Best Practices for Virtualizing & Managing Exchange 2013

Why Virtualize Exchange?
Why Microsoft Virtualization and Management?
Fabric Configuration
Hardware Considerations
Compute Considerations
Storage Considerations
Networking  Considerations
Host Resiliency & VM Agility
Host Clustering
Virtual Machine Configuration
General Supportability
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
Exchange 2013 Server Role Requirements Calculator
Exchange 2013 Virtual Machine CPU Considerations
Exchange 2013 Virtual Machine Memory Considerations
Exchange 2013 Virtual Machine Storage Considerations
Exchange 2013 Virtual Machine Network Considerations
Exchange 2013 Resiliency
Exchange 2013 Roles
Single Exchange 2013 Virtual Machine on a Hyper-V Cluster
Resilient Exchange Configuration on a Hyper-V Cluster
System Center 2012 SP1
Comprehensive Management Capabilities
Virtual Machine Manager
App Controller
Service Manager and Orchestrator
Operations Manager
Data Protection Manager
Conclusion

Download pdf here;

MAP 9 released

New Server and Cloud Enrolment scenario helps to simplify adoption

Server and Cloud Enrolment (SCE) is a new offering under the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement that enables subscribers to standardize broadly on one or more Microsoft Server and Cloud technologies.  The MAP Toolkit 9.0 features an assessment scenario to identify and inventory SCE supported products within an enterprise and help streamline enrolment.

New Remote Desktop Services Licensing Usage Tracking scenario creates a single view for enterprise wide licensing

With an increase in enterprises deploying Remote Desktop Services (RDS) across wider channels, RDS license management has become a focus point for organizations.  With the new RDS Licensing scenario, the MAP Toolkit rolls up license information enterprise-wide into a single report, providing a simple alternative for assessing your RDS licensing position.

Support for software inventory via Software ID tags now available

As part of the Microsoft effort to support ISO 19770-2, the MAP Toolkit now supports inventory of Microsoft products by Software ID (SWID) tag.  SWID enhanced reports will provide greater accuracy and assist large, complex environments to better manage their software compliance efforts by simplifying the software identification process and lowering the cost of managing software assets.

Improved Usage Tracking data collection for SQL Server Usage Tracking scenario

As part of our on-going improvement initiatives, Usage Tracking for SQL Server 2012 has been enhanced to use User Access Logging (UAL).  UAL is a standard protocol in Windows Server 2012 that collects User Access information in near real time and stores the information in a local database, eliminating the need for log parsing to perform Usage Tracking assessments.  UAL vastly improves the speed and helps to eliminate long lead times for environment preparation associated with running Usage Tracking assessments.

Download here;

Veeam RDP virtual appliance

This free appliance gives you a virtual machine (CentOS based) that will act as an RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol) Proxy to any Virtual Machine running on your Hyper-V server. Even when that virtual machine has no network connection or not even an Operating System running on it. It will act as a console to your Virtual Machine.

More information can be found here and here; download here.

Forefront: Important Changes to UAG and FIM

FIM will have a new major release in 2015;

The next full release of FIM will be delivered as part of Microsoft’s identity and access management product roadmap, which includes both on-premises investments and those we are making in Windows Azure Active Directory and related cloud services.

The investment areas for this next major release of FIM will include:

•     Hybrid scenarios with Windows Azure AD
•     User & Access Management
•     Audit & Compliance
  

Forefront Unified Access Gateway to be discontinued;

Based on product strategy, customer feedback, and prevailing market dynamics, Microsoft has made the decision not to deliver any further full version releases of Forefront UAG.

Microsoft customers continue to have access to select remote access and secure application publishing capabilities through Windows Server 2012 R2.  Windows Server is not a complete replacement for all UAG scenarios, but it does provide:

• DirectAccess deployment and policy management.  This capability has been part of Windows Server 2012 since its initial release in September 2012.
• Basic secure application publishing via the new Web Application Proxy service in the Remote Access role of Windows Server 2012 R2.  This new service allows customers to securely publish access to resources through a reverse proxy and includes integration with Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) for conditional access policy and multi-factor authentication capabilities.

Customers will be granted a Windows Server 2012 Standard server license for each UAG server license with active Software Assurance to allow them to make the transition.  For customers who wish to continue using Forefront UAG, Microsoft will provide maintenance and support through the standard Microsoft support lifecycle.  Mainstream support will continue through April 14, 2015, and extended support will continue through April 14, 2020.  Customers with active Software Assurance on UAG as of Dec. 1, 2013 may also add new UAG server instances, users, and devices without any requirement to order additional licenses.

Exchange Server 2013 Cumulative Update 3

Issues that the cumulative update resolves

Cumulative Update 3 for Microsoft Exchange Server 2013 contains the fix for the security issue that is described in Security Bulletin MS13-061 and resolves the issues that are described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles:

• 2865161 "Errors: Failed exporting item id: from source id" when you try to copy search results in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2866064 Can't load OWA Premium by using Internet Explorer 11 in an Exchange Server environment

• 2871980 Child domains are not displayed for selection when you create a mailbox by using EAC in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2874216 Security issue that is described in Security Bulletin MS13-061 is resolved by an Exchange Server update

• 2878160 "The Active Directory user wasn't found" error when you create or update an In-Place eDiscovery search in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2882608 Exchange Server 2013 does not share the inproxy.dll file

• 2886115 Retention policies are not applied to Exchange Server 2013 mailboxes when user accounts are on different domains

• 2888274 WebClientReadFormQueryString string and WebClientEditFormQueryString string return incorrect URLs in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2888315 Event 2112 or 2180 is logged when you try to back up a database in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2888612 Retention policy does not work after you run a cmdlet in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2889786 Sign-in format for Outlook Web App on mobile devices is not adjusted according to the Set-OwaVirtualDerictory cmdlet in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2890650 Items in the Drafts folder are not stamped with the retention policy tag in an Exchange Server 2010 or 2013 environment

• 2895487 "Copy Search Results" option does not work in an Exchange server 2013 environment

• 2895500 DBCS characters appear garbled when you run some PowerShell scripts in EMS in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2895678 "Nombre de usuario\dominio" is displayed unexpectedly on the Spanish version of the OWA and EAC logon pages in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2902929 You cannot forward an external meeting request in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2902929 You cannot forward an external meeting request in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2902933 "Generate incident report" does not display the "Bcc" field in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2902934 Korean language localization issue in Exchange 2013 OWA user interface

• 2902936 You cannot change SMTP addresses for distribution groups by using EAC in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2902938 You cannot preview Office documents in shared folders by using Outlook Web App in an Exchange Server 2013 environment

• 2902939 EMS connection error when you separately install an Exchange Server 2013 Mailbox server and a Client Access server

• 2883203 Exchange Server 2013 restarts frequently after Cumulative Update 2 is installed

• 2890814 No redirection to the Outlook Web App URL for Exchange Online users in an Exchange hybrid deployment

More information can be found here; download CU3 here. As always please read comments section here prior to install.

Update Rollup 3 For Exchange 2010 Service Pack 3

Update Rollup 3 for Exchange Server 2010 SP3 contains the fix for the security issue that is described in Security Bulletin MS13-061 and resolves the issues that are described in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles:

• 2715761 "550 5.6.0" NDR when you send a yearly recurring meeting request in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2839533 RPC Client Access service freezes in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2840454 "The rules on this computer do not match the rules on Microsoft Exchange" error when you manage rules by using Outlook 2013 in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2866064 Can't load OWA Premium by using Internet Explorer 11 in an Exchange Server environment

• 2874070 Public folders are exposed although the user does not have rights to see the parent folders in an Exchange Server 2010 SP3 environment

• 2878175 Client Access server crashes when you use Outlook with a Riverbed WAN optimizer in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2879320 Retention action setting is not updated in FAI items by running the Set-RetentionPolicyTag cmdlet in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2879736 Office 365 users cannot retrieve an on-premises user’s free/busy data in an Exchange Server 2010-based hybrid deployment

• 2880153 RPC Client Access Service crashes if Outlook is in online mode in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2880290 RPC Client Access service crashes when you use Outlook in ANSI online mode in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2882467 RPC Client Access service stops if Outlook is in online mode in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2882677 BlackBerry device is not redirected in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2886469 EAS client receives status code 8 during synchronization in an on-premises Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2886567 "Objects added to a BindingSource's list must all be of the same type" error message when you add an additional domain name in Exchange Server 2010 SP3

• 2887574 RPC Client Access service freezes when your mailbox reaches the quota limit in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2888406 Mailbox Replication service crashes when you try to move mailboxes in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2888906 Events 1000, 4999, and 9775 are logged when Store.exe crashes on an Exchange Server 2010 SP3 Mailbox server

• 2888911 W3wp.exe crashes when you decline a meeting request by using Outlook Web App or an EWS application in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2890650 Items in the Drafts folder are not stamped with the retention policy tag in an Exchange Server 2010 or 2013 environment

• 2891194 Exchange ActiveSync devices are marked as "Blocked" in EMS and EMC when the devices are synchronizing with the Exchange Server 2010 server

• 2892337 Outlook client freezes when you try to sort email folders by columns in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2893437 Delegate can read your AD RMS protected messages by using Outlook Web App in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2896304 Background image is displayed incorrectly in an email message when a disclaimer rule is enabled in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

• 2899146 You cannot drag email messages to other folders by using Outlook Web App in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

More information can be found here; download RU3 here. As always please read comments section here prior to install.

Exchange 2010 Certificate change; don’t forget Lync!

If your Exchange 2010 certificate expires you will find that the OWA Lync integration will stop working as Lync is using the expired certificate.

This is relativity easy to fix from any CAS Server.

Open Exchange Powershell on a CAS Server and type the following to get the new certificate thumbprint (check the certificate expiry date to be 100%)

This is my old certificate thumbprint it will be 40 characters long (mine is trimmed)

You can verify the old thumb print by running the following command.

With your new thumbprint use the following command

get-owavirtualdirectory | set-owavirtualdirectory -InstantMessagingCertificateThumbprint newthumbprintgoeshere

Run the following command to verify that the thumbprint has changed. (I have two CAS Servers hence two settings.)

If your happy that the new thumbprint match's then reset IIS at a time that suits.

Getting Started with Xbox One

Kinect for XBOX One

Settings up cables for XBOX One

XBOX One Guide

More information on getting started with XBOX One can be found here;

Free ebook: Microsoft System Center: Troubleshooting Configuration Manager

The third title in this series, Microsoft System Center: Troubleshooting Configuration Manager (ISBN 9780735683020) by Rushi Faldu, Manoj Kumar Pal, Andre Della Monica, Kaushal Pandey, and the System Center series editor Mitch Tulloch, is now available.

• Troubleshooting common Configuration Manager tasks such as software distribution, software updates, and deployment.
• Understanding how the various components of Configuration Manager on both the server and client side work together when such tasks are performed.
• Dealing with the enormous number of log files that are generated on both the server and client side of Configuration Manager.

Download ebook here; more information can be found here.

Free ebook: Introducing Windows Server 2012 R2 Technical Overview

This book is intended to provide you with an overview of the new features and enhancements introduced in Windows Server 2012 R2. The intended audience for this book is IT pros who deploy, manage, and maintain Windows Server workloads in data center, private cloud, and hosting provider environments.

More information can be found here; download here.

Performance Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2012 R2

When you run a server system in your organization, you might have business needs that are not met by using the default settings. For example, you might need the lowest possible energy consumption, or the lowest possible latency, or the maximum possible throughput on your server. This topic provides a set of guidelines that you can use to tune the server settings in Windows Server 2012 R2 and obtain incremental performance or energy efficiency gains, especially when the nature of the workload varies little over time.

This topic is split into the following sections:

• Performance Tuning for Server Hardware
• Performance Tuning for Subsystems
• Performance Tuning for Server Roles
• Performance Tuning for Workloads
• Additional Resources for Performance Tuning Guidelines

More information can be found here;

Windows Azure Poster

More information can be found here; download here.

IE 11 now available

More information can be found here;

Download x32 x64 Windows 2008 R2.

Operating system
Windows 7 32-bit with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or higher
Windows 7 64-bit with Service Pack 1 (SP1) or higher
Windows Server 2008 R2 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) 64-bit

Note
You must have Service Pack 1 (or higher) to install Internet Explorer 10 and Internet Explorer 11 for Windows 7.

KMS : Windows Server 2012 and 8.1 (How To)

What is KMS?
KMS stands for Key Management Service (or server); KMS activates computers on a local network, eliminating the need for individual computers to connect to Microsoft and the need for manually entering product keys.

Microsoft offers two types of Windows (and Office) products keys;
- KMS Keys (used to activate volume license media VLK)
- MAK Keys (Multiple Activation Key usually activates over internet / phone)

KMS is not for every environment as the following pre-req’s should be noted:
- Activations are only valid for 180 days, to remain activated, KMS client computers must renew their activation by connecting to the KMS host at least once every 180 days.
- By default, KMS client computers attempt to renew their activation every seven days. If KMS activation fails , the client will retry every two hours. After a client computer’s activation is renewed, the activation validity interval begins again.
- KMS has a threshold before it starts activating; clients such as Office / Windows 7/8/8.1 is ≥ 25 with Servers ≥ 5.

Installing KMS Windows Server 2008 R2.
No software required just a Windows 2008 R2 Server or a Windows 7 Client.
- Login to the Volume License Website and make a note of your KMS B or C key.
- From your intended KMS; open an elevated command prompt and type;

slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

- Replace x’ with your KMS Key and allow Firewall exception for Key Management Service
- Activate the Key by typing in the command window;

slmgr /ato

- Publish the KMS into DNS as this is how the clients find the KMS by typing;

slmgr /sdns

- Verify that the DNS entry is created

- Reboot the KMS Server for the changes to take effect.
- Make sure that your clients / servers are installed using the VLK media as they will included the proper client side KMS Key.  Please note that this Client Key is not the same as your KMS Key that you used above; this Client side Key is a generic Microsoft Key that can be found here;

Windows 8.1 Professional	GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9
Windows 8.1 Professional N	HMCNV-VVBFX-7HMBH-CTY9B-B4FXY
Windows 8.1 Enterprise	MHF9N-XY6XB-WVXMC-BTDCT-MKKG7
Windows 8.1 Enterprise N	TT4HM-HN7YT-62K67-RGRQJ-JFFXW
Windows Server 2012 R2 Server Standard	D2N9P-3P6X9-2R39C-7RTCD-MDVJX
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacentre	W3GGN-FT8W3-Y4M27-J84CP-Q3VJ9
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials	KNC87-3J2TX-XB4WP-VCPJV-M4FWM

- If you meet the criteria above your clients and servers should now automatically activate.
- Either check the System information or type the following from your client;

slmgr /dli
(current license information)

slmgr /dlv
(current license information verbose)

All slmgr commands can be found here.

Note – an update is required for Windows 7 and Windows 2008 R2 Servers to activate Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2; more information can be found here.

 

Installing KMS Windows Server 2012 R2.

Add the Volume Activation Service using Server Manager.

Configure using the Volume Activation Tools

Add your KMS B or C Key from the Volume License web site.
*Active Directory-Based Activation (ADBA) is a new feature for Windows 8, which enables enterprises to activate computers through a connection to their domain.

Configure the KMS Options and Commit the changes.

Tools;
Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT)

SCVMM 2012 R2 and the removal of P2V

I’m not sure if you are aware but VMM 2012 R2 has removed the P2V capability!  Seemingly an alternative product is in the pipeline; I’m guessing an updated version of Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter?

The VMM group have suggested the following method but standing up another instance of VMM 2012 SP1 is crazy.

More information can be found here; plus read the comments.

Xbox One: Invitation

About time Microsoft released a decent advert…

Generation 2 Virtual Machine’s

In Hyper-V there are two supported virtual machine generations, generation 1 and generation 2. Generation 2 virtual machines have a simplified virtual hardware model, and it supports Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) firmware instead of BIOS-based firmware. Additionally, the majority of legacy devices are removed from generation 2 virtual machines.

Generation 1  
- Provides the same virtual hardware to the virtual machine as in previous versions of Hyper-V.

Generation 2  
- Provides the following new functionality on a virtual machine:
- Secure Boot (enabled by default)
- Boot from a SCSI virtual hard disk
- Boot from a SCSI virtual DVD
- PXE boot by using a standard network adapter
- UEFI firmware support

The following guest operating systems are supported as generation 2 virtual machines.
- Windows Server 2012
- Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview
- 64-bit versions of Windows 8
- 64-bit versions of Windows 8.1 Preview

FAQs

Can I run generation 1 and generation 2 virtual machines together?
Yes. This is expected because generation 2 does not support all of the Hyper-V-supported guest operating systems. Guest operating systems that are not supported by generation 2 virtual machines need to be installed in a generation 1 virtual machine.

Is RemoteFX supported by generation 2 virtual machines?
No. RemoteFX is not supported by generation 2 virtual machines.

Can I attach a physical CD/DVD to a generation 2 virtual machine?
No. The virtual DVD drive in generation 2 virtual machines only supports ISO image files.

Can I attach a virtual hard disk in VHD format to a generation 2 virtual machine?
No. Generation 2 virtual machines only support VHDX format virtual hard drives. You can convert VHD files to VHDX format using the Edit Virtual Hard Disk Wizard in the Hyper-V Manager Console or use the Convert-VHD PowerShell cmdlet.

Can a VHDX file that was converted from a VHD file be used to boot a generation 2 virtual machine?
No. A clean install of the operating system is required.

Can I resize a VHDX file containing the boot volume for a generation 2 virtual machine while the virtual machine is running?
Yes.

What is the maximum size of VHDX file support by a generation 2 virtual machine?
64TB

Can I create a VHDX file that can be used to boot both generation 1 and generation 2 virtual machines?
While this is technically possible, it is possible that unexpected errors may occur. Therefore a VHDX file that is bootable to both generation 1 and generation 2 virtual machines is not supported or recommended.

Can I mount a VHDX file used by a generation 2 virtual machine?
Yes. A VHDX file itself is a container for a disk and as such can be mounted regardless of the virtual machine generation.

Can I tell whether a VHDX file was created by a generation 1 or generation 2 virtual machine?
No. The virtual machine generation is a property of the virtual machine not the virtual hard disk.

Can a generation 2 VHDX file be attached to a generation 1 virtual machine?
Yes, the VHDX file can be attached to either IDE or SCSI controller of a generation 1 virtual machine. If this is a bootable VHDX file the generation 1 virtual machine will not boot.

Can I import a generation 2 virtual machine to Hyper-V running on Windows Server 2012?
No. Generation 2 virtual machine is a new feature to Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview.

Is Secure Boot or UEFI firmware required on the physical host?
No. The virtual firmware and configuration are independent of the physical platform.

Does the UEFI firmware in a generation 2 virtual machine support setup mode for Secure Boot?
No.

Can I run a UEFI shell or other UEFI application in a generation 2 virtual machine?
Microsoft does not provide or support a UEFI shell or other UEFI applications. Using a non-Microsoft UEFI shell or UEFI applications is technically possible if complied from sources directly. If these applications are not appropriately digitally signed you will be required to disable Secure Boot for the virtual machine.

Where are the boot entries for generation 2 virtual machines stored?
The boot entries for a generation 2 virtual machine are stored in the configuration file for the virtual machine.

What is the default generation of a new virtual machine?
By default a virtual machine created by both the New Virtual Machine Wizard and the New-VM PowerShell cmdlet create generation 1 virtual machines. In the New Virtual Machine Wizard you can select Generation 2 on the Specify Generation. In PowerShell you can use the –Generation parameter to specify the generation of a virtual machine.

Can I change the generation of a virtual machine after it has been created?
No.

Why are Windows 7 64 bit or Windows Server 2008 R2 not supported as generation 2 guest operating system?
While Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 support UEFI, they depend on a Programmable Interrupt Controller (PIC) which is not present in generation 2 virtual machine hardware.

Why are Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 Preview 32 bit editions not supported as generation 2 guest operation systems?
Generation 2 virtual machines do not support 32-bit guest operating systems as the 64-bit only UEFI firmware does not have a Compatibility Service Module (CSM).

What is the maximum number of network adapters supported by a generation 2 virtual machine?
8. Generation 2 virtual machines do not support legacy network adapters.

What is the maximum number of storage devices, VHDX or DVD Drives, supported by generation 2 virtual machines?
256. Generation 2 virtual machines support up to 4 SCSI controllers with each controller supporting 64 devices. Generation 2 virtual machines can have more than 4 DVD drives.

When I create a new virtual machine with the New-VM PowerShell cmdlet, why does a generation 2 virtual machine not have a DVD drive?
On a generation 2 virtual machine you can add a DVD drive while the virtual machine is running.

Does generation 2 virtual machines support iSCSI or Fibre Channel boot?
No.

Can I perform a network install using IPv6?
Yes. By default generation 2 virtual machines uses IPv4. Use can set a virtual machine to use IPv6 instead of IPv4 using the Set-VMFirmware PowerShell cmdlet.

Can I use a virtual floppy disk (.vfd) as an answer file for unattended installation of a generation 2 virtual machine?
No. Generation 2 virtual machines do not support virtual floppy drives. As an alternate use an ISO image file on a DVD drive.

More information can be found here;

Update;
Convert Gen1 to Gen2 script can be found here;

VMConnect Enhanced Mode - RDP over VMBUS

This feature enables high fidelity RDP sessions to virtual guests over the VM bus.

Better audio, clipboard (copy/paste from host to guest), USB redirection and enhanced graphics with no requirement for the virtual guest having network connectivity.

The requirement is Hyper-V 2012 R2 as the host and Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2 as the guest.

Open Hyper-V Manager; Select Hyper-V Settings …

Enable Enhanced Session Mode Policy and Enhanced Session Mode.

Edit the guest settings / Integration Services and enable”Guest Services”

You must reboot the guest for this change to take effect. When the guest has rebooted open the guest in the Hyper-V console and you should now see the following;

FAQ

Q) Will this feature work with Windows prior to 8.1?
A) No. A Windows 8.1, Server 2012R2 or later OS guest is required.

Q) Does this feature work on Gen1 VM's?
A) Yes. This feature works on both Gen1 and Gen2 VM's.

Q) Does this feature require integration services?
A) Windows 8.1 includes integration services, but this feature does not require them to be enabled in the guest configuration options.

Q) Does the guest OS need to be configured to accept RDP connections?
A) No. This feature will work even if the guest is configured for "Don't allow remote connections to this computer".

Q) Are there any user requirements on the guest?
A) Yes. Enhanced sessions are only available when logging into the guest as a member of the local Administrators group or the Remote Desktop Users group.  Additionally, the guest OS must support Remote Desktop sessions.  (e.g Pro or Enterprise editions of Windows 8.1 are supported but the Home editions will not work.)

Q) Is this feature compatible with RemoteFX-enabled guests?
A) No. This feature is not available on guests with RemoteFX adapters.

Q) Should I expect this feature work on the first boot of the guest OS?
A) No. The guest OS should be rebooted at least once to complete OOBE setup.

More information can be found here;

KMS Activate Windows 8.1 or Windows Server 2012 R2

If you are receiving the following KMS errors;

LICENSE NAME: Office 15, OfficeProPlusVL_KMS_Client edition
LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 15,VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
LICENSE STATUS: ---OOB_GRACE---
ERROR CODE: 0x4004F00C
ERROR DESCRIPTION: The Software Licensing Service reported that the application is running within the valid grace period.
REMAINING GRACE: 29 days (43178 minute(s) before expiring)

LICENSE NAME: Office 15, OfficeProPlusVL_KMS_Client edition
LICENSE DESCRIPTION: Office 15, VOLUME_KMSCLIENT channel
Last 5 characters of installed product key: GVGXT
ERROR CODE: 0xC004F074
ERROR DESCRIPTION: The Software Licensing Service reported that the product could not be activated. No Key Management Service (KMS) could be contacted. Please see the Application Event Log for additional information.

Event ID 12288 with error 0x8007000D

The following update extends the Key Management Service (KMS) for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012 to enable the enterprise licensing of Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

Download hotfix here;

Surface RT Recovery Image

Surface RT Recovery Image and download instructions for creating the recovery USB drive.

Download here;

Windows Server 2012 R2 and 8.1 Volume License SHA1

File Name: en_windows_8_1_pro_vl_x64_dvd_2971948.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: CFCDF895679A5116F7F1C6406C20F99A1F850E49

File Name: en_windows_8_1_pro_vl_x86_dvd_2972633.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 9F1FCEC3B267EDB6F3BD02566BC889BB4A372BFD

File Name: en_windows_server_2012_r2_vl_x64_dvd_2979250.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 6823C34A84D22886BAEA88F60E08B73001C31BC8

File Name: en_system_center_2012_r2_operations_manager_x86_and_x64_dvd_2920299.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: F7DF811FC101863D23ACE377CE2875EDFC7E3619

File Name: mu_system_center_2012_r2_configuration_manager_x86_and_x64_dvd_2926949.iso
Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Czech, German, Spanish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese-Brazil, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese - Traditional, Chinese - Simplified, Portuguese-Portugal
SHA1: 11938AEFA3D87DB6DAA62425A22948EAB3B3BF59

File Name: mu_system_center_2012_r2_virtual_machine_manager_x86_and_x64_dvd_2913737.iso
Languages: English, Japanese, Korean, Czech, German, Spanish, French, Hungarian, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Portuguese-Brazil, Russian, Swedish, Turkish, Chinese - Traditional, Chinese - Simplified, Portuguese-Portugal
SHA1: 6BE8BEF3CE1305B41F924AA16EC603B75A6A4363

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 General Availability Update Rollup

This update rollup includes the following performance and reliability improvements:

• Push-button reset and boot experience: Stabilizes the boot experience. Fits and finishes changes in push-button reset (PBR) and refresh. (Client and Server)
• In-box apps: Provides reliability and stabilization fixes for inbox apps, including Camera, Photo, and Video Viewer. Stabilizes SkyDrive integration with inbox apps. (Client)
• Graphics and multimedia platform:  Improves graphics and multimedia reliability and performance, including stabilized visuals across power states. Improves 3D performance. Improves the handling of PlayTo. (Client)
• File server and clustering: Improves Enterprise Client Sync experience. Resolves reliability issues in continuous availability (CA) and backup scenarios involving failover clustering, Hyper-V, iSCSI and DedDup. (Server)
• Hyper-V: Provides general virtualization reliability fixes in Hyper-V, Network Virtualization, and Remote Desktop Virtualization for large deployments. (Server)

More information can be found here and here;

Windows Server 2012 R2 and System Center 2012 R2 now available

It looks like the Volume License bits are now available …

What's New in Windows Server 2012 R2 Jump Start

The I.T version of Waldorf and Statler are back with ‘whats new in R2’:

”View this demo-rich Jump Start showing IT pros the new capabilities and features of Windows Server 2012 R2. Microsoft Senior Technical Evangelist Rick Claus and Lead Architect and President of holSystems Corey Hynes demonstrate these new capabilities via numerous scenarios and demos.”

The videos can be found here;

Server Virtualization in Windows Server 2012 R2 can be found here;
Storage in Windows Server 2012 R2 can be found here;

Free eBook: Introducing Windows Azure for IT Pro’s!

The book goes into detail on most Windows Azure services along with screenshots to demonstrate the capabilities of the platform.  If you have a bit more experience there are some under the hood insights and expert tips from insiders who develop, test and use the Windows Azure Platform.

You can download the PDF here and there is also companion content available here.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V Component Architecture Posters

Provides a visual reference for understanding key Hyper-V technologies in Windows Server 2012 R2 and focuses on Generation 2 virtual machines, Hyper-V with virtual hard disk sharing, online virtual hard disk resizing, storage quality-of-service, enhanced session mode, live migration, Hyper-V failover clustering, and upgrading your private cloud.

Posters can be downloaded here;

Microsoft to unleash fall wave of enterprise cloud solutions

Microsoft Corp. on Monday announced a wave of new enterprise products and services to help companies seize the opportunities of cloud computing and overcome today’s top IT challenges. Complementing Office 365 and other services, these new offerings deliver on Microsoft’s enterprise cloud strategy.

On Nov. 1, Microsoft will offer Enterprise Agreement (EA) customers access to discounted Windows Azure prices, regardless of upfront commitment, without overuse penalties and with the flexibility of annual payments.

Microsoft will release a second preview of SQL Server 2014. The new version offers industry-leading in-memory technologies at no additional cost, giving customers 10 times to 30 times performance improvements without application rewrites or new hardware. SQL Server 2014 also works with Windows Azure to give customers built-in cloud backup and disaster recovery.

With Windows Server 2012 R2 Microsoft is introducing the Microsoft Remote Desktop app, available for download in application stores later this month, to provide easy access to PCs and virtual desktops on a variety of devices and platforms, including Windows, Windows RT, iOS, OS X and Android.

The next major version of the company’s CRM solution, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Fall ’13 will be available later this month.

More information can be found here;

Windows 8.1 Enterprise TechNet and MSDN

Enterprise available now …

File Name: en-gb_windows_8_1_enterprise_x64_dvd_2791100.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 48C87A991A1B6E7C1CC51AAC6CCDCE548471810C

File Name: en-gb_windows_8_1_enterprise_x86_dvd_2791526.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: FF49F12633BA25742F5B98A426371A9419A3F806

Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 on TechNet & MSDN

Available now …

File Name: en_windows_8_1_x86_dvd_2707392.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 802CFCD3A411D99C097EA7E747F0B6697F9BDAC4

File Name: en_windows_8_1_x64_dvd_2707217.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: BC2F7FF5C91C9F0F8676E39E703085C65072139B

File Name: en_windows_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2707946.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: B6F063436056510357CB19CB77DB781ED9C11DF3

File Name: en_windows_storage_server_2012_r2_and_windows_server_2012_r2_foundation_x64_dvd_2708426.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: E3F320EACACFC7F2B000D3E6B02872133BCA547C

File Name: en_microsoft_hyper-v_server_2012_r2_x64_dvd_2708236.iso
Languages: English
SHA1: 1EEC2EE8DD77E8EB970B210C9B0E01986D7210DD

Outlook Web App delegated access.

The ability to delegate access to your inbox or calendar has historically been limited to the desktop version of Microsoft Outlook until today.  Office 365 users will soon have the ability to delegate folder permissions within Outlook Web App (OWA).

More information can be found here; there are a few limitations such as sending emails on behalf-of as this comes from the delegate email address.  Some nice touches around calendar access and notifications.

The Inside Story of Microsoft’s Nokia Deal

An interesting series of events are outlined in the following article from allthingsd.com about how the Microsoft Nokia deal was agreed.

Xbox One to Launch on November 22, 2013

The CPU from 1.6GHZ to 1.75GHZ, roughly a 10% increase in CPU performance.  This is on top of the 6% increase we previously announced for the GPU. 

More information can be found here;

TechNet Subscriptions Extended for an additional 90 days.

It looks like MCT’s will be getting an alternative benefit; MSDN unlikely!

We have extended your TechNet Subscription for an additional 90 days.

On July 1, 2013, Microsoft announced the retirement of the TechNet Subscriptions program. Since then, we’ve been listening to your feedback on how we can better support the IT professional community through this transition.			Additional information More background on Microsoft’s decision to retire the TechNet Subscription service and the implications for current subscribers is available on the TechNet Subscriptions FAQ.
Two of the most common pieces of feedback we heard are that you need more time to prepare for this change, and ongoing access to prior versions of Microsoft software. As a result, we’re announcing the following updates: Eligible subscribers with active accounts as of September 1, 2013 will receive a free, one-time, 90 day subscription extension. You can continue to access your product downloads, use your professional support calls*, and get priority support in TechNet Forums through your updated expiration date, which you can find on the My Account page of the TechNet Subscriptions benefits portal. As TechNet Subscriptions customers begin to transition to the free evaluation resources Microsoft provides, we’re improving the TechNet Evaluation Center by making prior versions of products available for trial. Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and others are available now. We will add additional products over time. In addition, since you are an MCT, we wanted to let you know that Microsoft plans to replace the TechNet Subscription that you receive today with a new solution that will provide access to non-time bombed software for instructional/training purposes for the duration of your MCT program membership. More details will be available in the coming weeks. We appreciate your feedback and will continue to invest in free evaluation, learning, and support resources to meet your business needs and career goals. - TechNet Subscriptions Team

Microsoft to acquire Nokia’s devices & services business.

I guess this comes as no surprise; Stephen Elop for CEO..?

REDMOND, Washington and ESPOO, Finland – Sept. 3, 2013 – Microsoft Corporation and Nokia Corporation today announced that the Boards of Directors for both companies have decided to enter into a transaction whereby Microsoft will purchase substantially all of Nokia’s Devices & Services business, license Nokia’s patents, and license and use Nokia’s mapping services.

Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will pay EUR 3.79 billion to purchase substantially all of Nokia’s Devices & Services business, and EUR 1.65 billion to license Nokia’s patents, for a total transaction price of EUR 5.44 billion in cash. Microsoft will draw upon its overseas cash resources to fund the transaction. The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2014, subject to approval by Nokia’s shareholders, regulatory approvals and other closing conditions.

Building on the partnership with Nokia announced in February 2011 and the increasing success of Nokia’s Lumia smartphones, Microsoft aims to accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices through faster innovation, increased synergies, and unified branding and marketing. For Nokia, this transaction is expected to be significantly accretive to earnings, strengthen its financial position, and provide a solid basis for future investment in its continuing businesses.

“It’s a bold step into the future – a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies. Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft’s share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer. “In addition to their innovation and strength in phones at all price points, Nokia brings proven capability and talent in critical areas such as hardware design and engineering, supply chain and manufacturing management, and hardware sales, marketing and distribution.”

“We are excited and honored to be bringing Nokia’s incredible people, technologies and assets into our Microsoft family. Given our long partnership with Nokia and the many key Nokia leaders that are joining Microsoft, we anticipate a smooth transition and great execution,” Ballmer said. “With ongoing share growth and the synergies across marketing, branding and advertising, we expect this acquisition to be accretive to our adjusted earnings per share starting in FY15, and we see significant long-term revenue and profit opportunities for our shareholders.”

More information here;

From: Steve Ballmer
To: MS FTEs
Date: Sep. 2, 8:00 PM PDT (Sep. 3, 6:00 AM EET)
Subject: Accelerating Growth

We announced some exciting news today: We have entered into an agreement to purchase Nokia’s Devices & Services business, which includes their smartphone and mobile phone businesses, their award-winning design team, manufacturing and assembly facilities around the world, and teams devoted to operations, sales, marketing and support.

For Microsoft, this is a bold step into the future and the next big phase of the transformation we announced on July 11.

We are very excited about the proposal to bring the best mobile device efforts of Microsoft and Nokia together. Our Windows Phone partnership over the past two and half years has yielded incredible work - the stunning Lumia 1020 is a great example. Our partnership has also yielded incredible growth. In fact, Nokia Windows Phones are the fastest-growing phones in the smartphone market.

Now is the time to build on this momentum and accelerate our share and profits in phones. Clearly, greater success with phones will strengthen the overall opportunity for us and our partners to deliver on our strategy to create a family of devices and services for individuals and businesses that empower people around the globe at home, at work and on the go, for the activities they value most.

More information can be found here;

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to retire within 12 months

So long, farewell …

“There is never a perfect time for this type of transition, but now is the right time … We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization and we have an amazing Senior Leadership Team. My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company’s transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction.”

More information can be found here.

Exchange Server 2013 MSRC Security bulletin MS13-061

** Exchange 2013 Security Update has been pulled **
Update 14/08/13: Due to an issue with the Exchange 2013 Security Update installation process, the Exchange 2013 updates have been removed from the Download Center. For more information, please see Exchange 2013 Security Update MS13-061 Status Update.

Please see the following;
Security fix MS13-061 breaks content index on Exchange Server 2013

Content index (CI) for mailbox databases shows Failed on affected server.

The Microsoft Exchange Search Host Controller service is missing.

You see a new service named "Host Controller service for Exchange".

To work around the problem, update the following registry entries.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Search Foundation for Exchange

Set the value of the DataDirectory registry entry to the Data directory path for your Exchange Server installation.

For example if your Exchange installation directory is C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15.
Then set the value of the DataDirectory registry entry to:

"C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Exchange Server\V15\Bin\Search\Ceres\HostController\Data".

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\HostControllerService

- Set the value of the DisplayName registry entry to "Microsoft Exchange Search Host Controller".
- Add a new Multi-String Value named DependOnService and set its value to "http".
- Restart the Microsoft Exchange Search Host Controller service.

Note Change to the service display name will take effect after you restart the server.

There is also a script located here that will provide the necessary workaround.

It’s Alive! .. well sorta Windows 8.1 coming in October

To be exact 18th October 2013 New Zealand time-zone via the Windows Store.

More information can be found here;

Windows Server 2012 R2 and System Centre 2012 R2 also available on the 18th October; some information on “what's new with R2” can be found here.

Exchange 2010 SP3 RU2

Exchange Servicing released several updates for the Exchange product line to the Download Center:

• Update Rollup 11 for Exchange Server 2007 SP3
• Update Rollup 7 for Exchange Server 2010 SP2
• Update Rollup 2 for Exchange Server 2010 SP3
• Exchange Server 2013 RTM CU1 MSRC Security bulletin MS13-061
• Exchange Server 2013 RTM CU2 MSRC Security bulletin MS13-061

2861118 W3wp.exe process for the MSExchangeSyncAppPool application pool crashes in an Exchange Server 2010 SP2 or SP3 environment

2851419 Slow performance in some databases after Exchange Server 2010 is running continuously for at least 23 days

2859596 Event ID 4999 when you use a disclaimer transport rule in an environment that has Update Rollup 1 for Exchange Server 2010 SP3 installed

2873477 All messages are stamped by MRM if a deletion tag in a retention policy is configured in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

2860037 iOS devices cannot synchronize mailboxes in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

2854564 Messaging Records Management 2.0 policy can't be applied in an Exchange Server 2010 environment

More information can be found here; download here; please read comments prior to installation.

Exchange 2010 SP3 download can be found here.

** Exchange 2013 Security Update has been pulled **
Update 14/08/13: Due to an issue with the Exchange 2013 Security Update installation process, the Exchange 2013 updates have been removed from the Download Center. For more information, please see Exchange 2013 Security Update MS13-061 Status Update.

Looks like another face palm moment for the Exchange guys … always read the comments prior to any updates.

Windows Azure Updates

• SQL Server AlwaysOn Support: General Availability support with Windows Azure Virtual Machines (enables both high availability and disaster recovery)
• Notification Hubs: General Availability Release of Windows Azure Notification Hubs (broadcast push for Windows 8, Windows Phone, iOS and Android)
• AutoScale: Schedule-based AutoScale rules and richer logging support
• Virtual Machines: Load Balancer Configuration and Management
• Management Services: New Portal Extension for Operation logs + Alerts

More information can be found here;

Windows Server 2012 R2 Innovations

Storage transformation – Delivers breakthrough performance at a fraction of the cost.

Software defined networking – Provides new levels of agility and flexibility.
 
Virtualization and live migration – Provides an integrated and high-performance virtualization platform.

Access & Information Protection – Empowering your users to be productive while maintaining control and security of corporate information with Windows Server 2012 R2.

Java application monitoring – Enables deep application insight into Java applications.

More information can be found here;

Lync Server 2013: cumulative update July 2013

Adds the following:

• Two Factor Authentication (via virtual smart cards)

• 2846479 User in a DG cannot join a chat room in a Lync Server 2013 environment

• 2846484 An unhanded exception occurs on a Lync Server 2013 Persistent Chat SDK-based application

• 2846485 Long delay when you create many conferences at the same time in a Lync Server 2013 environment

Included in the July Lync Updates:

• Embedded Images - Add images in-line with text during one-to-one conversations. 
• Meetings View - View the day’s meetings from Meetings View in the Lync client main window.
• IM Mute - Presenters may disable use of the conversation window during a scheduled meeting.
• Q&A Manager - Presenters can review and respond to meeting questions in a structured way.

More information can be found here and here; download here.

Microsoft Press: Introducing Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview Free eBook

Microsoft Press: Introducing Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview Release (ISBN 9780735682931)

Introduces new features and capabilities, with scenario-based advice on how the platform can meet the needs of your business.

Get the high-level overview you need to begin preparing your deployment now. This book is based on the Preview release and will be updated to cover Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM.

More information can be found here; download here.

Exchange 2010 and Avamar Granular Restore (GLR)

Make sure you have the latest software;
- AvamarClient-windows-x86_64-Latest-Version.msi
- AvamarExchangeVSS-windows-x86_64-Latest-Version.msi
- Microsoft Exchange Server MAPI Client and Collaboration Data Objects 1.2.1

Create a new User called AvamarBackupUser and create a mailbox; test that the mailbox can receive and send emails.

Add the AvamarBackupUser to the following Groups;
- Domain Admins
- Backup Operators
- Exchange Servers
- Organisation Management

Give the AvamarBackupUser the appropriate Permissions on your mailboxes

get-ExchangeServer exchangeserver | Add-AdPermission -user AvamarBackupUser@comain.com -extendedrights Receive-As, Send-As

- Install the software listed above onto your Exchange Servers.
- Set the Logon Account for the Avamar Backup Client and Avamar GLR Service to use the AvamarBackupUser and restart the services.

In the Avamar Folder “C:\Program Files\avs\var” you need to create a file called avexchglr.cmd with the following text.

--cas_override=anycasserver.domain.com

(please note the two dashes –)

This is important; if you are using a CASArray you need to add the following into your HOSTS file to point Avamar to your CAS Server; in my case our CasArray was called Outlook.domain.com and our CAS Server was on IP 192.168.100.100

HOSTS File
192.168.100.100        outlook.domain.com    outlook

The reason the HOSTS file needs poisoned is so Avamar will use the CAS Server rather than in my case a Load Balanced CAS Array where the Load Balancer was blocking the dynamic ports required for the restore.  You can choose not to poison the HOSTS file but you will need to punch extra holes into your Load Balancer to allow the Restore to take place.

*Make sure that IPv6 is disabled.

Exchange 2013 RTM CU2 Part Deux!

FIX for loss of public folder permissions when the public folder mailbox is moved between Exchange 2013 databases.

The new build number of Exchange 2013 RTM CU2 is 15.0.712.24.

The previous build number of Exchange 2013 RTM CU2 was (15.0.712.22)

More information can be found here; as always please check the comments prior to installation!

System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 Update Rollup 3

Issues that are fixed in this update rollup…
- App Controller Update (KB2853227)
- App Controller Setup Update (KB2823452)
- Data Protection Manager Update (KB2853210)
- Operations Manager Update (KB2852565)
- Operations Manager - UNIX and Linux Monitoring (Management Pack Update)
- Virtual Machine Manager Administration Console Update (KB2858509)
- Virtual Machine Manager Server Update (KB2858510)
- Virtual Machine Manager Guest Agent Update (KB2858511)

More information can be found here;

Now you c: me now you don’t

Could the latest iteration of SkyDrive that is baked into Windows 8.1 do away with the c: drive as we we know it?

Placeholder files look and feel like normal folders and files. You can tap or click a folder and see all the folders and files inside it. You can move, delete, copy, or rename placeholder files just like you would any folder or file. SkyDrive only downloads the full file when you access it. Placeholder files contain a thumbnail image along with some basic properties and file content. This means that the placeholder file is significantly smaller in size that the file in SkyDrive, so when you need to use it only then will the file be downloaded.

 

Offline Access with the SkyDrive app allows you to mark any folders or files you want for offline access. Edits on this device or another device will be synchronized so that you’re always working with the latest file.

Any Windows Store app can use the Windows file picker to let you open, edit, and save any kind of file. In Windows 8.1, SkyDrive is built into the file picker – so every Windows Store app can save files directly to SkyDrive without any extra work. And the files will quietly get uploaded in the background so you don’t have to wait around. For example, if someone shares pictures with you in an email, you can save them to SkyDrive from the Mail app.

More information can be found here;