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Windows Management Framework
Windows Management Framework expanded management functionality in Windows 7 and in Windows Server 2008 R2.
That same functionality is now available for XP, W2K3 Server, Vista, and W2K8 Server.
Windows Management Framework contains:
Windows Remote Management (WinRM) 2.0 (new features):
- The WinRM Client Shell API provides functionality to create and manage shells and shell operations, commands, and data streams on remote computers.
- The WinRM Plug-in API provides functionality that enables a user to write plug-ins by implementing certain APIs for supported resources and operations.
- WinRM 2.0 introduces a hosting framework. Two hosting models are supported. One is Internet Information Services (IIS)-based and the other is WinRM service-based.
- Association traversal lets a user retrieve instances of Association classes by using a standard filtering mechanism.
- WinRM 2.0 supports delegating user credentials across multiple remote computers.
- Users of WinRM 2.0 can use Windows PowerShell cmdlets for system management.
- WinRM has added a specific set of quotas that provide a better quality of service and allocate server resources to concurrent users. The WinRM quota set is based on the quota infrastructure that is implemented for the IIS service.
Windows PowerShell 2.0 (new features):
- Remoting
- Integrated Scripting Environment
- Modules
- Advanced functions
- Background jobs
- Eventing
- Script internationalization
- Script debugging
- New cmdlets
Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) 4.0 (new features):
- Peer caching now uses Windows BranchCache. This new peer caching model replaces the model that is used for BITS 3.0.
- A more flexible resource access model allows for applications to associate a pair of security tokens to a BITS transfer job.
- The BITS Compact Server is a stand-alone HTTP/HTTPS file server that lets you transfer a limited number of large files asynchronously between computers.
- More precise bandwidth throttling.
Download and / or learn more about Windows Management Framework:
Windows Management Framework on XP, W2K3, Vista, and W2K8
BranchCache Design Guide
Click to view larger image.
What is BranchCache?
Per Microsoft:
BranchCache is a WAN bandwidth optimization technology that is included in the Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7.
To optimize WAN bandwidth, BranchCache copies content from your main office content servers and caches the content at branch office locations, allowing client computers at branch offices to access the content locally rather than over the WAN.
At branch offices, content is stored either on servers that are running the BranchCache feature of Windows Server 2008 R2 or, when no server is available in the branch office, on computers running Windows 7. After a client computer requests and receives content from the main office and the content is cached at the branch office, other computers at the same branch office can obtain the content locally rather than contacting the main office over the WAN link.
BranchCache increases end user productivity by improving content query response times for clients and servers in branch offices, and can also help improve network performance by reducing traffic over WAN links.
The BranchCache Design guide provides instructions on deploying BranchCache in both distributed cache mode and hosted cache mode, and allows you to deploy Hypertext Transfer protocol (HTTP), Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS), and Server Message Block (SMB)-based content servers that are Web servers, application servers, and file servers, respectively.
- Key BranchCache design points
- BranchCache terminology
- BranchCache installation guide
- OS versions for BranchCache
BranchCache Design Guide
BranchCache Deployment Guide
Click to download BrachCache Design Guide (zipped):
SkyDrive Explorer v1.2 Beta
Just passing this along from Paul Thurrott’s blog as I use SkyDrive to share out numerous files on this blog and this little utility will come in handy…
Per the SkyDrive Team:
SkyDrive Explorer is a free, easy-to-use, but very powerful extension for Windows Explorer. With SkyDrive Explorer you can make any every-day operations with your documents from Microsoft Live SkyDrive™ service using Windows Explorer, as if they were on your computer.
Moreover you don’t need to install and configure any additional programs or ActiveX components. SkyDrive Explorer will organize the interaction with the online storage itself.
Your Windows 7 Deployment Guide
So I may have mentioned it in an earlier post, but I am a big fan of Chris Adams, a Senior Lead Program Manager with Microsoft.
In the November issue of the TechNet Magazine, he has an article published around deploying Windows 7.
We are currently in the process of working out all the kinks (and bugs) for deploying Windows 7 and there is some good insight for anyone working through OSD right now.
If you are in the process of developing an OSD plan or are stuck in “how do I do…” I highly suggest reading this article.
AD MP for Ops Mgr 2007 v6.0.7065.0 Released!
Brief Description: The Active Directory Management Pack (ADMP) monitors Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2008 R2 domain controllers.
Active Directory MP Updates:
- Updated the guide to reflect include support for Windows Server 2008 R2.
- Added information regarding support for Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) and the Active Directory Management Gateway Service.
- Added the “Appendix: Monitors and Overrides for Management Packs” section.
- Updated all configuration steps throughout guide.
- Integrated multiple topics related to Client Monitoring into a single topic and placed under Optional Configuration.
- Provided detailed steps on enabling Replication Monitoring Performance Data Collection, which is in the Optional Configuration section.
Feature Summary:
- Replication
- Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
- Domain Controller Locator (DCLocator)
- Trusts
- Net Logon service
- File Replication Service (FRS)
- Intersite Messaging service
- Windows Time service
- Key Distribution Center (KDC)
- Service availability monitoring
- Key performance data collection
- Comprehensive reports, including reports about service availability and service health, plus reports that you can use for capacity planning
Download: Active Directory MP for Ops Mgr 2007
Download AD MP documentation:
Forefront TMG 2010 RC MP v7.0.7695.100 Released!
I have to commend the Forefront TMG Product Team for getting this MP released.
Nice work!
It appears that for those of you who wrote to complain, compliment or other about the beta MP, the Forefront TMG Product Team listened. The enhancements in this MP include increased coverage and usability.
Discoveries include automatically detecting any new servers added to the array or if a new feature is enabled (i.e. HTTPSi) and then it will be automatically monitored as well.
Visibility has been extended to “add automatically generated array/enterprise topology views” – helping you decipher simple node deployment to complex / multi-node deployments.
Events have been reworked within the MP to provide more granular discoveries for each relevant component (read = features).
Performance Counters while seen as an added feature to Event monitoring, are not enabled upon importing (mostly to save bandwidth and assure faster response”).
Compatibility: While this new MP will work (run) on Ops Mgr 2007 SP1 RTM, performance and easier customization can be achieved if imported into Ops Mgr 2007 R2.
Note: Use this management pack to monitor Forefront TMG only.
To monitor older versions use:
Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006 Management Pack for OpsMgr 2007
Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004 and 2006 Management Pack
Windows Server 2008 R2 – Free eBook
Just released a few days ago from Microsoft, Windows Server 2008 R2 eBook covers what system administrators need to know to manage Windows 2008 R2 servers in their environment.
Covered in this free book are the following:
- What’s New in Windows Server R2
- Install/Config: Adding R2 to your World
- Hyper-V: Scaling & Migrating virtual Machines
- Remote Desktop Services & VDI: Centralizing Desktop and App Management
- AD: Improving & Automating Identity and Access
- File Services Role
- IIS 7.5: Improving the Web App Platform
- DirectAccess & Network Policy Server
- Other Features & Enhancements
Security Compliance Management Toolkit Series
Are you familiar with Microsoft’s Solution Accelerators?
Solution Accelerators were designed, by Microsoft, to assist IT Professionals in planning, deploying, and operating IT systems using Microsoft products and technologies. These are free scenario based guides and automations that focus on security & compliance, management & infrastructure, and communication & collaboration.
“The Security Compliance Management Toolkit Series builds on previous Solution Accelerators to provide you with expanded best practices and additional automation tools to help configure and deploy security settings for the following operating systems and applications: Windows® 7, BitLocker™ Drive Encryption, Windows® Internet Explorer® 8, Windows Server® 2008, Windows Server® 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2), Windows Vista® SP1, Windows XP® Professional SP3, and 2007 Microsoft Office SP1.”
If you have System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 in you environment, you can verify the accuracy of the of your deployment of the settings policy changes by using Desired Configuration Management (DCM).
This series includes Security Compliance Management Toolkits for the following products:
The Security Compliance Management Toolkit covers the following products:
- Windows 7
- Internet Explorer 8
- Windows Server 2008
- Windows Server 2003
- Windows Vista
- Windows XP
- 2007 Microsoft Office
***The GPOAccelerator tool is included with each toolkit download package.
Toolkit Components:
Each of the Security Compliance Management Toolkits includes the following components:
- Security guide: Each toolkit includes an updated version of a previously released security guides for Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Internet Explorer 8 or 2007 Microsoft Office. The guidance provides you with best practices and automated tools to help you plan and deploy your security baselines.
- Attack Surface Reference workbook: A resource that lists the changes introduced as server roles are installed on computers running Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, for the toolkits specific to these operating systems.
- Security Baseline Settings workbook: A resource that lists all of the prescribed settings for each of the preconfigured security baselines that the security guides recommend.
- Security Baseline XML: XML files that allow your organization to consume the data defined in the security baseline settings workbooks.
- GPOAccelerator tool: A tool that you can use to create all the Group Policy objects (GPOs) you need to deploy your chosen security configuration. This release also supports Windows Server 2003, and creating security configurations on machines not joined to a domain.
- INF Files: INF files for Windows 7, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008.
- Baseline Compliance Management Overview: The overview discusses best practices on how to monitor security baselines for Windows operating systems and Office applications.
- DCM Configuration Pack User Guide: A step-by-step prescriptive user guide about how to use the Configurations Packs with the DCM feature in Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
- DCM Configuration Packs: The toolkit series includes DCM configuration packs to use with the DCM feature in Configuration Manager 2007 R2.
Download: Security Compliance Management Toolkit – All
You can subscribe to the Solution Accelerator Notifications newsletter to stay informed on releases and updates for the following:
- Communication & Collaboration
- Deployment
- Operations & Management
- Security, Data Protection, & Recovery
Download Details: Security Compliance Management Toolkit Series:
Hardware-Assisted Virtualization Detection Tool – Released!
Wanna an easy way to find out if certain workstations or laptops have processors that support hardware assisted virtualization and if this setting is enabled?
Microsoft has released a tool to assist:
The Hardware-Assisted Virtualization (HAV) detection tool helps you check if the computer processor supports hardware virtualization. The tool also checks if this feature is enabled on the processor.
For all the details and to download the tool go here: HAV Detection Tool
