Capital Network Solutions, Inc. Blog

Microsoft Serves Up Windows 7 To MSDN, TechNet

2009-08-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Serves Up Windows 7 To MSDN, TechNet
August 12, 2009 Kevin McLaughlin, ChannelWeb

Read Original Article Here: http://www.crn.com/software/219100336;jsessionid=RBJMVRZGH3QWBQE1GHPSKH4ATMY32JVN

Microsoft Thursday reached an important milestone by making Windows 7 available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, just over two weeks after releasing Windows 7 to manufacturing.

Microsoft's volume licensing customers -- i.e. businesses -- with Software Assurance subscriptions will be able to download the Windows 7 RTM on Friday through Microsoft's Volume License Service Center (VLSC), said Brandon LeBlanc, a communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, in a Thursday blog post.

Volume licensing customers without SA will have to wait until Sept. 1, and Microsoft Gold and Certified partners will be able to download it from the Microsoft Partner Network portal on Aug. 16. Consumers and smaller businesses will be able to get their hands on Windows 7 when Microsoft officially launches it on Oct. 22.

Now that hardware and software partners can get Windows 7, they'll be able to start working to meet the lofty projections that have been tied to the shiny new OS. IDC predicts that for every dollar of revenue that Microsoft gets from U.S. sales of Windows 7 until the end of 2010, partners will reap $18.51 in related products and services revenue. As a whole, Microsoft partners will generate about $110 billion in products and services around Windows 7, according to IDC.

Microsoft's channel partners are getting ready for Windows 7 by offering Windows 7 related services to customers. These include conducting reviews of customers' existing hardware and software infrastructure, as well as deeper evaluations that give customers detailed information on total cost of ownership for Windows 7.

From the beginning of Windows 7 development, Microsoft has focused on getting software and hardware partners involved in the process, which is something it failed to do with Windows Vista. As a result, Microsoft has been able to adhere to a predictable development schedule with Windows 7, and company executives have pointed to this as one of the main reasons why things have gone so smoothly.

Of course, Microsoft and its partners will have to contend with weakness in the PC market that has been hammering Microsoft's revenue for the past several quarters. Microsoft gets 80 percent of its Windows client revenue from new PC sales, but the sagging economy has led consumers and businesses to put off buying decisions. All of this means that many companies that skipped Vista and are still using XP will likely continue in a holding pattern until at least early next year.

Nonetheless, industry analysts expect companies to eventually make the leap to Windows 7. By the end of 2010, IDC predicts that more than 177 million copies of Windows 7 will be installed worldwide, with 60 million of those in the U.S. Windows 7 shipments will reach 272 million in 2013, according to IDC.

tech article - Windows 2003 GPO's and "tatooing"

2009-08-06T13:07:00.000-07:00

Way back in the old days, Windows policy management was done with "poledit", it would "tatoo" the registry; I remember teaching that a lockdown policy for the regular users was a type of "poison", and you had to be very careful to create the perfect "antidote" to the "poison" you were creating; it was an un-lockdownpolicy, reversing everything the lockdown policy did, and applied to the administrator. Without it, deleting the policy wouldn't help, you would never get back in to the controls, and the solution was re-install.

Two of the CNS engineers this week remembered their Windows 2000 & 2003 MSCE training, and insisted that the "tatooing" of the registry ended in the NT4 / Windows 95 days. Two other engineers, embedded in troubleshooting hours still in the puzzle stage, insisted that it must be happening, right here in the year 2009.

A request had called for a change to a large business' Active Directory Group Policy for the Citrix Servers. Most of our Citrix implementations are powerfully locked down with a combination of Group Policy and Script Logic's "Desktop Authority" login scripts. An Active X control running on the SQL server had failed to load on the Citrix server's published desktop, when the users tried to print from a SQL reporting services web page. The Microsoft tech article told us we could load the dll's into the Citrix server manually, and declare the reporting server as a "trusted site", allow Active X from trusted sites, and we'd be all set. The change was made right away, and the test users - copies of typical user accounts, both admin and non-admin - started getting the print dialog box, as exepcted.

But when the customer opened the gates to let in the masses, for published application and desktop testing, there were several calling in to our help desk, disappointed with the error that they had seen all too many times before, telling them they would be unable to print, because the ActiveX control had failed to load.
Resultant Set of Policy said we were applying the same GPO's to the users who had it working, and the users who had the error. So of course we looked at the user accounts: what was special about them, why wasn't the GPO applying?

This is when a couple of engineers in the group suggested the concept of "tatooing" the registry, and two other engineers repeated their training, saying it couldn't happen.
Turns out everybody was right.

The users who had the issue all had roaming profiles. Not all users had roaming profiles, and those who didn't, did not have the issue. We tried renaming the profile to .OLD and having the user log in again. That worked every time.

So the GPO's did not tatoo the REGISTRY, in the sense that they did with Windows NT 4/95, but it apparently did tatoo the PROFILES. So either way, it's something else we all need to be aware of.

Microsoft Touts gloStream and gloEMR in HealthBlog

2009-08-06T12:22:00.000-07:00

Dr. Bill Crounse (Senior Director of Worldwide Health at Microsoft) just posted a truly exceptional column about gloStream Electronic Medical Record application(EMR)on his HealthBlog.

Here is a link to the post: http://blogs.msdn.com/healthblog/

This is no ordinary post - it's an endorsement from Microsoft of gloStreams "unique" approach and flexible, customizable and intuitive software.

The top 5 things you could be doing with virtualization but aren't, and how to start

2009-08-06T11:58:00.000-07:00

1) Resource Pools

Alot of people make it to the first step of the virtualization project on their own. They download ESX or ESXi, get it on a decent server-class box, they download VMware Converter and P-to-V a bunch of servers, or build and clone a bunch of test servers, and that's when we come in.

Production level virtualization is real, but the number one threat to the stability of the platform is lack of planning.

Resource utilization is usually the first unplanned issue that becomes obvious. Virtual Machines in a cluster are in the Wild West, as far as resource utilization goes, by default. The initial vm creation process does require from the administrator a "limit" for memory, and a number of vCPU's for the vm - 1,2, or 4. But each server also has a default "reservation", usually much lower, and once the host is overcommitted, that is the only amount of memory that the ESX host is providing, if it has to spend the resources elsewhere in a tough economy.

Resource pools are meant to be the law and order in virtual resource management. A parent pool is made up of all the resources in the cluster - all the memory, and all the gigahertz of the cpus times all the cores; but the parent pool is NOT where the virtual machines go. Rather, just like in a physical data center a few years ago, the resources are broken up into different silos, possibly by department, or by purpose within the company. In the physical data center, nobody would expect the backup servers to get up and take resources out of the production web servers across the data center, but by default in a VMware implementation, this could be what's happening.

The box we put ESX on has alot of resources -not infinite, but plentiful. They need to be documented and budgeted. It's like putting a bunch of families in a bunch of homes. You can't just go down the list of family names, and connect them to the list of addresses. If you do, you'd have the family of 9 crammed into the two bedroom apartment, and the single guy who's never home in the castle on the corner, taking all the resources in the neighborhood.

Instead, you'd have to go interview each family a little, find out not just how many members there are, but how much stuff they have, and how often they have how many guests over, or are likely to. You'd have to go see all the addresses on the list; some are nice big homes, some have yards, some have fences around the yards, some are dainty little museums, not appropriate for the big rowdy family.

The SQL or Exchange servers might be that big rowdy family; they ought to go in a back office "resource pool" that have all the resources the servers will realistically require allocated, and set aside from the rest of the data center.

The web servers for internal portals should be given realistic reservations - the minimum resources required on the host to run this vm - as well as realistic limits. They would go in their own, separate pool.

Administration servers might go in a third pool, and so on. Another decision to make on each child pool, is whether or not the pool is "expandable". It is expandable by default.

We deslect that in most cases. When all the resources the web servers could ever realistically need have been set aside in a resource pool, there is no need to leave it "expandable". We don't need to let the servers reach out and take more resources from the parent pool if they feel like it. Most of the back-end, well known and well-planned vm's end up in non-expandable memory pools; the less predictable production servers get the "expandable" check box left checked, so if the administration servers aren't really doing much because it's lunchtime, the public-facing production servers can take advantage of the resources. That puts the law and order into the default wild west.

parts 2,3,4, and 5 coming soon

Citrix Technology Workshop Courseware

2009-07-20T10:48:00.000-07:00

Instructor: Charlie Messemer

The only obstacle these days to “Server Based Computing” is expertise, and Capital Network Solutions holds the expertise in Citrix; after over a decade of implementing Citrix solutions, CNS has developed internal “Best Practices”, based on Citrix Consulting Services’ ongoing testing and training, as well as our own experiences.

Our most common platform for Citrix today is XenApp 5 on Windows 2003 server, so we have put together a quick technology update on just what’s going on with traditional Citrix these days, and how our customers can optimize their investment in the latest technology.

First, we cover what’s new in the last couple of years – new features, as well as new ways of doing things; there are new application deployment technologies: streaming to clients, and streaming to servers; there is new load management technology: load throttling; there is new resource publishing technology: content publishing and file-type-association (FTA); and there are new management features: SpeedScreen server settings, Health Check and Recovery, and Configuration Administrative Logging.

Then we also offer some in-depth training on the most challenging aspects of Citrix configuration: printing and AD integration. Citrix has come a long way and gotten past many of the old problems we faced, but it doesn’t just configure itself out-of-the-box; it takes some planning and some expertise. So we’ve done our homework, we’ve learned how to do it right, and we want to pass this on to our customers. If you’ve got Citrix, or are still getting started with it, please review our Citrix Workshop Courseware.

Citrix Technology Workshop Event

2009-07-14T08:17:00.000-07:00

Join us for our Citrix Technology Workshop

Capital Networks is offering a 4-hour workshop covering the latest advances and best practices for Citrix XenApp (Ver. 5) technology, formerly Presentation Server and/or MetaFrame XP. Learn how to overcome the traditional Citrix issues of printing, roaming profiles, and load management. See demonstrations of Citrix' new "streaming technology" for deploying applications to isolated server environments dynamically. Learn how to prepare for disasters, by backing up and learning to move the critical farm components - data store, data collector, license server - before the critical moment finds you unprepared.

Register Now (Room Capacity is 16, please RSVP early)

Class Trainer: Charlie Messemer (About the Trainer)
Cost: $ 49.00 (Includes Lunch)
Who Should Attend: IT and Citrix Administrators
Date: Wednesday, July 23nd 10:00 to 2:00 Lunch Provided
Where: Capital Network Solutions (map)
9795 Business Park Dr.
Sacramento, Ca 95827

Topics will include:
ICA Client Software:" XenApp plugin 11"
Web Interface 5.1 and Citrix Secure Gateway
Deploying applications to Citrix servers
manually
streaming to servers
Load management
qfarm /load
load throttling
Printing in Citrix
Citrix Universal Printer (EMF/XPS)
managing print drivers in Citrix
Roaming profiles and Group Policy
Backing up critical farm components
Fault tolerance
What else can Citrix do?
EdgeSight 5
Citrix Access Gateway, Advanced Access Control
Password Manager

This is also your chance to "ask the experts" - the CNS engineering team - who have been out there building and supporting virtualized Citrix environments for the past several years. Find out how the pros have been doing it and get involved in the latest technology opportunities.
Stay tuned: we will be providing many more Lunch & Learn events covering solutions that impact your business including Disaster Recovery, Off Site Data Storage, Virtualized Desktop and more. You can also visit our blog for current IT information. Looking forward to seeing you.

If you have any questions conserning this event please contact Steve Schulte at 916-366-6566.

Capital Network Solutions, Inc. (CNS) is the Northern California premier network services and consulting company. Established in 1989, we have supported hundreds of clients in the technology arena. Our strategic IT solutions are designed to help you achieve a higher level of security, efficiency, reliability and productivity. Outsourcing with CNS for your managed services enables you to receive enterprise class benefits at an affordable rate.

CNS Now Offers Citrix Training!

2009-06-18T10:59:00.000-07:00

About the Trainer:

Charlie Messemer brings CNS a wealth of Citrix consulting knowledge. He has attained the highest Citrix Certifications possible that include CCEA and CCIA (Citrix Certified Enterprise Administrator / Citrix Certified Integration Architect). In addition to his 12 plus years of consulting, Charlie is also a certified technical instructor and has been teaching for the past 10 years. He is one of a handful of Citrix instructors that are certified to teach the CCIA (Architect) track.

In addition to his background in Citrix, Charlie is also Certified in VMware, Red Hat, Linux, Novell, and Microsoft. His consulting will empower our team and help accelerate our abilities to implement the very best of services.

Along with consulting we will be offering new workshops and Lunch & Learn events which will keep your business up to date with the latest technology and best practices.

Here is a list of projects and events we will be working on:

Resource Manager 4.5 w/SQL reporting services
Advanced Access Control
Citrix Password Manager 4.6
EdgeSight 5
Web Interface 5 and Citrix Secure Gateway -"securing and deploying applications over the web"
Active Directory integration of Citrix XenApp
Vitalizing Citrix - Xen and VMware ESXi
Security in Citrix and VMware,
High Availability and Redundancy in Citrix
Load Management in Citrix
VDI and XenDesktop
Green IT

Computer Repair Fraud

2009-03-13T11:36:00.000-07:00

Have you ever taken your computer in to be repair by a tech company, handed over hundreds, and realized later the problem was never resolved? You are not alone. Many stories have been posted online describing computer repair scams. Some investigative news agencies have even discovered computer repair fraud by some big name brand companies like the Geek Squad.

To save you time, money, and most likely extreme frustration, we recommend the following steps before you take your computer to any tech company for a repair:

Do Your Research – Ask for referrals from friends, co-workers, and family. Then read our article, Find the Best Business Computer Repair Company, for a detailed list of steps that include information on gathering service fees and how to determine computer repair company reputations.
Written Estimates – Get all estimates from computer repair companies in writing so you have, not only a paper trail of services provided, but something to fall back on if the repair is incomplete.
Up Front Work/Costs – Know the work involved and the cost of repairing your computer before the work begins. This can save you from additional charges and other surprises you are not expecting.

Finally, view the videos below on computer repair fraud for more information.

Warning: The content of the videos below may infuriate you.

Keep Computer Repair Costs Low – Reduce Computer Errors and Computer Crashes

2009-03-13T11:35:00.000-07:00

Avoid High Computer Repair Costs with Simple Computer Maintenance

Simple computer maintenance on a daily basis will save you from the “headaches” that come from using a computer as well as keep your cash in your wallet. As IT consultants, we are called in to businesses for computer repairs, network repairs, and more. We are your computer doctors in a sense, and we witness not only the computer problems themselves but also your pain and struggles. We’d like to ease your burden with some suggestions that we recommend you turn into daily habits.

Give Your Computer a Clean Workout

Just as your doctor recommends that your exercise daily, we recommend that your computer also gets a workout every day. Exercise your computer by cleaning it of extraneous files and data daily. Where do all of these files come from? Believe it or not, when you’re on the Internet, your computer picks up debris: temporary files and useless data. Gradually, your computer puts on so much weight from this debris it begins to slow down and may even crash.

Every day you need to clean your computer by deleting these temporary files and unnecessary data. On place to go for cleanup help is CCleaner at www.ccleaner.com . CCleaner is a freeware system optimization, privacy and cleaning tool. It removes unused files from your system - allowing Windows to run faster and freeing up valuable hard disk space. It also cleans traces of your online activities such as your Internet history. Additionally it contains a fully featured registry cleaner. But the best part is that it's fast (normally taking less than a second to run) and contains NO Spyware or Adware!

Also use registry cleaner software to remove redundant or unwanted items from the Windows registry. Registry cleanup software can improve the performance of computers by ridding the registry of redundant information. Often a computer slows and crashes from the unnecessary information being stored on the operational system and users believe they need a new computer when what they really need is to clean their registry files regularly.

You can avoid more computer glitches, errors, and costly repairs by following these simple computer maintenance suggestions. Your computer will operate as it was meant to, and you’re headaches will go away.

Solutions to Computer Problems – Computer Repairs by IT Professionals

2009-03-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Go to an IT professional when you start to notice computer problems. Don’t wait. Procrastinating could mean the difference computer repairs costs.

It’s bound to happen, you buy a new computer, printer, scanner, etc. and it runs great for a while, but sooner or later you begin to notice things aren’t running as smoothly as they once did. Your computer may be running a little slower or your browsing window locks up occasionally. Should you try to troubleshoot the problem yourself, put off the problem until it’s unbearable, or ask a professional?

Trying to troubleshoot the computer repair yourself may make things worse. Repairing a PC nowadays means identifying and cleaning the PC's registry, spy ware and ad ware which spawn our PC computers. Even the most careful online users can unknowingly ignite computer problems. If you try to fix it yourself, you may be adding to the problem which in turn can add up computer repair costs.

Procrastinating until the problem gets worse can also increase computer repair costs. Act fast to resolve computer issues and be proactive to avoid troubles in the future. Simple troubles like registry errors may create bigger problems down the road. Letting the simple issues go could build a mountain of computer repair problems. To avoid troubles on your personal computer, keep your system updated with software changes. Ask your IT professional for programs that can help you fix a problem you know you can do yourself. That way, you have a recommendation you can fall back on in case a new trouble arises.

The best chances of keeping your computer system running smoothly is to have it looked at by a professional IT consultant who is skilled and experienced in the IT business. Computer repair services by a professional keeps you from wasting long hours trying to resolve a problem that an IT technician can solve in minutes. Asking for help from a computer repair company can also keep you from accidentally messing up your computer system any further, and you will often have peace of mind knowing that if the problem persists, you have an IT support team at your service when you need them.

No matter how big or small the computer problem is, check in with the IT professionals fast and soon so you can keep your business running at the pace you need it to.

Citrix Provisioning 5.0 with XenDesktop 2.0?

2008-09-02T09:04:00.000-07:00

Citrix released Provisioning server 5.0 on Aug. 21 and has many different features worth upgrading, such as the database can now be an Microsoft SQL database, and uses Microsoft VHD format. The one problem I have seen so far is the last one, Microsoft VHD is not seen by Citrix XenDesktop.

Citrix will be releasing a newer version of XenDesktop 2.1?? but will it work with Provisioning server 5.0? Not sure, but why wait? You can still use Provisioning 4.5, but more importantly here is a way to use both!

If you have a Provisioning 4.5 server create another Provisioning 5.0 server and set your targets to use the correct server via DHCP. Meaning migrate your vDisk to the new format if you want to just keep your XenDesktops using the old Provisioning 4.5 server or install a Provisioning 4.5 server just for your XenDesktop 2.0 server. As a best practice you should already be creating an DHCP Reservation for your targets, just make sure to create one for your XenDesktop targets and modify the “Configuration Options” for the target’s DHCP Reservation to include the correct DHCP options:

066 Boot Server Host Name “hostname of Provision Server 4.5”
067 Bootfile Name ARDBP32.bin

Make sure that you have don’t have any “Scope Options” or “Server Options” set and your targets set to use DHCP and you are good to go. Then again you could also create a boot iso as a fall back!

Citrix Access Gateway 4.5.6 on VMware Server, huh?

2008-07-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

So I have been wanting do some extra **training on a CAG. Unfortunatley I don’t have any spare CAG appliances to do so. I have a VMware Server 1.0.6 for Linux running on RedHat Enterprise Server 5. I searched and searched and found a couple of sites that do have instructions for CAG 4.2 on VMware Workstation. I tried that but I run into the issue of the express setup through VMWaregateway. There is no VMWaregateway for VMWare server for Linux!

After quite a bit of failures I finally got it and it is actually quite simple. Probably can use these same direction on VMWare Server for Windows.
Here we go!

Requirements:
VMWare Server 1.0.6
Citrix Access Gateway 4.5.6 CD or ISO (downloadable from mycitrix)
Serial port(DB9) on both the server and your client
Serial cable
40 GB hard drive space
512 MB of available memory

Installation Process:
1. Create new VM
2. Select “Custom”
3. “Guest Operating System” – Other & “Version” – Other
4. Name the VM anything you want (In this instance I’m going to name is CAG)
5. You decide whether you want it private
6. Again, decide how you want it to startup and shutdown
7. Select “One” for “Number of processors:”
8. As for memory I selected 512MB
9. Network connection doesn’t matter, just depends on what scenario you want. (I selected bridge)
10. Accept defaults for “I/O adapter types”
11. Now “Create a new virtual disk”
12. Select “IDE(Recommended)”
13. Disk Size is 40GB and “Allocate all disk space now.”
14. Name your “Disk File” – CAG.vmdk
15. Once that is done “Edit virtual machine settings”
16. Add a serial port – “Use physical serial port on the host”
17. Depending on your scenario Add what NICs and type you want
18. After that is done you need to edit the CAG.vmx or Other.vmx; add or replace these lines in the config:
ethernet0.virtualDev = e1000
ethernet1.virtualDev = e1000
19. Now you can boot to the CAG ISO or CD in your new VM
20. While that is running go ahead and connect your cable from client to server
21. Start your terminal emulation software (I used TeraTerm Pro):
9600-8-N-1 w/ no flow control
22. You should see the CAG Menu now.
23. Setup your IP and you are done!

Now these are the steps that I used that finally worked. You may be able to get different variations of settings to work for you.

**This is just for training. You cannot put this into production because you will violate Citrix EULA.

Have a Wonderful Day!

iSCSI, Switches and NICs Oh My!

2008-05-09T13:20:00.000-07:00

A recent post by Marc Farley over at Equallogic brings to light an important fact, not all switches are created equal. In the fiber world, administrators are well aware of the cost of fiber switches, maybe painfully aware. Because iSCSI delivers the prospect of a lower TCO, some folks rush to the conclusion that any gigabit ethernet switch will do as they are not forced into a limited selection of vendors like on the fiber side, where Cisco, Brocade and McData seem to rule.

Unfortunately, many of them will come to the harsh realization that low end switches are not ready for production environments or environments which support a lot of IO. Couple the performance implications of switches with that of subpar NIC hardware and you have a recipe for disaster.

For example, the recommendations for iSCSI on an Equallogic device are to utilize flow control, jumbo packets and disable unicast storm control. In order for the switch settings to be effective, the NIC has to support the same options. Enabling jumbo packets on a switch does nothing if the NIC cannot support the setting. If the NIC does not support flow control, then again the flow algorithms will not be effective in controlling traffic from end-to-end. Additionally it is recommended that the NIC support a 2048 receive buffer, especially for applications like SQL, to ensure packets are not lost. If the NIC buffer is too small, packets may be lost during rapid network transitions.

XenServer - MPIO

2008-02-21T15:10:00.000-08:00

Virtualization is a real hot topic as we all know but unless you do it right you can cause yourself a lot of grief that is all to real.

Using XenServer's native support for ISCSI you can have yourself a nice little robust virtual environment, with the use of Shared Resources if any hardware goes down you are but a click away to recovery (XenMotion).
Dell's EqualLogic PS5000 Series

That is unless that hardware is your one and only NIC!

There is always an answer to IT woes however, and MPIO or Multipath for XenServer is the answer to NIC issues. Citrix's XenServer does natively support ISCSI but to get the Multipath to work it takes additional configurations, and I will help shine some light on this with some undisclosed documentation.

What you need:

NIC for your XenCenter Management
Redundant NICs for your ISCSI Data
Some CLI experience

On your XenCenter Console open the following file using your favorite CLI editor

/etc/iscsi/iscsid.conf

Add a comment code out the line node.startup = manual
Remove the comment code to the line node.start = automatic
Save this file

Run the following commands to set the services (daemon) to start on startup
chkconfig open-iscsi on
chkconfig multipathd on

Next you will need to edit the following file:

/etc/multipath.conf
Add line under defaults {
path_checker readsector0
rr_min_io 100
Save this file

Run the service start commands
service open-iscsi start
service multipathd start

Run the following ISCSI discovery commands
Iscsiadm –m discovery –t st –p ipaddress of ISCSI device
Iscsiadm –m node –L all
multipath -l

*Noted the results for your wwid fields, yes it is a really long number

Open the following file
/etc/multipath.conf
Add iscsi device(s)
multipaths {
multipath{
wwid %multipath -l%
alias %friendlyname%
}
multipath{
wwid %multipath -l%
alias %friendlyname%
}

Save this file
Run the following command to confirm success
ls /dev/mapper

Citrix Presentation 4.5 - Unattended installation file

2007-12-26T16:02:00.000-08:00

As we all know the faster that you can install and configure systems and/or applications the more billable we can be. Not to mention save yourself sanity!

Using the Citrix Presentation Server 4.5 UnattendedTemplate.txt can save you some of this much need billable time provided you have all of your prerequisites.

Update the Windows installer*
DotNet 2.0*
Java Runtime*
JSharp 2.0*
msvcr71.dll**

The last prerequisite was a little know fact that I discovered just recently and thought I'd share. The Unattended install process does not seem to copy over this certain dll which without it will cause the unattended install to fail.

Keep in mind that additional dll maybe needed based upon your scenario, below is my case study.

Complete Windows Server 2003 unattended installation using a DVD with Manufacture Support Tools
Citrix MPS 4.5.1 with local access database
New Citrix Farm

This scenario is set for minimal touch environment with very few customization needed to fit any environment i.e. Mass drivers, Manufacture Support Tools

[Citrix License Agreement]AcceptLicense=Yes
[Data Store Configuration]
CreateFarm=Yes
LocalDBType=Access
DirectConnect=No;
*Leave this blank to use the default zone name
ZoneName=
[Indirect Connect Settings]
IndirectServerName=
IndirectServerPort=2512
UserName=
DomainName=
****************************************************************
*Farm Settings This section specifies the settings for creating a farm.
*This section is used only if CreateFarm is Yes in the Data
* Store Configuration section.
* In this section you must specify:
* 1. The name of the farm you are creating.
* 2. A Windows NT user (user name and domain) who will be the
* administrator of this farm. This user can later designate
* other users as administrators of the farm using the
* Presentation Server Console.
***************************************************************
[Farm Settings]
FarmName=Farm
FarmAdministratorUsername=Administrator
FarmAdministrator
Domain=citrixtest
****************************************************************

*Shadowing Restrictions
*This section specifies whether or not shadowing is enabled. If
* shadowing is enabled, this section specifies shadowing
* restrictions.
***************************************************************
[Shadowing Restrictions]
AllowShadowing=Yes
ProhibitRemoteControl=No
ProhibitNotificationOff=No
ProhibitLoggingOff=No
[Citrix XML Service]
ExtendIIS=No
*This setting applies only if ExtendIIS is No
DedicatedPortNumber=80 *This setting applies only if ExtendIIS is Yes
EnableVirtualScripts=Yes
[Options]
RebootOnFinish=Yes
LogLevel=*v
LogFile=c:\msi.log
UILevel= BASIC_UI_NO_MODAL
IgnoreMCM=NoRemoveWITurnkey=No
[PresentationServer]
ServerType=Enterprise
[LicenseServer]
LicenseServerChoice=Point
LicenseServerName=citrixlc
LicenseServerPortDefault=Yes
LicenseServerPort=27000
[MFRDP]
DisableRDPPromptForPassword=Yes
[IMAEncryption]
EncryptionEnable=0
KeyType=file
NewKeyPath=
KeyPath=

*Note: D:\Support\
**Note: D:\Citrix Presentation Server\Program Files\Citrix\System32

Installation operation failed -- Note: 1: 1708

Xenserver - Configuring Fiber Channel Storage Repositories

2007-11-14T13:13:00.000-08:00

In one of the previous blogs, I went over local storage on a single server. I'll expand that with a setup of a simple, fiber channel based storage pool. There is a very unsupported reference to part of this process in a document with the name of XEv4_shared_FC-workaround.pdf and can be found in the following forum article: http://forums.xensource.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1831 (at least as of this writing). Unfortunately, working for a Citrix partner, I am unable to share the whole document.

Some background on our particular setup:

Five HP DL360, Quad-Core servers with no local disks

HP MSA1000 fully populated

HP branded, 4Gbps, Brocade fiber channel switch

Single QLogic fiber channel HBA in each server

I essentially went through Step 3 in the document as it is the fastest and easiest of the methods referenced.

If the storage pool is created with only one XenServer active, then this process is easy and snapping in the other servers is quickly accomplished through the GUI interface. I setup the first XenServer. During setup, I did not select any storage to utilize; I only selected storage for the XenServer operating system. The setup throws a warning but will allow to continue. After the setup, I then installed the XenServer Enterprise licensing through XenCenter, which then unlocks the ability to setup resource pools. This is why I didn't select the drives in the beginning, as it would have complicated the process later. Now I am able to create a resouce pool with my one server.

During pool creation, XenCenter asks for the master server. Fortunately, with only one server so far, that was an easy selection. Once the pool was created, the step to create the storage was exactly as shown in part 3 of the Xen FC SAN document, part of which is posted below. I then began setting up the other XenServers and once online, simply added them to the pool and storage was immediately available. XenMotion was also functional once the servers were moved into the pool.

Step 3 requires that you use the xe CLI to create and configure a new SR from the pool
master on the LUN identified in Step 2.

The following commands are required:
1. Identify the host-uuid of the master:

HOST_UUID=`xe host-list name-label= --minimal`

2. Create the SR on the master:

xe sr-create content-type="LVM" name-label="" type=lvm shared=true host-uuid=${HOST_UUID} device-config-device=/dev/disk/by-id/

If all hosts are zoned correctly and the disk is accessible on each, the command
above will succeed and a new UUID will be generated. sr-create will
automatically associate the PBD with the UUID for every host in the pool so the
SR will be attached and ready to use. You should also check that each of the
PBDs on all hosts in the resource pool has the attribute currently-attached:true, to
indicate success of this operation.

All of the above steps also apply to a pool of 1. For setting up a Dedicated LVM over FC
SR on a host in a pool of more than 1 hosts, you must set the shared=false option in the
sr-create operation, and make sure to identify the host-uuid of the XenEnterprise v4 host
on which the LUN has been mapped."

© 2007 XenSource, Inc. All rights reserved

I wanted to also include some supported material related to this subject. Here is a snippet from the official XenServer reference document on fiber channel:

"XenServer hosts can also use Fibre Channel SANs using the Emulex or QLogic host bus adapter (HBA). Logical unit numbers (LUNs) are mapped to the XenServer Host as disk devices /dev/sdx just like physical disks would be.

The Command Line Interfaces (CLIs) for configuring and managing Emulex and QLogic Fibre Channel HBAs are included in the XenServer Host in the following locations:

Emulex: /usr/sbin/hbanyware
QLogic: /opt/QLogic_Corporation/SANsurferCLI

If you are using a Fibre Channel SAN with an HBA that supports boot from LUN, you should do all your boot from LUN setup before installing the XenServer Host. During installation, just select the remote LUNs as if they were local disk drives. Once you complete the installation and reboot, the system will boot from the remote LUN.

Fibre Channel LUNs will appear on the host as scsi devices. Each scsi device is symlinked under the directory /dev/disk/by_id using its unique scsi_id. If you are unsure which scsi_id corresponds to which device, you can query a device with the sginfo command followed by the path.

For example: sginfo /dev/disk/by_id/ {scsi_id}.

Fibre Channel disks should always be referenced by this path since it provides persistent device identification regardless of the core device name assigned by the host which may change, e.g. across host reboots."

© 2007 XenSource, Inc. All rights reserved

Citrix Presentation - Branding

2007-11-13T14:12:00.000-08:00

Little know fact about Citrix Presentation Server is how to take advantage of some branding. I will go into that but first lets go into what we do know.

Citrix Presentation recommends that you should disable Windows Wallpaper

Windows Wallpaper uses additional resources per user if not disabled

Default Windows Logon Wallpaper is disabled in a RDP session

Windows Logon Wallpaper for an ICA session shows Citrix Branding

Now you are in luck once again because I am now going to show exactly how to do setup the branding for you customer without going against Citrix's Best Practice on Windows Wallpaper using a Step-by-Step video. In this install video there is no audio so I will outline the steps of the video here.

Change the registry entry for the HKU\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\Deskto "TileWallpaper" = 1 to Tile =0 to Center
Renamed the %programfiles%\citrix\system32\ica256.bmp to company logo
Finished

XenServer Installation

2007-11-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

Now that you read all the blogs regarding Citrix XenServer and have decided that this is the best option for your Virtualization of your Windows Servers it just comes down to installing.

Your in luck I am now going to show exactly how to do that using a Step-by-Step video of the install, now there is no audio so I will outline the steps of the video here.

This particular install is making use of SAN technology using a HP MSA 1000 and boot to SAN architechure using the following components:

HP DL360 G5 (without drives)
Brocade 4gig Fiber switch
QLogic 4gig HBA "Host Bus Adapter"
QuadCore Virtualization

So lets get to the steps:

Enabling the QLogic HBA to see the LUN "Logical Unit Number" using Ctrl+Q
Entering the Bios of the HP server to enable the Intel(R) Virtualization Technology using F9
XenServer Mini Setup Wizard
I selected the 58gig LUN for the XenServer Primary Disk
Notice that I do not select any Partitions for the XenServer Virtual Machine storage
I used the SAN Shared Storage so that we may use the XenMotion feature
I installed optional Linux Tools from the Second CD
After this install I used the XenCenter to connect to the XenServer and enter my XE Enterprise License Key

The Capital Network Solution's (CNS) Virualization team is composed of: Dave Murphy, Mike Knight, Troy Baker, and Eric Rossberg.

XenServer - Physical to Virtual

2007-11-06T15:50:00.000-08:00

XenServer is an fast and easy product to setup, but one must always ask what is the reason for using the product. All the advantages of XenServer are spelled out in the previous blogs but this means nothing unless you apply some real life applications to the product.

XenServer will allow you to create new servers but what about the migration of all of those older servers that you just can't seem to get rid of, like that "Accounting application" that HR will not upgrade and requires outdated technology on that old hardware which of course is out of warranty. Hardware that has outlived it product lifecycle and will cost you the System Administrator your job if lost!

The answer is convert from a physical server to a virtual server "P2V" is the Solution!

XenServer does not provide a free Windows P2V converter, only a Linux P2V converter which is supplied on the Xenserver CD.

There of course are some 3rd party vendor supplying the P2V for Xenserver:
Leostream - http://www.leostream.com/
Platespin - http://www.platespin.com/

Platespin is the 3rd party that Xensource advises:
http://kb.xensource.com/entry.jspa?externalID=426&categoryID=18

There are some free trials from both however they have limits and PlateSpin requires that you have Xensource Enterprise License.

Leostream - http://www.leostream.com/productPVxen.html
Platespin - http://www.platespin.com/xsfreetrial/

There are always work arounds of course, mainly using a 3rd party imaging software and some manipulation.
http://forums.xensource.com/thread.jspa?threadID=631&tstart=1

Using the Leostream trial was fast and easy, filling out a simple form was all that was required.

The P>V process requires this Agent to be installed on the destination XenSource Host machine.
Before attempting a conversion, make sure the ports used by P>V are not blocked by a firewall. These ports are 8080 on the XenSource host itself, and 9400, 9401, and 9402 inside the virtual machine that will be created. To turn a XenSource Host's firewall off altogether, use the command:service iptables stopTo turn it back on, use the command:service iptables start
This Agent will restart automatically if the XenSource host is rebooted.
We have an Agent available for older versions of XenServer. Please contact Leostream for more information.

Installation:

Using the XenServer Administrator Console, log into the destination XenSource host by entering its root password in the Text Console tab.
If upgrading an existing Agent, first stop the service:service leostream stop
Download the Leostream Xen Agent RPM file using the command:wget http://www.leostream.com/download/lxa/lxa-current.rpm
Install the RPM:rpm -Uhv lxa-current.rpm
Start the agent:service leostream start

Run the Leostream Wizard on the Windows OS following the directions to obtain your license key from the website to complete the wizard.

The results of this P2V case study process was around 3hrs for an 30gig IDE hard drive, results will vary with hardware.

Adding local storage resources to XenServer

2007-11-02T13:37:00.000-07:00

The setup and configuration of XenServer Express and XenServer Enterprise was not as straightforward as I had hoped, primarily from the standpoint of documentation. The 4.0 resouces are still lacking a bit. From the support website, for example, XenServer 4.0 only has 27 documents listed in the How-To area, compared to 82 for XenServer 3.1 and 113 for XenServer 3.2. By the way, many of the syntax differences are significant and solutions in 3.1 and 3.2 will not work in the 4.0 version, leading to a bit of extra frustration. When I wanted a quick,clear answer for how to setup or delete a storage resource (not clone, or delete my default storage), I was unable to find one. I eventually worked through the process and thought I'd share.

Under the what-if category, such as, "What if I added a bunch of storage after my initial setup?", is where I'm coming from in this article. If all storage is present at setup, then the allocation of resources is fairly straightforward. If, however, you add storage after the fact or maybe want to separate I/O into a separate storage volume, then how might that be performed through the command line? Keep in mind, if you have multiple RAID sets during setup and choose to utilize all the space during setup, XenServer will create a single lvm volume that stripes across all the discs. This means you will not easily, if at all, be able to separate your I/O loads through logical disk partitioning with the guest operating systems.

Here is the XenCenter console for XenServer Express. Shown is a virtual server with Windows Server 2008, the local CDROM drive and the storage resouces that was created on the initial setup of the XenServer. This is my initial starting point for resouces. I added two more drives and created a simple RAID-1 set, then wanted to add these to the XenServer.

Looking at the server, the new storage was recognized as /dev/sdc. Having identified the storage, the next step is to create the storage resource.

The following is the command for creating the storage. The easiest way to enter the necessary uuid is to hit the tab key after "host-uuid=", under the assumption it's a single server setup. Here's the command:

xe sr-create content-type="localSR" host-uuid= type=lvm or ext device-config-device=/dev/sdc shared=false name-label="RAID 1 Storage Group"

If an ext type is used, the partitioning of the storage resource can take a long time. A 700Gb SATA drive took over 45 minutes. The lvm type takes seconds. Additionally, the lvm partition gives a number of advantages, which are better explained in this article.

The options that vary between installations include:
- host-uuid (your unique host uuid)
- type (based on your preference)
- device-config-device (your storage device location)
- name-label (what you want to call your storage volume within the XenCenter console)

Naturally, there are other potential options, but I wanted to cover local storage only at this point.

The new storage has been created and automatically added to the XenCenter console.

8:1 conversation ratio through virtualization using quad core processors

2007-10-31T11:22:00.001-07:00

The virtualization vendors such as XenSource, VMWare, VirtualIron and Microsoft have touted some very high consolidation numbers. Intel has devoted a signifcant amount of time and effort to outline the new technology from a processor workload perspective, regardless of vendor virtualization platform, to outline how quad-core technology works to achieve the 8:1 ratios. Enclosed are some helpful links to explain the differences and benefits of the quad-core platform.

Intel: "Increase performance without increasing cost"

Intel: "Cost savings calculator"

Intel: "Expanding Value through Accelerated IT Refresh" - pdf

Sun: "Server Consolidation Using Quad-Core Processors" - pdf

Citrix XenServer Feature Comparisons

2007-10-30T13:15:00.000-07:00

Fresh from Citrix iForum, there is naturally a lot of talk about Xen servers. We're pretty excited, especially in regards to the price! Xen is coming on strong in feature sets comparable to that of VMWare. Enclosed is a brief feature comparison amongst the Xen offerings, along with the link to the Xen server datasheet for v4 for further details. For the most part, there is little difference between the express and standard editions, aside from administrative model, cpu and memory capabilities, and of course, Citrix support. The enterprise version is comparable to VMWare ESX server, just without the sticker shock.

Citrix XenServer Exress Edition:
- Single server administration model
- Supports up to 4 Gb of memory
- Supports 2 CPU sockets
- Supports 4 Guest operating systems
- Supports up to 4 GB of RAM per VM
- No resource pooling
- No shared storage
- No XenMotion (the VMotion equivalent from VMWare)
- No VLAN capabilities
- No QoS

Citrix XenServer Standard Edition:
- Multi-server administration model
- Supports up to 128 Gb of memory
- Supports Unlimited CPU sockets
- Supports Unlimited Guest operating systems
- Supports up to 32 GB of RAM per VM
- No resource pooling
- No shared storage
- No XenMotion (the VMotion equivalent from VMWare)
- No VLAN capabilities
- No QoS

Citrix XenServer Enterprise Edition:
- Multi-server administration model
- Supports up to 128 Gb of memory
- Supports Unlimited CPU sockets
- Supports Unlimited Guest operating systems
- Supports up to 32 GB of RAM per VM
- Supports resource pooling
- Supports shared storage
- Supports XenMotion (the VMotion equivalent from VMWare)
- Supports VLAN capabilities
- Supports QoS

CNS is now a VMware Professional Partner

2007-10-05T11:10:00.000-07:00

Capital Network Solutions, Inc. is excited about our new partnership with VMware, over the next several months we will be setting up seminars and training for VMware Virtualization technology.

What does VMware do?

By consolidating servers, VMware customers have managed to cut IT costs by 50% and increase utilization, productivity and efficiency. And that’s just the beginning. As the leading provider of virtual infrastructure, VMware will transform you IT organization in many ways that may surprise you, including:

Dramatically cutting costs – Of course, having 1/10th the number of physical servers will reduce your hardware and labor costs. You will also save associated power, cooling and space costs. It’s good for the environment and your budget.

Reducing Deployment time – With VMware, manual configurations are a thing of the past. Deploy a new virtual machine in minutes – a 50 to 70% reduction on average. And only VMware has the powerful monitoring tools you need to keep it all running smoothly.

Allocating resources in a few clicks – Automatically manage the dynamic distribution of resources, assign processor power as needed and live migrate virtual machines from one physical host to another with no downtime – all without the end-user ever realizing a thing has changed.

If you have any questions or would like the schedule a meeting give us a call at 916-366-6566, you can also visit www.vmware.com/go/getkit to more about VMware’s Virtualization technology; download your FREE VMware Virtualization Kit, including the IDC Analyst Report, "The Impact of Virtualization Software on Operating Environments."

USB with VMWare ESX Server

2007-10-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

In a series of posts, I thought I would breakdown and summarize a number of key technology whitepapers related to VMWare's virtualization technologies. The first to review is one called "Using AnywhereUSB to Connect USB Devices". For many IT administrators, including myself, incorporating USB technology into the virtualization environment can be problematic (at best), such as attempting to map the USB device directly through the local hardware and the guest operating system using native drivers. A particular bane to my VMWare existence is the USB security dongle. I hate these things! For now, however, I'll leave the argument as to their necessity to others. In the mean time, they have to be dealt with. What I have often encountered is that the devices will sporadically and spontaneously disappear from the guest operating system, thereby disabling the program that the CEO is attempting to access at that very same moment. An angry phone call and twiddling with the USB dongle for 10 minutes later, the program is up and running for some random period of time. Additionally, if the connection is problematic, many servers only come with USB connectors in the back, which means many trips to the back of the server racks, or dealing with the connection issues possibly induced by a USB extension cable.

I was pleased to see the whitepaper which is co-authored by Digi International.

The whitepaper gives a brief overview of the technology with typical benefits and features pages, along with a quick installation guide, supported devices and known issues. The whitepaper is a mere seven pages long, making it a quick and focused read. The specific focus of the article is on "Point of sale" systems but the technology is naturally applicable and beneficial to other scenarios.

VMware Infrastructure Training

2007-10-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

Capital Network Solutions, Inc. is hosting VMW-IC3: VMware Infrastructure 3: Install and Configure, a VMWare authorized class, presented by Alternative Technology, a VMware Authorized Training Center.

VMW-IC3: VMware Infrastructure 3: Install and Configure

When: December 11th -14th
Where: Capital Network Solutions, Inc.
Cost: $2,990.00
Duration: 4 Days
Description

This deep hands-on training course explores VMware Infrastructure 3, which consists of VMware ESX Server and VMware VirtualCenter. "VMware Infrastructure 3: Install and Configure" is a prerequisite to taking the certification exam and becoming a VMware Certified Professional.

Course Objectives
At the end of the course, you will understand the functionality in VMware Infrastructure 3 and be able to:

Install and configure virtual machines

Deploy virtual machines from templates and allocate resources

Migrate and manage virtual machines

Ensure high availability of applications

Troubleshoot typical ESX Server issues

Find Needles In A Haystack with Instant Search

2007-10-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

If you're buried in e-mail (and who isn't?), Instant Search in Outlook 2007 can save the day for you every day.

The new Instant Search helps you quickly find e-mail messages, appointments, contacts, or any Outlook item. You don't even need to know which folder the item is in.

Watch the demo to see how to use this fast search feature, and start finding what you want instantly.

See Demo

Security For Ordinary PC Users

2007-10-01T10:43:00.000-07:00

Most security articles are written for network administrators charged with the security and availability of corporate networks. As computers have become a pervasive tool in the office, however, they have begun to be an indispensable one at home as well. Around 73% of US homes have a PC in them, and about half of US homes have broadband internet service of one type or another. Many of us are also administering second or third PCs for children, teens, or elderly relatives. While the home PC should definitely not contain corporate secrets, they do safeguard some data close to users' hearts. Imagine how it would feel to lose your family photos, tax records, little Janie's homework projects, emails from great-grandpa, your confirmations and boarding passes for next week's vacation and your grandma's recipe book all in one blow. The data on that home computer is important to you, if not to the network administrator at your office.

Why would anyone attack your home PC? Simply put, there is a great deal of money to be made by enslaving your computer and using it for nefarious purposes, such as sending SPAM for profit, distributing illegal files, or hacking other networks. Some hackers make a great deal of money by stealing your financial and personal information, and either reselling it to other criminals or using it to make purchases themselves. Either way, a large percentage of PC attacks are made for profit. Frankly, home computers tend to be easy targets, since they don't have professional defenders like corporate networks do.

So, without a professional defender, how can you go about assuring your computer and the rest of your family's PCs are secure? Here are some recommendations.

1. First, you should definitely consult your system support personnel if you work from home. If you use your broadband access to connect to your employer's network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or other means, your employer may have policies or procedures relating to the security of your home network. Those should supersede what you are reading here, so be sure to consult with your employer's support personnel, as appropriate, before following any of the steps outlined in this document. You can use the information below to prompt discussions with support staff, or to help you administer other family computers.

2. Use virus protection software and anti-spyware software. Anti-virus software is a must-have for all Internet-connected computers. Inexpensive AV software often comes packed with your new PC. Be sure to keep your anti-virus software up-to-date, using automatic updates when available. Depending on the software you choose, you may also need to renew your subscription annually to keep receiving updates. If you do not renew your subscription, you may as well not have antivirus software at all. If AV software is not up to date, it absolutely cannot work properly. Antispyware software has also become important as more and more hacks are delivered in rootkits and other non-viral means.

3. Use a firewall. There are two types of firewalls; a hardware firewall, which is a network appliance, or a software-based firewall, which runs on your computer. Intruders are constantly scanning home user systems for known vulnerabilities. Firewalls (whether software or hardware-based) can provide some degree of protection against these attacks. Software firewalls need to be kept up to date when manufacturers release patches to correct flaws or security holes. A firewall is never infallible, so it is important to continue all the other security measures after it is installed. It's also best not to 'poke holes' in your firewall if you can avoid it. If you find yourself digging through the settings to open ports without knowing exactly why you are doing it, it is time to reconsider. Most good software for the PC these days is designed to work through firewalls without disabling them. If you've downloaded a software package that is being blocked by your firewall, it's a good idea to check online for reviews of that software and make sure it's safe to use.

4. Don't open email attachments unless you can verify they are legitimate. Before opening any attachment, be sure you know the source of the attachment. It is not enough that the email originated from an address you recognize, because many hacks are specifically designed to utilize familiar email addresses to disguise their true points of origin. If you are in doubt, ask the other person whether they have sent you an attachment purposefully. Any good net citizen will be happy to verify their attachment for you.

5. Don't run programs of unknown origin. Never run a program unless you know it to be authored by a person or company that you trust. Also, don't send programs of unknown origin to your friends or coworkers simply because they are amusing -- they might contain a Trojan horse program or a rootkit. If you are wondering whether to install a program, you should try to investigate it first. There are a great many authors who post excellent software reviews online. Try running a google search on the name of the software and the word 'review'. This should give you some idea whether or not the software is legit. If you can't find a decent review, odds are you shouldn't run the software.

6. Keep all applications, including your operating system, completely patched. Vendors will usually release patches for their software when a vulnerability has been discovered. Read the manuals or browse the vendor's web site to make sure you understand how to keep the software current. Some applications will automatically check for available updates, and many vendors offer automatic notification of updates via a mailing list. Look on your vendor's web site for information about automatic notification. If no mailing list or other automated notification mechanism is offered you may need to check periodically for updates. If the PC has been turned off for a few weeks while you were away, the first thing you should do is update your software when you turn it back on. The key with updates is that they need to be performed frequently enough to 'patch' security holes before they can be exploited. Make it a rule in your house that Windows Update should always be allowed to do whatever it wants, and that the kids aren't allowed to interrupt that process. If a reboot is required, it should be performed right away.

7. Turn off your computer or disconnect from the network when you are not using it. An intruder cannot attack your computer if it is powered off or otherwise completely disconnected from the network. This will also save you money on your energy bill, and may extend the lifespan of your computer.

8. Disable Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX if possible. Be aware of the risks involved in the use of "mobile code" such as ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript. A malicious web developer may attach a script to something sent to a web site, such as a URL, an element in a form, or a database inquiry. Later, when the web site responds to you, the malicious script is transferred to your browser. Unfortunately, many legitimate sites use scripts running within the browser to add useful features. Disabling scripting may degrade the functionality of these sites. Detailed instructions for disabling browser scripting languages are available in http://www.cert.org/tech_tips/malicious_code_FAQ.html. More information on ActiveX security, including recommendations for users who administer their own computers, is available in http://www.cert.org/archive/pdf/activeX_report.pdf.

9. Disable scripting features in email programs. Because many email programs use the same code as web browsers to display HTML, vulnerabilities that affect ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript are often applicable to email as well as web pages.

10. Make regular backups of your data. Here are the basics of data backups:
A. In order to create good backups, you need to know where your files are. Organize them in some way; by type, by title, by date; it doesn't matter. It's best to store your files in a directory you create yourself, or in your “My Documents” folder.
B. Make a copy of your files on an external device. Since you know where the files are, you can simply copy entire directories and manually paste them to your backup location. Alternatively, you can use backup software, which will perform these functions for you automatically. For your backup location, you can use removable media such as ZIP disks or recordable CD-ROM disks (CD-R or CD-RW disks), an external hard drive, flash media, or any type of device on which you can store data outside the PC's case. Be sure to store the backup copy somewhere away from the computer. Send a copy to a friend for safekeeping, or put it in your safety deposit box at the bank. If you want your data to survive a house fire, you will need to store a copy away from the house.
C. Make a routine for backups to occur with regularity. If you don't save new files to your computer very often, you don't need to perform backups terribly often, either. If, however, you are adding photos of the new baby daily, you should make your backups more frequently.

11. Make a boot disk in case your computer is damaged or compromised. To aid in recovering from a security breach or hard disk failure, create a boot disk on a floppy disk which will help when recovering a computer after such an event has occurred. Remember, however, you must create this disk before you have a security event. For information on creating a boot disk, check your operating system vendor's web site.

12. Review your computer security plans with all the users of the computer. It's important to make sure everyone is playing for your team, and that no one is shutting off the firewall or delaying Windows from performing updates. They also need to know how to avoid downloading malicious software.

13. Prepare everyone in the home for social engineering attacks. A social engineering attack uses persuasion and coercion to convince users to allow access to a hacker. Unfortunately, awareness of social engineering is low, and surveys have revealed that nine out of ten people will give their password in exchange for a chocolate Easter egg. Tell your family that they should never share their passwords or give out their personal information online. Try to familiarize them with phishing tactics, too.

Unfortunately, good PC security will only defend your PC from data-based attacks. If you have children or elderly folks at home using the computer, you should be aware that they are preferred targets for the worst types of internet predators. In this case it is not just your data or your computer you must protect, but also your loved ones themselves. In the case of children, you should make sure they will absolutely never share their name, address or city, phone number, or the name of their school, their travel plans or schedule, or where they like to play. Make sure kids know they should invent usernames that do not resemble their real names or reveal any personal information. Inform your kids that they should never agree to meet an internet friend in person, and that people on the internet might not be what they seem. If anyone on the internet is being pushy with them, or making them feel uncomfortable in any way, they should report it to you immediately. Consider installing software to monitor your kids online, and make sure you're checking on them to make sure everything is okay.

The elderly are often targeted by a different breed of cybercriminal, who will attempt various cons to perform identity theft, financial theft, and other types of fraud. Respectfully recommend that your elderly loved ones check the FTC's web site at http://onguardonline.gov/index.html. This will give them many tools to detect and avoid the types of scams often aimed at them.

By Wendy Tate and Farida Ali of Dynamic Computer Corporation

Leveraging Technology Mitigates Risks, Controls Costs and Helps Meets Demands of Growing Businesses

2007-10-01T10:40:00.000-07:00

As a small business expands, the need to manage this growth with updated technology should rate high on a company’s list of priorities. Should an organization experience rapid growth in a short period of time and fail to advance its technology to meet these new demands, the business owner may face significant challenges in the future, including loss of revenues, waning market share and adverse customer perceptions.

Incorporating the following tips into the company business plan will help ensure a smooth transition.

Don’t do everything yourself
Most small businesses believe they can administer technology issues themselves without the support of an independent technology firm. The cost of maintaining an in-house IT operation is often beyond the means of most small to mid-sized companies. However, the risk of lost data, system crashes, spyware and slow-running systems may be far greater for these organizations in terms of financial loss, diminished customer goodwill and declining productivity. For many small businesses, outsourcing the IT function has proven to cut costs considerably.

Look for a professional and trusted advisor
Small business owners tend to utilize trusted advisors for many of their decisions. Relying on experts in a particular field will produce a higher overall advantage. Such is the case for companies seeking tax advice or legal counsel. However, with IT, many of these owners are baffled by technology and have difficulty finding the right resource. As a result, they often depend on a family member who may know how to repair a PC, but is not skilled in information technology.

Investigate managed services
Managed service offerings of many IT providers offer a way to cap IT costs and control spending while guaranteeing a solid delivery of technology services. Managed service options such as outsourcing, co-location, service desk and disaster recovery can help reduce time-to-repair while increasing reliability and uptime.

Employ scalable technology
Consider technology that will scale as the business grows. The overall cost of IT is much more in comparison to initial hardware and software purchases. To properly leverage information technology, business owners should evaluate their needs over an extended period of time – typically 24 to 36 months – and examine the specific use of IT within the organization. The analysis will help determine if a more or less sophisticated system is needed.

Virtualization
Virtualization technology solutions simplify IT and allow companies to leverage storage, network, and computing resources to control costs and respond more rapidly to business issues and needs. A small business owner who transitions to a virtualized environment – allowing a single server class machine to run multiple specialized application servers simultaneously – will experience a return on investment at every system upgrade.

Technology is complex. However, strategically leveraging today’s technology to meet the challenges of a budding business will streamline operations, improve efficiency and reduce costs in the long-term.

By Richard J. Reiffer, Trivalent Group

Richard J. Reiffer is the chief technology officer for Trivalent Group, a technology firm based in Grandville, Mich.

Increase visibility and traffic to your website utilizing SEO

2007-10-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

If your website does not appear among the top results of a search engine, you could be losing valuable sales opportunities. Many web sites, while attractive in nature, are often lost in the shuffle and can hardly be found by search engines. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the one tool that can assure that your site is listed as close to the top of the search engines as possible. Not applying SEO to your site could mean the difference between having a site that attracts lots prospect traffic versus a site that is almost impossible to find online.

The true value of SEO is that it carefully analyzes and constructs individual web pages to ensure that your pages are discovered, analyzed and indexed by various search engines. In fact, 3.5 billion web sites compete for the top slots in search engines, but only fractions of a percent reach the first page.

Advanced web ranking reports will give you insight on how you rank against your competitors online and also provide information on the amount of search traffic there is for your industry.Contact us and find out where you stand in the internet community.

How do we increase your visibility and ranking? After providing an advanced web ranking report on you website, our SEO services start by studying your websites analytics. Analytics gives us a complete understanding of your visitors’ actions. For example:

Where they came from (websites or search engines)?

What cities and states did they come from?

What keyword phrases they typed into search engines to get to your site?

What pages are they looking at?

Which type of visitors converted into customers?

What does better, SEO or Pay Per Click(PPC)?

Compare time periods to know the impact of changes. Did sales increase or fall from Q2 to Q3?

How many conversions and how much revenue did each campaign produce?

What's a QR Code?

2007-09-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so what is this crazy thing I've included in the blog today? Well, some of you in the tech world have been seeing these little codes on processors and other electronics and chips for a number of years now. This QR box is essentially my business card. If you have a QR code reader or QR reader enabled phone, you could take a snapshot of this and instantly have all my pertinent contact information. Want to generate your own QR code? A quick search on Google gives a number of QR code generators. We're likely to see more of these little buggers before too long as the Asian markets have already become inundated with them as advertisements and companies, such as Microsoft, have begun to include them on Xbox games and other media.

Centralis Harvester 4 makes large Citrix Farms easy to manage!

2007-09-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

Making light work of even the most time-consuming farm management tasks, Centralis® Harvester™ is a highly cost-effective way to add value to your investment in Citrix Presentation Server.

Simplify Administration
Save hours on key tasks and remove the need for custom scripts by using Harvester to carry out complex tasks and make farm-wide changes in seconds.

Analyze, Report & Standardize key Farm settings
Find non-standard settings across Published Applications and Citrix Presentation Servers and correct them. Define a new standard and simply apply it across the farm.

Centralize server settings
Store your Citrix Presentation Server settings in a reference file, allowing you to accurately set a new server to standard in seconds – or check the settings of your existing servers.

Whether you are running audit reports, carrying out diagnostic checks or making farm-wide changes, Harvester enables administrators to carry out many vital farm management tasks much more quickly and easily - without the need for scripts.

"I upgrade our Citrix Farm regularly, and publish well over 700 applications. The amount of time I was able to save using the Centralis Harvester 4 product is incredible! I can publish hundreds of applications to a server in just a few minutes… Centralis Harvester 4 is an awesome tool that I would strongly recommend to anyone!"

– California Department of Parks and Recreation

http://www.centralis.co.uk/products/software/citrix/harvester.asp

Virtualization, "10 Minutes to Xen"

2007-08-16T13:39:00.000-07:00

Virtualization took another step forward with Citrix's acquisition of XenSource. XenSource is a competitor to VMWare in a way that Microsoft Virtual Server is as well. XenSource is a fully matured virutalization product that installs quickly and offers similar access to SAN infrastructure and hardware clustering that VMWare ESX and Microsoft Virtual Server offer.

XenEnterprise supports IDE, SATA, SCSI, SAS, fiber based SANs, NFS NAS, iSCSI and boot to SAN for blades. Boot to SAN capability can dramatically cut down on the number of hard drives needed for an infrastructure by consolidating all storage needs into the SAN, rather than separate host OS disks which then facilitate access to the shared storage.

Hardware clustering is similar to the concept used in software clustering, however, managing the virtual environment is typically supported better by software vendors as the software does not have to function in failover modes required by services such as Microsoft Cluster Server.

For those interested in the open source community, the software is based on the industry standard Open Source Xen 3.1.

Maximum Return on Investment with VMWare

2007-08-06T03:57:00.000-07:00

Return on Investment, (ROI) for short, is typically associated with financial benchmarks of capital investments within a business. ROI has also made inroads to describe the benefit or return an organization receives from technology expenditures, though efforts have often been tenuous in showing a true relation. So much frustration has surrounded ROI for IT projects and purchases that a number of books have been written to help describe the oft confusing term, such as "How to Measure Anything."

The purpose of this discussion is to peel open the curtains just a little, to shed light on the ROI of typical server purchases and how the ROI on core server equipment can be increased through the use of virtualization. Additionally, examples of how to go about judging return on investment will be described.

Return on investment for equipment purchases, specifically servers, can be viewed (simplistically) in one of two ways. The first way is to conclude 100% ROI when the server is purposed for a task, such as email. In this sense, because the server is dutifully doing its job of providing email to the organization, it has provided full return on investment. Calculating the ROI over time, might include subtracting any server downtime due to software or equipment failure or the server sitting in the closet waiting to be installed. The second option of calculating ROI comes from gathering measurements of system performance to conclude overall system utilization. Only with virtualization does the second method of measuring become truly evident.

The way these two philosophies differ is subtle. To be a bit cliche, I will illustrate with a car analogy. In one instance, I have the luxury of owning a Ferrari and take full gratification from owning the vehicle. I drive to and from work in my shiny, fast car and therefore, my ROI is 100%. Only if my Ferrari breaks down do I lose a return on my investment. In the other instance, I am the only person in the car, and I can only drive to work at 30 mph. Clearly, in the second case, owning the Ferrari doesn't make much sense. At the very least, if I were able to drive to work at 100 or 120 mph, it might be worth owning. If I can have another person or two in the car to share the cost of gas, I might really get some use out of it! However, because I commute in a crowded city, I will rarely, if ever have the chance to operate at those speeds.

Having a fast server, chugging away on corporate email, for many organizations is like having the Ferrari (high end server), but driving at 30 mph with one person in the car. In technical parlance, it's equivalent to using about 10% of server resources (hard drive space, CPU, memory). Does it make sense to have a server dedicated to a specific function when that function only utilizes such a small amount of available resources?

Where virtualization comes into play is that the technology allows organizations to find underutilized servers and add additional functions to them without compromising the integrity of those services. If there are two servers running at 20%, then more services can be added, like Sharepoint, anti-spam, anti-virus, backup or other needs, until the utilization rate hits 70-80%. Now at least, we're driving that Ferrari to work with two or more people at 80 mph.

Executive Level IT Assessment

2007-08-05T11:49:00.000-07:00

Concerned about the health of your Network?

Make informed, objective decisions to reduce your total cost of technology ownership, maximize your return on IT investments, and develop a successful business strategy with a Strategic IT Assessment. If you have a small to medium size company or organization that depends on a secure and scalable IT infrastructure, we can help.

Capital Network Solutions (CNS), a Microsoft Gold Partner has developed a no cost High Level IT Assessment. This free assessment covers the existing infrastructure with the identification of risks, adherence to best practices and CNS’ recommendations for improvement. This assessment is a $1500 value that is absolutely free to prospective clients. The engagement includes the following:

On-site consultation

An initial on-site consultation with a CNS engineer will be conducted to gather information about your business, IT pains, biggest issues and your Information Technology environment. This assessment will provide you with a valuable insight into your current and future IT needs. Your network will be documented with a high level overview of your network, servers, email solution, A/V, storage, backup, and more.

Included in this High Level Assessment Report
Based on the initial on-site consultation, CNS will complete a High Level Assessment of your environment.

Executive Overview - The Executive Overview provides an overview of our discussions, our findings from our analysis and our overall recommendations. This is a one page summary of our findings and our overall recommendations.

Logical Network Layout - The Logical Network Layout Diagram shows a map of the network and devices at a high level.

Recommendations and Findings - Recommendations and Findings section describes the level to which adherence to best practices has been met for each network area (we have developed a high level standard for each network area and their associated best practices). For those areas that were found to be out of compliance, we have listed our recommended remediation plans at the end of this section.

Health Report and Disk Space Utilization – The Executive Health report and a disk space report will also be included within the appendix of this report for reference purposes.

Click here to sign up for an assessment Now!
If you have you have any questions please call us at 916-366-6566
or Contact us at Info@cns service.com

Who qualifies for an assessment?

Any business that has at least one server (Windows 2000 or higher)

Any business that has 10 to 70 computer users

Must be in the Sacramento or surrounding area

Other Conditions:

Assessments will be scheduled on a first come first serve basis

CNS has the right to refuse service at any time. This offer may be canceled at any time with no notification to prospects or clients.

8 Signs You Need to Upgrade Your Server

2007-08-01T11:40:00.000-07:00

Your server hardware is a ticking time bomb.

Don't be alarmed. It may never actually "blow up" — which is to say, melt down and take lots of data with it. But one day, sooner or later, it will become obsolete. And for your business, that's potentially an explosive liability.
"The older your hardware is, the more likely that a failure and loss of productivity will occur," warns Donald Hess, senior systems engineer at Entre Computer Services, a systems integrator based in Rochester, N.Y. "In general, a company can avoid big expenses by updating its servers every three years. If it waits five years, then there's a big risk of being compelled to upgrade many components simultaneously."

Ouch.

What exactly needs upgrading?
Most small businesses tend to think of their server as a whole, which is to say hardware (the computer it runs on) and software (the application that powers the server, such as Windows Small Business Server) are one.

Talk to experts and you're likely to conclude that this holistic approach to a server is correct for most businesses. Hardware and software generally age at about the same rate. In other words, the machines need to be modernized at roughly the same interval as the server operating system is updated, give or take a few months.

So is your server ready for a once-over?

Here are eight signs.

1.It crawls. "When your server gets slow, it's time for some new iron," says Alan Canton, president of the Adams-Blake Company, an information-technology consulting firm in Fair Oaks, Calif. He recommends taking a look at both disk and CPU (central processing unit) usage. "When you're at about 80%, it's time to start looking around," he advises. Slow servers, of course, mean a less productive work force. Can you afford that?

2.It sucks up your time. "If you're spending more time on dealing with server problems than you are willing to commit, it's time for an upgrade," says David Wilner, president of Rhino Imaging, a New York document imaging company. Ask yourself: If you weren't working on a particular server problem, how much money could you earn by doing something else?

3.It's noisy. "As fan drives and hard drives age, you will notice they will become noisier," says Will Luden, chief executive of Info Partners, a San Mateo, Calif., provider of outsourced IT. "This is typically a good indicator that hardware failure is just around the corner. Computers are like cars; they have only so much mileage before they start falling apart." Luden says if you can't spring for a complete upgrade when you hear funny noises, at least make sure everything is backed up.

4.It's out of warranty. "When the only people who know enough to support your server are retired and collecting Social Security, you know you have a problem," says Michael Bielski, an IT coordinator for the California Society of Enrolled Agents, a tax-professional association in Sacramento, Calif. He's not kidding. If the manufacturer has stopped supporting the hardware and software — which means it's more than three years old — then there's a good chance you need some kind of upgrade.

5.Something doesn't feel right. Maybe your hardware specifications don't match your vendor specs. "Maybe it takes longer and longer to do the same function," says Brent Kuchvalek, who manages infrastructure and security services for Optimus Solutions LLC, an IT services company based in Norcross, Ga. If you, or your IT person, have a sinking feeling about the server, chances are it could be ready for an upgrade of some kind.

6.There's no more room. "If the requirement of the software that runs on the server exceeds the servers' specifications, then you need a new server," says Kendall Tatum, manager of IT services at Frank & Company, an accounting and financial consulting services firm in McLean, Va. He says small-business users shouldn't just try to manage a space or memory crisis in the short term, but to think about the company's long-term needs. "Planning is the key," he says. "Will you be adding more staff that will need access to this machine? Will you be upgrading the software that runs on the server in the near future? These are questions that you have got to ask yourself."

7.Its performance is otherwise impaired. "Does your server seize up often?" asks Ho Lee, general manager for Chicago-based DedicatedCentral, a managed dedicated server hosting provider. "Does the box have problems resolving conflicts?" Even if things run smoothly otherwise, these occasional "hiccups" may be a sign that the server is running up against the limits of its performance. "Most businesses have a hard time tracking these issues until it's too late," Lee adds. "I recommend monitoring tools that report on the health and status of their servers. They provide information for capacity planning and alerts of trouble signs."

8.The big one happens. "There usually isn't a telltale sign that your server needs to be upgraded, in terms of hardware, until a catastrophic failure occurs," explains Robert Cashman, president of Cashman Computer Associates, an Old Lyme, Conn., IT consultancy. After a meltdown, there's normally a "scramble" to replace operating systems and applications. Frequently, those are discontinued, or support has been discontinued, and that's usually when a business discovers that it should have upgraded long ago. "It is much calmer to upgrade in a planned manner than to scramble at the last minute to resolve a crisis," he says.

One last disclaimer: "Oftentimes," says Michael Crowe, director for IT consulting firm Plante & Moran in Chicago, "there may be no signs or warnings that are apparent to the users on the network." But the time bomb is still ticking.

By Christopher Elliott
Reprinted with permission from Microsoft Small Business Center

Regulatory Compliance and Small Business

2007-08-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Learn about the new regulatory environment and what you should do to ensure that your small business is compliant.

A new regulatory environment is affecting the business landscape, and compliance standards such as Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) and HIPAA require businesses to adhere to enforceable standards set by the government. Many compliance standards require accountability on the part of businesses, especially in the areas of data integrity, security, and privacy. Small businesses, especially in the financial and healthcare sectors or those that handle contracts from businesses in these sectors or from government agencies, are more likely to be affected by a more stringent regulatory environment.

According to a study sponsored by the Office of Advocacy in 2005 titled "The Impact of Regulatory Costs on Small Firms," small businesses with fewer than 20 employees spent $7,647 per employee to adhere to federal regulations. In comparison to businesses with over 500 employees that spent $5,282 per employee to comply with the same regulations, small businesses spent approximately 45% more than their larger business counterparts. However, compliance is not only a necessary part of doing business in today's world, it also ensures a more secure business practice and can help enhance customer confidence and attract new contracts and business.

Initially however, policy compliance may appear to be a daunting task. Yet, it is possible to deal with government regulations in a timely and effective way once you understand that the aspect of compliance that is often most relevant to small businesses is protecting the information of your customers, employees, clients, and others whom you conduct business with. Once you understand how to create a secure infrastructure to protect how you collect, store, and use data, you can meet the required standards with greater ease.

Recommendations
Here are some steps you can take to keep your business compliant:

Learn about regulations: Staying informed about the regulatory climate is the first step in the process. New regulations are created every year, and understanding which ones affect your business will help you create a strategy, a timeline for meeting the regulations, as well what resources you already have so that you will not replicate controls already in place.

Assess your security controls: You probably have many security controls in place for the sake of creating a secure business environment. This will help you a great deal, since you may only need to add a few extra measures to stay compliant with a new law or regulation. Taking stock of the hardware, software, and other IT devices you currently use will help you understand what areas you need to add extra protection to.

Install security measures: You should always have a minimum set of security measures installed to protect your business' network and resources, such as customer contact lists. You should invest in a backup solution to serve as a security measure – especially a disk-based backup system that allows you to backup your files to an offsite location and retrieve them easily and quickly. You will then have access to important data if you experience data theft or loss and need to contact customers or vendors. You should also install and use antivirus software and firewall technologies. These security solutions are necessary for a variety of regulations, especially to comply with laws regarding customer data privacy.

Upgrade and update: Though you may have antivirus protection, backup solutions, and other IT security safeguards, outdated versions put your business at risk from the very threats you are trying to avoid. Additionally, proving to government agencies and other authorities that you have taken adequate measures to protect confidential data may require you to disclose the security measures you have taken. Keeping current is not only one of the most important ways you can demonstrate regulatory compliance, it is also a way to be sure that the measures you have in place are effective. Check regularly for patches and updates on antivirus and other software, and consider upgrading to newer versions periodically to take advantage of technology advances.

Install compliance technology: There are different ways you can deal with issues of compliance, depending on the nature of your business. Some businesses, especially those in the healthcare and financial sectors may need to take more precautionary measures than others. If your business is in one of these sectors, you may consider compliance software technology that can be used to meet IT compliance and record and report what controls your business uses. This can be especially useful for businesses in industries that have periodic audits of business security controls and processes.

Conclusion
Regulatory compliance is an important aspect of doing business in today's world. By taking steps to meet government regulations, you will also gain your clients' and customers' trust. It will also help you maintain a secure computing environment, saving time and resources in the future by protecting your business from various threats. The security measures you implement now will help keep your business compliant and make it easier to meet new regulations that arise.

Capital Network Solutions, Inc. is a authorized partner of Ecora Software which provides organizations visibility into the performance, security and compliance of r IT infrastructure through the agentless collection and reporting of detailed, enterprise-wide configuration information. Please contact us for more information.

Exchange 2007 — What you need to know

2007-08-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Many of today's small to mid-sized businesses operate in a Microsoft Exchange environment. Most of these businesses have invested in Exchange and Exchange-compatible systems over the years, and now they are both loyal to and dependent upon Exchange for email. Now that Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 has finally been released, you might be wondering if it's worth the time, effort, and cost to migrate to 2007 from your current platform. Find out what's new with Exchange 2007, and what security issues to consider before you migrate.

Long time coming
Prior to 2007, the last release of Exchange was in 2003. Exchange Server 2007 includes many new enhancements and features that improve upon the 2003 platform. Here are some of the improvements that come with Exchange 2007:

More access — Email inbox, calendar, contact information, and voicemail can be accessed virtually anywhere, anytime using a browser.
Better availability — New data replication capabilities drive increased availability at a lower cost.
Richer email experience — Improved user experience and better manageability. Desktop features such as quick flags, sophisticated calendaring, and fast search are now available on mobile devices.
Unified messaging — Employees can receive their email, -voicemail, and faxes through a single inbox that can be accessed from anywhere. This means lower cost and complexity through consolidation of voicemail infrastructure.
Promotes compliance — Features are specifically designed to help comply with corporate, regulatory, and legal requirements.
Improved Web access — Outlook Web Access (OWA) 2007 gives a rich, Outlook 2007-like experience from a browser anywhere. No VPN is required.
Management help — Updated graphical management console with a more intuitive user interface, and a toolbox work center integrates diagnostics, monitoring, and troubleshooting tools.
One of the most prominent changes is that Exchange 2007 only runs on 64-bit servers. Even though 64-bit servers enable higher performance, it's been one of the biggest obstacles to migrating for small to mid-sized businesses because it means replacing existing 32-bit servers with new ones that cost twice as much

Managing email security
Email is mission-critical to most small to mid-sized businesses, so while Exchange 2007 boasts many new features, migrating to a new email system is not a task to be taken lightly. If you decide to migrate, you also must consider how you will secure, manage, and archive all aspects of the messaging environment while also ensuring compliance with IT policies and government regulations. Symantec has two important solutions that are compatible with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007:

Continuous backup and recovery: Email applications contain vast amounts of information that must be backed up and stored. Symantec Backup Exec11d for Windows Servers is our leading recovery solution that provides continuous disk-to-disk-to-tape backup and recovery for Microsoft Exchange 2007 servers. It eliminates the need for daily backups and enables quick recovery of individual mailboxes, messages, and folders. Backup Exec also protects stored data with 128-bit and 256-bit encryption to ensure the security of data that is backed up.

Messaging security: Email not only needs to be backed up — it also needs to be protected. IT administrators must protect email from virus threats, spam, and other security risks, while ensuring that internal policies are being enforced. Symantec Mail Security for Microsoft Exchange 2007 provides advanced antivirus and antispam protection, integrated content filtering with advanced policy rules, and fast scans that reduce the load on the Exchange server. SMS is easy to administer and its user interface provides a consistent, high performance administration experience.

Conclusion
The Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 boasts many new features that make accessing and managing email easier than ever for IT administrators and employees. What it doesn't do is back up or recover email messages, or protect them from outside threats. Your email system is a critical component of your business — you can't afford to risk your messaging data. That's where Symantec's solutions can help.

from Symantec

Planning for VMWare

2007-07-11T11:41:00.000-07:00

Virtualization has been around for some time now and is only becoming more popular. The economics make sense, especially when a number of specialized services are involved that do not play well together. As a whole, those services may use scant memory or CPU resources, but vendor compatibilities or other support concerns prevent the loading of multiple services on one system. Rather than bulk up on several dedicated servers for each application, a virtual cluster makes great sense. A VMWare ESX hardware cluster can utilize several hardware resources for the purpose of running virtual machines. What's even better is that should one of those hardware components fail, the virtual machines can continue to run off the available systems!

The problem with what has been seen in the field is that many organizations tend to view virtualization as a cure all. "Hey, I have 3 servers, and now I can have 6 or more on VM!", as if the hardware was suddenly able to defy laws of I/O, memory and CPU boundaries. So how can you be sure you're sizing the solution appropriately? As many of the white papers suggest, knowing your environment and objectives is a good start, however, understanding the usage fundamentals of the environment is key. Things like CPU utilization, disk I/O, memory use and other metrics are gathered through basic performance monitoring. While not a slick or new concept, properly gathering and analyzing performance data will help ensure you don't run into a bottleneck in your new VM environment. If you're lucky, you have an automated solution in place, if not, it's time to fire up the basic system tools, like perfmon, to gather than information.

Here's an example, lets say a company has 2 servers, but would like to add 2 more. Rather than purchase 2 new servers, they decide to opt for a VM solution on the two existing servers. What they don't realize, however, is that each server is already running at 70% CPU utilization on average and only has 256Mb of ram left on each. Adding two more servers with those resources is likely to result in poor performance. Additionally, disk I/O is well above the physical recommendations for the current drives and no new drives were specified.

If this were running in a test lab, it may be acceptable, but for production, the addition of two new servers would certainly result in unacceptable performance. In another post, I'll get into SANs (storage area networks) and how they can be properly sized for an environment, virtual or otherwise.

Top Ten Facts about Spyware

2007-06-20T15:38:00.000-07:00

Reference: www.yourtechonline.com

Fact 1: Spyware and Malware can easily be installed on a system without the user's knowledge. In some cases one infection can propagate many more infections by downloading and installing malicious software stealthily in the background.

Fact 2: There is no software available that can remove all spyware or malware because of the techniques that are used to release new variants and new strains of infections into the wild.

Fact 3: Spyware and malware infections can make pieces of your identity just a few mouse clicks away for criminals because of the ability of the software to gather and report personal information about you.

Fact 4: Spyware and Malware can slow down your internet connection speed dramatically

Fact 5: Spyware and Malware take away precious system resources in your computer, making boot times longer and over all performance sluggish.

Fact 6: A spy Audit survey in 2004 suggests that over 90% of computers are infected with some type of spyware!

Fact 7: Spyware and Malware can infect your system without your knowledge when you install certain software on your computer. Screen savers, online games, PC performance enhancers and even some spyware removal programs can "bundle" spyware and malware into their software.

Fact 8: Many computer users resort to "reformatting" their computer to rid their system of spyware, resulting in complete data loss and hours of valuable time lost to working on their computers

Fact 9: Some variants of spyware and malware can install backdoors to allow hackers complete control over a system. This often results in someone from the outside using your computer to send out spam and viruses.

Fact 10: Businesses and individuals can spend thousands of dollars in a year on tech support, losing hours, days and even sometimes weeks and STILL have the same problems from the start!