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Before performing an upgrade, you should make sure the server’s installed software and hardware support Windows Server 2008. You can download tools for testing compatibility and documentation at the Windows Server Catalog Web site (http://www.windowsservercatalog.com/).

 

Microsoft Server operating systems from Windows 2000 and later can be upgraded to Windows Server 2008. In general, servers can be upgraded to a product with equal or greater capabilities, thus:

 

  • Windows Server 2003 Standard or Enterprise editions can be upgraded to Standard or Enterprise editions of Windows Server 2008.
  • Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, can be upgraded to Windows Server 2008 Datacenter.
  • Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, can be upgraded Windows Web Server 2008.
  • Windows Server 2008 Standard can be upgraded to Enterprise or Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2008.
  • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise can be upgraded to Windows Server 2008 Datacenter.

Core Function of DHCP

Posted: June 29, 2011 in Active Directory, Internet Protocol, Server 2008, System Basics, System Information
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The core function of DHCP is to assign addresses. DHCP functions at the Application Layer of the Open System Interconnection (OSI) reference model, as defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the Telecommunication Standards Section of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU-T).

The OSI model is used for reference and teaching purposes; it divides computer networking functions into seven layers. From top to bottom, the seven layers are application, presentation,

session, transport, network, data-link, and physical

 

In brief, DHCP provides four key benefits to those managing and maintaining a TCP/IP network:

 

  • Centralized administration of IP configuration—DHCP IP configuration information can be stored in a single location and enables the administrator to centrally manage all IP configuration information. A DHCP server tracks all leased and reserved IP addresses and lists them in the DHCP console. You can use the DHCP console to determine the IP addresses of all DHCP-enabled devices on your network. Without DHCP, not only would you need to manually assign addresses, you would also need to devise a method of tracking and updating them.
  • Dynamic host configuration—DHCP automates the host configuration process for key configuration parameters. This eliminates the need to manually configure individual hosts when TCP/IP is first deployed or when IP infrastructure changes are required.
  • Seamless IP host configuration—the use of DHCP ensures that DHCP clients get accurate and timely IP configuration parameters, such as the IP address, subnet mask, default gateway, IP address of the DNS server, and so on, without user intervention. Because the configuration is automatic, troubleshooting of misconfigurations, such as mistyped numbers, is largely eliminated.
  • Flexibility and scalability—Using DHCP gives the administrator increased flexibility, allowing the administrator to more easily change IP configurations when the infrastructure changes. DHCP also scales from small to large networks. DHCP can service networks with ten clients as well as networks with thousands of clients. For very small, isolated networks, Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA) can be used.

Windows Server 2008 Auditing Overview

Posted: June 21, 2011 in Active Directory, Server, Server 2008, System Information
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Windows Server 2008 provides several categories of events that you can audit, as described in the following list:

 

■ Account Logon Events:  Track user logon and logoff via a user account.

■ Account Management:  Track when a user account or group is created, changed, or

deleted; a user account is renamed, enabled, or disabled; or a password is set or changed.

■ Directory Service Access:  Track access to Active Directory.

■ Logon Events:  Track nonlocal authentication events such as network use of a resource or a remote

service that is logging on by using the local system account.

■ Object Access:  Track when objects are accessed and the type of access performed—for example,

track use of a folder, file, or printer. Configure auditing of specific events through the object’s

properties (such as the Security tab for a folder or file).

■ Policy Change:  Track changes to user rights or audit policies.

■ Privilege Use:  Track when a user exercises a right other than those associated with logon and

logoff.

■ Process Tracking:  Track events related to process execution, such as program execution.

■ System Events:  Track system events such as restart, startup, shutdown, or events that affect

system security or the security log.

Securing remote registry access

Posted: June 21, 2011 in Bios, Registry, Server, Server 2008, System Information
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A good security step to take to prevent hackers and others from making unauthorized changes to a system’s registry is to prevent remote access to a system’s registry. When a user attempts to connect to a registry remotely, Windows Server 2008 checks the ACL for the following registry key:

 

HKLM\System\ControlSet001\Control\SecurePipeServers\winreg

 

If this key is missing, all users can access the registry subject to the permissions assigned to individual keys. If the key exists, Windows Server 2008 checks the permissions on the key to determine whether or not the remote user can gain access to the registry (and levels of access). Individual keys then determine what these remote users can do with a given key. Therefore, winreg is the first line of defense, and individual key ACLs are the second line of defense. If you want to prevent all remote access to the registry, make sure you set the permissions on the winreg key accordingly.

Data Source Name – DSNs

Posted: June 17, 2011 in Active Directory, Server 2008, System Information
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You make data sources available to clients by creating a Data Source Name (DSN). Three types of DSNs exist:

 

> User.                    A user DSN is visible only to the user who is logged on when the DSN is created.

> System.              A system DSN is visible to all local services on a computer and all users who log on locally to the                                                       computer.

> File.                     A file DSN can be shared by all users who have the same drivers installed and who

have the necessary permissions to access the DSN. Unlike user and system DSNs, file

DSNs are stored in text files, rather than the registry.

 

The DSN identifies the data source, the driver associated with a data source, and other properties that define the interaction between the client and the data source, such as timeout, read-only mode, and so on. You use the same process to create a DSN for most database types. The exception is SQL Server, which provides a wizard for setting up a data source.

 

Defining a data source

To create a data source, you first open the ODBC Data Source Administrator. To do so, click Start _ All Programs _ Administrative Tools _ Data Sources (ODBC). In the ODBC Data Source Administrator, click the tab for the DSN type you want to create and then click Add. Select the desired data source type and click Finish. Except in the case of the SQL Server driver, ODBC prompts you for information, which varies according to the driver selected. Define settings as desired and click OK to create the DSN.

Education First, Bangalore [EF]

Posted: April 12, 2011 in EF, Uncategorized
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EF stands for “Education First”. Founded in 1965 by entrepreneur Bertil Hult, EF is a privately-held company with 16 divisions that offer a range of educational programs from language training, educational travel, and academic degrees to cultural exchanges. With a mission to break down barriers in language, culture and geography, EF has helped people of all ages and nationalities become citizens of the world.

From Berlin to Beijing, Moscow to Mexico City, Dubai to Denver, EF operates 400 schools and offices in over 50 countries. EF’s global network includes 9,000 staff and 25,000 teachers and guides. To date, EF has helped over 15 million people to learn a new language, discover the world, or earn an academic degree.

“Education First” is more than our company name. It is our corporate passion.

EF’s mission is to break down the barriers of language, culture and geography that divide us.

The Official Website

 

About EF Bangalore

It all started with the idea that rather than outsourcing our systems development and maintenance, we could do it smarter and better ourselves – with our own people!

Just over a year and a half ago, a team of people therefore came to Bangalore, the Santa Barbara of India, interviewing hundreds and hundreds of people to find the most remarkable talent the market could offer. We started small, hiring only the best of the best, and began the journey from a very tiny temporary office.

 

As the number of highly skilled people grew, we also initiated the hunt for a bigger and more suitable workplace. After months of negotiations with landlords and architects, innumerous approval stamps, vanished construction workers and delayed furniture, we finally got everything in place and moved in to our new EF office on Cambridge Road on February 1st.

The office was built on the notion that you should feel at home, even when you are in the office; it should be a place where creativity and ideas spire, where you can feel the energy and power to achieve the impossible, and where your friends and colleagues inspire you to walk the extra mile.

We in Bangalore are very proud of our new office and would love for you to come and visit, maybe have a chai in our coffee lounge or enjoy the views from our roof terrace. And, we would of course take the opportunity to show you what we can and will achieve with technology!

Get IT right! Own IT!

Shutdown Event Tracker

Posted: March 29, 2011 in Active Directory, System Information, System Modifications, System Tricks
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You have probably noticed that Windows Server 2003 has a new feature that requests a shutdown reason each time you restart the server. This feature is called the Shutdown Event Tracker.

You might choose to disable this feature to avoid the hassle of typing in a reason each time you restart.

To disable this feature, you can perform the following steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, and type gpedit.msc and press Enter.

2. Expand the Computer Configuration and then Administrative Templates objects. Click on the System object. In the right-hand pane you’ll see several settings appear.

3. Locate and double-click that Display Shutdown Event Tracker setting. The Display Shutdown Event Tracker Properties dialog box opens.

4. Click the Disabled radio button to disable the Shutdown Event Tracker. Click OK. Close the Group Policy Editor console. Now when you shut down this server, you won’t be asked to enter a reason.

 

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Active Directory Naming and LDAP

Posted: March 4, 2011 in Active Directory, Exchange Server, Server 2003, Server 2008, System Information
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The LDAP is a standardized protocol used by clients to look up information in a directory. An LDAP-aware directory service (such as Active Directory) indexes all the attributes of all the objects stored in the directory and publishes them. LDAP-aware clients can query the server in a wide variety of ways.

 

Every object in Active Directory is an instance of a class defined in the Active Directory

schema. Each class has attributes that ensure unique identification of every object in

the directory. To accomplish this, Active Directory relies on a naming convention that

lets objects be stored logically and accessed by clients by a standardized method. Both

users and applications are affected by the naming conventions that a directory uses. To

locate a network resource, you’ll need to know its name or one of its properties. Active

Directory supports several types of names for the different formats that can access

Active Directory.

 

These names include:

■ Relative Distinguished Names

■ Distinguished Names

■ User Principal Names

■ Canonical Names

 

Dell Open Manage Installation Guide for ESX

Posted: March 4, 2011 in Networking, Open Manage, Server 2003, Server 2008, System Information
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Installing Dell OpenManage 5.x on ESX 3.X

Note: ESX 3.5 systems, Patch ESX350-200802412-BG need to be installed prior to the OpenManage Installation. This patch addresses an issue related to event reporting in Dell OMSS. This patch may be downloaded from http://www.vmware.com/download/vi/vi3_patches_35.html. For further details, refer to http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1003459.

 

Dell OpenManage Package from support.dell.com

 

Use the following steps to download Dell OpenManage:

 

1. Go to http://support.dell.com

 

2. Select “Drivers and Downloads”

 

3. Select the appropriate server model (example: PowerEdge 2950) or enter the Service Tag of the server

 

4. For “Operating System,” select “Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4”

 

5. For “Category,” select “Systems Management”

 

6. Click on “Dell OpenManage Server Administrator Managed Node” to download a tar package for Server Administrator.

 

7. If the version of Dell OpenManage you require is not the latest release, click on “Other Versions” to find previous releases

 

The following are the steps to install OpenManage 5.x on ESX 3.x:

 

1. Log on with administrator privileges (root) to the Service Console.

 

2. Make sure there is at least 512MB of free disk space in the /root partition of ESX Server service console. This can be verified by running the df –lh command in the service console.

 

3. Use the following steps to install OpenManage Server Administrator:

 

Copy the file to ESX using WINSCP to

 

# /etc/tmp/update

Create an Update folder under /etc/tmp

 

Unzip the file

$ tar -zxvf OM_5.1_ManNode_LIN_A00.tar.gz

 

where OM_5.1_ManNode_LIN_A00.tar.gz is the file downloaded from http://support.dell.com

 

4. Install OpenManage by executing the installation script and following the onscreen instructions:

# ./setup.sh

 

a. If you are installing OpenManage on a Dell PowerEdge 1855, PowerEdge 1955, or on a system that does not have a Dell Remote Access Card (DRAC), use the following command:

 

$ ./srvadmin-install.sh –b –w -s

 

b. If you are installing Dell OpenManage on a PowerEdge M600, M605, or a server with DRAC, use the following command:

 

$ ./srvadmin-install.sh –b –w –r -s The options used in the OpenManage installation script expand as: b: Base install of OpenManage Server Administrator w: Web interface for OpenManage Server Administrator r: Dell Remote Access Controller (DRAC) services s: OpenManage Storage Management (OMSM)

 

5. To start the OpenManage services without rebooting the system, execute the following command:

$ srvadmin-services.sh start

 

 

6 To access the ESX server using an OpenManage Web Administrative console, open the ports used by OpenManage using the following commands:

 

$ esxcfg-firewall -o 1311,tcp,in,OpenManageRequest

 

 

To check the Dell Open manage

 

https://esxip:1311

 

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